Burning Like Wildfire

 The desire to be fit is more than just creating something within time, it has to spark a side of you that burns within the psyche. Training programs will always come and go, some don't need to have a ton of skill to get results but there's always that plan. Being your own architect so do speak. You make the designs, the structure, the foundation and the map of where things go. You lay out the dream on paper or in your mind, then you take action and start building.

Sometimes, a program takes on a life of its own, it consumes you because of your time and investment in the project you want to see come to fruition. It's one of the things I like about Suspension Calisthenics; its not very difficult to understand what exercises work, but in order to make them work, you need to lay the ground work. You can possess the knowledge, but its the application that pieces together brick by brick.

Doing things like Push-ups, Squats, Pull-Ups, Dips and even Curls for that matter may not seem all that simple when in reality they're the keys that unlock the doors to what can be accomplished. From a Suspension Trainer like the WorldFit Iso or even a typical Suspension Setup , you have the most basic tools that can be put into a bag. Multiple Variations that are like the rooms in your floor plan, each room may have similarity but it has its own character it's own personality in the designs you made. Even something like the Pull-Up can be constructed by doing a move where you start with a certain progression that has on your feet and the only muscles you're working is your grip, the back, arms and shoulders. Learning to create tension and master before going to a harder progression. 

Too many people in the fitness industry make things complicated and that's really by design because simplicity doesn't sound flashy or extreme. Those who want you to be flashy and extreme are the ones who don't give a damn about you, they only care about convincing you that what they're selling is the only thing that works when in reality, it's cheap knock offs that don't deserve anything more than a fuck you to the person who thinks they're better than anybody else. Simplicity, utilizing tension, train the muscles to stimulate, not annihilate and be in control. 

Doing hundreds of reps have their perks, shit you've read enough about my Dopa Band workouts or my 500 Squat Sessions or 1000 Step Ups. It's not that they don't work, they absolutely do, but they're only a part of the puzzle. Doing very high rep workouts have their place yet some only care about that and that alone which is why they don't build muscle very much yet they think they look like Bruce Lee or something. Bruce was as shredded as they come and despite his small size, the amount of muscle he had was incredible compared to those who believe in their own hype and look like they could barely carry grocery bags. If I had to pick an athlete that remotely had a build like Lee, it was guys like Maxick. 

Back to the task at hand, using greater tension to stimulate the muscles has perks most don't realize. When you can program the idea of Muscle Control into movements in a Suspension Style Workout, you're putting in work that has a much better capacity to put on muscle. You may not look like a Bruce Lee or a Mr. Universe but you can pack on natural muscle that not only brings out a great physique but also puts real strength on the tendons and ligaments. Combine that with Isometric Training and you got yourself some insane Strength & Muscular Development. That's one of the main ingredients to getting bad ass results. 

There will be people who will try to convince you otherwise because it doesn't suit their narrative or vision for what they want to sell you. They'll try to sell you some stuff that seems promising and talks a good game, but in the very depths, it's nothing more than desperate attempts to make you believe everyone else is full of shit and they're the ones that can't do anything wrong. It's manipulative tactics that show that they're in it to take your money and don't care whether you get hurt or not. It's stupid and makes them look weak to such a degree that regardless of their claims, an 11 year old can beat them in Arm Wrestling. 

With something like Suspension Calisthenics, there's no manipulation, there's no dark secrets hiding behind the exercises or making ridiculous claims. It's in your face and direct to the point but using words of encouragement and making you the star of your own program. Sure it has routines and all that to give you something to look into, but it doesn't have that "I'm better than you" bullshit antic and Matt Schifferele doesn't treat you like you're a loser if you don't follow his style, he wants you to succeed, he wants you to become a greater version of yourself and shows with enthusiasm and preaches about using simple tools to build strength you couldn't have dreamed of that lasts a lifetime with consistency. 

Bodyweight Training is a powerful asset in your fitness arsenal and when you can use things that could fit in your pocket, you have a whole new world of knowledge at your disposal. I never want you to feel and neither does Matt, that's why we want to give you the resources you deserve and want to create something for yourself. Be amazingly awesome and get cracking. I leave you with these words from one of the best Journey songs:  

In the shadows of a golden age 

A generation waits for dawn 

Brave carry on 

Bold and the strong

Love this song. 

Am I Not Turtley Enough For The Turtle Club?

Sometimes, certain lines from a movie just make you laugh. That's one of my favorite lines from the movie Master Of Disguise. Sure it's corny and has its own flaws but its a fun movie nonetheless. Can't beat a legend like Dana Carvey.

Back to the task at hand....Turtles are known for their long and even strong necks. Some species have longer or shorter necks for specific purposes like some have long necks to reach for food, others have shorter ones for their movement in water. When it comes to our own necks, it is often the top of the heap of the most neglected muscles in our body. 

Unless you're a football player, wrestler, boxer or even an MMA Fighter, many don't train the neck to the extent where it can be a life-saving aspect of fitness and overall health. Some may claim to know a thing or two on training the neck but when you actually look at them, they've got the pencil neck thing going, those are the type that think they know about neck work but would get choked out by a 5 year old. Learn from the REAL ones that have been through the ringer and actually put in the effort, not act like some guru or "expert" that sounds convincing but in reality has a glass jaw and a broken ego with a neck that looks like a stick figure. So be careful, it just might save you financially from buying crappy books that never go anywhere and better yet, keep you safe from their bullshit tactics like their way or the highway or hear them say they're the very best at this or that (they really aren't and it shows in their own desperate attempt to prove themselves). 

You don't need to have a 20+ inch neck to be noticeable, hell mine is barely 18 inches around and I'm happy with that. George F. Jowett once wrote "In both men and the other male beasts, the neck has always been the true indicator of quality and quantity of his concentrated nerve power. A strong healthy man always has a powerful neck and he always will have one." Notice he never said thick neck, powerful. Although a thick neck (that is also healthy) isn't too bad either.

I've been doing neck training off and on for years to the point where I've accumulated about 18 inches or so and without using weights. I've been slowly and consistently doing more of making my neck a priority by doing bridges, working the Neck Flex that was birthed by the true king of Neck Strength, Mike "The Machine" Bruce. If you doubt me, look him up and see the type of things he does or even done that would make a normal man run for the hills. Even at 53 years young, the odds of you able to choke him out would be slimmer than winning the lottery. I've even kept up my Neck Mobility Training.

Having a strong neck goes beyond just muscle building and strengthening the nerves surrounding those muscles; it's about strengthening the spinal column and even working the neurons of the brain which can lead to stronger cognitive function. You don't always need to practice bridging in order to do this but if you're interested in that type of training, check out Advanced Bridging by Logan Christopher, pound for pound one of the strongest motherfuckers on this planet. 

Neck Training can also prevent or even lessen many possible injuries. Outside of sports, the strength of your neck can keep you alive from whiplash in a car accident or possibly get out of a jam if you get locked in a hold in a fight. Having a pencil neck isn't fun, trust me I've been there. When I was a young wee lad in the days of Elementary school, I had a bit of a bobblehead thing going on, big head but thin neck and I'm lucky I didn't get injured doing some of the stupid shit you do as a kid. By the time I was in high school and really started moving weights around, my neck got a little bigger from doing shrugs and lifting heavy shit (at least what I thought felt heavy at the time). Wasn't until after turning 21 that having a strong neck was vitally important. I just started with bridges and went from there.

As time passed throughout the ages which is now practically old enough to be my kid if I ever had one, I've learned valuable tools of the trade beyond bridging and keeping my neck healthy and strong. I can still bridge well if I wanted to but working with the Neck Flex has been a great asset and addition to maintaining a thick neck well into my 40's. Guys like Mike Bruce showed that you don't need to be a pro athlete to have a bull neck but you shouldn't be having a pencil neck one either because it will haunt your ass if you don't train your fucking neck.

I'm grateful to not have injuries to my spine and neck because of the training I pit myself through and some of it is tough as shit. Hell, at one point in my life, I was falling back into a bridge, kicking over and back on my head as heavy as 260 lbs. I may not do that kind of stuff anymore because I don't really need to or have a purpose in doing it but it was a blast doing it at the time. Just holding and rocking in the bridge is good enough for me and doing neck exercises in a standing position from isometrics to dynamic tension to using the NF and my mobility work is the sweet spot for me. When I do self resistance exercises, I'll do a total of 200 reps per workout, done that many times, with the NF I'll do anywhere between 150-300 reps using a resistance band that has a resistance of 19 lbs doing several exercises or simply do isometrics in several positions. 

Conditioning and strengthening that area not only keeps your head on your shoulders (May even save your life from being decapitated by another immortal) but it also fires the neurons in the brain which helps with the functioning of the brain and reducing headaches and/or possibly migraines. Don't know for sure about the last one but in my experience, whenever I had a headache, I wasn't training my neck. 

Don't lose your head and keep on working that neck so you can live a solid quality life and be able to withstand some crazy things that may happen. I don't recommend you test that just to prove how tough you are but building a powerful neck comes in handy when you least expect it. Be amazingly awesome and remember...."There can be only one."  

Battling The Demons To Become A Better Version Of Yourself

We all have battled demons in our lifetime; whether it's wrestling with drugs, alcohol, diseases, mental wars like PTSD, food and other things. We even battle ourselves for how we look compared to the rest of the world and what it tells us how to live, look and feel. Sometimes, those demons take hold and take us down the rabbit hole where getting out is virtually impossible to a certain extent. Some people like being the demon they have become even though they believe they're not and will justify everything to compensate for it.

Some demons are conquered, others can be a struggle on a daily basis. You still get up, take the day and kick ass, even for a brief moment. Vulnerability can be a real bitch because many have been taught that even being vulnerable in a positive sense is a weakness cause someone has empathy and sympathy. We have been taught to trust very few if at all because we have been wronged for so long by a lot of people and we shut ourselves off. Many become bitter, have a hatred for either a group of people, themselves or in some cases, one single person and does nothing but run their mouth blasting them and weaponizing anything they say. Those particular demons someone suffers, don't always end well and it damn sure doesn't get better for them unless they make drastic changes.

From a fitness point of view: Battling demons can mean finding a program to stick with or fit into in order to better ourselves. We do our best to make something work when others tell us it's shit or it can't work because of whatever. We struggle to make ourselves fit and healthy because there's temptations EVERYWHERE!!! It doesn't matter if it's food, the plethora of information, what to take, how to apply a movement, a workout for specific purposes and anything else in between. Some overcome it on their own, at times beat it with help and support, some still hit those walls and can't break through. It happens everyday.

Fuck man, I've battled my own demons both physically and mentally. Still struggle with certain things and there are demons that just won't go away that I have to live with but I keep fighting with what I have and do what's possible because if I gave up on the things I love the most, it would be torturous for me to the point where it would literally start to kill me from within. There are things I wish I didn't give up on like wrestling in high school, it sucked that I ended up injuring a knee and my wrists that it took what I wanted to do and made me lose the desire to wrestle. If I could go back in time, being the shape I'm in now without the rod and pins in my legs, I would go even harder trying out for the team and whether I would make the cut or not, at least I had the balls to give it a go more than I did when I was 18. I even battle my own nightmares from my accident almost on a daily basis, but it's also a reminder to why I keep doing what I do despite what I did to myself and learning how to not beat myself up about it. 

We all fight in some format or another, sometimes we just take the punches and work our way through. Sometimes the fight is too much and there's nothing left for us to keep going so we have those suicidal thoughts. If you're struggling with those specific demons, I highly encourage you to get help. I don't give a fuck if its a friend, spouse, priest, counselor, teacher, coach or whoever you trust, do everything you can to keep fighting and living with that power to do something incredible in this world, no matter how small or big it is. 

There are times where we may feel the need to pretend that we can wave a magic wand and crush our demons with one swoop and be done with it. Unfortunately, none of us have a fairy godmother that can do that. What's the next best thing we can do and not put forth our battles on booze, meds, coke and other harmful crap? Training is a great option. Go lift, do bodyweight exercises, crawl like an animal, go on hikes, swim in your favorite lake/ocean/pool area and conquer your demons by bettering your mental and physical health. Take that trauma, that anger, anxiety & abuse and channel it into something that could change the course of your journey in this life. 

It may not be a magic wand, but you can make waves with resistance bands such as the Dopamineo Bands. Formulate exercises that trigger those hormones and feelings into a powerful entity that transforms you inside and out. Do a set of the Propellers, do 500 Rep circuits, do drills, do waves like Unilateral Wave Pulls, Double Hand Waves, be explosive with Double Hand Wave Pulls and many other things. These bands can harness a new level of strength, endurance and many other attributes that coin-side with making yourself healthy and fit. It's not always about looking like a Greek god unless that's your preference, it's about taking control of your well-being and destroying the bullshit that resides within you: Doubt, Fear, Anxiety, Hatred, Physical Trauma, Emotional Abuse and other things that many will never come out of. You have the power to beat the living hell out of that negative entity and make it work for you, not against you. 

No matter what demons you may face, you're not alone, you have options, just need to learn where to look for them. Make the change to not only face them but mutilate them with fiery passion. Slice them into bits like Blade does to Vampires. Smash them like the Incredible Hulk and never allow yourself to turn to the Darkside like Obi-Wan Kenobi. You are a fucking bad ass and you've got more power in you than you would ever believe. Be amazingly awesome and I wish you all your successes, even the little ones no one notices. 

Get 10% OFF your order when you go to Dopamineo and use the Code POWERANDMIGHT. My gift to you to help save a little money and grab a band. These are virtually indestructible and will be your battle partner. 

If you wish to get in contact with me, use the Linktree below. 

The Journey Of Being In Your 40's

Before we get into this, I just want to say that I hope everyone will get a chance to see the new and updated design of the blog. New logo, bio, comment policy and a few other tweaks. A friend of mine got in contact with me and wanted to help me out with rebranding or even giving the blog a makeover. The things he has shown and helped me with, I'm very grateful to him. He takes the credit for the designs and background. He knows who he is and just want to say thank you for all you've put into giving this platform a bad ass look. A great friend indeed.

Now that we've got that out of the way (I'm still getting chills with the new logo), let's have a little fun with aging shall we? For real though, 41 isn't old, it's only old if you make it out to be. I haven't felt like I peaked yet and still have far more left in me. Now you may have more experience and know you're not in you're not in your 20's or 30's anymore but that doesn't mean things go down hill after 40. 

It is a journey that teaches us new things, finding what's possibly beyond the horizon. You learn to adapt, improvise and find out what some of your true strengths are. We learn how to work around our weaknesses the best we can and even turn those into strengths we didn't think were possible before. From a training point of view, some have been around the game for decades while others are just starting out or getting back into it after being away from it for so long. It doesn't matter how much experience you have or if you're a complete Probe (If you've ever watched NCIS, you know what this means), the journey is where you're at right now and what you can do moving forward.

Not all of us are the strongest or the fastest but that doesn't mean we can't improve who we can become and get stronger and faster for ourselves. You don't need to look like anybody else, they're already taken. We can admire them, learn from them and even try to emulate them but in the end, all we can do is be a little better than yesterday even down to the smallest fraction that nobody else will notice. 

There are those who are 40+ and had more injuries in their life than the average person can count on one hand. Sometimes, there are things we can never come back from because of the severity but in most cases, we can do our damndest to make ourselves better so our lives can have a better quality. I've seen guys in wheelchairs do things that are fucking incredible, seen guys who look more like spiderman than the hulk catch/flip heavy ass kettlebells and even rack pulled 1000+ lbs. Seen guys over 40 carry a yoke while its on fire and then shoot arrows. There are many things we can do that people tell us couldn't happen after we reach 40. 

We all have our own routes to take, sometimes we hit forks in the road, sometimes we need to change course to get to where we're going because some routes aren't always the same. The road maps, GPS, personality and other things are part of where we go in life. Some just want to maintain and even find new ways to train so they can be able to keep going, some will train harder than they ever did in their life because they didn't want to be the youngest in a nursing home while others are just trying to get out of bed in the morning and battle their mental demons so they can function. 

In a fitness aspect, 40 and beyond is a new or even continuous path to where you can become the best version of yourself. You may stumble, you may even have a setback or two but you keep fighting so what you're able to do becomes effortless. Being better than everybody else isn't the flex some think it is, there's always going to be someone better, stronger, faster and durable than you so why fight to be better than 8+ billion people. Seriously, what kind of life is that? Be the best version of you, be the first that changes what was and what will be so you can thrive in your own life. Train for a competition, do things that maintain your strength, work on your attitude towards certain methods and learn what it means to discover your own powers, your own obstacles to overcome and kick ass beyond what you've done before or haven't been able to do yet. 

I'm in my early 40's and still have things to learn, methods that may become a part of my vocabulary and training routines that can turn me more into a machine than I could ever be in my 20's and 30's. I'm not going down without a fight. I'm still young but also experienced many things that people don't know about and on a journey that hasn't faded. I have stumbled but always got back up, I do have certain regrets but those also taught me how to be a better man through hard lessons and soul searching. I want to be a little better, even if its microscopic, there is still something I can do to keep myself going. That's my fight, my way of overcoming things in life and how I continue to fucking roll through the bullshit. 

What's your fight? What have you overcome to get to where you are now? How has your journey gone that gives you purpose to keep going? You have more in you than you realize and I believe you can do great things when you make those demons your bitch. Keep fighting and don't let those who tear you down get to you because if you let it, you'll be in a black hole that's infinite. Get out and do what's possible for you. You got this.

Be amazingly awesome and don't think of your 40's as the end, but as a beginning to what you can do as time goes on. 

Out In The Open Air On A Saturday Morning

 This morning, I went out to the park with my Dopa Band, hooked it up with an anchor to my favorite tree, put on some tunes and had at it. Did my 500 Rep Circuit of 5 Exercises for 10 Reps each for 10 Rounds. A little chilly still but it was nice to get some fresh air and work up a bit of a sweat. 

Spring is almost here and it was fun to get out and have a blast doing what I love to do. It's important to be productive instead of obsessing and ranting about other grown men and think there's any value to it (it isn't). Training is about self discovery, finding things that give you purpose and enjoying the journey. If you feel the need to run your mouth on the internet and waste space with negative bullshit instead of doing something meaningful with your life, more power to you but it shows your lack of discipline and morality. 

No rest days, at least for me, can't speak for everyone else but I believe in doing something daily whether for a few minutes or however long you want. Doesn't have to be extreme all the time like some dude with a death wish claims you should do, keep it light some days and go hard when the opportunity arises. Challenge yourself but always leave some gas left in the tank, helps with recovery. Going extreme too often leads to injuries much quicker and it's no badge of honor to push yourself so hard that you may end with no cartilage or something that will have you living with pain the rest of your life. 

The weekend doesn't mean you stop training but if you need to back off a bit to help avoid a potential injury, do so and maybe focus on mobility training and movement flows. Some days will be easier than others but with consistency, awareness and adaptability, doing some form of training everyday has amazing benefits. Not everyone is going to get a full hour or something straight for a workout during the week or even the weekend, do what's possible and learn the value of Micro Workouts. Little bits of exercise throughout the day or doing something when you're short on time but want the benefits of staying fit and healthy. 

Going to the park, breathing in the open air, listening to nature (at least the birds chirping while being on grass) and doing something that fulfills your soul is a kick ass thing to do. Have fun, play and be human, not some clown that acts like he's above everyone else, talks down to people who live happy lives and writes countless irrelevant crap that people will eventually get tired of, it's pathetic and sad to live like that, seriously, how miserable and sick do you have to be to act like that and think it's some kind of flex? Guys like that need to seek some professional help and pull their head out of their ass.  

Life can be brutal at times, some go through hardships you will never understand but when there's chaos, there is beauty in the world too. It's not always easy to find but once you do, hold onto it and cherish it. Sometimes we need a little bit of chaos but not to the point where we can't live without being horrible to one another. It sucks where certain aspects of the world has gone, we lose our heroes, have a man that doesn't even remember he's president and learn things that make you want to smack some douche canoe upside the head or better yet give him an ass kicking for calling maids slaves. Fucking stupid. Cheer somebody on that made a new PR, found the job they wanted, victorious in a tournament, got a new promotion, standing up to a bully or even give them a hug for beating cancer and thriving. 

When it comes to fitness; whether you lift weights, do bodyweight, both, do a little of many different methods or you're training for competition, enjoy the journey, be positive about your results and make your goals your bitch. Granted there are some things some shouldn't be doing for obvious reasons but just know that we all have our own paths, some are a little over the top, some are starting out and others do what's possible in the moment and all we can do is just hope they don't get hurt or do something that they will regret. 

There are people out there who want to tear you down because they got nothing better to do and destroy anything that gives you hope of making something of yourself. Some (from my own experiences) are so overly obsessed they make up the dumbest shit just so they can make a lousy and pitiful few bucks that is nothing more than a 10 cent copy and pasted fitness book or whatever unoriginal crap. Look like they would get tired doing 5 pushups that definitely needs work and act like they know how to put on muscle but can't get past being seen like a corpse with hair that got electrocuted. You're nothing special and it's sad you resort to asinine tactics that has you losing subscribers and business daily. Not even worthy of a name here since he goes by three different people that talk and act exactly the same. Like I said, unoriginal. 

Little by little, let's not let those people in the above paragraph stop us from what we love to do and live with purpose. Live with passion and live with greater humility. You got this and keep being amazingly awesome. Be sure to check out Dopamineo.com and use the code POWERANDMIGHT to shave off some bucks on your order. If you wish to get a hold of me, go to my LINKTREE where all my socials and Email are. Looking forward to hearing from you. Have a great weekend everyone.   

A Mindset Beyond The Gym

 There are people who are so adamant about training in the gym, they often times become conditioned to believe that's the only place one should be training at. Not true whatsoever. Every individual who trains in the gym have their reasons, some are good, some out of desperation and others go because it is therapeutic for them. The gym has its place and if it works for someone, make it worthwhile. However; it isn't the only option.

For me, I'm just not part of that culture. I don't even feel my full potential is in those places, not anymore at least. I'm in the process of canceling my own membership because I just don't have that passion or drive to go to a building where I feel out of place, not being myself or do what works best for me. It was fun for a while and picked up on a few things again but that fire died out a long time ago and I was just going through the motions exercise wise. 

Training outside the gym has always been my thing for the last 20+ years. Strength Training through Isometrics, Sandbags, Hammers, Band and Bodyweight feels more primal and exciting to me. Barbells and Dumbbells are cool to play around with but nothing gave me that true power and fire than the things I just mentioned. The world is our gym, we have the ability to create any workout we want with the right knowledge and tools. Having a home gym in my opinion is a far better option because you can set it up any way you want, lift with what you have and never have to worry about other people around you. I like training at home, the park, the beach, in a hotel room or wherever. I don't have to wait around for anyone and I don't want anyone to have to wait on me to use something. Plus, I'm not the most social guy when it comes to the gym anyway, yeah I give others props for their training but in reality, I've always lived by my motto "Either join me, or stay the fuck away from me" when it comes to the things I do. 

 I met a few guys at the gym that were cool and had some solid strength for the things they did. They complimented me a time or two telling me that my strength was impressive to them and doing some crazy weights without using straps, my grip strength I think impressed them the most but it is what it is. It just didn't give me what I wanted out of it and I was fighting myself to either go and fight to get a good workout in or whatever. It also took a lot of time out of my day where normally, I would train for less than a half hour and either be back home in a few minutes or just go about the rest of my day at the house or whatever. I was walking 45 minutes to an hour to go to the gym, which in and of itself might as well be my cardio, lift some weights for another 45 minutes to an hour, do a possible finisher for about 20 minutes (only done it a couple times) and then have the energy to walk all the way back home. That's over 3 hours of my day just to try to get some training in. That's not who I' am and what is worthy of me to do. On top of that, I was going after goals outside of the gym that took up even more energy than I wanted to. 

I wanted my energy to be useful, not burned out of necessity just so I can try to do stuff in a little building LOL. Some days I would go with my wife so we can go together and she can do her thing and I'll help her out every now and then but even then, I barely even knew what I wanted to do, I can work any exercise in there if I wanted to and knew how to do them but being out of the gym culture game most of my adult life, I had no structure or plan for anything, I just picked up weights and if I went heavier, cool or do pull-ups and dips. I had greater structure outside of it and I just don't want to fight that, you know what I mean?

Fitness is a journey that takes you on many paths, if its in a gym, that's awesome and wish everyone nothing but success but some of us have a journey that doesn't include that and making something of ourselves that takes us beyond that mentality of being in the gym. That's just my take on it and have greater freedom to roam. I want to have that energy to do what I love, be there for others and not be so damn exhausted for just a small window of exercise, I want to be able to keep going and not push myself to the brink of possibly injuring myself. If I truly wanted to get into an exhaustive phase, I'd rather it be on the mat wrestling or some other martial art and/or moving furniture. Something along those lines or hell be able to hike and swim, I love that shit. Fuck, I rather get winded after messing with a sledgehammer than mess around with a barbell. 

All in all, that part of my journey, is not a priority for me anymore and I want to make things happen the way I feel I was meant to do. The gym will always have a place in my heart, it was my first area of training when I was a teenager during and after high school briefly and will always tell people, if you're going to be going to the gym, make it successful for you and learn the basics from the old timers and not some textbook influencer who's most likely on steroids telling you the latest trends. Train with passion, train with that fire within and give each session the best you have that day, even if you're not 100%. If that's your style of training, don't ever let it go. Be amazingly awesome and kick ass in your journey. 

Push-Ups? Who The Hell Needs Them? Just Use The Dopa Band

Some may even say the other way around but truly, who cares? Now that we got that out of the way, Certain aspects of training is different for everybody. If you took 100 people in a group and put them through the same regimen, the same exercises, the same order, the same amount of time and the same rep and set scheme, what would happen? Will they all have the same exact results? No, some may have very few changes while others have exceptional results. 

Expecting people to have the same results or better yet, think they can follow the same protocols or they're a loser and didn't do it right is a downfall for any influencer or fitness author. It's really about adaptability, finding ways to be challenged yet still have the enthusiasm to continue their journey. Remember that show The Biggest Loser? Where they took people who were morbidly obese and put them on programs that were meant for people on a near elite level of professionals? Sure they lost weight, a bunch actually but what happened was the aftermath. Many of them had complications and even gained back not just all the weight but added on. How that show lasted as long as it did boggles the fuck out of me.

We all have our own journey, our own lives and our own ways of juggling things in order to better ourselves. Some don't always make it through and other others can do things they never imagined being able to do. Some "influencers" are so desperate and dogmatic about their perfect programs that they forget how to be human to other people. They act like leaders of a cult that their way is the only way and if you're not a part of it, you're the problem and it's your fault for being a part of this perfect world of fitness. It's all bullshit.

There are programs that people aren't meant to do and not because of the program itself, mainly some don't have the time, the level it requires and at times they're injured and can't make the prerequisites. It's not the end of the world. Hell, there are those out there who expect others to drink 10 liters of water a day because it'll make them better health wise. Do the math on this for a moment...Do you know how many liters are in a gallon alone? Round it out to the closest denominator and it's about 4. Now tell people to more than double that and you're getting from a poundage stand point 22+ lbs for the equivalent of 10 liters. Regardless of weight, regardless of age or health factors, that's dangerous in and of itself and might as well be telling people to poison themselves or they're losers. Pretty pathetic. That's the type of person that expects others to do their programs that they're not ready for and have to be this extreme all the time or they are considered F*ggots. On a given day unless it's hot out, I mostly never go past a gallon and that's pushing it LOL.

Real influencers like Matt Schifferle for example, take a program and have it be adaptable and do what's possible for just about anyone. Very little of his training protocols go past basic or even intermediate levels but that's not the point. The point is, if it's just basic exercises, you're learning to control and utilize technique so you can develop the results you're looking for. Is his style the end all be all? Hell no, he'd tell you that himself and treats others with respect and dignity, not belittling and talked down down to. 

What certain things boil down to when it comes to Marketing scammers like WaterBOY above here (emphasis on the word boy) is how to manipulate and find the gullibility in others to fill their pockets with broken promises, verbal and emotional abuse (sometimes they'll act like your friend and then stab you in the back) along with believing their own hype. There are other factors but with some of the things I've seen, it's not hard to believe that guys like that are the type that would give you all the reasons to have you buying a Rolls Royce when in reality you get a POS Lemon that looks more like a loaner out of a shitstorm of a shop. 

No program in and of itself is perfect for everybody. We all know that, well maybe most of us while some people think theirs is the Queen Of England or Shiva for that matter. What it comes down to is the individual who wants to find something worthwhile that they'll find a way to put the time in, the effort and evolve in their journey. We have all sorts of information at our fingertips, but it can be overwhelming at times and it's important to find the differences between the genuine article and the asshole scammers. The asshole scammers have tactics that can be convincing they're genuine but digging in, they always slip up, some don't even hide it anymore and have this anger, this rage and need to be the best when in reality they're fooling themselves and make up the most outrageous claims that bare no actual evidence, VERY one sided and even copy and pate other people's work and pass it off as their own. Let me put it this way, I treat people like this like Voldermort, he who must not be named. 

Guys like Schifferle, Brooks Kubik, Darryl Edwards, Logan Christopher and Eero Westerburg have done the research, they don't beat around the bush and they'll tell you like it is. I've been around one of these guys and trained with him on many occasions and what you see is what you get. The genuine article and a person of humility and generosity but still have the heart of a lion and the strength of beyond the average person. Either one of these guys will bring it with a vengeance but yet have a positive influence that's memorable and full of hope that someone has a real soul for this world. 

Be amazingly awesome and find the program suited to your journey and watch out for those scammers. Some of them don't even know how to treat a woman let alone know how to help people in fitness, most of the time, they just steal other people's money and are full of hot air. Remember, you think you're getting a RR but end up with a Lemon. You deserve better.  

Leaning Out Little By Little

 

My journey continues as to becoming a better version of myself. Training is going just as strong as ever and making the most of what's possible around me. These Dopa Band (10% OFF Code POWERANDMIGHT) workouts are kicking my ass, having fun in the gym lifting stuff like the sandbag and doing pullups for strength along with playing with Barbells and Dumbbells. Right now, I'm roughly under 235 last time I checked like around 233ish which I'm happy with. Slow process to get lower again but hey it's just part of the process and weight fluctuates from time to time. Still way fucking better than when I was closer to 300 lbs at 275. 

When I'm in the gym, I don't go as heavy as I did in the past which is awesome. Think my only ego lifts were the near 300 lb Pin Press with the Fat Gripz and the 500 lb Leg Press for reps. Lifting weights has its perks and I can still move some decent weight. Can still lift my bodyweight in several lifts but the majority of the time unless it's shrugs or something, I don't go past maybe 250-260. I don't even do deadlifts or barbell squats anymore, it's not my style to train for. 

The majority of my training right now is doing conditioning stuff with the band with a goal in mind which by now I've completed around 20% of. I'll do bodyweight and Isometric stuff which has always been a go to when I need it and have reduced to going to the gym 2x a week instead of 3x lately. I can go, do upper body one day, lower the next one and then the rest of the week do whatever else I love to do. I don't have a particular routine except the Dopa Band and I don't even do the same exercises with it all the time either, I switch them around some days but still get in 500-1000 Total Reps whether with the Heavy Band or the Lighter Band doesn't matter, one of those numbers will be accomplished. No days off man.

My true goals is to stay consistent and avoid injuries as much as possible while hitting my workouts hard but not so extreme it's going to burn me out or worse. I feel great, I might get stiff in some areas but some good stretching from DDP Yoga and some animal crawls usually do the trick. Some days I'll throw in push-ups and squats to keep things in check and/or do 500 Step ups or more to keep my legs from having imbalances as much as possible. I'm pretty good training in the morning but my best form where I'm like energized to the gills is usually around late morning or early afternoon which is where I feel way more at my best. In the early morning, yeah I can do stuff but rarely ever feel like I'm at my true best. I was never that much of a morning person anyway LOL.

Everyday is a new chapter in my journey and seeing what I can do. I've said before, I don't go so hard I can't walk or move well for hours on end after, I do just enough that I still have gas in the tank and say "fuck you I still win" to whatever I do training wise. My food intake is better little by little. Usually I eat about 2 big meals a day and snack on things here and there but not a ton. My first meal is something with chicken or steak, sometimes eggs up to 4-6 at a time whether scrambled or fried, might have a homemade burger or make nachos. On occasions I might grab a Subway or order some BBQ or a big burrito packed with steak, rice and veggies. My second meal the majority of the time is whatever dinner is, sometimes I'll cook, sometimes my wife cooks and we'll either have Burgers and Fries, Chicken Breasts with veggies, Quesadillas, Tacos with turkey meat, Pasta or bake a frozen pizza one night. Simple things and limiting my soda intake. I'm a sucker for Coke. I'm doing my best to drink up to 100 ounces of water a day, most of the time it's about 80. With the Liquid Death Sparkling Water, that helps with Soda Cravings.

I'm not strict about what I eat but I'm a lot better than what I did use to eat. I was really into sweets like Cookies, chocolate (Dark & Milk) and pudding but I've cut those down by maybe 85%. I'll still eat them but I'd be lucky to have one of those things a couple times a month instead of multiple a week. If I do overeat at times, I'll just fast until I'm hungry again and even though I can still eat quite a bit, I don't push it like I did in the past, like with tacos, I use to eat sometimes 12 in a sitting but these days I rarely go past 5. Tacos are the fucking bomb man. I eat for fuel, it's the way to go.

There's always room for improvement and as time goes on, I get a little better about what I eat and train on. Be smart about what you do, be consistent and keep being amazingly awesome. Hope you enjoyed this one.     

Why Conditioning Should Be A Top Fitness Priority – And Why I Believe In It

How's it going everyone? Something has been burning in my brain as of late. We live in a wild world of fitness where everyone's chasing the next big lift or that shredded six-pack, we've got it all backwards sometimes. Strength is and always will be royalty in the quest for longevity for sure, but without conditioning, you're just a castle built on sand, waiting for the tide to wash it away. Today, I would love to dig deep into why conditioning training needs to be one of the top absolute priorities in fitness. Not some side dish – the main course. And I'll share how I've made it happen for me, because let's face it, talking the talk without walking the walk is bullshit.

First off, what the hell do I even mean by "conditioning"? I'm not talking about some off the wall cardio class where you're prancing around like a gazelle on caffeine, it's great if that works for you. However; conditioning is that beast mode endurance – the kind that builds your engine so you can go harder, longer, and recover like a fucking superhero. Think high-rep total circuits, explosive band work, hill sprints that make your lungs scream, or even those grueling bodyweight sessions that leave you in a puddle of sweat. It's the stamina that turns a one-set wonder into a multi-round warrior. Conditioning isn't just "cardio"; it's the foundation that lets your strength shine without crumbling under pressure.

Why prioritize it? Let's break this down, because number one: longevity. I'm in my 40s now, and I've seen too many guys my age blow out knees, tweak backs, or just quit because their bodies couldn't handle the load. Conditioning builds that resilience. It's like prehab on steroids – improving joint mobility, firing up those fast-twitch fibers for explosiveness, and torching calories without the joint-pounding punishment of endless heavy lifts, lifting has its perks especially with Sandbags but that's not the name of the game here. Take my obsession with Dopamineo bands (shoutout to those indestructible beasts – if you haven't grabbed one, what are you waiting for?). I hammer out 500-rep circuits daily, sometimes 1000, mixing pulls, pushes, and rotational stuff like the Propeller exercise. That shit doesn't just build muscle; it conditions your heart, lungs, and connective tissues to handle whatever life throws at you. No more feeling like a zombie after a workout – you're electrified, ready for round two or three.

Here's a take on performance. If you're an athlete, weekend warrior, or just someone who wants to dominate pickup basketball without wheezing or giving out within minutes, conditioning is your secret weapon. Remember Henry Cejudo? That UFC champ used resistance bands for his conditioning, turning him into a machine that could wrestle, strike, and outlast many of his opponents? I've channeled that vibe in my own training. Those 20 Rounds with the Chosen Higher Band have been brutal. By the end, I'd cranked out 1,000 reps of blissful hell, feeling like Goku powering up like a Super Saiyan. My explosiveness went through the roof, and recovery? Flawless victory, Mortal Kombat style. Without prioritizing conditioning, that strength plateaus. You hit that wall where reps feel like molasses, and gains stall. But flip it – make conditioning the priority – and suddenly your lifts improve because your body's efficient at using oxygen, clearing lactate, and staying in the fight.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying ditch the weights entirely. Hell no. Strength and conditioning go hand-in-hand like peanut butter and jelly. But if you're building a pyramid, conditioning is the base. Too many programs out there glorify the "no pain, no gain" bullshit, pushing extremes that lead to burnout or injury.

How do you make it a priority? Start simple, but commit like your life depends on it – because in a way, it does. Assess your current state. If a 10-minute circuit kicks your ass, that's your baseline. Build from there. Little by little down to the smallest fraction of progress still leads to the big picture. Even bodyweight circuits are fantastic because you can do them anywhere. Do them on your off days from the gym. I'll be going 2x a week to play around with the weights and then work on the other stuff the rest of the time. Do what works for you. If you're looking for some fun bodyweight workouts, check out Darebee.com. Thousands of workouts for FREE!!!

Here's a kicker: making conditioning a priority isn't just physical; it's mental. In a world full of distractions – social media, endless scrolling – fitness is your anchor. Prioritizing conditioning builds discipline, that instinctive drive to push when you want to quit. It's like speaking a second language of grit. I've seen it in the Dopamineo Community: folks using the dopa bands for family workouts, kids building explosiveness for sports, elders staying mobile. It's inclusive, not elitist. Unlike some bro-science out there, this isn't about destroying yourself; it's about evolving. Be passionate about it – let that fire burn, add gasoline if needed. The rewards? Endless. You'll move better, live longer, and crush goals you didn't know you had.

Wrapping this up, because I could go on for days: if you're serious about fitness, make conditioning your priority. It's your greatest asset – the engine that powers everything else. Start today: grab those bands, hit a circuit, feel the burn (be sure to lock in my code POWERANDMIGHT to get a few bucks off your order). You'll thank me later when you're killing it at levels you never imagined. Be amazingly awesome, keep evolving, and remember, train smart, train hard, and let's dominate.

Training For Whatever Comes

I wrote this in another Group that my friend Garin Bader created to teach about aspects of CoreForce Energy. Thought I'd share it here as well.

Adding music to my videos is something I love to do and it takes on different meanings yet one thing remains the same and that's putting my passion into it.

When you're in that state of being able to do things that you either haven't done in so long or even doing them for the first time, it becomes something more than what we as a society are led on to believe.

There's always going to be people out there that will tell you, you can't do this or that but you still find a way to prove them wrong not by showing off but to stay the course for what you want to achieve in your journey.

Some of the things in this video I rarely ever do but I make it explosive and work with what's in my imagination that leads to the physical. You have power in you that is just itching to come out. Let go and FEEL what you think and find out what some of your true capabilities are.

This was written to give others an opportunity to see how music affects the body when you're training. I don't use music all the time when I train, when I do, something just hits differently and am in a completely different state of mind. Some never music at all which is great for them and if it puts them in a state that works, great. When I don't put music on, I can still get in a great session, however; I do program my thinking differently and don't always just go through the motions of an exercise and think analytically. I put effort into making an exercise beyond an up and down or side to side thing, I make it seem 3D at times. Like with my Fingertip Push-ups video, it wasn't just going up and down, I felt as if I was effortlessly crushing the earth with my whole body, not the fingertips by themselves. As if I was weightless even though that exercise is hard to do. It's not everyday 235-240 lb guys can do that compared to someone who's a buck 40 or something. 

Other than putting music on to work out, I add music to my videos for a purpose. It may not make sense to some but to others, it gives perspective to what happens when you mix music and exercise together to create something inspiring, motivational and fun. In truth, when I film, there's no music playing, I just throw in a tune to make it interesting. Sometimes it's a random song I like but other times, I like finding ones that have a beat, a powerful set of lyrics or rhythm of the instruments that shake the very core of one's soul. Music is powerful, it can make you stronger, it fires neurons in the brain and it makes you feel the vibrations through sounds. That's one of the big reasons why I love listening to music, it doesn't make exercise easier in and of itself, nor does it take away what the mind does without it, it helps build vibrations and energy so when you do train, it feels like you can conquer Mt. Olympus or something. Music is energy. 

Be amazingly awesome and let me know what your playlist is like when you work out. 

One of the comments I got from this is from a lady in the group that said "This is where genius begins." I don't know if I call myself a genius, it was something that popped into my head that I instinctively was thinking about. It was a great gesture and thanked her for it. The true inspiration for writing it and putting thought into it was from Garin himself. One of the most underrated guys in the strength world that has mastery in many things beyond exercise and music. Has a mind that may seem out there but once you feel what he's saying and understand the meaning behind his words, it makes sense.   

Prehab And Recovery Training

 The body is an amazing thing isn't it? It has abilities that we have yet to discover and what we do know, seems to boggle the mind of some. However, as much as we know, a key thing to remember is that we're not invincible and have the ability to heal as fast like Wolverine or recover like Goku after eating a Senzu Bean. It does need its share of maintenance and fueled up right so we can function in the long run. 

Some may think Recovery work is a myth and one needs to be extreme all the time and go for record breaking workouts everyday. The truth is, being able to recover well holds benefits that actually give you long term results and gives you opportunities to learn what is possible to do without breaking down the body so much that it's not going to help you live a long and quality life. Some even try to claim Recovery is just a gym term when in reality, it's about doing what is right for your body. 

I've been training pretty hard lately; going to the gym and doing a series of thing, later on doing my 500 Rep Circuits with the band (Discount Code POWERANDMIGHT), my neck training with the Neck Flex and sometimes do Isometrics before heading off to bed. The first two things have been almost every other day for the last couple weeks and sometimes for 2-3 days straight. The circuits have been every fucking day LOL. It takes a toll so it's important to know when to back off for a couple days to let the body do it's work. No injuries or anything, just keeping myself in check. 

I'll still be doing the Circuits daily for a bit longer cause it's one of those workouts where I can have either a more explosive and fast pace session or slow it down and focus more on technique which is working for me. As for just pure Recovery work or Prehab Training, that's going to be on off days from the gym hitting up DDP Yoga for Flexibility & Mobility and my Joint Loosening Workouts as "Rechargers" so that I can still do something everyday without needing to go hard. Those gym sessions lately are fun and picking up on some stuff again after years and years away from Barbells, Rack Training & using heavier Dumbbells than there are in our Rec Center.

I did an exercise yesterday I probably haven't done since I lived in Santa Cruz and that's the Dumbbell Pullover. Did only a couple sets with nothing too heavy doing 10-12 reps respectively. It was more of getting the technique down again. I went as heavy as a 60 lb Dumbbell and was doing it in complete control. Felt great to even remember how to do it. Was also doing Animal Stuff, Trap Bar Deadlifts and Hanging Knee Pull-Ins on the Pull-up Bar in this session as well. 

This is where I feel that if I wasn't in the shape I'm in, I wouldn't be able to move around much or do anything for a week after the type of workouts I've been putting myself through. I have felt tight in a few areas and not so much sore but more on the lines of being slightly slower but that's where I love having the knowledge and being wise enough that I can't be doing this all the time and need to pace myself physically and mentally. Giving my body some "rest" from the crazy stuff and focus on doing lighter things that fuel my muscles and joints again. Those DDP Yoga type workouts are a godsend and the Joint Loosening reduces the chances of injury and soreness. The body can only do so much at a given time and going so hard so often can bite you in the ass. Hell, some pushed themselves so hard that they ended up having no Cartlidge in one of their knees and some other issues. I don't want to be living with those kinds of things, that's just misery and disaster waiting to happen. 

 The best form of recovery is Sleep, bar none. Training has its perks for sure but solid quality sleep is the ideal thing here. For some it may not be as easy with the way life can throw things at you and not everyone will have the opportunity to get optimal sleep so when that happens, do what you can to be able to sleep and recover well. Nutrition is great too when it comes to recovery because when you can get things into your body that helps muscle repairs and such, it gives you fuel to let the body work its magic. That's really the ultimate goal nutrition wise is to use it as fuel. Some overeat, some don't eat enough and others find their perfect set up whether it's the OMAD thing (One Meal A Day) like Al Kavadlo does or those eat enough in the day when they feel hungry and not stress eating. Do what's possible for you.

Prehab is an awesome aspect of knowledge to have. Knowing which areas of the body need attention (not the same as isolation exercises in bodybuilding) and being able to preserve strength and health to the ligaments, not just the muscles. Isometrics are phenomenal for Prehab Training because they target areas from a positional lock in so do speak where you're working but you're not moving. It's not just a style of strength training, it can also minimize the chances of osteoporosis and possibly arthritis.  

With some of the crazy shit I do, it still amazes me that I don't have knee pain, back pain, tendonitis or arthritis. Yeah I stiffen up every now and then and do heat and ice sometimes (rarely) but once I get moving and doing what i love, it's like being a kid again. The stiffness doesn't last long and some stretches like some of the Animal and DDP Yoga Moves open me up really damn fast. I don't pop pills or get injections or any of that crap. The only supplements I ever do take is my my spark powder which has all kinds of vitamins and minerals, hydration powder like Rehydrate and Nectar and things like Zinc or Pine Pollen. I was taking Creatine for a bit but I didn't like what it was doing to me, apparently there were effects from it that didn't suit well with me so I'm seeing how I feel from not taking it for a week or so and so far, I'm feeling pretty damn good without it. That's pretty much it and I take the bare minimum with these. 

Take care of yourself and listen to your body. You don't need to do extreme shit like some claim you should, that's just marketing bullshit and doesn't give a damn about a person's health. Everybody has to do what's needed for them and learn what works and what doesn't. There's always going to be some general idea but an 80 year old lady is not going to recover the same as a 25 year old man. It's not practical, realistic nor is it good for the body. I believe in doing something daily but it doesn't have to be a shattering world record every time. Be amazingly awesome. 

I Get Knocked Down But I Get Up Again

 Remember that one hit 90's song? Classic. I was 13 when that song came out and it was all over the place for like a month or maybe a tad longer and then it died worse than Mel Gibson at the end of Braveheart. Every now and then it's nice to hear something retro like that (is music from 1997 considered retro?). Anyway, back to the show....

Nothing in life is ever really easy, if it really was easy, it be boring as shit. We all have moments of failure but when you get back up with a vengeance, it makes you appreciate how much failure really is a great teacher. Sometimes in this chaotic world, we just need to keep on going even when we get hit around. In the words of Steve Rogers "I can do this all day". Training is no different, we try things, we fail at certain attempts but we figure out a way to come back and make it better.

I made a video earlier today just doing a few things with bodyweight and the band but once I got into it especially the editing and then putting music to it, it turns out that it was more than just a fun thing to do, it helped ignite more of the passion I have for fitness and training. At least one thing you'll see is me Skipping rope which is extremely rare cause I've only ever filmed a couple times before, but not at the speed I was doing. After yesterday doing a few hundred jumps, I wanted to give a quick glimpse of what I do with it. Just basic jumping really, nothing special. The other stuff, some I haven't done in forever and even added in the Mirsha Dand that I'm still working on, I'll show doing more reps at another time. 

Some of my demos don't get viewed as much, others exploded a time or two but that's one of the things I like about doing them, they're not glamorous or anything, just me being me and adding some tunes to it. I don't do it to get millions of views (maybe some day, who knows), I do it cause it's fun for me and some like it which makes me happy, even a few were inspired by them. Some stuff may look cool and downright crazy at times but I don't get those the first time out. I sometimes film a lot longer than you would think. Whatever I post up, I failed multiple times and done multiple takes before getting what I want out of it. That's one of things Bud Jeffries did with many of his videos, he would often spend hours on one or a few things to get the right shot before posting anything. Some of the things he did were even things I wouldn't attempt to do and he made them look bad ass. Damn I miss the big man, it'll be 3 years since he was taken too soon from this world over a week from now. 

There are people out there who are perfectionists and try to do things that are so crisp that it looks like they never needed to practice in their life, but sadly, life doesn't work like that. Being a perfectionist has its perks for some and they thrive on it. For others, it can bite them in the ass because if all you do is chase perfection when it never comes around, you miss out a lot of things in life. It sucks but it happens.

We do what we can to get back up even when have had our asses handed to us. What is important is not to just shrug it off and rub some dirt in it, but to keep in mind that success can come when we get back on that horse. It's easy to just give in. There are some things that can't be fixed or be a solution to a problem for whatever reasons depending on the situation. We can however, move forward with what's possible and build success as time goes on. I have quit and given up on a few things in my life, things I can never share on here but those who know me best know what those are and what I've done to create my own successes later. 

Keep being amazingly awesome everyone and keep killing it in your journeys.  

Testing Strength And Resurgence In High Rep Training

 With a few workouts lately at the gym, I'm starting to get a good feel of the place and what I like to do in addition to other aspects of training I do. For the most part, I like to play around with stuff and test some of my strength for the fun of it. I'm not looking to build the type of strength suited to one method or another. More on the lines of using what's possible to carry over to other areas of my journey and whatever comes my way.

My favorites to play with at the gym are the Sandbags, the Infinity Rope and the Barbells. Again, just to feel them out and get a good sweat going. The least of these three is the Bench which is more in tuned to just pure strength. Don't know if I'll hit up over 300 again like I did when I was younger. It's not that important and I can still hit more than my bodyweight for reps for someone who doesn't do that lift consistently. The other two, those are like my bread and butter there. I can do all kinds of stuff with the Sandbag and with the rope, I use it for upper body conditioning.

Today, I tried out a different approach to the Infinity Rope by instead of doing a set for minute or more straight, just did pulls for sets of 25 reps. Mark off the set and get back to it. Wanted to 8 sets but I was feeling great and went for 10. 250 Total Reps. With the Sandbag, just did a pick up and carry for distance back and forth in the room. Did this 10 times which jacked my heart rate up good. Before that, I loosened up doing animal moves, spread eagle splits and other joint loosening & flexibility work. 

The big exercise I ended up having to get a fear over was the Leg Press which I haven't done in ages, the Hack Squat was more recent in comparison. I haven't really done much of that type of training in more than a decade. If I was ever consistent with the Leg Press, it was in my late teens to 20. Worked up from 180-450 for 10 reps each and that was where I started feeling this thing in my mind where if my legs can hold up and the rod and pins can handle the weight. You need to remember that I don't lift very heavy weights for a reason especially with the legs cause of the rod and pins. I got skiddish about going up for one more set so I added another 50 lbs. which hit at 500 lbs on this thing. A part of me wanted to do but I had that governor in my head saying "you're pushing it with those legs". Once I got passed that eerie feeling, I went for it and I managed 5 reps with that 500 lbs. Could I have done more, highly likely cause it wasn't a huge struggle, a small one at that, I was feeling it yes but it wasn't a do or die trying effort. It was more mental and worry about my legs than anything. I'm proud to still be able to pull that off. 

For the most part, 500 lbs on a leg press for most guys in the strength world is like a cakewalk to them, barely even a warm up. I've seen guys press more than 1000 lbs with that but that's where they're far more consistent than I' am. I first did a Leg Press at 15-16 years old and by the time I was 17 I hit 945 for my max and never went past 800 after that. So to go 21-22 years with hardly touching that apparatus and still managing 500 lbs is a win in my book. On Sunday, one of the exercises I went for was the Barbell Shrug which again I have hardly done in more moons than I can count and still was strong enough to do reps with heavy weight. I managed 315 for 4. No straps, no belt, just a t-shirt & shorts and shoes. Just to even pick up and hold it was a small feat for me cause I don't do that stuff. 

Lifting somewhat heavy stuff again at the gym without being consistent with it is awesome at least in my eyes. I'm the guy that does all sorts of bodyweight stuff, isometrics and bands. The only weights per se I really use are hammers, clubs, maces, kettlebells and sandbags. That's it. Most of these never reached 100 lbs. It's little victories that matter and it was cool to do some of those lifts. 

Now, outside of the gym, I have been having a surge of high rep training a lot more consistently in recent months especially with the Dopa Bands as you may have read on the workout circuits I do. This is where I love circuit training where I don't have to focus on one particular exercise and move from one to another in a flow like fashion. Even bodyweight wise I'll do 100 or more push-ups and 200+ squats along with punching, kicking, mountain climbers and such. A couple times I've done 500 Hindu Squat workouts with my deck of cards. 

I have written in the past about not always needing to do crazy high rep training unless you're training for something like in a sport or have a goal to do whatever. In and of itself, high rep work is great but it's not the end-all-be-all of physical training like some who are such fanatics that they'll call you a loser if you don't do that kind of training (in reality, those guys are full of shit). I still believe in not NEEDING but choosing to do that and doing it smart. Not just going all out like a maniac cause it's some kind of requirement you have to do all the time. I do high rep work out of choice and working around what I want to do to build up to certain numbers. Step Ups are always fun for me and I always do a minimum of 500 reps of that exercise; I haven't done them lately cause my mind is occupied on other things but never say never. With circuits, I can do 500-1000 total reps in a session without getting physically drained to the point where I can't move. Circuits give me the opportunities to go longer without tiring out and focus on one exercise at a time instead of just hammering one exercise and be done with it. It's full body conditioning that keeps me active and I'm enjoying the fuck out of it.

 Quite frankly, I'd rather be in the type of shape that lasts rather than having temporary moments of strength. That doesn't mean Temporary strength is a bad thing. Being able to work both is essential to what you can do with your body. Some have more temporary strength than conditioning but the same can be said for the other way around; they don't have a ton of strength but can go. Having both is top tier especially for athletes or even those in later stages of life. Strength comes in many forms whether from a short term or long term point of view but when you have strength that lasts a bit of time and even for a short amount of time, it gives you true perspective on what you may need to do in crucial situations. 

Whatever your goals are, make them worth the effort but also be aware of pushing so hard it can break you; LITERALLY. Injuries are a bitch trust me, been there done that and at this stage of my life, I don't want to so crippled up from training that I can't enjoy other aspects of life. Knew too many guys who have beaten themselves up but have also seen guys that trained with sheer vengeance and still come out unscathed and live life to the fullest for a long fucking time. It's a matter of the choices we make and what we learn to be aware of while finding out what we are capable are. Keep killing it everyone and be amazingly awesome. 

Be sure to use my code POWERANDMIGHT at Dopamineo.com to get 10% OFF your order. Stay fit and be in the best condition possible. 

Winter Is Coming: Keep Yourself In Shape For The Upcoming Holidays

It's almost Thanksgiving and it has already been a hell of a ride this year. Ups and downs throughout aspects of life, learning, making memories and killing it in the training department. When it comes being thankful, I'm very thankful to the love of my life, we've had moments like any couple but we are still strong and always have each other's back. To all of you for keeping me motivated and helping me stay passionate for this blog. I'm really thankful for the progress in my training as of late and maintaining my weight between 228-235 doing the Dopamineo Band, Animal Moves, Isometrics and Sprint Training. Although a 7 pound fluctuation, I definitely feel in way better shape than being between 255-265 which I was a couple years ago. Recent pics below.....

Staying in shape for the upcoming holidays can be a pain in the ass for some, but for others, discipline is the ultimate goal. That doesn't mean you can't enjoy yourself, just be observant and do what you can to stick to your goals. Let's face it, in many places, food is everywhere and many temptations will come about. Keep your eye on the prize but yet don't think you can't enjoy a little something every now and then. I don't ever want anyone going hungry either since there are those who are unfortunate but I would love if everyone got a chance to eat. Help someone out, or just pay a lunch for them, it's the small things that count and seeing the smiles when someone is giving and doesn't want anything in return. Sometimes, making a person's day is just an awesome gift.

No matter what your goals are, keep in mind that you want to end the year on a high note, even if you only make a hint of progress, 1% stronger or better conditioned or even kept 1-5 pounds off of where you were before is still an accomplishment. Fitness is a journey and we all have our own routes that lead us to a better way of health. It doesn't matter if you lift weights, do bodyweight, do stuff indoors or outdoors, slam balls, carries or whatever; do what gives you the best benefit to make your goals a reality. 

I'd say one of my biggest flaws is talking about my own goals and end up jinxing them so I'm not going to mention what I plan on doing but what I can say is I have ideas in mind to keep things going and work on things closer to indoors. When it comes to winter, I'll train every now and then out in the rain or snow and being a built in heater it has its perks but I still get shit done no matter what I do and having the knowledge to workout anywhere is where I feel I'm best at. It's not a comfort thing more of a preference, plus I'm just more actively training in the spring, summer and fall outside but in the winter when temps drop down into the negatives at times or don't go past 30 degrees at the highest, I kick my ass either in my apartment or head down to the complex gym and kill it there. Adjust, improvise and do what works best for you. There are those that do far better than me training out in the blistering cold and I respect those fuckers to a high degree. Now if this was back in California, I'd be training outdoors all year fucking long man, even on a cold and windy beach day, I'm use to that but when it comes to freezing temps, I'll take a garage with a heater at best. 

Food wise, I've toned things down since I've lost and kept weight off over the past year. I do still eat above average than others but I don't push it like I did in my 20's and most of my 30's. We had homemade tacos last night with shredded chicken from the slow cooker and normally (I'm not joking about this), I used to eat up to 10+ tacos at a time, now; 6 is my limit and I feel like I've satisfied my hunger. Eat eggs often, make breakfast smoothies, don't eat fast food very much compared to when I was a kid but will go to a Red Robin or Texas Roadhouse on an occasion for a kick ass burger or something.  Love steak & potatoes (I know typical guy meal LOL) and love rice. When it comes to Pizza, that's one of my vices for sure (Pepperoni, Sausage & Olive) but even toned that down (for a large) going from eating whole pies by myself when I was younger to eating maybe 4 slices if that now, if I'm crazy hungry I'll eat maybe 5 but that's it. I'm a bit of a foodie but over the years, toned down the vices and eat better which helped my weight and fat loss. 

Food can be comforting but you don't want to rely on it otherwise it can bite you in the ass (talk about irony) and become something you don't want it to be. Keep the mindset that food is fuel, not a thing to keep you happy and overly comfortable. Comfort has its moments and something to enjoy but if you overdo it, like anything else, it can come back to haunt you so keep yourself aware and on alert. Train to keep things flowing and eat when you're hungry. Don't get caught up in emotional eating, that can lead you down a path that can be very difficult to crawl out of, I've been there and it isn't fun. 

Be amazingly awesome and keep killing it. Shoot me a comment or use the contact form to email and tell me some of your favorite workouts and food picks for the holidays. More to come and stay on track everyone, it'll be tough but you got this and I believe in you.  

Weight Vest Walking: Epic Cardio Without Needing To Run

Ah, the humble weight vest. A simple, yet brutally effective tool for those looking to take their fitness to a different level. And what better way to utilize this beast of a training aid than with one of the most fundamental human movements: walking. Weight vest walking is incredibly simple but also underrated. It's time to lace up, strap on the weight, and kill that work capacity and conditioning.

*The Benefits are Real*

Weight vest walking is more than just a novelty; it's a potent training stimulus that can yield impressive gains in strength, endurance, and overall fitness. By adding resistance to the walking movement, you're engaging your muscles in a way that's both challenging and rewarding. Here are just a few of the benefits you can expect:

- Increased Strength: Weight vest walking targets multiple muscle groups simultaneously, including the legs, glutes, core, and even the upper body to a degree. As you walk, these muscles are forced to adapt to the added resistance, leading to increased strength and hypertrophy.

- Improved Endurance: Walking with a weight vest is an excellent way to boost your cardiovascular endurance. By pushing yourself to walk further and faster with weight on your body, you'll be improving your heart's ability to pump blood and your muscles' ability to utilize oxygen. Myself, I'll go for 45 min to roughly an hour in my own training. The feeling you get when you take it off after is nothing short of incredible. 

- Enhanced Bone Density: Resistance training is a proven way to improve bone density, and weight vest walking is no exception. By putting stress on your bones, you're stimulating the production of new bone tissue, which can help to prevent osteoporosis and fractures. Strong bones will help you in the years to come with the right tools and programming to suit your goals.

- Increased Caloric Burn: Weight vest walking is a form of loaded movement, which means you're burning more calories than you would with regular walking. This can be a useful tool for those looking to lose weight or maintain weight loss. Burns up to 3x more calories than regular walking. 

- Improved Mental Toughness: Let's face it: weight vest walking isn't easy (if it was, it wouldn't be worth it). It takes mental toughness and discipline to strap on a heavy vest and get moving. By pushing yourself through the discomfort, you'll be building the kind of mental resilience that can translate to other areas of your life. The carryover is astounding. 

*Getting Started*

So, how do you get started with weight vest walking? Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

- Start Light: Don't try to lift the world on your first day. Start with a light weight and gradually increase the load as you build strength and endurance. Depending on your size, it varies for men and women but for men, I'd start between 10-20, women would be 10-15. Gradually build up. For most workouts, I rarely ever go past 40 but have carried up to 60 during a walk. 

- Focus on Form: Good form is essential when weight vest walking. Keep your posture upright, engage your core, and try to maintain a smooth, consistent gait. Start to slouch and you'll feel it later and it won't feel good. Keep an eye and focus on your breathing as well.

- Choose the Right Vest: Not all weight vests are created equal. Look for a vest that's comfortable, durable, and allows for easy weight adjustments. Like from Kensui...They have adjustable vests where you can put plates on and give you the idea of progressive loading as you get stronger, just like in weight training. 

- Mix it Up: Don't be afraid to mix up your routine. Try walking on different terrain, incorporating hills or stairs, and varying the weight and duration of your walks. Hiking is a hell of a burner.

*Advanced Techniques*

Once you've got the basics down, it's time to take your weight vest walking to the next level. Here are a couple advanced techniques to test out:

- Weighted Walking Lunges: Alternate legs in a walking lunge position while wearing your weight vest. This will target your legs and glutes in a unique and challenging way.

- Long-Distance Walking: Challenge yourself to walk a certain distance with your weight vest on. This can be a great way to build endurance and mental toughness. Go for an hour and see how it feels. Think my longest walk was around 90 minutes and that was going up hill, coming back down and going around the neighborhood in reverse.  

*Common Mistakes*

As with any form of training, there are common mistakes to watch out for when weight vest walking. Here are a couple to keep in mind:

- Poor Posture: Make sure to maintain good posture when walking with a weight vest. Slouching or leaning forward can put unnecessary stress on your joints and muscles.

- Too Much Weight: Don't be afraid to start light and gradually increase the weight. Trying to lift too much too soon can lead to injury or burnout. Look at the starting weight at the Endurance Benefit.

*Conclusion*

Weight vest walking is a powerful training tool that can yield impressive gains in strength, endurance, and overall fitness. By incorporating this brutal yet effective technique into your routine, you'll be unleashing the beast within and taking your fitness to the next level. So, get out in the fresh air, walk with power and pride and get those gains. Be amazingly awesome. 

The Pull-Up Paradox

Pull-ups are one of the essential elements that tests strength which also requires power and technique. As a staple exercise in many fitness routines, it's important to weigh the pros and cons of pull-up training.

The Pros....

- Upper Body Dominance: Pull-ups build incredible strength in the back, shoulders, and arms, making them a compound exercise that drives results.

- Functional Strength: Pull-ups translate to real-life movements, such as climbing, lifting, and carrying, making them a valuable exercise for functional fitness.

- Mental Toughness: Mastering pull-ups requires perseverance, discipline, and mental fortitude, building confidence and self-esteem.

Caution: The Cons

(Those who are fanatics might get offended or find it off putting but these are the facts)

- Injury Risk: Poor form, overuse, or inadequate loosening up of the muscles can lead to injuries in the shoulders, elbows, or wrists, taking you out of commission.

- Accessibility Limitations: Pull-up bars might not be readily available, limiting access to this exercise for some individuals. Trees, Rings & Suspension Trainers may give you some leeway but some believe Rings & Suspensions don't always count as pull-ups which is bullshit LOL.

- Plateau Potential: Without progressive overload or variation, pull-up training can stagnate, leading to frustration and boredom.

Progressing....

To unlock the full potential of pull-up training, focus on progressive overload, consistency, and patience. With dedication and persistence, you'll unleash some serious strength, reaping the rewards of this challenging yet rewarding exercise and its variations. Try doing them with Fat Gripz, they'll really test you. 

Some will go overboard even working around certain injuries like elbow pain which can affect your real potential. The type of guys I highly recommend you give a look through is Matt Schifferle & Al Kavadlo. If anything, they're some of the top guys on the subject of Pull-Up Training, digging into the very core of what effective methods are used to keep you strong but also pain free. However, guys like the overzealous and injury prone David Goggins are not the type of role models that really tackle the issues. He's more of a glory hound that at a glance is inspiring because of his background in the Navy Seals and his crazy running workouts/marathoning but if you look at it on another level, that dude has more injuries than anyone would want to count and his pull-ups are decent but not worth the amount done. 

There are other guys out there that are over the top about pull-up training and act like it's the only thing that matters when it comes to Bodyweight Training (spoiler alert, it isn't). For them and this is a general outlook for some of the influencers out there, that if you don't practice pull-ups and/or do them the way they teach, you're a loser. It's not true and doing 100 pull-ups or more in a workout too frequently or even GTG style can have dire consequences later on in life. Doing a few here and there either in sets or throughout the day isn't the worst thing but it's important to pay attention to how you feel and if there's pain, STOP!!! For me, I don't go any further than 20-30 total reps in my training, right now I'm at 20 doing them in sets of 3-4 and that's more than enough for me. 

It's not about the quantity, it's about technique, quality movement and feeling strong; not painful or trying to be better than anybody else, there's always going to be somebody better so why really fight it? Do what works best for you and stay on level during and after training. If you're going nuts day and day out, it's going to bite you in the ass one way or another. Being in pain and not even being to lift lift your arms or hold a cup of orange juice in your hand is NOT something people with a conscience would strive for. 

Get strong in pull-ups and make it worthy for joint health and long term strength. Be amazingly awesome. 

Is It Truly Necessary Doing Hundreds Or Thousands Of Reps Daily?

 I believe it depends on individual goals. From a perspective it is impressive when you do something outside the norm like doing 1000 Squats or 500 Push-ups or even at times doing 2000 or more total reps of a circuit, but is it necessary from a general outlook? Are you required by law to do an extraordinary amount of reps in an exercise in order to be perceived as fit? No, in reality you are not.

As we get older, the numbers game becomes a blur or even dust in the wind to the general population. Some folks who continue to do an inflated number of reps in whatever exercise do it cause it's a thing that keeps them going. Does it continue to work? Absolutely, but not everyone is needed to keep up with certain numbers. You're not going to find too many men in advanced ages saying "I need to keep up doing 500 squats and push-ups everyday cause it's good for me", in reality, they're most likely going to be happier being able to get up without being in pain or be able to do things that's not going to make them want to stop in the middle of something like gardening, going up a flight of stairs or walk without a cane. 

Don't get me wrong, I love doing hundreds of step ups and do hundreds of squats from time to time and hell get a couple hundred strikes in with hammers but it's not like I have to do them. I'm not going to be able to do that forever and probably won't even care. I'll even do 500-1000+ total reps of training with the Dopa Band but it's not going to kill me if I find myself not doing it anymore one day. I still want to able to chop wood, carry rocks and sandbags, throwdown a slam ball, climb stairs without getting out of breath or be in knee pain for as long as I can. The older we get, the more we want to do simpler things.

Isometrics is still however; one of the most important aspects of fitness that should be a continuation later in life because having strength from various angles can do a lot of good for the things outside of working out. Seriously, 10-15 minutes of doing holds and I'd be happy as a fish to water. It also keeps the joints healthy and durable so we don't have those "I've fallen and I can't get up" days or have brittle bones. 

When it comes down to it, if you're an athlete where it's required to do certain things like repetition for the sport you're in or train a certain way in order to be at a certain level of competition, that's a whole other ball game, we all can't keep up with someone world class or even the average pro athlete because why would you want to? Ego? To say you can be just as good if not better? What's really the point of it? The  truth is, trying to keep up with someone like Lebron or even Chris Hemsworth for that matter is only going to lead to heart ache and disappointment. Many of us don't have the luxury of hiring coaches and doing things that take up more time than we don't have in the daily lives we have. The best thing we can do is to maintain what we can, be able to adapt when we need to and build strength and other attributes that matter outside of the gym or the fitness world in general. Some go to the gym a couple times a week because it works for them and they don't need to be some big shot benching 600 or deadlifting like The Mountain, just being able to train for your health is what makes the real differences, not numbers or ego lifting.

A guy I've written about before named Johnny Grube has some attitude towards specific people or whatever "get off my lawn" bullshit he believes, despite of that, I do respect what he does when it comes to training and being able to go as long as he has as a laborer despite beating himself up over many decades. He's done some crazy shit but he also knows what works for him and knows when things aren't needed anymore. Isometrics is probably the only thing at this point I agree with him on. Below he sent a reply to a guy on youtube about why he doesn't do that crazy stuff anymore. As a person, well let's just say he complains a lot and could use a few lessons in humility.

Any way....Is it true you need to do hundreds or thousands of reps of anything to be fit? No, it's not, matter of fact, it can bite you in the ass later in life if you aren't smart about what you do. You can if you want to, if you even can that's great but it's not a HAVE or NEED, it's a free choice. I might still do some stuff but not out of ego, but for enjoyment. The carrying, the hammer strikes, the step ups, Isometrics, bands and lifting sandbags might be the only things I'll end up doing for "exercise" but still love to swim, chop for firewood, get down and get up without hurting and still be able to stand without needing assistance. That's really my true goal. Train accordingly and be amazingly awesome.