The Spitfire, Her Progress And Athena

 Training is never easy, especially if you have a full time job and you do what you can to make the most of it, sometimes being consistent can be a challenge and there are days where it's not in you. However; when you're able to and get things going, it makes a huge difference in how you feel and what you want to continue to do. That's what it's like for my wife Holly.

She's one of the hardest workers I know and does what she can even though she can be very persistent when she sets her mind to something. It's one of the things I love about her and how proud I am of her. In some time, she has lost around 60 lbs and has kept it off despite obstacles that come her way, she still fights with the heart of a lioness. I have taught her how to utilize a consistent training style that suits her and makes her want to continue her journey. She usually works a 3 day split of Upper Body one day, Core the next & Leg Work.

About half to 60% of her training is cardio, building her endurance using the treadmill, the eliptical and will go on runs for about an hour at times. Her core work consists of planks, twists, V-Ups and Diagonal Chops with a slam ball. Upper Body is mainly flys, curls, lateral raises (she calls them She Hulks), punching & Pull-Downs/Chin-Downs. Legs is usually running but she'll do some squatting, lunges and other things. Her rep range is around 10 reps at 5 sets per exercise and she'll hold a plank for as long as 2 minutes. Getting a blend of strength and cardio work.

She has stayed with that for quite some time and has worked for her. I give her tweaks every now and then on her form so she can feel the muscles more. She busts her ass to the point where she'll wake up sore and ask me to send in her clone to work LOL. 

She has also been taking the Athena Formula for about a month or so and the changes in her energy levels seem like they were shot out of a cannon. She isn't as tired, doesn't drink as much caffeine as she normally does which at times consists of coffee, Spark and sometimes a red bull. Her intake is almost cut in half by taking 3 capsules a day before heading out to the other side of Spokane for the day.

Her training and her jacked up energy lately has been amazing and I'm incredibly proud of the progress she has made. It took her a LONG time to lose the weight and she still has a ways to go but I believe in her and what she is capable of. Strong, fierce, kind, compassionate and can be a bit of a hard ass but that's part of who she is and wouldn't change it. Athena has been her go to supplement and even after a few weeks, it shows some drastic improvements in her mood, her energy, her focus and has kept her strength in tact with great stride.  

You have that power too ladies and you got what it takes to make improvements for your own health. Small aspects of progress always lead to the bigger picture, you may be different in life but there's always room to become a bad ass and do what works best for you. Get a hold of Athena Formula and see where you progress and train with a vengeance, go for the Subscriber Program so you can get them sent to you every month. You got this. Be amazingly awesome. 

Isometrics for Muscle Growth and Fat Loss

Happy Monday everyone. Let's dive into the primal, unyielding power of isometrics—the forgotten art of muscle-building and fat-torching that doesn’t require fancy equipment, endless reps, or a gym membership. This is raw, unfiltered strength training that’s been battle-tested by ancient warriors, modern athletes, and anyone who dares to develop a body of granite while burning fat like a furnace. Buckle up, because it's about to get a little crazy! 💪🔥

What Are Isometrics? The Art of Immovable Force

Isometrics are the ultimate expression of strength without motion. You’re not lifting, swinging, or curling. You’re pushing, pulling, squatting and holding against an immovable object—or your own body—with maximum intensity. Think of pressing against a wall with all your might, squeezing every fiber of your being into a single and very intense moment in time. That’s isometric training. It’s you versus resistance, locked in a battle where neither budges, but your muscles scream and grow without the wear and tear on the joints.

Why should you give a damn? Because isometrics are the secret weapon for building muscle, torching fat, and forging mental toughness—all in less time than it takes to scroll through your X feed. No fluff, no bullshit, just results.

Why Isometrics Are a Game-Changer

Let’s be real about this:

Muscle Growth that doesn't require the Gym

Isometrics trigger hypertrophy—that sweet, sweet muscle growth—by recruiting maximum muscle fibers in a single, intense contraction. When you push against a wall or hold a plank (especially on your fists) with every ounce of your soul, you’re firing up more muscle fibers than most dynamic lifts. Studies show isometric contractions at 70-100% of your max effort can rival traditional weightlifting for muscle gains. No barbell? No problem. Your body is the ultimate resistance.

Fat Loss That Hits Like an Epic Sledgehammer

Isometrics are a metabolic inferno. Holding a position with maximum tension spikes your heart rate, ramps up EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption), and keeps your body burning calories long after you’re done. Pair that with caloric balanced eating, and you’re shredding fat like Zeus DE-STROYING the Titans with his Thunderbolt. Plus, the high-intensity nature of isometrics boosts growth hormone and testosterone, which are fat-loss dynamos.

Time-Efficient Domination

In less time than a Sitcom Episode, that would be all you need. Isometric workouts are short, brutal, and effective. A few max-effort holds, done right, can leave your muscles quaking and your metabolism roaring. Perfect for those who are too busy conquering life to spend hours in the gym.

Joint-Friendly, Iron-Tough

Unlike heavy lifts that can grind your joints into dust and leave you in pain later on in life, isometrics are low-impact. You’re not moving, so there’s less wear and tear on your knees, shoulders, or spine. But don’t be fooled—this isn’t “easy.” You’ll feel the burn, and your muscles will beg for mercy.

Mental Fortitude Forged in Fire

Holding a max-effort isometric isn’t just physical—it’s a mental crucible. You’re not just fighting gravity or fighting hard at a sticking point; you’re fighting doubt, weakness, and the urge to quit. Every second you hold that position, you’re forging a mind of steel. This is where legends are made.

The Science of Isometric Domination

Time to get a little nerdy for a second (because knowledge is power). Isometrics work by creating maximal muscle tension without changing muscle length. This tension recruits fast-twitch muscle fibers—the ones responsible for explosive strength and growth. Research from the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (2023) shows that isometric training at 80-100% of max voluntary contraction for 6-10 seconds per hold can increase muscle size and strength comparably to dynamic resistance training.

For fat loss, isometrics shine because they’re high-intensity. A 2024 study on X highlighted that isometric protocols, like wall sits or plank variations, elevate heart rate and calorie burn similar to HIIT workouts. Plus, the hormonal response—spikes in growth hormone and adrenaline—supercharges fat oxidation.

But here’s a real kick in the ass that you'll want to know: isometrics improve neurological efficiency. Your brain learns to recruit more muscle fibers, making you stronger without adding weight. It’s like upgrading the software of your nervous system. Hence, Muscle Control.

Mindset: Visualize crushing your goals with every hold. This is your time to dominate.

Why Isometrics Are the Ultimate Equalizer

Isometrics don’t give a shit about your age, size, or experience level. Whether you’re a grizzled gym veteran or a newbie stepping into the Colosseum, isometrics meet you where you are. No fancy equipment? Use a wall, a doorframe, the Worldfit Iso Trainer or your own body. Stuck in a tiny apartment? You’ve got enough space. Traveling? Do it in your hotel room. Injured? Isometrics can be tailored to avoid pain while still building strength. This is where the Iso-Bow can really come in handy.

And let’s talk mental gains. Every hold is a test of will. You’re not just building muscle—you’re building discipline, resilience, and an unbreakable spirit. In a world full of distractions, isometrics demand focus. They demand you show up. Respect it and it'll reward you.

Start forging your body into a weapon. Isometrics are your ticket to muscle growth, fat loss, and a mind of steel—all without stepping foot in a gym. This isn’t a trend; it’s a lifestyle. It’s the path of the Spartan, the samurai, the olympian.

So, stand up, find a wall, and push with everything you’ve got. Hold that push-up at mid point until your arms, shoulders, chest, back and core screams. Squat until your legs quake. This is your moment to rise, to conquer, to become a beast incarnate.

Drop a comment here and tell me how you’re unleashing your isometric fury. Let’s build an army! 🦁💥

Be Amazingly Awesome

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Saturday Afternoon Workout At The Park

 This past Saturday, wanted to get some good training outside so I walked on over to this park about over a mile down the road that is a good stretch of a park. Slides and playground stuff for the kids, trees and a long grassy area that goes from one end to the other. Saw this bench and started wrapping my Iso Strap to it and then wrap my Dopamineo Band around that and get in some Circuit Training.

It was my 5 Exercise circuit of....

10 Chest Presses

10 Wave Pulls

10 Uppercut To Squats

10 Ski Jumps

10 Propellers

Little to no rest for 10 Rounds. It was fast, explosive, heart pounding and fun conditioning. I was cruising through that thing with as good of technique I can do and with speed that just felt like Sonic The Hedgehog. Felt great to get some fresh air and be around a beautiful neighborhood with mountains in the background. 

Afterwards, just packed up and went back home, didn't talk to anybody, nobody bothered me and everyone around me was doing their thing. It's a very nice place and I love the nice stroll down. Gives me time to think, reflect and when I walk back home, just let things sink in, feel the high and stroll back with a smile on my face. Can't get any better than that.

The thing I like being in a new place and new area is that most of the time, I purposely get myself lost and learn the streets and pathways to places so I can understand where to go, which route is best for me and study the surroundings. On one end, one area is very family friendly and oriented, the other side is the industrial area where there's a maverick gas station, a few restaurants, UPS, Sherwin Williams and Walmart down the road. Isn't exploring fun.

Takes some getting used to but I'm very adjustable and enjoying this area of Post Falls, Idaho where the Centennial Trail starts and ends at the border of Montana. Be amazingly awesome and keep killing it.  As always, don't forget to use my Discount Code POWERANDMIGHT to get 10% OFF your order at Dopamineo. 

Some Of It Is Cutthroat But There's Another Side Of The Coin

 The fitness industry can be a cutthroat mother fucker with people that are greedy, egotistical and desperate to get people into their stuff. They ramble on but don't have the mindset of the customer, just a sad and often harmful way to lure them into a product they're selling. 

Not all in this world are like that. There are good people who want the best for others and give people opportunities to see what these people bring to the table that make training interesting, fun yet challenging but also in some cases showcase what it's like to learn about yourself and turn yourself into a bad ass. It doesn't matter if it's calisthenics, weight training, odd objects, sledgehammers, Olympic weightlifting or kettlebells....if you can train and make the most of what's possible while minimizing or reducing injuries, it's worth it. 

The real cutthroats are the ones that revolve around other people's insecurities and physical appearances in order to sell something. It's one thing to want to help someone be fitter if one has weight issues and could use some help, it's another when people go straight to the juggular and demonize anyone that isn't fit and tries to destroy their self esteem. It's cruel and full of unnecessary pitching in order to fill your bank account. 

Fitness in a nutshell is a world of self discovery through physical application and learning what an individual can do to better themselves that keeps them having a quality of life. There are dark entities to Fitness like anything else and a lot of trainers, gurus and self appointed experts take advantage of that and manipulate, humiliate and discredit others to build their ego and money snatching bullshit. It's degrading and a disgrace. 

Be open to learning but also be careful who you look into. I've seen good people in this industry and have seen assholes who don't give a shit about anyone but themselves and rely on abuse instead of compassion. The good ones show what is possible with the right attitude and molding you into the person that shines with enthusiasm, encouragement and support.

So Nice, Did It Twice

 Get your mind out of the gutter, what is wrong with you?.....

For real though, being in shape isn't just a necessity, it's part of maintaining a good quality of life that keeps you on your toes, keeps you young and brings you amazing benefits. With my recent stints with the Dopa Band, testing out exercises and doing my 500 Rep Deck Of Cards Training, thought I'd spice things up. Thought I'd take a page out of Karl Gotch.

His idea of decks of cards training to maintain extreme conditioning was to do a full deck twice in a row. Doing this consistently with Hindu Push-ups, Hindu Squats, Jumpers & Half Moon Push-ups, it was painfully obvious that this was one of the reasons why the man didn't know the word tired or fatigued on the mat. He was just a beast and can hold his own with practically anyone. Gave this idea a shot with the Band.

The other day, I tested myself with the following exercises for the workout...

Chest Flys

Wave Pulls

Uppercut To Squats

Ski Jumps

Propellers

I really wanted to test myself with this and see what I can do. Did the workout doing a full deck twice in a row in under 45 min. (43:55 to be exact). It wasn't so much the difficulty of the exercises, it was to keep going while maintaining good breath control and focus. This was a total of 1000 reps which isn't always easy to do. The idea wasn't to tire myself out, it was to keep a good level of cardio while keeping the joints safe and the muscles worked to be stable for muscular endurance, durability, flexibility and lasting strength. 

That's the great thing about these bands, they don't strain the joints and can increase or decrease the level of resistance just by positioning how the band is stretched, the longer you stretch it, the harder it is. It's important to be at comfortable levels of resistance to not only work the muscles but not have it be so loose either that it doesn't do anything. Which is why I enjoy it so much.

I love maintaining my conditioning that it keeps things intact and don't need to go as hardcore but have the ability to keep going. The 500 Rep workouts give a variety of exercises to do so there's always something to do. At times I'll do Chest & Back stuff for the upper body, other times do the arms, for the legs I like to do squats and jumps so those can vary with the uppercut to squat combo and ski jumps to Hindu Squats and Jumpers where unlike swinging the arms, you're pulling the band slightly to smooth out the swing which takes a bit of focus and balance to be in control of the speed and rhythm. 

Full body workouts in a short amount of time is key. I'm not trying to keep up with these wrestlers who use them, I can't and there's no way I can maintain that level of intensity at 40 and not be injured. Got to go at your own pace and focus on what benefits you. Conditioning may be your greatest asset whether you're an athlete or not but it's important to keep your joints healthy as well in order to keep things flowing with the body. So nice, it's fun to do it twice.

Be amazingly awesome and as always don't forget to use my discount code to get 10% OFF your order with the bands using POWERANDMIGHT at checkout.   

Being Creative In How You Make The Basics Work

 It can distracting AF when you have all the information at your disposal but have no true clue what to do with it. It happens to a lot of people (me included sometimes) but it's important to learn the value of how we process that information by taking bits of it and molding it into our own style. It's not always easy, it's not meant to be, but it can bring greater value to what we want to achieve. 

Having knowledge of the basics lay the foundation to what we can do to move forward. That's the beauty of what training is about, it's the idea that you can use simplistic approaches to what gives you the greatest benefit for your individual needs. Become a master of your domain (channeling Seinfeld IYKYK) and harness a creative entity in how you use the basics. When it comes to fitness and training, people are fixated on certain things and shove all sorts of methods down people's throats. I do my best to not do that but to give you resources that could bring you incredible results because I want you to succeed and get the most for what goes on in your life. 

Not everyone has the mindset to do an hour long workout, some do and it's awesome that they can pull that off and make time for themselves. However; sometimes it's not always an option so if you're short on time, it's important to find what can give you the best out of your time you need to train. It's one of the reasons why I advocate and respect the Red Delta Project. With a series of courses dedicated to making your training effective with basic exercises and with little to no equipment, you can create a workout just about anywhere you wish. With fundamental training, you have the ability to do what works for you with the time you have. 

Books like Suspension Calisthenics, Overcoming Isometrics & others, these build a level of knowledge and wisdom that seldom use even by today's standards. Although some exercises look plain and boring to some people, it doesn't take away the fact that they not only work but have a far greater outlook to how you train for the long haul. You don't need to do 20 sets of every single body part or train for  1-2 hours in order to get results. Hell, yesterday my workout barely lasted 45 minutes if that and I'm feeling a bit of it today. Did 8 exercises that hit just about every muscle from the shoulders down to the legs and did no more than 3-4 sets on each of them. The main focus was technique and tension using only 1-3 movements per muscle group. Here's what I did to give you an idea......

Push-ups x 13, 12, 10

Suspension Curls x 14, 11, 10

Split Squats (Per Leg) x 16, 14, 10, 10

Side Hip Raises (Per Side) x 12, 10, 8

Suspension Squats x 15, 15, 10, 10

Power Wheel Knee Pull Ins x 12, 10, 8

Power Wheel Rollouts x 12, 10, 8

Suspension Incline Rows x 15, 15, 10

Not complicated, didn't take up a ton of time, rested as long as needed for a fresh set and kept things simple and focused on the muscles worked. No jolting or bouncing, no mindless reps and made the exercises work for me. Train for what matters and make the time work in your favor and not against you. Sure I can do far more reps on each of these exercises if I wanted but it would defeat the purpose of what I wanted to get done. Again with the mindless reps, it boils down to intent and what needs to be done to stimulate the muscles. You're not going for world records unless that's your intended goal or you have a goal to do 500-1000 reps of something consistently. Those are all well and good and they work (to a degree) but finding a way to stimulate for growth and strength is utilized in a more condensed but basic approach. I used a countdown method for my reps in the workout above for a reason and it was to create more tension into the muscles I was working to build a greater level of concentration and focus without resorting to going to failure.

The number of reps you do is arbitrary for others but what really counts is how you apply muscle control to those reps that makes the difference in the quality over the quantity. You can make 10 reps feel like 100 if you know the right physical and mental aspect of the control of your muscles. That's the idea of what RDP teaches. It shows you how to control every movement you do so you can get the most out of your workouts in the best amount of time possible. It gives you tools to be creative but also have the best knowledge even at low skill set exercises. Create opportunities to build your body that will not only bring you great joy but also a sense of gratification that you can do amazing things on a basic level. Keep killing it and keep being amazingly awesome.   

Getting A Little Stronger And More With The Pulls

 Experimenting has been one of my favorite things to do when it comes to training. Finding ways to get better, get stronger in areas I wasn't strong in and putting on muscle that works in my favor instead of against me. Isometrics is one of the go to methods I've used for years that has been more and more these days helped some weak points in things I've been working on like Pull-Ups and other things. Maybe it's a phase, maybe it isn't even I don't freaking know lol. 

Ever since I hit those 5 Pull-Ups at that Marine booth at the Fairgrounds earlier this summer, something clicked and wanted to see if I can get better. 5 Reps seems to be my plateau but I know I can get stronger. It may be my max reps at the moment but not my total in a workout. As of right now, my best total with the regular pull-ups is 15 which I'm happy with. With Chin-Ups its a total of 32 because in the same workout I did a total of 17 Chin-Ups when I went to the gym that one day which you can see below doing a set of 5 each of the 2 Variations. Not perfect, sure as hell nowhere as good as Jack Lalanne or Matt Schifferle (These are true masters BTW) but got to keep improving right? Isn't that what fitness is truly about, improving little by little?

Pull-Ups were never my strong suit and when it comes to muscle building, they're not the end-all-be-all move to build thick muscles in the back. Some guys can pull it off (pun intended) but other guys can look like a "get that guy a sandwich" type and be "good" at them. If you've ever seen my results, you know that there are other alternatives to building muscle for the back that is still functional and useful. I don't however want to be dogmatic about it because if I did, I would be lying to myself and I'm telling people to work on other things and experiment for themselves what can work. This is more of, what can get me going at this moment in time. 

With The weight loss, the muscle building and the adjustments I've made in my own training, it's something to pursue and see where it leads. Not doing it because it's a Litmus test for the military or something that is required of me, just want to see what I'm capable of. Trying other variations like using the Worldfit Iso Trainer or a Towel to test my grip strength. The towel can be a bitch and it has been some time, like years since I've done Pull-Ups that way but in the video below, I manage a couple that are pretty damn intense but I'm in control and getting my chin over the fists. If I really credit anything that has kept me strong in order to do that it's Isometrics. All those sessions doing 7-12 seconds of intense contractions and muscle control is paying off. I'm not expecting gymnast type results later on, that's not my intention. As a matter of fact, if there's the cream of a crop of an athlete that has dominated the Pull-Up exercise it's either a Gymnast or a Rock Climber hands down. The technique and the muscle control is what makes the Pull-Up great, not just the pull itself. 

It's fun to try certain things even at certain places like at a Park or the gym or wherever. Be serious about what you're getting into but don't be so rigid about it that you can't enjoy the experience. That's what I do my best to preach is that you want to make your training a great experience. You may not always have the motivation to go after it, fuck sometimes my motivation isn't always there but I do what I can and get the most out of what is happening to me in the moment. I may have various emotions going on and I don't want to train for hours at a time but still make the effort to get something done even if its a few minutes. 

If I really had to pick the best methods that have built my back it's Isometrics, the Chest Expander, Sandbags & working with my Fat Gripz. Pull-ups is just another link in the chain and one of the best in training that exercise comes from the Red Delta Project through the Grind Style Calisthenics System. It is by far, one of the top training practices around today and teaches how to utilize alternative equipment that you can take anywhere and work on your exercises. This is something I highly recommend. If anything, this system has been one of my biggest influences on Bodyweight Training and Isometrics.

If you want the most out of your training that is affordable and not some cheap knockoff that is priced higher than Willie Mays' career Batting Average for quite a few of the products "sold" than GSC is right up your ally man. Training should be affordable that has quality standards. Don't get a con artist who sells a 300 dollar book that's easily worth more like 30 or 40 with cheap shit that barely makes anything look believable. That's what I love about Red Delta Project, it sells courses that are reasonable in price, makes others feel inspired to train because of the enthusiasm and positive affirmations along with methods that people can understand down to the smallest detail and channel their own pace. It has expectations for sure but doesn't act like an asshole about it and gives you the feeling of "man I want to hang with this guy" kind of vibe. No ego, no narcissism and sure as hell doesn't rant about how much of a loser people are. It's like a coach that will kick your ass but cheer you on and make you feel good about yourself in the process. It makes the journey an experience you want to have. 

Keep getting stronger everyone and keep being amazingly awesome. 

Real Painkillers You Don't Need To Shove Down Your Throat

 Pain can be a great teacher but it also can be a ferocious and intense demon if you let it happen. At times we can't control the pain but we can do our best to avoid it as much as possible. For all intents and purposes, the no pain, no gain thing is a bullshit myth. Being in pain is not fun and when it hits hard, it can be debilitating. Been there, done that and not very fond of it.

I understand the need to be on painkillers, I did it while I had my sciatica and was so bad I couldn't walk. I hated taking them and made a conscience decision to stop. The real painkillers that are worth taking is to train doing mobility, flexibility and old fashioned strength training. It's not easy and you won't always have the best day but even a bad day is better than getting addicted to pills to numb anything. Trust me, I feel you and I sympathize but it's important to be as level headed as you can. Some people turn to CBD gummies which more power to them if there are severe cases but if you can find a way to put drugs or even alcohol aside, do what's possible to utilize exercise.

One of the best painkillers, is DDP Yoga. Modify your level and work around things if you can and build that flexibility and strength little by little. With consistent effort, it potentially can get you out of pain and make you feel like you can take on the world again. It did for me and made me strong again that I'm doing stuff I never thought I'd be doing at 40 like hoisting up 100+ lb sandbags, being more mobile than before and even getting stronger in certain lifts I haven't done in years. Hell, at a fair here earlier this summer, walked around with the family and there was the Marine Recruitment tent that had their pullup bar to test people. I hadn't touched a pull-up bar in roughly 2 years or so and weighing 240 lbs. I knocked off 5 chin over bar pull-ups. That felt great to do and apparently I did the bare minimum they gave a little lanyard. I'd say that's a win for not doing almost any pullups at all in a while.

Another set of painkillers is using various tools that utilize many muscle groups at once like Sandbags, Kettlebells, Mace & Sledgehammers. Sure it's best to use lighter weight to work technique and you don't need to go super heavy to get something going. Train for real world application, don't push yourself to the point of pain, do enough to satisfy a good workout and challenge yourself, progress little by little and keep yourself healthy.  

Be active and keep a solid level of it each day. Beating yourself up will only lead to misery and it's important to stay as healthy as possible for as long as possible. Exercise is more than just getting to the gym and doing some things and then head home. Yes, it's better than nothing and many thrive on it but also there's a whole other world of possibilities that you can learn to work with instead of fighting against it. The only fight you should really be concerned with is fighting aging and gravity. It's sad to see people my age, older or younger either letting themselves go or not giving themselves opportunities to get better and beat the notion later on of "when I was your age, I could do this" blah blah blah. Be able to do things now and get a little stronger and mobile even down to the smallest fraction. It still gets 10-1000 steps ahead of the majority in the world. 

Have the ability to adapt and adjust what you're able to do and expand on it. That's the greatest painkiller of all, training as you adapt to be out of pain as much as you can. Can we 100% avoid it? No, but we must take a stand to minimize it anyway we can without resorting to pharmaceuticals. Take notes, pay attention to your weak links and strengthen them. Be mindful and go at your own pace, it's not a sprint, it's a marathon. 

Be amazingly awesome and continue to kick ass in your journey. Another great Painkiller that reaps many benefits is Isometrics. Some of the best training in existence comes from training Isometrics as they can help heal joints and strengthen tendons and muscles that other methods can't reach. Ask the legendary Brooks Kubik who's still going strong at 67 doing Isometrics to keep his body sharp for workouts that had him set records in his age group in AAU Olympic Weightlifting. The man is still a monster and has a physique that people in their 20's would be impressed by.  

   

Laborers & Gym Bros

 Laborers have been around since the dawn of man from surviving in the caveman times to slavery throughout ancient civilization to constructing the biggest buildings in modern society. It's a balancing act to how laborers view themselves and people in other walks of life view them. Blue Collar work is tough, there's way around that and many pride themselves in being able to live that lifestyle or were thrusted into at an early age. They may not be the biggest looking guys or the most stable in some cases but they have strength that is different in comparison to people who go to the gym. 

When it comes to work ethic, I always have respect for laborers, done it myself at certain points in my life from moving furniture to hauling heavy pieces of wood, chopping wood while camping, carrying up heavy ass boxes and carrying buckets of concrete. Some guys in that line of work know how to conduct themselves and are quite the characters when it comes to just having fun poking at each other to pass the time but there are others who are complete assholes who act like their superior to others. You can be the hardest working guy in the field and still be respected for that but if you're going to be a dick especially to people you're supposed to "provide" and "protect", that just leads to bitterness and fragile egos. 

When it comes to "Gym Bros", some are strong as shit and can go to a certain extent but many especially in the Fitness Influencer Era will only go so far as to tell people or throw certain things at people to only understand the concept of not being as strong outside the gym. Don't get me wrong, there are some guys that can handle themselves outside of the gym and do amazing things in their life but that's few and far between. There are plenty of steroid users out there that only work in the capacity to go after the look more than being able to go while being healthy. Bodybuilding today compared to 1930's to the 50's is about as night and day as you can get because back then, they had a good look but they also had greater health next to the unhealthy comic book muscled guys. 

As much as gym guys have their egos in a rollercoaster or act like they got a stick up their ass at times, not many of them bad mouth a laborer. However, quite a few laborers have such an ego trip that they not only talk down to people who work out in the gym but have this Napoleon Complex that they're superior to those who work out cause they go all day moving stuff or whatever and the gym guy just lifts weights or use machines and that's all and have no real world strength. The strength of a laborer and a gym person is very different with different circumstances and different concepts of strength. If your ego is that fragile that you have to be an asshole to people you don't know and think you know their life by judging them being in the gym, you need some serious therapy man. 

There are people who try to better themselves in the gym or outside of it and do what they can in their regular lives to be healthy. At the end of the day, a laborer does his job, goes home and just be with his family or himself and repeat that for as long as his body is able to. People in the gym are really just people who do different things to either make their lives outside of it better or go because that's a form of therapy for them, you don't 100% know what people are really like and most likely, those people train, go home or go to work or whatever but did what they could to put the effort in and that should be respected. 

Whether you're a laborer or a gym guy, be a little more humble and live your own lives and do what you can for yourself and/or your family while being as peaceful as possible. Don't be an asshole with such an ego that it tears others apart or makes you so bitter you turn into that "Get the fuck off my lawn" mentality. It's really pathetic when you act like a bully behind people's back and mock what they are trying to do with their lives. Be amazingly awesome and keep on kicking ass.    

Sandbell Front Squats And Squat To Stand

 Sandbag Training can be a hell of a method to getting some of the kinks out of your training and teaching you how to stabilize the body with an object where the weight shifts. When it comes to Sandbells, it's a great way to utilize this in that regard. From Shouldering to Carrying to doing all sorts of stuff with these things.

Training the Legs with a Sandbell offers great resistance and added benefits to working the muscles to a greater capacity than with a typical barbell or dumbbell which could add some cool benefit to what you're already doing. 2 Exercises that I've worked on for a couple days now that hammered out the legs hard was doing the Squat To Stand and the Front Squat or a better name for it, the Bear Hug Squat. The STS is an exercise similar to lifting a stone where you get the Bell into position in a deep squat and once you have it in a good grip, stand up, drop it and repeat. Because of the shifting of the weight, it's not always easy to get a good grip every time. Here's a demo here to see what I mean....A few sets of these and you'll be feeling it.

The Bear Hug Squat is pretty damn simple, pick up the Bell, squeeze it against you and start going up and down. Unlike a barbell, dumbbell or kettlebell for that matter, you're working a bit more of the core in my opinion as you work on keeping the back steady and in control. You may lean a little bit and create more of that natural feel like picking up a box or a sack of flour. When you work these like a madman, you'll be jacking up some hefty hormones and building some incredible strength. Some guys work light or heavy depending on their goal. I've only got the 70 lb which in itself can be a bitch and others work as heavy as 200 lbs or more (strongmen mostly) but for the best weight in this manner, 100 lbs would be more than enough for many. Personally, I may go 150 if I work hard enough but that's the highest I'll go, maybe 170 if I'm ambitious but I don't need to go that heavy to get something cooking.

These two simple exercise will give you some insane strength and power. With a good clip, you can get some serious cardio out of it as well especially if you're an athlete training for a sport like Football, Wrestling or MMA. It's the classic moves of the Old Time Strongmen that gave rise to what is possible to have that ruggedness and mental toughness. Squats are no joke and Sandbells or Sangbags for that matter are just going to murder you with a vengeance. It builds real strength.

You know you busted your ass when you feel things you normally don't feel after a training session as you'll find out your fingers may be sore, your core is sore, your shoulders are on fire and your traps feel like they went to war. Not saying being sore is the greatest factor to determine a good workout, I' am saying that your muscles are being used in a way you're not used to because of how awkward the bag is. Go old school and you can't go wrong. Have an amazingly awesome day and I'm going to check out the Freestyle Wrestling that starts today at the Olympics....USA USA USA!!!

High Rep Training Or Isometrics: Which One Is Better As You Get Older?

 With advances in science, nutrition and fitness training, it still boils down to how an individual adapts and maintain throughout their lives. High rep training can be very beneficial when it comes to being in top condition, hell I'll do up to 500 Step Ups in a workout and have written about it a time or two, also do 500 total reps in circuit workouts with the Dopa Band. To an extent, it has its perks and can do wonders. However, certain exercises are not meant to be done in high reps like one arm push-ups or hundreds of burpees, what's to be gained from that? Where's the long term benefit? 

The greasing the groove method of high rep training is a lot more beneficial than trying to hundreds of reps within a fixed time. Do pushups here and there throughout the day, pull-ups or whatever BASIC movement. Gives you time to rest and be fresh when you get to a new set. Herschel Walker was a big advocate for this and other athletes. Do what works for you. As you get older, you might need to do as high of reps or total reps. You're not going to see many people do hundreds of squats and pushups at 70 or 80, some can at that age and it's incredibly impressive but how necessary is it?

With Isometrics, it can benefit just about anybody. If you've never worked out a day in your life or are a seasoned vet, you can enjoy the benefits of Isometrics. Once you feel it, even at a small percentage, it can work your musculature like a charm and develop strong tendons and ligaments. There are different types of Isometrics but the Yin & Yang are Overcoming & Yielding Isometrics. Overcoming is doing a hold at a fixed point and you can't go any further. Going against something immoveable. Yielding is holding a position where you fight against gravity and keeping that position as best as possible (plank, horse stance, wall sit, L Sit etc.). Now there's a way to combine the two called Super or Hybrid Isometrics where you take a position where there's a stopping point but you're fighting to keep that position using a strap or a loop like putting a strap on your legs to squat up but you stop and hold that position while fighting gravity at the same time. 

Isometrics can be extremely adaptable and virtually done anywhere and depending on the intensity, it can be short or long with the type of goal you're going for. Isometrics can be used in a variety of ways to warm ups, cool downs, in between sets, working around injuries, strengthen an area of the body to even things out, a workout in and of itself or as a method to use for purely strength training and do activities the rest of the time. 

What method of training is better for you as you get older? In a nutshell, neither is better or worse than the other. It comes down to what benefits you the most and gives you the type of quality training that helps you live long and prosper (for you Trekkies). Both have their pros and cons but both can be used in different ways. They can be used on alternate days, used for recovery, used as supersets, do splits for certain muscle groups, whatever keeps you strong and going. We all follow different things and make changes but it doesn't mean we can't do what we love. Train to what helps you. I've done both in the same workout and on different days or done one exclusively for a period and changed it up. 

Keep training and make the most of what's possible and learn the basics. Have an amazingly awesome day. 

Comfort Zones And Expanding On Them

 Some people are so adamant against others or themselves being in the comfort zone when it comes to training. It has to be so hard that it makes you tough and resilient. Plus, the more difficult it is, the better off you'll be. Who the fuck really came up with that? 

Training is about discovery, the ability to find what works and expand on it. Sure some things are tough, but they become a bit easier with even the smallest of progressions. To me, once I get good at something, I want to make it better, not so difficult that I can't really do much. People throw comfort around like you're either lazy as hell or you're not willing to toughen it out. The truth is, when you become comfortable in this scenario, it doesn't mean you stay in that area. It's about expanding it and getting better. 

When I first got back into DDP Yoga, I couldn't even remotely get into positions that I can do now. I had to modify them (in some exercises still do) to where I can be comfortable to keep myself going. As I increased my flexibility, I expanded where my comfort level was in the positions I was doing. The workouts were still tough and are hard to do on some days but my comfort level to what my body can do increases as I progress little by little. 

Life can be a royal pain in the ass as is, it's not always going to sunshine and rainbows, everybody in most cases understands that but that doesn't mean that you try to be so tough that it makes you bitter and or give the right to put people down and call them names because they're not as tough or hard as you. Not saying you have to be a goodie two-shoes but it is important to have an attitude to what makes your life meaningful and what is comfortable while facing certain challenges.

When I workout, I can seem like some crazy nutjob doing all these things and making some things look easy but it's because I'm comfortable at being able to do those things and listening to my body. Do I go further into a routine at times, hell yes but it's because my body and my energy allow me to do that and I'm comfortable with it, it doesn't make me lazy or that I'm not allowing myself to go to my limits. 

You learn certain aspects of your capabilities when you progress. Once you get comfortable at a certain point, make an add on and get comfortable with that and keep using that momentum. Some things are tough to do like carrying a heavy rock or walking with a sandbag or sandbell held to your chest. It may seem uncomfortable because for one it isn't easy depending on the weight you use and the distance you do but you become comfortable with what you're able to do, next time go a little further and become comfortable with that distance and so on and so forth. Comfort is making things look easy when they're not, they're still tough but to you it's another day at the office. 

Have fun with what you do. Expand on your capabilities and progress little by little. Train with intent but don't be so gung ho that you're going to end up injured. I've been there and it isn't fun. Enhance your ability to be comfortable in what you do and expand it. It could make your quality of life that much more interesting. 

The Propeller Exercise From Dopamineo

 Always finding ways to train so I can get the most benefit out of a workout. Off and on with the Dopamineo Band, doing circuits and HIIT Workouts hits the spot in many ways to tackle my cardio, coordination, agility and explosiveness. One exercise in particular I held off on doing until recently was the Propeller exercise. I've seen several videos of people who own Dopamineo and other athletes do this exercise at various speeds and style and I figured it was time for me to learn it. 

The reason why I held off on it for a long time was because for one, it's a complex movement that hits muscles where I was having my sciatica and was afraid of getting hurt again because of the way the band moves and the way you have to move with it. The second reason was because I wanted to get good at some of the other exercises that were complex as well but not as difficult coordination wise. Once I felt I was good enough to where it felt automatic, I started putting effort into this crazy looking exercise.

The Propeller Exercise in itself is a workout just to not only get the movement right but it also hits many muscles and there's a reason many wrestlers use it to condition their bodies. It does like a Duck Under like move where you shift the body and can duck under an opponent for a takedown and/or utilize the Fireman Carry Technique. Take it slow to get an idea on how you unify the band and your body together to work in sync. Start speeding up little by little as you get better and before you know it, it makes you look like you're spinning. At a certain clip, it becomes quite the conditioning exercise and will get you breathing hard. 

Before I did a workout with it, I tested the waters and did what I could with it. It can be a bit of a brain teaser because there's many things coming into play with the arms, the shoulders, the slight squatting, the turning of the torso, working with the band instead of against it. Once I got going, it tested my breathing because of the intensity. You don't stretch the band to the point where you can barely move, you get it just long enough to where it creates resistance but also is in a "relaxed" type state yet not "loose". In the workout, I did a circuit of exercises of my usual 10 reps of 5 exercises and did this last. Did a total of 100 reps with the Propeller and out of all the exercises I did in that workout, that was the hardest one and the one that tested me the most. It is a fun exercise once you get the idea of the mechanics of it. It's not easy and I still need practice on it but it is getting better. 

In the video below, I took the band out on a windy day at a park behind a church down the block from the house. It took a few takes, not because of the wind or anything, I had a good set up with my phone and able to keep it steady with one of my bags, it was the movement itself along with angles, speed, not messing up smacking myself and doing reps to get the amount of time to show it for more than a few seconds, I really wanted to show the progress without making a blooper out of it. I hate messing up. After several takes and several minutes of doing the exercise, it turned into a mini workout cause it wore my ass out. This was the end result and like I said, it still needs work but in time, it's going to be a hell of an exercise to work with.

Some people do this movement with a twisting motion of the torso, some just twist the arms, I'm still figuring out which way to go on the up position at the end. It's all about experimenting and having fun. Don't forget to grab one yourself or for your athletes if you work with wrestlers, MMA Fighters, BJJ, Judo or other combat sports. These are also great for training and playing with Kids. There are bands for little ones as young as 4 years old. Great piece of equipment to get kids moving and playing. Play along with them to create bonding experiences. Get a cool discount when you punch in POWERANDMIGHT at checkout. 

Slowly Getting Back Into The Dopamineo Workouts

 Spending the majority of the time on DDP Yoga, I've also been getting back into working my neck more consistently and even thickened it up a bit along with developing greater mobility. That type of training is merely just standing and working the neck in different directions doing 10 reps each way. On the 10th rep, I would hold the position isometrically for a 10 count and move onto the next move. That has helped my spine a lot and its a great short workout before or after a DDP Yoga Session or as an addition to doing Joint Loosening Training.

Another thing that I've been anxious to get back into is the Dopamineo Workouts. Done a few of them so far and filmed doing some basic stuff at a park. I always enjoyed those workouts doing 15-30 minutes of a circuit. Most of the time I was hitting 10 rounds totaling 500 Reps but I also did workouts that went sometimes up to 12-15 rounds within a 30 min. period. Since my recovery however, I've had to either switch things up or slow the pace down and focus on technique which isn't a bad thing. Not trying to be a wrestler or a fighter in training, just keeping myself in shape and being aware of what I do. 

I love circuit training, to me it's one of the best forms of conditioning and keeping yourself going at a good clip while resting as little as possible. With these workouts now, it's more technique than speed. The intensity is still there but I'm not focusing on being so explosive, just enough to where I can keep going with a comfortable pace. Some workouts I won't time them because I don't need to beat the clock or set some kind of record all the time. Enjoying what I can do and have fun doing it while making little goals. 

The video I did was doing some basic moves that I'm getting back into at a park down the road from the house here, it's really no more than like 3-4 blocks if that. Set it up on a tree using my Iso Strap as an anchor and have at it. 

Some moves can be tricky to learn at first but with time and practice, they become like a flow, a sequence if you will of understanding the body's mechanics and mobility. The objective of the band isn't to stretch it so you can't really do much, it's to work just enough resistance so you can feel a movement without being stiff. It's about being smooth, in control and having technique as if you're drilling like in wrestling or martial arts. 

Although inspired by wrestling, it can be used for a lot of other things like swimming and doing road work on the beach or something. I love it for the fitness and cardio aspects of it. It's a great experience to do exercises that are different and formulate a program based on movements used by the most conditioned athletes on the planet. What's even cooler is that these same bands are now being used to train Olympic Athletes such as Freestyle & Greco-Roman Wrestlers and Judo Players. One female Freestyle Wrestler is officially the first to be a 3-time Olympian and part of her training was with this specific type of band. If someone who's dedicated to her sport can pull off an accomplishment like that, imagine the possibilities you can achieve in your own training whether it be for sport, fitness, group training or whatever. 

You can create all sorts of workouts with these bands and take them virtually anywhere. You can use them in a pool or in the ocean, take them to a park, hook it up at home or at the gym, in your hotel room, do a quick session during a break at work, take them on a hike and work them on a trail, in a parking lot or wherever. If you got a partner to train with, he/she can hold the band while you do drills and then switch. Do little games or work together in sequence, use them to challenge each other and whatever can work. 

Don't forget to use my Discount Code POWERANDMIGHT to get 10% OFF your order. These are some of the most durable and flexible bands in the world. Some of the best athletes have trained so hard on these that it's a miracle the band hasn't snapped. They're so incredibly strong that Superman would have trouble snapping these. Grab a set for yourself and/or your friends, training partners, family members or students in group sessions. There's bands for kids to use to train for youth groups and to help them stay healthy and have fun with. These things are worth every penny.  

Taking It One Day At A Time

 Being aware of what you can and can't do can be hard at times but it's also important to know what you need to do in order to stay healthy in the long run. DDP Yoga has done wonders for me beyond the healing of my sciatica and it's one of the things I will continue to do regularly, not as a necessity but as a program to enjoy so I can do other things as well. I've even started filming again and getting back into doing what I love such as the demo below showcasing some of the moves I do in DDP Yoga. 

I don't flare up as much anymore and have been doing more walking lately especially wearing my 40 lb weight vest which I have done 2-3 times now. Another thing I'm excited to have done again was 500 Step Ups which I hit last night. Paced myself and listened to my body. The last few times I started at about 50, then 100 and 250. Last night, I hit 250, it felt easy and did 300 and felt like I can keep going and 500 wasn't too difficult so I went after it. No pain, no flare up or anything. I got a little emotional afterwards because Step Ups is one of my favorite leg exercises and doing 500 reps again made me incredibly happy. I have to thank DDP Yoga for giving my legs the strength and conditioning to pull that off again. 

Today, did a 25 min or so DDP Yoga workout from the APP called Super Body Flow which Dallas would transition from one move to the next in quick sequence fashion and it felt great. Mostly just basic stuff but it got me loosened up and get that heart rate going. Normally just stick to the DVDs which are great as is. Have yet to do the Extreme Psycho Workout again, have done the Diamond Cutter & Double Black Diamond workouts a couple times now which are roughly an hour to over an hour a piece. Those are nasty motherfuckers to do so I'm building myself up. Most workouts are around 30 minutes to an hour doing either stand alone workouts or doing a mix of workouts into one to keep things flowing like Fat Burner & Energy, The 10 min Warm Up mixed with Below The Belt or something like that. 

I've even tried a couple Sandbell Workouts recently as well doing my 2x shoulder carry workout using my 20 lber to work up to doing that type of training again. Did a 10 min workout with that and then filmed myself doing a 5 min micro workout of rowing to chest and shouldering my 70 lb Sandbell. That was hard to do since it has been a while and didn't go as fast as I normally would but I did ok with it being some time away from it. There were concerns about my form but I' am good and I will do better next time. It's a work in progress to training myself to do some of what I did before. There are things however that I won't be doing again and that's doing explosive twisting movements again like I did with the Dopa Band or hundreds of squats in a row, if I'm doing hundreds of squats again, it'll be a deck of cards type workout mixing in step ups but doing 500 Squats in a row isn't in the cards for me, I get plenty of Squat Work with the DDP Yoga, doing slower and holding positions and that feels way better to me than doing hundreds of squats. 

It's all about taking it one day at a time man and doing things that are of value to you in the long run. I'm just itching to get the hammer back out and hitting the tire again, carrying a rock, swimming in the lake, hiking and doing all sorts of stuff. You do what you can and make the most of it. Train to do things that help yourself and others and strengthen your body while being flexible and able to keep the blood flowing to the joints. Mobility work is a key ingredient to having a healthy body long term. Strength is definitely a part of it but temporary strength will only get you so far, be able to use that strength as long as needed and not always what you can lift in the moment. 

Have an amazingly awesome day and hope you have a good start to the week.   

 

My Conditioning Was Tested

 Doing the DDP Yoga Workouts for nearly a month now has reaped many rewards in my recovery and getting back my strength, flexibility, mobility and coordination. Most days, I would do the workouts in stages with their Core Workout, Beginner & Intermediate and other days, I'll go a little bit further and longer like up to 45 minutes or so. They can be brutal at times but they're fun and it's helping me further along. I'm practically at my best again but still need to be mindful and listen to my body.

I do have flare ups in my hip from time to time, not to the point of debilitating or very painful but it only happens when I get stressed out about something. It is getting better though. Next step is getting better sleep, I still struggle with it and doing what I can. When I do sleep, even if its for a few hours, I'm out like a light. 

One workout of DDP Yoga I did yesterday really tested me in a way I needed especially if I want to have solid conditioning again was their Double Black Diamond Workout that lasted for an hour. Took breaks here and there for like 30 seconds at a time when Dallas called for it but those were very few and kept going about 95% of the entire workout. Modified what I needed to, felt awkward at times yet I got through the entire workout without quitting. Some of the holds especially for the legs were long and doing slow count push-ups made me shake like a leaf. My flexibility has increased rather quickly, my strength is right back up there and because of getting through that nasty bitch of a workout, my cardio and lung capacity is back in full force. I also use the DDPY App a time or two to get some workouts in that aren't on the DVDs. One was a live type workout where Dallas had a large group of people training at his Performance Center.

This was a major step for me as I'm a big believer in conditioning. You know from my past articles that having solid strength is great but if you don't have a good level capacity in your cardio to back it up, then you're missing out on some very important factors. Doing sprints, step ups, squats, band work and even weights can build your cardio if you know how to apply it. DDP Yoga is no different and because of the combination of Bodyweight Exercises, Muscle Control, Yoga Positioning & other things, it creates an interesting workout that makes you sweat like crazy, testing your levels of control and balance along with building your lung capacity. I've shown some muscle gains and fat loss because of doing it for a while now. You saw my recent pics...Slimmer waist, more defined muscle and my back is a hell of a lot stronger now.

When you put in the work, things will start to happen for the better and as long as you stay consistent and listening to your body, certain miracles may even occur but that may vary from person to person. I've had a lot of soul searching to do while I was laid up and certain things came across my mind which I mentioned in one of my previous articles and that it's not a desire anymore to try and compete with anyone but myself. Some guys have this obsession that you have to compete against EVERYBODY and need to be better than them because it's a fucking war out there. What kind of war are you really trying to win? What's the endgame? I know what it's like to try to one up somebody and at times I won the battle but at other times I got my ass handed to me and at the end of the day, what was it really worth? Plus, unless it's friendly competition, what do you truly expect to happen in the long run?

My biggest desire right now is to be a bit healthier each day, have the strength when it calls for it and be able to go when I need to. I'm not in competition with anybody, I have nobody to try to compete with. Some people are far better than me in certain things and I'm good at what I can do that a lot can't but that shouldn't make me superior to them or make them feel less of themselves or feel less to myself. Your biggest competitor is who you see in the mirror everyday. There are some things people will compete for whether it's for a sport, in business or whatever because there's a specific need but on the other end of the spectrum, when you compete more with yourself in what you want to achieve whether it's big or small, to me there's greater reward in it because you learn to be better than who you were whether it was an hour ago, yesterday, last week, last year or in the last few years. 

Train to be a little better even if it's so microscopic it makes Tardigrades look big. That's the true beauty of making things happen. Even the smallest hint of progress is still progress that leads to the bigger picture. Be more encouraging, don't bully and for the love of the damn universe, do your best to have more compassion for people. At times, you may need to be vocal and call people out on their shit and stand up to those who prey on the weak but if you can keep the majority of your being having compassion and empathy, that other side of the coin would balance itself out. 

Everyone Deserves To Be Fit

 Every now and then, you come across some numbnuts who treats others and especially potential customers like shit and if they don't buy from you, you're worthless to them. I get it that we need to make a living but acting like an asshole isn't always going to help your cause. Granted some people can't be helped which is understandable but yet we all deserve to have an opportunity to be fit and healthy, it's just a matter of pointing in the right direction. 

Everyone deserves an opportunity to better themselves, sometimes we need a little nudge just to get that first step going. There's really no need to call people weak or fucking idiots, that doesn't make you better than them, it just makes you bitter and pitiful. Quite frankly I don't give a shit if you're a teenager, an old fart, skinny, overweight, gay, straight, non-binary or other folks in the LGBTQ community, a corporate giant, a janitor or a current/former pro athlete, everyone should have the opportunity to train and get better so they can have the quality of life that keeps the world going round and round. 

Fitness isn't just about looking good naked or about how strong you are, it's about self-discovery, the ability to challenge the norm and break through your own barriers. Unless you're Superman or Wonder Woman, nobody starts out the strongest, the fastest, the most conditioned or the most durable. It takes time, it takes research, it's about finding what you can do to progress. Sometimes going to the gym helps, doing bodyweight training wherever you go is always an option, working with Bands goes a long way especially if you're on a budget and there are free resources for awesome information that includes workouts, nutrition recipes, beginner levels to advance so you know where you can go and so much more.

Although we live in the world of overwhelming information, you really only need to look at a few places that have meaning and find what can be best for you. We all start somewhere but how you finish it is up to you. I love to train because it helps me do things in life that are important to me. It keeps me going and learning new ways to do cool stuff. I want to help you develop a mindset that you can create any workout you want with the right tools and resources that work in your favor. We all need a little help sometimes and never forget, the smallest fraction of progress still leads to a bigger entity as time goes on. Some people progress faster than other, some slower but regardless of the pace, progress is still progress. Everyone deserves to be fit.

Make the choice to do a little better each day, every step leads to somewhere and we all have our own path. We may hit a fork in the road or hit a wall but there are ways to move past them and keep going. Be amazingly awesome and do what's possible for you.    

Sally Could Use A Pick Me Up

 Finding interesting ways to train is part of the journey in fitness. It could be in tribute to someone, it can be for a cause, hell in this case it comes in the form of music. Music has a way of being part of our workout routines by pumping us up, feeling stronger and accelerating those endorphins to hit that "happy hormone" and many other ways.

In this particular manner, music comes in the form of a challenge. It has been around a few years and it has mainly been used as a push-up challenge and it's Bring Sally Up, Bring Sally Down by Moby Flower. Some have used it as a Squat Challenge which to me is a bit better. The way you do it is you start in the low position of the squat and when the singer says "Bring Sally Up" you return to the top position and when he says "Bring Sally Down" you go low again and hold it until the lyrics are repeated. 

It's an interesting Micro Workout since it combines movement and isometric holds. The song is over 3 minutes long, so holding a position for a period of time repeatedly between exploding upward and going down again can really hit some muscles there. One of the first times I tried doing an exercise where I held it during a song was the first time I held a Nose To Mat Wrestler's Bridge while listening to Black Sabbath's Paranoid which is just under 3 minutes long. I had a friend turn on the song as I held the bridge. Another time was doing a quick "warm up" of hitting the tire with my sledgehammer while the Song "Make A Man Out Of You" (Covered by Peyton Parrish) played. 

Certain songs can add an interesting element to a fitness routine or you can just do an exercise while a whole song played. Holding a Horse Stance while Metallica's Mercyful Fate plays would be brutal if you knew how long that song is, I think that would be worse than Bringing Sally Up LOL. It brings a certain unique aspect to what you can accomplish or even attempt with certain types of music. Now some music can be a little weird when you go hard, ABBA is not one of those bands to workout to as Bud Jeffries once said to me "It's the unmanliest thing to listen to while working out." Just before the wedding, we went out in the backyard to do some kettlebell stuff (you can find it on his Instagram) and let's just say another member of my family wanted to get some line dancing in and blasted ABBA, we shut the screen door and only heard whispers of the Swedish Group while we trained. It was pretty funny. There's your unintentional Bud Jeffries story.

If you want to give Bring Sally Up a shot, go for it and I hope you succeed. I did it a couple times and it wasn't too difficult but it's not easy either. Use music as a tool and see what you can do with it. Have fun and be amazingly awesome. 

Keeping Up With The Basics With Dopa Band

Workouts are short but they get the job done. Whether it be circuits are HIIT style training, the Dopa Band is a hell of a piece of equipment that any athlete would love to have in his arsenal. Although there are advanced movements especially if you're an aspiring wrestler or fighter, sticking to the basics always works best. Some of these guys mimic drills in wrestling practice to embed the skill sets into their brains for fights or matches on the mat whether it be for Division 1 Tournaments, World Level or Olympic Level. 

The basics however seem to create more of a stride and keep your conditioning in tact while also keeping the joints healthy. Some of the exercises are as follows....

Chest Press

Rows

Alternating Side Pulls

Squats

Lunges

Curls

Overhead Triceps Extensions

Ski Jumps

Jumping Jacks

Waves (Two-Handed or Alternating)

Sprints

That's more than enough for most people and you can switch them up and use them however you see fit. There are youtube videos that demonstrate all of these and more which give you an idea on how simple yet challenging you can make them. You can do certain combinations of them like a 2 in 1 type movement for example the Chest Press & Squat combo that works both the upper and lower body so you don't have to sets and reps of one or the other. 

I prefer to keep the reps at a minimum of 10-20 reps in a circuit of 5-6 exercises and time myself to see how fast I can get 10 rounds in, depending on the adjustment and focusing on the right order and not skip one or the other accidently because at times you get so into it that your mind goes to a different place. I also focus on keeping form at best as possible because if you're sloppy, the band will let you know about it and it won't be pleasant so keep at a pace where you can keep going but you're in control the whole time, never let the band control you.

The basics are always ideal and they're the backbone for your conditioning, coordination, speed and durability. You can do HIIT type training, I've done it a time or two keeping at a clip of a few rounds of an exercise for 30 on, 15 off. Just a few exercises with that protocol and you can get in a great workout that can be really intense for 15-20 minutes and then be spent.

The mere fact that top wrestlers use these bands at a very high level AFTER their practice, not before or during and those wrestling workouts are some of the craziest in the world. Imagine how insane you'd have to be to go that hard and then work with a band for an extra 15-20 minutes. You're looking at superhuman athletes with a hint of cookoo for coco puffs in order to become the very best. To the average person looking in on that, you would hurt just by looking but if you took that mentality and just put it towards the bands not the wrestling practices, you may understand the idea to get in awesome shape in the shortest amount of time. 

Just working the bands alone can be tough, so learn how to wisely utilize your fitness level to how you work the bands. Some days for me they're fairly easy to get through depending on how I'm feeling that day but other days, it's so intense that I don't even know how I pulled it off. That doesn't mean they're a chore and you HAVE to go so hard, just playing with them and getting into a rhythm can feel easy yet look like you're killing yourself to an outsider. 

Grab a band or a set of bands for you and friends/family who love to work out and have fun with them. There are special deals you can find at Dopamineo that have family bundles, bands for kids, team bundles, bands for female athletes, groups in mma schools or personal training and more. As a bonus, no matter what deal you find, you can get an extra 10% OFF of that when you use my discount code POWERANDMIGHT. Even right now, even with my discount, you can get a deal on getting 2 extra bands and a carry bag for FREE. Be amazingly awesome and keep up with your journey and hit your goals with a vengeance. 

Why Do I Focus A Lot On Conditioning?

 In a nutshell, being in condition is not just about challenging my body's abilities to take on some crazy workouts or finding a way to enhance my muscular and cardiovascular endurance, it's about lasting in the things that are important in my life. I want to utilize that energy to be active, to make a lasting impression on myself by taking what works and understanding what I need to do in other endeavors. Being in shape is being able to shovel snow in the winter and not get winded or tired during, to be explosive at any given moment whether it's working out or playing with friends, it's to keep up with kids younger than me playing ball or hanging out with buds and their kids, it's to keep up with the physicality when you're needed.

For all intents and purposes, my idea of training these days is to be ready for whatever lies ahead. It's not always easy, it's not meant to be but when you have certain things going on in your life that sometimes have a life of their own, it's important to be in the best shape you can. I'm not in competition with anyone or trying to be some extremist with a compulsion to train so damn hard all the time that my body wears down, sure it's ok to back off every now and then in order to regain yourself but take into consideration  on what is the reason to be in shape. 

I do a lot of step ups, micro workouts, band training, isometrics and training with sandbags but that's all part of the puzzle to piece together your ultimate goal and that is to have strength that lasts and has meaning beyond just exercise. It's one of the reasons why I love training with the Dopamineo Band, it challenges me but doesn't put me into a state where I need to recover for days on end or make me so damn sore that I can't do anything else. It gives me the type of conditioning I can continue to use when it counts. There are so many exercises you can do that despite all the exercises displayed on Dopa's Website, there are many many more that can be created to enhance your chances of developing a level of fitness very few achieve. It is inspired by wrestlers and fighters but it's also a workout enhancer to harness that level of human abilities that is unique. Wrestlers from all styles have used similar bands for decades especially in Russia but in this day and age we don't have to be so hardcore like those guys in order to better ourselves. 

I've always believed training is about self-discovery and creativity to take your fitness to levels that are unbelievable. Being in condition is not about looking pretty or just strong, it's about lasting when it counts the most, to fight and not get winded. There's a funny trend on tik tok where women who train have this voice over which is a very stereotypical Russian accent that says "I don't want to be strong like man who look pretty, I want to be strong like bitch that fight bears in the forest." That's an example of being in condition, it goes beyond the idea of trying to seem like you have this particular look as if you're fit by outer appearance when in reality, if you can barely stand and hyperventilating after a few seconds, your outer appearance isn't jack shit. You need to be able to handle things that are important and last as long as needed. 

There are many reasons to be in real world shape yet only a few have true meaning, that's what you need to figure out because I can't just generalize what the important factors are, we're all different with different reasons to do things. My reasons for being in condition is to be able to go on hikes without tiring, shovel snow without wanting to keel over, to be there for my family, to protect who I love, play ball, to keep up with nieces, nephews and cousins who like to wrestle, chop wood so a fire can be made while camping, swim and have the energy of a person i their late teens and 20's as much as possible. Just some I can come up with.

Conditioning is not just for sport, it's to maintain things in life and being ready on command. It's to keep up with what you do in everyday life and to factor in what is possible for you to do. 

Take a gander at the Dopamineo Bands and see what is possible to enhance your fitness, health and condition. There are over 300 Exercises and dozens of workouts to choose from as a bonus with your purchase. Grab some bands for your martial arts school, wrestling room, group classes and/or sports conditioning program for your athletes by going to the Custom Order Area. I'll even throw in my discount code so you can save some bucks instead of whole price by entering POWERANDMIGHT at checkout to get 10% OFF your order. Keep being amazingly awesome and be in the best condition for your life and to inspire others.