Dopa Bands: More Than Just An Arsenal For Wrestlers

 

Wrestling has been a great test of man's physical and mental abilities for eons. From the time of ancient tribes to competitive sport at the highest levels, it tests your will and your ability to do things you didn't know were possible. Many exercise systems are inspired by wrestling and all its forms. When it comes to systems like the Dopamineo Bands, it can take on a life of its own especially when it goes beyond the realm of a workout for a wrestler or fighter.

You don't have to be a wrestler or in MMA to get the benefit of these bands, they can be just as effective for workouts that get you in fantastic condition that also saves you time and is healthy on the joints. In most cases, a workout within 10-20 minutes is more than enough for most people and when you can do that on average of 3x a week, you're getting more done than the general population. Most of my workouts with my band don't go more than a half hour and on average is roughly 15-20 minutes. My objective is to rest as little to almost zero during the entire workout because I want to not just keep my cardio up but at the same time keep the intensity as best as it can go or as high as it can be without needing a break. 

Some people especially in the beginning would need to recover cause the exercises can be intense as hell and it's important to be as efficient as possible when you train. You're working muscles you normally don't use and with the combos you can use, it brings your heart rate up at a good clip. Start out learning the techniques and as time goes on, you gradually increase speed and intensity. Do you have to go hard all the time? No, you don't need to set a record every workout, the real objective is to progressively increase the capacity of your body's abilities without getting injured or tired. I always believe that you should have gas left in the tank after a workout. If you go too hard, it's going to take longer to recover.

Karl Gotch once said "Conditioning is your greatest hold" and that holds true not just in wrestling but in life as well. When you can develop a level of conditioning where getting tired is barely a concept or even the possibility, you're going to find out that being able to do things when it counts the most can be either very small or a major moment in your life is worth having. Intense training is not just what you think you're capable of, it's the measurement for what you may need when the time comes when it will be needed the most. That's what makes the Dopa Bands so incredible, it can do things for you that you may not understand now but with practice and time, you'll start to understand why they're crucial to your development and quality of life. 

It doesn't matter if you're 6 years old or over 60, the Dopa Bands can do wonders for your body that can create amazing results and develop abilities that are critical and important in life. From just having fun and learning the exercises to developing joint health and muscular strength & endurance for performance and overall physical fitness goes a long way. Make them work for you but also treat it with respect. Let it help you find the right ways to get in bad ass shape but also learn to control yourself so you don't get sloppy and hurt. It's a tool like anything else, treat it right, it will do wonders. Treat it badly, it will bite back so be wise and learn. 

As always, don't forget to use my discount code POWERANDMIGHT to get 10% OFF your order whether its for one band or a bundle for your friends/family, school, athletic program or personal training. Be amazingly awesome and get your hands on one of the coolest systems on the market today. 

Isometrics, Cables, Step Ups & Dopa Training

 Some days I get in one workouts, other days more than a couple like 3 or 4 but every now and then, sometimes a couple workouts where one huge one just hits the spot and your energy is just there. On Saturday, it was one of those days.

In the morning I got some Isometrics in and felt really good. Later on in the day sometime after having a kick ass shake, I went through another one that I made up on the spot and just went with whatever was going to push me. First part of the workout was doing the TNT Cables with 180 lbs Resistance and Step Ups. Do a set with the cables and either rest or go after the Step Ups doing 50 (25 per leg), 5 sets of 10 Curls and 100 Step Ups. Next was Pulldowns and doing sets of 40, 20, 20 and another 20 with 100 Step Ups (25 per leg in between sets or so) and last was Rows doing 5 sets of 20 and another 100 Step Ups. So all together was 250 Reps of Cable Work and 300 Step Ups.

The Dopa Workout was more of a finisher than anything and just an add on to what I just did to make it one big workout. Merely did three exercises for 100 Reps each. First was doing Hooks with a pull like movement doing a couple sets of 50 (25 each arm), next was Chest Presses for 4 sets of 25 and finished off with a combo exercise of a squat and alternating row where you squat and then pull one arm at a time for 4 sets of 25. Sweating like a waterfall would be an understatement and just feeling you're on top of the world.

When you have that energy and you use it productively whether training or working, it makes some pretty interesting results and getting stuff done. Fitness is more than just developing a physique, losing/gaining weight and getting rid of unwanted fat; it's finding out what gives you the most benefit with nothing to lose in the long run. Doing the same shit that rarely ever works won't do jack shit for you but learning and adapting to exercises that are useful to your goals and changing things up to keep things fresh often brings another entity of excitement and interest to your training.

You can do micro workouts throughout the day, do circuits that last for 20 minutes to an hour or go with whatever you're feeling that day, do what works for you. Some days when I don't have a ton of energy, I work on more mobility training and little workouts doing flows or do a couple hundred step ups. It depends on what you're willing to do within the time you can use. No matter what, get some form of training in daily, even if it's going out for a walk or playing a sport. Make the time that is important even if it's for a few minutes. I've always believed in conditioning and maintaining levels of strength and endurance but at times, it's best to just train so you can feel good and go on about your day. It doesn't have to be hardcore all the time or so easy it doesn't do anything but do something that gives you that accomplished feeling like a daily chore for yourself that keeps you on your toes and playing with it.

Workouts like the one posted here isn't for beginners but once you're in the type of shape to do those things, it becomes an adventure. Hell, you can spread out the damn thing for all I care, that might be better for you, it's about experimenting with what you know and what you can adjust to. This wasn't even planned, I made it up as I went and used my knowledge for when to go hard and when to rest a bit to let things sink in. As time goes on, yeah mostly I like to keep going as much as possible without taking a breather but I also have no problems walking it off to get my bearings and then go again; it's instinct and understanding of what you want to do in that time. When you've done workouts every single day without failure since you were barely old enough to drink, it doesn't just become a habit, it becomes like second nature. Very few people can do that. 

Take small steps, gain knowledge, learn the value of daily training and have it take on a life of its own as you keep going day after day. Stay amazingly awesome. 

Dopa Band Conditioning Workout

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

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

Here's how it went down....

-Dopa Training & BW Step Ups

Alt Waves x 15/15 For 10 Rounds

4x50 Step Ups (25 per leg) = 200

Superset 1

Alt Rows x 50 (25 Per Arm) 

Step Ups x 50 (25 Per Leg) 

4 sets totaling 200 of each exercise 

Superset 2

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

Step Ups x 50 (25 Per Leg) 

4 sets totaling 40 + 200

Total of 600 Step Ups during the workout.

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

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

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

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

Amount Of Time On The Dopa Band For A Workout

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

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

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

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

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

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

A Workout Blaster Of Pure Heavenly Brutality

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

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

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

Here's the Workout......

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

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

Not done yet....

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

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

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

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

Animal Deck Workout 

10/10 For 20 Rounds Alternating Waves

10/20 For 10 Rounds Bear Crawl Sprints

100 Curls (50, 50)

100 Chest Presses (50, 50)

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

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

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

Music That Just Enters Your Soul

 Throughout my life, I've listened to all sorts of music from Louie Armstrong to Peyton Parrish and whatever else in between. I did choir back in junior high and even performed some concerts with the group, wasn't that good but I did ok. We did songs mainly from the 60's and 70's and they were fun to do. Later on in High School, I did musicals such as Brigadoon, Wizard Of Oz, Once Upon A Mattress and Singing In The Rain (the last one was only in two scenes and had the only speaking role of in my entire time in the Theater). Music has been a part of my life ever since I was little. My own brother is a musician and had stints throughout the years in his own career doing mostly rock and blues music, he has a gift.

In my fitness career, music has been a part of that off and on listening while training. Sometimes I just go at it without it and other times, I put on my Spotify with either headphones or speakers depending on where I 'am and just get deep into it. Some of my best workouts were with music playing and it'll vary but mainly go with hard rock and metal. If you ever seen my tik tocks you'll find out quickly what kind of music I'm into. With this sciatica shit, I would put on music from time to time and just put my focus into it. I' am getting stronger again and I'm doing more walking and being more physical with my movements animal style (building my speed back up). Still have trouble sleeping but I know this won't last forever.

One of the biggest moments I've had during this process was something that is hard to explain. I was anxious to move around and do something quick to calm my body down. My wife was reading a book on the couch and I put my headphones on and put on a song and something crazy happened; I was so into the song, the riffs and the vocals that my body just went into this auto mode of moving and it almost felt like an out of body experience. I knew what I was doing physically but mentally something else came over me and I was flowing through the animal exercises like they were nothing and I was moving fast, strong and agile. I felt like myself again for a few moments without pain and when it was over, I started crying not because of sadness but because I felt happy and had a sense of hope that I knew this is almost over. I felt it in my soul and it was just beautiful. That song that got me into that state of mind was a Journey cover of their song Separate Ways by Eva Under Fire, the girl's vocals and the music behind her is just incredible and imo, is probably the top 2 best versions of that song. 

I'm sure others have had experiences like that with their own taste of music when they train but for me, it was an experience that I can't get out of my head. It almost seemed similar in a sense when Rickson Gracie got in tuned with his body with the Ginastica Training he learned from Orlando Cani and went into such a meditative state that he couldn't hear or see anyone and just moved with such agility, power and grace for nearly an hour. I was only in a state for maybe a minute or longer but once I looked back on what I did, my brain immediately went to that story about Rickson. Whether he was having music going is neither here nor there, I just know that for a brief time, I got to experience such a state of meditation that it was my way of slowly getting back to where I want to be again. Music gave me that.

Some believe that music is a distraction, from a certain point of view it can be but on the other hand, when you become in tuned with it while training and the syncing of mind and body through the instruments and/or vocals is at that right spot whether for a minute or more than an hour, it puts you into a state that potentially brings out the very best in you and makes you the strongest, fastest and the most powerful you've ever felt. Hell you may break personal records or just so far gone that your body goes into automatic pilot and you're just along for the ride. It courses through your veins, your brain, your nerves, your internal being and letting into your soul and trusting what it's doing for you to be in the zone. Music is that powerful and some never see it that way which is understandable to an extent but in the end, if it works and it makes you that much stronger and feel more alive, why question it? 

Whatever your taste is, I hope it brings you positive results in your endeavors and you get to experience things that others have trouble processing. Let the music flow through you and get in touch with your strongest self. Keep being amazingly awesome.  

Getting The Most Out Of A Workout In Under 30 Minutes

One of the things I've always advocated about training was the importance of self discovery. Finding out what you're capable of doing and testing waters you've never been in, or at least took things to a different level. Just about any workout should be done using simplistic exercises and programming a progressive system that amplifies the workout's ability to make you stronger, more agile and as injury proof as possible. 

This workout I did yesterday went up a notch for me. Did only three exercises by doing the first two as a superset and used the third as a finisher to get that extra oomph in the conditioning department. A very rugged conditioning workout you might say that hits just about everything and can be a hell of a carryover. Here's how it went.....

-Superset (20 minutes non stop)

Bear Hug Carry 50 lb Sandbell for 20 Yards

20 Step Ups (10 per leg)

Immediately went into the finisher by doing my Bear Crawl Sprints for 10 Rounds at 10 Sec on/20 Sec off for approximately 5 minutes. 

The finisher was pretty brutal because my muscles were already hammered from the 20 min superset workout. It was a test to see what I can push on while fatigued. Just starting out on it is hard enough, imagine it as a finisher to something else. Felt great though, I didn't end up on my knees and beg the universe to let me breathe and didn't lie down to catch my breath. After it was over, I walked around and feeling everything in my body and breathing as deeply as I can. Talk about the best damn shower you can ever take. 

Once everything settled and felt "normal" (I hate that word), got some good food in me by having leftover eggs and sausage with a touch of shredded cheese and sliced up chinese pork. Tasted incredible man. Conditioning can go a long way and making you a machine. If you want to give this a shot, just remember that it doesn't discriminate and will try to beat your ass into the ground. It's simple but hard as hell and most people may not be able to handle it cause there's no literally almost no rest with the exception of walking back and getting into the bear crawl position. This isn't your typical run of the mill gym/home type workout, it's meant to try and break you and pin you to the ground. For nearly 30 minutes you're testing your mental strength and seeing what's possible without acting like you're going to die. The moment you start bringing it into your mind, you're dead. 

I never push to the brink of passing out or being so damn fatigued that I can't move my body because that is dangerous and focusing more on your ego than being aware of what your mind and body can and can't do. Do what's possible and listen to your body. The moment I was done, I got some water and jumped into the shower. Condition your body to make it stronger in the long run, not to the point where you'll end up not being able to move for a month. Training is about discovery, curiosity, grit and getting the most out of yourself possible without spending useless hours on it. Again this was less than 30 minutes and it's a bitch to pull off yet it is one hell of a workout that would humble just about anybody. 

Stay strong, keep getting better and be amazingly awesome. 

Step Ups & Hindu Squats: A Leg Workout From Hell

I've written about my latest Deck Of Cards workout consisting of Step-Ups & Hindu Squats. This time, I actually filmed it in its entirety from start to finish with barely any rest other than than flipping the cards. It is literally a workout from hell that will have you sweating and breathing like a maniac. Some think I lie about my workouts especially one lame ass dude who talks everyone's ear off on his own channel while also trying to call me out or bash me to his cult-like email list using unoriginal high school trash talking as he "demos" his version of bodyweight training. That's pretty sad, petty and to be blunt very pathetic for a grown man to resort to that. Someone like that needs to seek professional help. Anyhow, this was something I have wanted to show for a while but was reluctant cause I didn't know if my camera would be able top hold out for the length I needed to do. Luckily, it worked and you can see for yourself that I did what I said I would do. 

That's the thing I learned later on in my fitness journey is that some guys are great at talking and demonstrating their craft, guys like Bud Jeffries, Matt Schifferle, Logan Christopher, Tyler Bramlett and bad ass ladies like the Scottish Super Woman Kirsten Tulloch and Ant Strong Rocker Melody Schoenfeld. I'm not one of those people and I learned that the hard way in my early days of filming workouts, feats and exercise demos. In the last number of years, I basically stopped talking all together and just went out there and did it. I let my physicality do the talking and yeah sure, I'm not perfect or flashy, I just run with it and if it's beneficial than I put it up. 

I rarely ever put up a full workout these days because for one, not everyone has the attention span to see workouts that last more than 5 minutes and two, I prefer to put up demos of various exercises so people can learn them and create workouts for themselves while I promote some of the best stuff out there. It's a better choice for me and it's gotten a lot of positive feedback. This workout however was special to me because I was already sore from the day before doing over 320 Hindu Squats. I haven't done that many in a while and just wanted to see what I could do, I felt it that's for fucking sure and also because it isn't some flashy and sparkly spectacle of cool moves and CrossFit style horror but simple and basic old school exercises that with enough length of time can be brutalized into some demonic, tough and physically demanding workout. 

The thing you'll notice about the video is that I don't really take a break other than to flip a card and do my best to keep my form as good as can be so I'm not bending over dying and ready to collapse. I keep going until that fucking deck is finished. By the end, I'm drenched in sweat, breathing like I just ran a marathon and raise my fists in victory. That's one of the things I learned from Matt Furey was after doing a workout with a deck, you celebrate and give thanks for a great workout and you accomplished something for yourself. It's hard and it's tough as hell but I'm grateful that I can do it and I'm happy that I can show you guys what I'm able to do cause the last thing I ever want to be called is a bullshitter and a liar, that makes it personal for me because anybody who truly knows me knows that not only am I the worst liar on the planet, I have no poker face and if I did lie, I would tell on myself faster than Clark Kent in a phone booth changing into Superman. Not only did I finish this workout, I did it in less than 30 minutes and never once felt like quitting. 

It's one of the toughest workouts I've ever put myself through and had no one to blame but myself if I failed. I love what this workout gives and the combination of unilateral movement with Squats is sure fire to kick your ass. Altogether I did 675 Total Reps (450 Step Ups & 225 Hindu Squats). It builds incredible muscular endurance, conditioning, long term strength and is a complete calorie burner. Want to know what it's like to have your lungs feel like they're on fire, see and hear for yourself. This can be done just about anywhere and the only equipment is a step stool and a deck of cards as your coach. If you can't do it at first, that's ok, do what's possible and build up from there. Once you get the hang of it, go as fast as you can without compromising your form or hurting yourself. I'm not even going complete Speedy Gonzales on this thing, I let the speed come naturally and be as smooth as possible. 

This will have you breathing heavy like crazy and there's no real way around that. You do the best you can to control your breathing but as you go along, keep as natural as possible. It's hard and it will test you especially the faster you go. It's intense and it'll feel like you're going to die but do what you can to get through it. Be mindful and progress to where yeah you're breathing like a maniac but your mind is strong and taking it one card at a time and not forcing yourself against the clock. Focus on the task on hand, not the clock or the random thoughts in your head, focus and utilize that 1000 mile stare. 

Take a shot at it if you're ambitious and see what's possible. Be strong, get some leg work in and keep being amazingly awesome. Here it is you guys, the full workout that delivers like an awesome pizza in 30 minutes or less. 

Lost Empire Herb Of The Day: Spartan Formula

BTW, here's a couple shots of my calf development that I took yesterday. Think they're coming in pretty good since I don't specialize in them.

Supplementary Exercise And Actual Sport

I got this comment on one of my YouTube videos about a person disagreeing about the exercise I used as a conditioning exercise and it didn't help him at all in MMA sparring and he got tired really quick and felt embarrassed. I felt bad for the guy and was giving him a rundown about as embarrassed he felt, I wanted to let him know that he doesn't need to be and maybe I'll explain it better here so for those who felt the same way. I've been there myself and I understand what some go through.

There's no question that in order to be good at or be in shape for any sport, conditioning is a priority and understanding the mechanics of your sport whether it be Wrestling, MMA, Hockey, Baseball or whatever sport you choose to be in. This is painfully obvious. Now the trouble with certain aspects is sometimes we as athletes can get in over our head that if we train hard enough and do all the pushups, weights, squats, burpees, we would be ready for the sport we partake in. That's not always the case.

A favorite line I like from the late Billy Robinson where he says "you can do 5000 squats a day and it still won't make you a better wrestler" so despite the supplementary work you put in, it's not going to make you any greater at your sport. This doesn't mean that supplementary exercise don't do anything at all, their essential in many formats. Before Karl Gotch taught anyone a hold or takedown, he would put them through the ringer and see how tough they were, that didn't mean they were a wrestler by the time by the time they learned one freaking move, you were a wrestler by how much time you were on the mat and developing the skills for that, the exercises beforehand were merely a test that became a daily thing. 

To be the best at your sport, you worked hard on that sport. Some people developed faster than others and some had greater specific skills than others. Take baseball, Rickey Henderson for all intents and purposes had an incredible skillset of speed, power and eye at the plate and was the very best leadoff man in history. His supplementary exercises were Push-ups, Squats, Sprints & Flexibility work, did those help him? Very much so but those alone didn't make him a better player, the skills he build as a player made him great and was in a class on his own. Now let's take someone like Honus Wagner...From a completely different time period of the game but had skills maybe not on the same level as Henderson but in his time, Wagner was stealing bases, hitting homeruns and having batting averages that still baffle people to this day. He hit 101 Homeruns in his career, that's not even a glimpse of what today's standards consider a homerun hitter but if you look at the era he was in and look at the statistics of that era, which was before the Babe came along, Wagner was in a sense one of the greatest power hitters of that generation. What were his supplementary exercises? No one really knows and most likely just stretching and working farms in the offseason. 

When it comes to MMA, it can be unpredictable. You can do all the conditioning exercises required to GET READY for a fight but the moment someone steps in that octagon/ring there are chances he's going to tire out somewhere in the beginning or be dead by the end. An actual fight as opposed to just the training is a completely different animal. Even the sparring is slightly different because you're not going 100% as if you were in a fight, sparring is more about finding the strategies needed and getting in some work to prepare for a fight. The breathwork is very different when it comes to sparring and conditioning work. The perfect example of this is the fight with Maurice Smith Vs. Mark Coleman, Smith a kickboxer and Coleman a wrestler. You would think a wrestler had better sense of conditioning right? In this case, Smith had a greater upper hand and despite going the distance, you clearly see between the two who had more gas in the tank. 

Breathing is mainly the founding culprit between getting tired or having gas left in the tank. I know this well because I made the mistake of believing that despite my years of doing thousands of pushups, squats and doing so many crawls and sprints I was going to be ok even in sparring. I panicked a lot and was gassed sometimes in less than a minute against guys that not was I stronger than but in much better shape outside of sparring and BJJ. Ok maybe not in better shape than all my opponents because some guys in there were fucking machines and can go for hours if they wanted to but many did take notice of the strength I displayed. Once I learned to be aware and breathe better, I lasted longer and wasn't tapping as much. I even went a few rounds without getting tapped at all, that to me was an accomplishment than ever trying to make someone submit. Even going against a UFC fighter was a hell of an experience. 

What's the point of all this? Don't put supplementary exercise up on a pedestal and use them as the main factor in your sport. Your sport should be the main factor and supplementary training is an add on to give you a sense of direction. Doing a thousand pushups a day won't help you hit 450 ft homeruns, doing hundreds of hill sprints won't turn you into Usain Bolt and no amount of squats will give you the athleticism of Pele. However, those things can be great to get a few tweaks in as you master your sport. Supplementary Exercise won't make you great, they will help you be on the right track to being great.    

Micro Animal Workouts

It's never easy getting the time in when it comes to training, that's where short workouts can come in handy as opposed to getting something in for 45 min to an hour or more in one shot. In most cases, just a few minutes will kick your ass, hell if you do it right, 30 seconds to a minute can feel like an eternity. They're intense, hard and yet so freakishly simple many overlook it.

That's one of the things about Animal Workouts that I love. Just doing a few rounds of something can wipe you out just like that. Last night, I did a workout where I took 4 animal movements and did 5 yards each straight through for a total of 20 yards for one set or round. Did a total of 10 of these with breaks in between every 2-3 sets or so because they're intense and will make you breathe hard quick. All together did 200 yards worth of training and I was dead. For most, just half of that would be more than enough but I wanted to see how far I can take it. 

Animals are some of the most challenging exercises anybody can do, sure some are fairly easy and not too difficult but others (as you progress) will work body in ways traditional movements or what have you won't even begin to touch. Like I said before, I'd rather work my ass off doing animals than most stationary exercises. The key to remember however is simplicity. Progressing to higher forms of movements is awesome but if you don't have the basics down, you won't understand the challenges that do lie ahead. You can still take the basic movements and just progress to greater speeds (as long as you stay balanced).

On Sunday, before heading out to watch The Raiders, I did a "quick" workout where I show three rounds of doing Bear Crawls & Crab Walks. Believe it or not, these three were the last three of actually 6-7 rounds because my angles were off and kept getting out of focus with my phone cam. That workout kicked my ass big time and it was just two exercises going one way with one and back with the other. Still fun though and is one of those workouts that can build up an appetite. 

The objective of good training is to make it effective as much as possible and to make it intense while also progressing safely without hurting yourself. Some people have used animal movements as warm ups which is awesome, but as a workout in and of themselves, is a whole other ball game. One of my favorite scenes from the movie Vision Quest is where the wrestling team is warming up doing basically the seal walk like it's a cake walk before getting into pinning drills. The seal walk is basically walking on your hands while keeping the legs nearly limp and no movement from them so in other words basically dragging the legs while intently tightening them in isometric fashion. 

Next time if you got a couple minutes, mark off a few yards and do a bear crawl one way and the crab going back. See how many rounds you can go straight before needing a breather. It's very simple but effective and this workout hits practically everything in the upper body but also will make your legs feel like jello. Just this workout alone can get you in rugged shape and will fire up your lungs faster than the first 30 seconds of a Ric Flair Vs. Ricky Steamboat match. Be strong, go hard and be amazingly awesome.

Is Sledgehammer Training A Key To Youthfulness?

The simplest things tend to be the most overlooked or the most underrated because it's not shiny or extraordinary but yet when they happen, the simple things become incredible to do. We're always looking for that fountain of youth and finding ways to feel and look younger, have energy like we did as a teenager or be able to recover quick. One of the simplest forms of training is using a sledgehammer.

In most cases, working with a hammer is about as old school as you can get. The swing, the thrust and the smashing is all taken back to the days of hard labor, men like Lawrence Farman whom made his living smashing up rock and stone, fighters that smash a tire in order to develop their explosiveness and conditioning, boxers like the late Earnie Shavers used Sledge Training & Wood Chopping in order to develop his punching power which he said himself increased as much as 25%; Muhammad Ali himself had said Shavers had one of the hardest punches he ever faced. 

A great perk of Sledge Training is the maintaining or increasing testosterone naturally. Chopping Wood has been known to give us guys that feeling of manhood and being able to last in the bedroom, now think of a sledgehammer. That surge of power, hormones coursing through your blood and having strength that could kill. It's that feeling like you're a god among men. Youthfulness can have many factors such as testosterone, looking rugged, energy that lasts and being almost injury-proof. Sledge Work can be back breaking but there is a progression in the recreational style and reduce injuries along with keeping the back and spine healthy. 

Another perk is the development of your grip. Working with even a 25 lb sledge over the course of a workout will tax your grip like a motherfucker. You don't have to squeeze the handle as hard as an Ironmind Gripper but you do need to grip hard enough to control the hammer as you're training. Over time, that grip strength can carryover to other things and somebody will feel it when you shake hands with them. The heavier the hammer, the stronger your grip has to be and your body is in control because one wrong move and you can really hurt your yourself. 

Most of the average Sledge Strikers work with hammers ranging from 10-25 lbs. This isn't a knock to anyone and even those weights can turn someone into a machine. Some of us like to go a little higher and testing our strength mainly to see what our bodies are capable of. So far my highest weight and repping it is around 73 lbs. Guys like Nick Nilsson (The Mad Scientist) aren't even human and has repped out a 100 lb hammer and he's roughly 10-15 lbs lighter than me. Bud Jeffries had done 1000 rep workouts with a 40 lb. hammer and we all know the type of strength and conditioning that beast of a man had. Doing reps with a really heavy hammer is a whole other ball game and the amount of power you generate from it, just gives off incredible production of strength.

With lighter hammers, you can go for quite a while and still get incredible results. This is a great training tool to really pack on some muscle and get in cardio shape at the same time. Be strong, slam hard and be amazingly awesome. 

The Length Of An Animal Workout

Time can be your best friend or your worst enemy depending how you prioritize and take things into consideration along with making time. Time in itself is an illusion but for the sake of everyone's sanity (which could use a bit of a tune up these days) let's just play with the idea that time is of the essence. 

Workouts in reality don't take up a whole lot of time unless you're a pro athlete who's job is to train for a specific sport and supplement exercises in order to perform at a high level. You could also look at the Great Gama who did nothing but exercise, eat, sleep and do a ton of wrestling that would make the average man's job look like a walk in the park. Most workouts shouldn't last for more than 30-45 minutes max, hell look at guys like The Mentzer brothers and Dorian Yates at the peak of their bodybuilding careers doing the HIT method and trained for 90 minutes a week. Most ideal training programs should be simple, short and with intent.

If you ever read up or check out the books from Red Delta Project (Side Bar Here), you'll find out that the workouts built in or certain plans don't take up a ton of time and make the time count in order to get the results you need. The truth is, if you can time your workouts right, you can make them as short or as long as needed. Micro Workouts are perfect for this because they give you ideas on how to spread out a workout or help you put in a certain short time frame and get the most out of it. 

Now for the reason of the title of this article, Animal Workouts don't take up a ton of time and for good reason, they're intense as hell and most of them make you work every muscle in your body in various directions. A high percentage of workouts don't take more than 20 minutes if that because of how intense and explosive they can be. In reality, you can go as long as you want or do short workouts because it's not meant to be a "workout" per se but more of a way to play and have fun with. With other methods of exercise you can have fun with them too but it's something that brings that natural excitement when it comes to Animal Exercises. When you were a kid, you weren't thinking about how to properly do tricep kickbacks or planning your future to bench press 500 or more more pounds, most likely you were chasing friends and pretending to be a wild animal. Howling like a wolf, making sounds like the wildcats as you crawled like them or play on the monkey bars thinking you can be an ape. 

It's that natural and instinctive connection to wild animals. We are fascinated with what we see at the zoo or an aquarium or even some crazy battle in the Forest or Serengeti that's on National Geographic or Animal Planet. It's that feeling of wanting to know what it's like to run like a cheetah, climb like a monkey, swim like a dolphin or wrestle like a Grizzly. As we get older, we lose sight of what made us pure, connected to nature and understanding what it's like to have that child-like energy and imagination. 

You've all read about the animal dice game more times than you care to find out. To me, it's the GOAT of all workouts because you never know what comes next and you can either do a beginner's version of a movement or a more explosive, fast and more advanced version it's up to you. Some days, I'll just go a few minutes, other days I'll go for a half hour, it's new all the time and it builds your awareness and being ready for what comes next because you never know what animal you'll have to do. The longest workout I did with this was 82+ minutes long and if you want to know what it's like to need water and feel endorphins kicking in, that's it. For the most part, 20 minutes max is more than enough for anyone but it all depends on your energy levels and what you want to do. They can be so intense, 5 minutes will kick your ass and that's all you'll be able to do. 

When you really get into it and understand the movements, you can go as long as you want or can handle. There's really no timeframe when it comes to Animal Exercises, you can do one animal per workout or do a whole zoo of them if you want. The variety is there for you and regardless of your age and sex, you will get some crazy results from them. Think about how much stamina you can build up, the strength you can posses, the explosiveness you will attain and acquiring a level of conditioning that would blow people's minds. Make the time count but have fun with it too, animals can teach us a lot of things. Be strong, get wild and be amazingly awesome. 

On Clothing During Workouts

What do you like to wear when you train? Do you have a specific shirt or pair of shorts/pants? Do you wear specific shoes or do you go barefoot? How about Spandex and headbands like in an 80's aerobics class? Some of the clothes I've seen may not always be appropriate to my taste but that's just me. Some people wear tight clothes that show off various muscles they want to display, others (especially women) wear crazy short shorts to show off their ass, again it's a preference and if it works for them and they want to flaunt it it's their choice. 

Some people are not only turned off by certain aspects of clothing, but find it "distracting" or they'll say something just to cause a scene. If you're distracted by what someone wears, in most cases that's on you man. In the gym, I've seen both men and women wear ridiculous outfits which some look so damn tight on them, I'm shocked they haven't developed a yeast infection but to me it's just clothes and I go about what I'm doing. Quite frankly, if you wear something that you feel that makes you stand out or just wear a t-shirt that says "fuck Satan" and acid jeans, that's your business and you do you.

A good 99% of the time, you'll see me in a t-shirt and basketball shorts with either shoes, flip flops or completely barefoot. That's just the way I' am. Being born and bred in California, it's quite common to wear beach clothes just about anywhere you go. Up here in Idaho, I do the same exact thing and no one seems to give a shit which is nice. The mere fact people bitch about certain types of clothing really just makes me laugh more than anything. 

Did you know there are people out there that hate men that wear flip flops? People have their quirks but seriously, how shallow and dumb do you have to be to hate on someone because of a damn beach shoe? I just don't get it. Saying it makes men look feminine and weak; do they not realize the flip flop/sandal has been around since ancient Egypt and have been worn by Royalty, Slaves, Soldiers, Hunters/Gatherers and Tribal Leaders. I would pay big money to see some douchecanoe tell a Roman-Greek Soldier or a Tribal Hunter how weak he is for wearing that kind of footwear; he probably wouldn't last 5 minutes before being stabbed to death or taken down and smashed by a rock or log. If you have the strength to handle heavy armor or carry a good amount of weight and be able to fight when you need to while wearing that, who the hell really cares?

In ancient times (and in some aspects today), men and women trained completely in their birthday suit and had great success. Some of the greatest athletes trained with very little to no clothing so if it works for them, that's awesome. Clothing is a construct and is an option more than anything else. Now many would frown upon going commando in a public area which is understandable because there are children present at times and there are things they don't need to see and get scarred for life or need some serious therapy. At times during my workouts, I trained in a garage or the living room just in my boxers (in the summer, it's almost vital) and blasted through sessions like the old timers. 

When clothing is required (public setting here), wear whatever makes you happy, hell I've seen people with pierced noses, nipple rings in a see-through shirt, cut off jeans, shit even a guy wearing a full on Spider-Man Outfit doing gymnastics and Barstarzz Calisthenic type training in the middle of a gym. When you're completely alone in your home or live in an area where no one within a mile can see you, go out in the nude or train with people who like to be naked. Training should be challenging, fun and exciting to do. Sometimes we have to push ourselves because we don't always have the motivation but what you wear in most cases is completely irrelevant. If you want to be stared at, that's your choice and better be prepared for any consequences that may or may not occur. If you wan to be colorful, go for it, you might encourage someone to do the same. If you want to just look plain (wife beater shirt, khakis, no color) that's great too. Clothing is just part of the process but it doesn't have to be a 100% priority (depending on where you are).

Last thing, I just want to point out that if you plan on using very little clothing out in the snow, you might want to learn a thing or two from Wim Hoff before you start going crazy and I highly recommend you DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES where 10 layers of clothing from head to toe while trying to run an ultra-marathon in 100 degree weather (dry heat or humid), chances are you will die and you're literally giving vultures a chance to snack on your corpse. Be strong, wear whatever works for you and be amazingly awesome. 

Micro Workouts For More Efficient Training And Time Friendly Options

Time isn't always our friend and because of certain obligations we have in our lives, we have to get things done and feel like it's never enough. It can be stressful doing many things like making sure the bills are paid, are the kids happy and fed, is the house clean, need to pick up the groceries, got this and that appointment, am I going to make it to that meeting on time, I need to get my kid to practice, need to get dinner ready. At some point, either someone has done all of these or at least 3 of them. 

Even when we try to focus on ourselves, it can be stressful too; do I look ok, is my ass too big for this dress, need to get to Yoga class (or wherever you choose to train at), I have to be restrictive about my eating or I won't lose weight, am I eating enough to put on muscle, I need to workout longer but will that take away my time from everyone else? It's that rush, rush, rush and taking on so many priorities, we often forget that there are 24 hours and yes there are things to prioritize, but also it's not good to try to sprint during a whole marathon either. 

Getting some form of exercise in doesn't have to be stressful or complicated like we make so many other things. Sometimes, just a few minutes is all we get but we can also make them count. Micro Workouts have been around a long time but what really is the term Micro Workouts? In a nutshell, it's the idea of doing exercise for a short period of time that can range from a few seconds to like an open window of 15 minutes. It's the concept of using the time you can use to get something going and with the intent of being efficient and utilizing intensity. There's the Tabata concept where you do 20 seconds of hard exercise with 10 seconds rest for 8 rounds (4 minutes all together). Another great one is a favorite where you take two exercises and go back and forth with them as a superset for say like 10 minutes with little to no rest. That might be your workout for the entire day which is great, so don't feel bad because you can't exercise for an hour straight or longer like the magazines and general fitness ideals tell you.

 One workout I did the other day was part of what I'm learning about Suspension Calisthenics and molding the superset concept and making it intense but not impossible to do. If you're into Suspension Training, this is a quick one that doesn't take up a lot of time and targets your core muscles like crazy...

Do 6 Knee Pull-Ins Followed by 16 Mountain Climbers (8 each side) for 3 sets resting as needed in between sets. You can add another set of exercises if you wish like I did or just do that. It shouldn't take more than 10 minutes depending on your rest periods. My add on to it was another superset of Suspension Curls & Rows doing 10 each for 3 sets. That workout alone was an ass kicker. For that first superset of the knee pull ins and climbers can be better explained here...I just did the Knee Tuck version without the seesaw move as you'll see. 

Another great Micro Workout is a great Tabata Style of Isometrics focused on the Abs. It involves 4 exercises (In reality only three cause one of them involves side planks for each side) that you do 2 rounds of for 20 on and 10 off for 4 total minutes. You will feel it and not one exercise involves crunches or a sit-up. The workout can be seen here...

You can just use your bodyweight for things like push-ups, squats, lunges, step ups, carrying a heavy bag, animal style movements, you can use light dumbbells if you want, it can even be a sprint session. Don't be afraid to use the time you need to get the job done. You won't always have an hour to get some training in. If you have little ones, use their nap time to get some exercise in. Take the time during commercials of your favorite show to get some blood pumping (this was a favorite for athletes such as Herschel Walker & Rickey Henderson) or doing a few squats or lunges while the gas is being pumped into your car, there are so many ways to do Micro Workouts it's ridiculous. 

Find the strategies that work for you. To learn about this training concept check out the book Micro Workouts by Matt Schifferle of Red Delta Project. Be strong, use your time wisely and be amazingly awesome. 

Suspension Training And Other Fun Stuff

Reflecting on this past week has been a great one. We were going to go up camping a second time around but nature told us otherwise (Fires, Thunder Storms) and better be safe than sorry. Made the time though with just being together, enjoying the sun, sitting in the pool and listening to some great tunes. Wife got some vacation time so we made it as fun as we can make it. Went floating up near the mountains with friends and family, went Huckleberry picking this past Saturday and went down to the lake. Just got to soak up that last bit of summer man.

Throughout the little festivities, I was training on not just Isometrics but also getting into Suspension Training. Got myself a new door anchor (The EverStretch) that could hold up pretty good, attached the Iso Belt and was testing out various exercises doing rows, curls, pushups, slow assisted pullups, one legged squats, knee pull ins and others. It's been a while since I've done Suspension type training, the most recent was testing out pullups with the belt at a park and before that was maybe a couple years. I figured getting into it being inspired by Red Delta Project's Suspension Calisthenics book which is pretty damn awesome BTW. Figured I'd snatch up the rest of the series which you can find on the right side bar on the blog. 

Although I don't have a ton of experience in Suspension Training, it is enjoyable and right now, my main focus is working on technique and balance. Don't need to rep out a ton yet and even then just get into the habit of controlling the body and utilizing tension while doing technique reps. If there was ever any consistent suspension workouts in my time was doing the rings in gymnastics in my mid 20's. Didn't do the Iron Cross or anything, just keeping form and tension while doing pull-ups and worked on improving little by little. With the Iso Belt and door anchor, the basics are where it's at and taking the belt to a park and wrap it around the monkey bars to work on other exercises. When it comes to Isometrics, I want to test my strength in the Hybrid Pull-Up and see what I can do with that. The Hybrid Pull-Up is taking a strap and tightening the cross between the two poles on the pull-up bar and then you pull-up or chin-up until you reach that stopping point on the strap hitting both that Overcoming & Yielding Iso combo.

Training is an adventure and should be something you're excited about. Even taking the most basic exercises and turning them into something fun and interesting is where the ultimate goal should end up. That's what I love about Red Delta Project; it's runner Matt Schifferle, has this amazing attitude and enthusiasm for training that's awe inspiring. No question he's one of the best trainers around today and part of the new generation of Physical Culturists but his positivity is where many are drawn to. He doesn't shame anybody and doesn't go for that "my way or the highway" type of attitude, he's relatable, fun to listen to and utilizes his knowledge in a sense where whether you're a complete beginner or a veteran athlete he gives you a rundown that makes you want to do something no matter how small. His ideas may not be completely brand new but he takes old school exercises and tackles the classic formats of muscle control and balance to develop workouts that although low in skill, create the best versions of muscle building and conditioning training. 

Check him out and his YouTube channel. Be safe, be strong and be amazingly awesome. 

It's Not A Chore...It's An Adventure

Exercise was never meant to be easy because if it was, we wouldn't understand the meaning of the words Progression, Strength, Perseverance & Physical/Mental Conditioning. That doesn't mean it can't be fun or made interesting. Have we lost our sense of imagination to get the most out of our training? I don't think so, many have really just suppressed it and locked it up whether they knew it or not and don't know where the key is. When we do find it and use it to as much of its potential as we can do, it becomes in a sense "effortless" to reach for as high as we want to go. 

Take into consideration what gives us the greatest benefits and proceed to make it the most kick ass thing we can do. Training, in a realistic sense, teaches us to hone skills and build strength within ourselves to be the best we can be. Sure we go through phases and follow certain programs or protocols but in the end, it's up to us to make the most of it. Yeah we do stupid stuff sometimes but going through the stupid stuff helps us grow and understand what not to do yet for some, doing stupid stuff is all they know and don't know any better and that's a damn shame.

The adventure part is when we don't know what's out there on the horizon, but there is something out there for us to find. There's a buried treasure hidden and when you find it, utilize its contents to your desires or you can hang onto it for dear life and find a way to make the most out of that treasure. We all have a chest of precious gold and jewels hidden away somewhere (e.g, the best programs in our arsenal) but we can't always use them the same exact way as everyone else, there's spending and trading which is common but in this sense, it's about investing in what gives us great benefit to thrive and get back more in our investment. 

We may make mistakes on our adventure but we also learn what makes us work hard and play harder to have the time of our lives. Exercise really is an adventure but we must find it in ourselves, no one is going to do it for us. Be adventurous and be on the lookout as the sun sets and/or rises because you never what's out there in them open waters. 

Sprint 8 Protocol

Grind Style Calisthenics

Thor's Hammer Herbal Package

Overcoming Isometrics

The Traveling Gym

           In fitness, there are so many programs and so many options to choose from but what most people don’t understand or even bother to notice is that you can work out virtually anywhere. Sure it’s nice to have a gym to go to and there are some awesome gyms that will kick your ass but a gym shouldn’t be your only option. Think about it, if you’re traveling on the road not even leaving the state, just going to a different town, you may not always find a gym so what the hell do you do and still get in some awesome training? You travel light; you can have a gym in your own bag or just use your bodyweight.

            Your mind is an extremely powerful tool. In this case, if you concentrate and focus, you can actually in this case, find any gym anywhere on the planet. Look at it this way, a gym really is just a building full of things to pick up, move and even run on that’s it. When you step out of that element and look in different pieces, you can find great ways to train. You’re at a hotel, they don’t have a gym so what can you do? Use your imagination, use the hotel for your workout, do push-ups near your bed, do step-ups on the stairs, do isometrics on the rails. This is just a prime example, what about being in a cabin and the nearest gym is about a half hour and not that easy to find what can you do? Use your imagination, go swimming, do sprints up a hill, hike, lift a rock, there are so many things you can utilize.

            Let me give you an example; Almost every summer, my family and I go to Lake Tahoe for a couple weeks max, we laugh, we cry, there’s drama at times and we make up for it, we go out to different places and even go to an old western town if we had the chance but I find the best ways to train anywhere we go. A little up the road from our cabin is the lake where there’s rocks, trees, a dock and plenty of water to swim in. I would swim and then climb up a big rock maybe bear crawl it up who knows, jump back in the water, swim to a series of rocks around the area and climb, crawl, jump, squat, sometimes I do push-ups. Look what I just did, I used every muscle in my body from head to toe and even did cardio at the same time because I needed to keep moving and use not just my body but my mind to think where to plant myself and coordinate because it can be dangerous.

            Learn to see the world as your gym no matter where you live. If you want to have the cheapest gym that requires no gym fees and can be used to travel with, get yourself some stuff at Lifeline USA. The Chest Expander is a great tool to travel with, The TNT Cables are bad ass because not only you can use them on the ground but have a door attachment to wrap the cables around do the same exercises you see in the gym. Use the Power Walk for your walking exercise and get fit from doing that. Don’t make things complicated for you, take advantage of what you have and make it work for you. Open your mind and body and there are endless possibilities.

Be awesome my friends.

Test Your Mettle With This Workout

          I’m always looking to try new things, keep things fresh, fun and interesting. A lot of people do workouts that they end up hating, ones that feel more like a chore than an adventure and even ones where they jump right into so advanced they end up hurting themselves and quitting after that. Progression is a key but also there’s testing to see how you push yourself productively and safely without injuring or severely hurting themselves.

            This workout that I have picked out was on a whim and it requires only a couple pieces of equipment which is: A long rope (25-100ft) and it can be as thick as you can handle and a Lifeline Power Push-up Plus. It is cardio at it’s finest in my opinion and the objective is to move from one exercise to the other taking as little rest as possible. The two biggest factors is form and breathing. Speed is important to but nothing like form and the breathing.  This workout should be done preferably outdoors where there’s fresh air and getting Vitamin D to help boost the hormone levels. The exercises for the Power Push-up Plus are at 10/8/6 reps. Here’s how it’s broken down:

30 Second Battling Rope Exercise

10 Deadlifts

30 Second Battling Rope Exercise

8 Deadlifts

30 Second Battling Rope Exercise

6 Deadlifts

30 Second Battling Rope Exercise

10 Push-ups

30 Second Battling Rope Exercise

8 Push-ups

30 Second Battling Rope Exercise

6 Push-ups

30 Second Battling Rope Exercise

10 Chest Pulls

30 Second Battling Rope Exercise

8 Chest Pulls

30 Second Battling Rope Exercise

6 Chest Pulls

30 Second Battling Rope Exercise

20 One Arm Rows (10 each side)

30 Second Battling Rope Exercise

16 One Arm Rows (8 each side)

30 Second Battling Rope Exercise

12 One Arm Rows (6 each side)

30 Second Battling Rope Exercise

Total: 6 min. 30 seconds of Battling Ropes & 120 Reps of the Power Push-up Plus

            If it’s too much for you, break it down in half or whatever you’re comfortable with to start. The key thing is to keep going from one exercise to the other; it’s tough, simple and effective. You’ll be breathing hard, sweating and testing your will. If you don’t have these, I suggest you get them or if you have a dumbbell or kettlebell for the rows and deadlifts and do regular push-ups, use a towel for isometric chest pulls for 10/8/6 seconds. It’s a great workout that requires little equipment and can be done indoors or outdoors. Try it out, see how it goes and let me know what you think.

Be Awesome guys and always strive to find the adventure in training.

One Of The Best Workouts

           This workout can be done anytime, anywhere and you can do it lying down, sitting and standing. It is so powerful it brings a whole new meaning to the term High Intensity. It can hit you so hard it’s tough to breathe. It doesn't feel like you’re working out and you're having fun and it feels awesome.

            How do you find it and where can you get it? Some people look to watching something or using their imaginations. For me I can think of something and than it just goes from there. You can go to a certain place or it can be at home and getting the whole family involved. This workout brings families together and it just gives you a rush of endorphins.

            If you’re in a bad place in your life and you need something to lighten the mood and change things around, do this workout. It’s inspiring and nobody does it better than an awesome kid. If you want to learn from the best, learn it from kids, it comes automatically to them.

            There are at times where you just need to let it out in the best positive manner, whether it can be from Theater Of The Mind and just finding what brings it out or use it to balance out your emotions. Letting it out in the open or just by yourself either way it’s bound to happen. This is a workout you should be doing everyday because it releases bad toxins out of the body and it is the best euphoric high in the world. Who knows, you might get a set of abs from doing this and burning fat like crazy cause at times you need to catch your breath.

If you haven’t figured it out, it’s LAUGHTER!!!!

Finally My Opinion On Crossfit

           I tend to be opinionated about certain things every once in a while or I may make mention on certain things. This little trend of Crossfit seems to be the talk of fitness these days and I do have something to say about it. I have family who does Crossfit and they’re 2 of my cousins by marriage, they’re serious about it and when I don’t have any issue with that I do care about them, one of them is a cop. Well you’re about to get my uncut, uncensored and thoughts going to my mouth about this thing people want to do these days. You ready, because here it comes baby.

            Crossfit is not all that new; this type of thing has been around for ages and believe it or not it was a staple for wrestlers in ancient India & Middle Eastern tradition for the sport of Wrestling. These guys would move fast during exercises and go from one to another, they’d swing clubs, maces, do crazy push-ups and squats plus they’d have to dig the pit which was their wrestling mat and prepare it for the day. Imagine what their workout of the day was, nothing like crossfit makes up I guarantee you that.

            Being in great shape is great and I’m all for people who want to do that but what I can’t stand is people getting hurt and bruising themselves up because their stupid enough to not make the effort to learn the actual lift or exercise. Calluses is one thing which we can’t control, you’re bound to get scrapped every now and then and I know, I have had my fair share of getting my hand blistered from pull-ups and kettlebells. To train with efficiency, learn the actual lift and/or exercise and do a weight you can handle because if you can’t you’re going to get problems that will last long periods of time.

            I’ve heard about those Workouts Of The Day and although I love the idea of changing things up to avoid doing the same shit over and over, it gets to me that those workouts don’t have any real structure on pace and having a specific level to start out with, if you’re advanced that’s one thing but at the same time if you’re new to the damn thing, you don’t need to be Speedy Gonzales to catch up to somebody. There are days where you can challenge yourself and try to beat your best record but not 3-4 times a week, that’s just plain retarded and it leads to getting injured. A specific WOD should give you a way to make your own pace, have more technique involved and work on things that doesn't lead to injury; you can do things that won’t put you on a back burner.

            I've seen the videos on youtube of these Crossfit gyms that have people doing some outlandish and dumb shit that I've ever seen in my life. I realize that YouTube isn't the best resource but I've literally seen one of my cousins have plenty of bruises on her that looked like she got her ass kicked by somebody and acts like it’s not a big deal. Fuck that dude lol. I love how someone can push themselves but not to the point to where they’re looking like they got their ass kicked literally. Training is about having fun and giving your body tools that will give you long lasting health, strength and vigor. If you like getting bruised, that’s your business but don’t expect your life to be one happy picnic when down the road your joints will be crackling and you’re not going to move because it hurts so bad, trust me I did that when I was as young as 19 and 20 years old, literally 10 years ago that was happening to me because I thought I was this big shot weight lifter and throwing stuff around like it was a blast but I paid the price for it.

            Technique is one of the most important factors of training, you have bad technique you’re going to suffer the consequences. In my opinion, I can’t stand kipping pull-ups, unless you’re climbing or something it shouldn't be a pull-up, you’re looking at your joints feeling like shit and tendinitis like a motherfucker. Regular pull-ups are far better for your health and way better on your joints and muscles because when you control your body through keeping it tense or by muscle control and use the muscles at work, you have a better chance of building a great powerful back and strong ass arms and abs. The lifting in most of these gyms are ridiculous and you have some shmuck that doesn't know a clean or deadlift for the life of him you’re better off learning from an old timer and reading about that old school style that leads to great strength, power and efficient muscle building. Actually learn the lift and you’ll be surprised what comes up when you become stronger, fitter and have greater tempo.

            Not all crossfit gyms are like this and there are some guys that want to give you ways to be strong, fit and healthy as best as possible, one in particular ran by a friend of mine named Frank Dimeo and one of his guys who help him Dru Patrick have a gym that’s dedicated to bringing the best out of someone and keep them strong and fit with as little injuries as possible if any. You want to be creative and they have plenty of that.

            Creativity is essential for success and when you create a workout that gets you fired up I’m all for that. I don’t believe in doing someone else’s creative workout unless it has a challenge that’s fair enough for you to take on, like Bud Jeffries’ Outlaw Challenge Series, it has challenges that may look messed up but they’re challenges that have great value to them. Most Crossfit gyms have these random workouts that are named after women and I’ll never understand that. I’ve seen some of those things have exercises and timing that is just plain dumb and beating the clock is not going to get you anywhere in the long run. Create your own thing, use your own tempo and speed and work on your technique, use a progressive system that’s suitable to your goals and never be afraid to start at the very beginning because you don’t have to be great to start but progress to become great.

            You’re probably thinking, “If you’re giving that much shit about Crossfit, why do you promote a company like Rogue?” Good question, the answer is because as much as I don’t like some of Crossfit’s ideals I still feel it’s needed in one way or another. I like the idea of doing things that are crazy and challenging, not to the point of hurting yourself but to do lifts, use hammers, have racks that you can do some crazy lifting doing partials. I like that it’s become a sporting like event where you have men and women pushing themselves through different obstacles that have that Rocky type feeling. I firmly believe the Crossfit Games should be in the Olympics, it gives people a chance to see the very best tackling exercises that have been around for ages. Do the technique right, have efficient control and balance yourself right with speed and power, I don’t see why not do them.