The Pandemic And Does Exercise Really Matter In These Dark Times?

 Whether you buy into the covid 19 stuff or not, there are people out there dying, maybe not billions but those who have died had families, a wife, a husband, brother, a little girl, a teenage son taken too soon and elderly folks and it is tragic. We aren't immortal and certainly not always being able to prevent this virus whether we wear a mask or not. The only time I've ever worn one was in a store and in there no longer than 20 minutes or so and spend the rest of the time not wearing one. I'm not fond of Social Distancing but I do so not out of fear but out of compromise. 

Some have it totally planted in their brain that it's all a con and a money making scam which in some ways it probably is and false reports have been done but we never truly know 100% how bad or sinister it is and yes the survival rate is very high but it's still not 100% preventable. It doesn't matter if you believe it's a messed up rouse or living in such fear you won't leave the damn house, what matters is is that it won't last forever and things will go back to normal in some form but in other cases it won't. 

So that begs the question, if you're a healthy and fit person, does your training really matter during this pandemic? I believe in the idea that yeah it's important to be safe but not in a fearful type of way and as you work on your health and maintaining or strengthening your immune system, there is a higher chance of beating it and run over it like a Mack Truck. I'm happy and relieved that my near 100 year old grandmother beat it and that woman probably hasn't had the best nutrition or worked out in her life, so if someone like her can fight it and beat it, so can you if you're into working out. 

Honestly, I do want others to be safe and it has caused not just physical ailments but because of the stay home laws and social distancing, it has caused many people to become depressed, raised anxiety levels and have Cabin Fever. I have not seen nor hugged anyone from my family in California since Nov. of 2019 and yes, it has caused me to be a bit emotional because I miss them like crazy and I'm not going to lie, the moment I have that opportunity to hold anyone in my family in my arms, I'll probably have a waterfall running down my face. I have a few friends and family here but the only person I'm around consistently other than my wife is my mom.

During this whole thing, I trained every single day and at times for the very reason it makes me feel the most normal when I'm alone a lot. Mentally and emotionally, it is a roller coaster at times. Physically, I feel great, never got sick practically at all during 2020 and had nothing to do with covid, not taking the vaccine since I never had a vaccine of anything in my lifetime and am a survivor, I do my best to help out whenever I'm needed and I want everyone to be safe and healthy because even in these dark times, it's vital we condition our minds to see that bright light of hope and love in our hearts and believe that this will end sooner than later and we cherish every moment when we finally get to see the people we love, travel without so many damn restrictions and live in the fucking moment man. 

Whether you believe this is all a hoax or not, it's not right to bully anyone and live your life the best you can and take care of each other because in the end, showing compassion is much more rewarding than being an asshole. Be safe guys. 

Does Working Out Become Something More Than Just A Workout?

 Why do we train? What truly gives us the motivation or the drive to exercise and better ourselves? Do we even know what the endgame is to our workouts? I ask myself these questions from time to time and although I don't fully have the answers, it becomes a matter of finding the right answers from your own experiences and what gives you the greatest benefit. 

People workout for a variety of reasons; to create a better physique, to be in better condition, to help win in a sport, to maintain health into their later years and at times to be prepared for some sort of battle to protect those they love. Whatever gives you the opportunity to train, make it work in your favor, not always for somebody else. I'm constantly changing up workouts because for one, I don't want to always rely on one thing or one program and two, I want to experience what I can do without the need of killing myself to get the results I want. 

Training in a way for me is like Superman's Fortress Of Solitude, it's not necessarily an actual place I go to physically, it's when I'm in a state of mind where I'm in the moment, everything else around me doesn't exist except what I'm doing in that point in time. It becomes meditative, something that is mine and belongs only to me. It's not a workout anymore, it's home and no matter how hard it is,  I'm deep in it. 

The real question here is, does your workout put you into a state of mind where it's just you and nothing else? The ability to be so locked in that it becomes a world where you decide what happens and where you go. To become something more than what was intended and harnessing the power of pure focus and unleashing the real strength you've always possessed. 

What many don't understand is that working out is something more than what it is intended to be; it's more than just picking up a weight, doing a push-up or carrying a heavy load, it's what brings your entire being into a universal entity that pits you into the realm of the real self, not just what you can do or look like on the outside. That's very foreign to put it and many would think that's just some New Age type stuff but once you let it happen and open up the possibilities, things will happen you've never experienced before. 

Train to not only find who you truly are but do so with the intent that a workout is more than what is seen or used.  

Slasher Comic Makes Use Of Dynamic Tension

Do you have a favorite slasher film; Nightmare On Elm Street, Friday The 13th, Halloween, Child's Play? I wasn't the biggest fan of horror films and very few have ever caught my attention and were maybe a once in a while kind of watching but when it comes to comics, I have a soft spot for certain stories that are a little slice and dicey. One comic in particular really caught my attention that I never thought I'd see and that's the use of Physical Culture.

Many kids of yesteryear knew the legend of Charles Atlas and the story surrounding the idea of turning a young man who was skinny and frail into a superman-like being building muscle and knocking the bully on his ass. What if that story was interpreted in a very unique way and gave it an extreme makeover? Hence the now Comic Series of Luther Strode: A story of a young high school nerd with a chubby friend and has a crush on a beautiful yet unstable and violent torn girl. Gets his hands on a course that teaches how to build muscle using only your bodyweight, this isn't just an ordinary fitness course, it has a much more sinister side to it.

A course that makes you see violence and forms a deeper meaning to the idea of fighting and becoming an assassin. The kid develops the body of a Greek god but also becomes involved with a cult that is hell bent on murder, destruction and has a cult like following. Torn between using his body and new skill set to kill or destroy the person that created the course following a death in the kid's circle. 

The second book takes place 5 years later and the young kid (now an adult) is a legendary vigilante and taking his place as the "hero" of his city but criminals are striking back in a big way. Old foes are taking matters into their own hands and allies emerge. It's a fascinating look at the anti-hero and the adventures he goes on.

the third and final book, the Legacy, comes full circle into the depths of how the murderous cult came to be and the changing of the tides for Luther as he sets out on a quest to find a being that is possibly an immortal and learning the true nature of why was the course really made, not just for developing a cult of muscle bound assassins but to create an army. The final battle has begun and will this man survive the journey and his final encounter? 

Like I said, I'm not a big fan of the Slasher genre but when you add in the element of an old-time mail order fitness course and make it the cornerstone of a superhero/action/horror story, I couldn't help but take a look at it. It is a very good story and gives new insight to what it means to take something that was meant to be evil and turn it around to make it a powerful entity against evil. It's an exaggeration of becoming something more that what was intended and training the body using a course loosely based on what Charles Atlas did decades ago. That to me is really cool. 

Check them out and learn about Dynamic Tension and Action in a very different but intriguing way. 

The Strange Talent of Luther Strode, Vol. 1

Luther Strode Volume 2: The Legend of Luther Strode

Luther Strode Volume 3: The Legacy of Luther Strode

 

Slam And Skip Workout

One workout that's short enough to really fire you up and not take a ton of time is slamming either a Slam Ball or a Sandbell and rope skipping (I just use the airope and still get a great workout from it) for 1 minute. Do the amount of slams you want and immediately set a a 1 min timer and start skipping. Once your set is over, mark it off and/or just repeat the set for as many rounds as you can. The heavier the weight, the less reps you'll slam.

With my 50 lb. Sandbell I did 12 rounds of 4 slams and 1 minute skipping. That was more than enough and got plenty of excess energy out. It was one of those "getting shit out of my system" kind of workouts and test my explosiveness with the 50 lb. beast. 

This workout builds explosiveness, conditioning, coordination, agility, functional strength and endurance. Have at it and train with intent.

Step Ups And A Sandbell Can Make Up A Killer Workout

 Using little to no equipment in training is a beautiful thing and it is up to your imagination to create the very best out of what is useful. With the new addition to the Dungeon (NEW 50 LB Sandbell) I'm just going nuts on what I can do to make my workouts better and building a more rugged physique (It's a process). Yesterday's workout made me breathe pretty damn hard in a short amount of time, I picked up the 50 lb beast and dropped it over my shoulders repeatedly for 7 minutes straight. That was a lung burner that's for sure and if you don't believe me, try it for yourself.

Doing Supersets to me is a simple method of conditioning and mental toughness where you're doing one exercise after the other for several sets or reps. In this case, doing step ups and a sandbell exercise to really target the body more than just the muscles but building explosiveness, strength, stamina and handling awkward objects. 

This workout I did for 15 min Non Stop was 20 Step Ups and Picking up a 20 lb SB and dropping it behind the shoulders 5 times totaling 100 lbs at a time. This will have you working hard like crazy, imagine climbing a flight of stairs and than having to toss a sack of flour into a truck for an extended period of time. Now you can call this workout whatever you want but using my imagination, I pictured climbing stairs and picking up a lot of bags of lets say rice or potatoes. When you do this without any rest, you could not help but notice a few things happening. 

See it for yourself.....

It is important to be in a solid state of condition because you never know when you'll need it and if you're prepared to handle what comes with the tasks. This is really unconventional and a bit more primitive to modern day cardio and just because you can go 30 minutes on a treadmill, it may not help you from getting your ass kicked in a workout like this. This is some pretty old school stuff which is my kind of training. 

This is geared more towards things that might happen in everyday life and being in shape to handle strenuous areas of labor. I want to train hard so I can be useful when the time comes and having that little extra pep in my step. Listening to good music to this kind of training puts you in a different state of mind and to me putting on a song to start like The Hu's Wolf Totem is just an awesome outlook of getting into the spirit of a warrior and channeling that primal aspects of the human soul.

Training like this is a sure fire you're not doing what everyone else is doing and you're doing things that are tougher than you are normally used to. In the words of Odin from Thor "A wise king never seeks out war but, he must always be prepared for it." Conditioning is an incredible asset but the true aspect of a conditioned man is to be prepared for when he is needed or do what's right.

Conditioning The Body Using A Sandbell

 Happy New Year Everyone. Hope it was full of fun, awesome people and love. This is a time for new goals and making the most of what is possible while beating previous goals. As you know, I change things up quite a bit and get into something for a period. Routines were never a true thing with me but I always find a way to work on something that I find fun but kick ass to do. One of those things is using a Sandbell. It is a tool that works the grip while acting as a Kettlebell, Dumbbell, Medicine Ball and Slam Ball all rolled into one.

Safe to say it is one of the best training tools I have and highly recommend it. I recently ordered a 50 lber which should be here in a couple days or so since I have a 20lber and wanted to amp up my training. A really cool aspect of the SB is the countless exercises you can do that really enhances your functional strength and conditioning. In some of my workouts, I like to carry it across the garage, slam it, shoulder it, do 360's (or Halos) or do some Core Exercises. 

Because of the functionality of the SB exercises, I tend to go the route where I want to train to be useful in the real world. I'm not very fond of Isolating my body and want to get the best out of my training working as many muscles as possible in one shot. One of my favorite workouts was picking up the SB and dropping it behind my shoulders to mimic picking up sacks of flour or potatoes and putting them down, I did this for 10 min. Non Stop which totals well over 100's of pounds lifted, talk about cardio.

I've had my wife use it from time to time and she'll do dozens of sit-ups with it which is pretty awesome to watch. For her brief workouts after work, I don't hold back training her so one workout I had her carry it for distance and then go do step ups, had her do this for 5-10 minutes with little to no rest. She still tells me how much she hates me for that LOL. 

The idea of real world conditioning is to train to be useful when it is needed. Shoveling snow isn't always easy to do but if you got a good lung capacity and can still use your strength continuously, that tells you you're in pretty decent shape. Lifting boxes even properly can hurt somebody if their strength and mobility aren't there but when you can train for function and work the muscles from every possible angle, it'll make things easier to move and you won't have trouble with your back or legs. When it comes down to it, train to avoid injuries as much as possible. Don't do things that runs a high risk of injury if your body isn't prepared for it. 

Sandbell Training is a kick ass way to build functional strength and conditioning to the degree where you're training with live weight and can work the muscles and tendons that regular weights can't touch. Grab a hold of one and with the right exercises, you can build a rugged body that will be useful and not just to look like a million bucks. 

Why Isometrics Are Vital To Success Beyond The Training

 Are you sick of me talking about Isometrics yet? #SorryNotSorry LOL. When it comes down to it, Isometrics may be coming back in small ways but in reality, many people don't truly understand the magnitude of the success that Isometrics creates beyond the workouts and the knowledge of developing the body from all sorts of angles. We can go to the gym and lift weights here and there, do Bosu ball stuff and run on treadmills but as good as some of that is, Isometrics secretly builds strength that still baffles even the strongest trainees. 

The most famous Isometric in mainstream fitness these days is the Plank, which is a great exercise to build overall body strength to keep yourself up and the multiple variations have some value as well but the real exercises builds strength in areas of the musculature that the Plank simply cannot even begin to touch. As we get older, one of the first muscular groups to wither down is the legs, coming from a place where having to rebuild myself, my legs are extremely important to me. After doing thousands of reps with squat variations and thousands of step ups, you truly understand the value of what your legs are capable of but Isometric Leg Training is a whole other universe that many don't truly understand.

Isometrics for the legs takes on a whole new meaning to the term "tendon strength." It's great to build muscle but if you don't maintain strength in the tendon and ligaments, not only injuries will come quicker but you also lose the value of what it means to have truly strong legs. People don't realize or even consider the possibilities of just how strong you can truly be, not just for strength purposes but to keep that strength well into your later years. Wall Sits, Horse Stances, Squeezing an object between the the thighs (get your mind out of the gutter) and Iso Squats are very powerful in building strength beyond the muscles of the legs, they build endurance to the degree where walking, swimming, climbing stairs without pain brings success or results that shouldn't be taken for granted.

Isometrics helps keeping you strong in the long run so when someone needs help or when you're chopping wood, shoveling snow, carrying groceries, moving furniture or whatever, that strength will prevent injuries as much as possible. That's the true success and worth of training with Isometrics is to prevent injuries even with strenuous activity. 

I firmly believe from a basic point of view, Isometrics are crucial and important to train regardless of age because what do we really want to have when we get older, to wither and die or to stay vibrant and feeling like we still have something left in us to keep going? I realize not everyone is safe from certain conditions or diseases but if there is even the smallest fraction of a chance we can stay strong beyond our peak years would it be worth it to you? For your loved ones who still want you in their lives? To help others when it's called upon? To keep that vibrant power alive? 

Reasons To Be In Condition Part 2

 Hope everyone had a kick ass Xmas and getting ready for 2020 to freaking end LOL. What does it mean to be in Condition? To look like a million bucks, being able to handle certain tasks while preventing injuries as much as possible, or is it because you're very strong and have a lot of stamina? Believe it or not, it can be all those things and more. Now you don't have to look like a million bucks to be in good condition, let's face it, some of the most conditioned people on the planet weren't always the most appealing. 

To me, being in condition means your body and mind adapts and has solid attributes for everyday life and being able to conserve energy for when it is needed. Maybe someone needs help moving, getting some wood chopped up to build a fire while camping, having the time of your life with your significant other or being able to go through a great workout without fatiguing. There are a great deal of reasons to be in condition but it is important to understand the means of being that way. I wasn't always in great shape, matter of fact, my strength and stamina didn't truly get off the ground until I was in my early 20's. I lifted and walked a lot by the time I was 19 and did plenty of swimming but I couldn't last long in just about anything worth mentioning. 

Conditioning is a very peculiar word in today's age and it's not what most people think it is. It's not just about going hard and gaining endurance while hoisting up weight at a fast pace or doing countless burpees and running sprints; in reality, it's about maintaining not just physical strength or endurance but to be able to keep going over a period of time with little to no fatigue. If any athlete knows this, it's wrestlers especially those who practiced Hooking or Catch Wrestling. You want to see who was in condition better than anyone it was Ed Strangler Lewis who could go whenever he wanted and succeed. 

In all seriousness, being in condition in the purest form means you're able to do things and still have gas left in the tank that can be used for other important areas of life. Keeping up with the kids can take out just about anyone but if you're in solid shape, you can give those little wackos a run for their money. Working on various projects takes focus and at times, aspects of labor that need your strength in the long run such as those who carry awkward objects at a job or those who do dry wall, wheeling out bricks, rocks and wood. Carrying a load of groceries can be draining to a person and you may not walk that far to your car or to the door of your house but if you can handle that and not get out of breath or having to put down anything, that's just one of the great things of everyday living. 

If anything will tell you what kind of shape you're in, it's going up flights of stairs. Most people who take the elevator can barely climb two flights and start feeling like their goose is cooked. Even the strongest people around may have trouble breathing after using the stairs but with enduring legs and practicing deep breathing, it won't be much of a challenge. Step-Ups are a great way to build long term strength and endurance and once you're hitting in the hundreds to a thousand plus at a time, climbing stairs will feel like walking on air. 

Develop attributes that will give you the best chances of being in shape in many aspects of life and not just for daily tasks but for when those times come when those attributes can save a life or protect the ones you love. 

Reasons To Be In Condition Part 1

 Most today who get in shape become "Influencers" on Social Media and try to teach people how to look better and be able to do kick ass things which is all good but how long will that truly last? Looking good is not the same as being in condition which a lot of people are led to believe. Back in the pre-steroid era of Physical Culture, some of the most amazing physique builders were also in tremendous condition when it came to certain tasks, quite a few were laborers. 

Being in condition goes beyond the looks and the illusion of what it means to be strong and healthy. Many who have 6 Packs in today's society can't even haul furniture or carry a shelf on their own. If your idea of being in shape is to look like a model, that's awesome and more power to you. Remember this though, being hard and having a shredded physique won't last forever and your workouts will change in order to balance your body's ability to recover and maintain strength. 

Some of my reasons to have a decent level or higher of conditioning is to be able to help others in need when it comes down to it such as helping friends or family move, play with kids and be able to keep up with them as much as possible, be able to save a life if need be and have the ability to get down and up without pain or discomfort. As we get older, our bodies start to go downhill, some faster than others and it is up to us to make a choice to let things deteriorate or strengthen ourselves for the long haul, not just for a momentary purpose. I understand under certain circumstances we can't fix the issues our bodies have but if we can do something about it, it aught to be at the top of any list. 

Not all workouts are created equal as you may come to realize later and later in life but if we can slow the pace of aging, wouldn't it be worth it? Very few people over the age of 65 have maintained a level of condition, strength and health and as a society, we need to help grow that number so the quality of life can have greater influence than just looking like a million bucks. Having a look is just a piece of the puzzle but its not the end all-be-all. 

One of my favorite past times is swimming and every summer at every chance I get, I would go to the lake and have a great time. Often times I can be in the water for long periods of time and feel like it was only 10 minutes. Doing different strokes to certain areas around the lake is very meditative to me. When we would go to Lake Tahoe, I would swim out as far as I can, sometimes to the other side of a place we stay at and just feel at home. That's another reason to be in condition is to continue living life to the fullest as long as possible. I don't want to be 80 or 90 and living in a wheel chair waiting for death, I want to live and know that I can still do things many at that age can't. 

Building An Iron Core With The Power Wheel

 The Power Wheel may look awesome but can be really brutal in how it's used. The basic rollout alone can make you sore. Most don't know how to handle an exercise like that and it can be so tough, they may quit after the first use. Don't fret, it's not going to kill you, it can make you sore as hell but all it is is just another tool. When I first started using it, it felt like a hammer to the gut the next day but I persisted and kept at it off and on.

My idea of training is to make the workouts mean something, shoot for the best quality possible and make a habit of keeping them interesting, fun and ass kicking. I don't always shoot for failure and i'm not in the habit of doing things so damn sloppy it's going rupture something. Training is a mindset and taking the best from what you learn and mold it into something you can call your own. In the case of the Power Wheel, it's strengthening your body through your center as a main focus and conditioning not just the muscles of abdomen but making your Core as strong as it can be for whatever life throws at you.

Beyond the Rollout, the Power Wheel has straps to put the feet in and get more out of your training. One of the hardest exercises is actually very simple, you strap in, get into a push-up position and start walking; our legs are obviously stronger than our arms but what if you had the strength and endurance to walk a good distance on your hands? A gold standard is to a 100 yard walk but even a minute can wear down even the strongest men in the world.

The stronger your Core is, the rest of the body will be stronger as well. We need that strength to keep our lower backs healthy and injury proof and strong muscles along the sides, upper and lower abs can even strengthen the organs plus giving you an ability to take a punch. Making your abs like Iron can go a long way in having incredible durability and conditioning that can't be matched. Get a hold of the Power Wheel and turn your body into a conditioned machine. 

Don't forget the major SALE going on right now at Lost Empire Herbs where you can SAVE 15% OFF of many many herbs and tinctures. Use the Promo Code: BYEBYE2020. Be healthy, be safe and keep kicking ass.