Real Strength & Cardio From Animal Exercise

Here we are again, at it about Animal Movements, will I ever shut up about them? Hell no. If you don't like it read something else. Moving in this method requires you to use every muscle in your body including the stabilizing muscles to keep yourself balanced during the exercise. Every animal has it's own style of movement so for us to pull them off we have to adapt in order to get the greatest benefit. Adjust accordingly and breathe as naturally as possible, animals don't practice breathing patterns it naturally comes to them.

I really don't like the word cardio, just sounds demeaning and makes me think of machines and dumb zumba classes where you follow someone else. When it comes to cardio for me, moving like a wild animal gives the best benefit because when you work out for 15-20 min. your heart rate keeps a solid pace at a level where if applied right you will burn off fat and gain lung capacity for greater endurance. Unlike training for an hour on a treadmill where you're doing stationary running and trying to get into that weight loss mindset, you're actually depleting muscle mass instead of gaining it. Ever heard of skinny fat? That's the type of thing you see on distance runners where there isn't much muscle but have fat left over because of the over excessive running. When you do Animal Exercise, you're actually building muscle while doing cardio. I never stop moving, I pick the animal and go with the steps I take and keep going. This alone can help you in other endeavors that require you to have something left in the tank.

It takes strength to keep yourself stabilized and moving your bodyweight in awkward directions and positions like for example the Alligator exercise; you're basically moving in a walking push-up and anyone that has done push-ups know how tough they can be holding yourself up without slouching and doing reps, now move in that manner and it's even harder because your muscles need to fire off more than usual just taking a few steps. Even animals that are specific for the legs will get your lungs firing; the duck walk requires you to squat as deeply as possible and walking in that position and it really opens up the hips and brutalizes the thighs and hamstrings so just walking 20ft can be a chore.

The most basic animal in the entire system is the Bear Crawl, you've seen it, you did it as a kid and it has been used in countless training areas like in the military, wrestling, football, MMA and even in Yoga in order to really strengthen the back and abs for the downward dog position (don't believe me? Try it some time and tell me your downward dog pose doesn't improve). It fires your lungs more than almost any exercise including sprinting because you need to move fast on all four limbs instead of two which alone can burn off fat and increase your metabolism greater than a torch to a flame.

I believe in all my years of training that Animal Exercise for 20 min. is the equivalent to an hour of cardio on the machines and it's way more fun and builds on hormones much faster because if you're outside you're also getting vitamin D from the sun which is a hormone so you get the best of both worlds. You can do it indoors as well doing animals from a stationary position and moving in the little space you have. It challenges your creativity and gets you into the mindset of a wild animal and I bet you big time whatever animal that's your favorite is your spirit animal as well because the mind and body work in unison when you train in this manner. So if you want to be more adventurous, getting more out of your cardio and strengthen every muscle from head to toe, move like a wild animal and see why it is the best for real world strength & cardio.

Animal Kingdom Conditioning

Animal Kingdom Conditioning II

Wild Animal Fitness For Kids

Animal Flow

Take Your Animal Exercise Anywhere

As of late I've gone back to the Animal Movements because it is by far my most favorite form of exercise and the one system I get most excited about. Having that urge to move like a wild beast and getting in awesome shape while having fun for under 30 min. I'm convinced nothing burns off fat faster and makes you stronger than Animal Exercise. As much as I love doing things like pull-ups, sprinting, hammer workouts and kettlebell juggling; the animals take the cake.

I have written possibly a dozen times or more about moving like a wild animal and the reason that is besides what I just wrote above is that it brings me joy to my life more than any other system has. You can do these anywhere you wish, I even do them indoors on a sucky day. When you're outside you can do them all over the place but indoors you can move a little slower and do exercises in a stationary position like the Frog, Flamingo, Condor, Spider against your wall, Armadillo, Puma, Isometric Alligator or Seal whatever you choose to do. I believe in making the best of them when you're in the mood and just have at it. I do these exercises no more than 30 min. at a time and always hungry and ready for a shower afterwards.

It's also important to incorporate deep breathing between sets of exercise to open up your lungs and let your body recover because these exercises hit your whole body with a vengeance. This helps increase endurance, develop a faster metabolism and generate insane natural growth hormone which helps you burn off fat, build strength, put on natural muscle mass (not bulk like a bodybuilder) and create athletic ability. Watch how animals have insane lung power like the tiger, cheetah, Bear and even chimps. Sure we're built differently and don't have the same hunting senses but overall we can increase our conditioning and power in our bodies that frown upon our DNA to move and live with great strength and incredible athletic agility and stamina.

The biggest thing about training this way as I've said many many times is that it creates an atmosphere that is enjoyable and fun that it doesn't feel like working out. If you're someone who is hyper, this is the perfect system for you because when you move for so long your body releases endorphins and builds on bringing that calming and relaxing affect on your nervous system. Don't push so hard you pass out (happened to me on the first day) but understand when to stop and just breathe and let those endorphins kick in. If you're someone with low self-esteem these exercises perk you right up because when you move in this manner you're using every muscle in your body and it opens up an area of the brain where you generate that happy side and having that sensation of powerful calmness and beautiful feeling of smiling from the inside you can't help but light up.

Get into the mindset of a wild animal being adventurous and exploring your fitness potential. Who knows, in a short amount of time you'll ind yourself feeling better, muscle comes in quicker, you have more energy and for guys, your testosterone will shoot through the roof and for women those hormones will get you going like you were 18 again. Do us all a favor and get out there and just move like your favorite animal and get your body in the shape it was meant to, build up and see your body shape up with animal muscle.

Making Push-Ups Interesting

I'm not the biggest fan of push-ups but I know they work very well and have great benefits that are beyond conditioning and strength. Some call them the greatest bodyweight exercise and some say there are better ways to build muscle than with push-ups. All I care about is how things make you better whether people agree with them or not. Push-ups have been the staple exercise throughout many cultures and in the military making it the homestead of strength and endurance. I for one feel once you reach a certain level of push-ups, do more difficult versions and see how far you can take it without injuring yourself or get so bored you begin to hate them. 

I do feel however that an exercise of that caliber should have a place in any program but it's not always a necessary exercise, for me the best exercise is the Bear Crawl; it literally hits your body from every angle and having to move in awkward positions creates a stronger base as oppose to push-ups where you are only going up and down in the majority of variations. Sure the Bear Crawl needs a bit more space but when it happens, you will be huffing and puffing quicker than Peter Griffin's time on a Cardio Bike. I like to make Push-ups interesting or try variations that are a little out there. One way I do my push-ups is using a weighted vest and do them slower with less repetitions with fewer sets to build up testosterone and get more of my arms in the mix. I also use what's called The Power Push-up Plus from Lifeline that makes it more of a Bench Press feel to it where resistance is the main key. 

Most of the time I see people doing Push-ups, most of the variations they use are very boring and just so tedious they're not fun. Sometimes too basic becomes dull so spice things up a bit. Going up and down isn't what life is about, it has curves, swirls, circulates and even has you at a dead stop at times. Make your push-ups interesting; do them upside down, do Archer Push-ups, clap for joy and even jump around, have fun with them. If I wanted to just go up and down just do stairs. Be creative.

I've done tons of reps in this exercise well within the hundreds in single workouts so why continue that cycle, sometimes I don't count and bounce around doing a few reps of different variations and goofing off. Doing hundreds of reps a day is boring period, if you're into that more power to you but having a puffy chest can only get you so far. Live it up and do push-ups with a little Flair (and no i'm not talking about Ric Flair's grandkids).  

Theme Park Isometrics

When it comes down to it, I love amusement parks, been to a few in my life and always end up having a pretty good time especially at the greatest theme park of all-time Disneyland. Yesterday however, I had the opportunity after nearly 4 years of living in Idaho I went to the state's most famous theme park Silverwood in Athol. Very fun and just an awesome time with my girl Holly, speaking of which if you get a chance check out her bad ass blog about Turner's Syndrome at This Butterfly Life. Anyway back to it, me and the lovely Spider Monkey had an incredible day full of love, laughter, enjoyment and just pure kick ass fun. Went on water rides, a couple Coasters, saw a magic show, ate awesome burgers at a wild west themed restaurant and rode a 3 mile train ride that included a stunt show and tour of the grounds circling the park.

Now why did I come up with the title of this article, how the bloody hell do I mean Theme Park Isometrics? Well students, what you do is when you're in line at a par of this caliber or any amusement park for that matter, while you're in line waiting for your ride; you do Isometric Exercise against the railing or wall of the line. This really tells you that excuses are not part of the quota here and you can get training in even at a crazy place filled with characters, buildings and large fucking rides. I've been doing these for years at the Boardwalk and at Disneyland. Standing in line, doing wall pushes, pulls, sits, arm wrestling a pole, chest presses, Iso Curls and even muscle control with my hands in my pocket; whatever you can come up with make use of it. This will help you keep up your energy so you can stay pumped full of life during your stay at the park, walking is also awesome which you do a lot of anyway but why not bring muscular contractions to make things interesting. I even once did a unassisted Handstand in line of World Of Tomorrow at the Happiest Place On Earth.

It can be a little trying to exercise in line and might be worried that someone might look at you funny and think you're some kind of weirdo; trust me I thought the same thing and I did get some looks every now and then and was even asked what I was doing, just said that i'm doing what I love and that's training. Some get weirded out by it, others have given me praise for them but the majority of the time, no one gives a shit; they're either on their cell phones texting friends that are right next to each other or being bored when the line will move and then there are kids, that is self explanatory. I do it because it's fun and you can even make it look a little casual like nothing out of the ordinary; that's where the wall sits come in handy big time especially if you want to keep up the stamina of your legs throughout the day.

Next time you're in line waiting to get on a ride, do a few Isometrics against the railing whether it be wood, a chain, hollow aluminum steel and whatever else. Passes the time when you're there a while (try being in 2 hour line waiting for fucking Indiana Jones in Adventureland you'll thank me on that one). Will it wear you out? No if you play your cards right and not go full boar in every line, only use maybe 40% of your strength at best and do it for a few seconds and don't make yourself too obvious to attract so much attention the person operating finds out and won't know what the hell to do with you, be creative but casual and relaxed, not so full of adrenaline you make a damn scene. It's a lot of fun and it gives you something to do instead of moping around or getting so excited that you might lose it after waiting too long. Go for it and may you get stronger before you get on your favorite ride.

A Traveling Fitness Companion

I love to travel and have been to many cities and a few states in my lifetime. Being back east was an adventure, traveling up and back the pacific nothwest was a delight although I was recovering at the time but won 500 bucks at a Harris Casino in Lake Tahoe. With the way you travel and where you travel it is important to have valuable needs that are as basic as possible and I certainly believe you should travel with a fitness training kit.

Even though we have gyms at every major corner in the U.S, it's difficult to get some exercise in after a hard day driving on the road or flying for hours on end. It's also very difficult to carry weights around so I don't think its wise to travel with a rowing machine or squat rack full of iron plates and a bar. A gym to travel with should be easy to carry and put away like in a suitcase, backpack or dufflebag so when you get to your hotel room or wherever you're staying, you can get a little bag out that has handles with cables to attach to and use a door anchor to place so you can all sorts of exercises from as many angles as possible. I sometimes travel with my chest expander and it's a hell of a way to get some kick ass training in before you head off to bed or after you wake up in the morning before a meeting or session with your employees/employers.

A great training kit would be a TNT Cable Pack that you can get in a 60 lb. Pack, 120 lb. Pack or 180 lb. pack  that have a few rubber cables where you can attach a triple insert slot with the cable and have at it doing the same types of exercises you would in a gym such as overhead presses, curls, squats, lunges, cleans and others. With the Door Attachment you can hook your cable(s) and handles over a holding bin where you can do exercises based on the machines such as Lat Pulldowns, Arm Wrestling Pulls, Tricep Pressdowns, Twists, Sit-ups, Upright Rows, Chops, Rows, Chest Presses going downward/upwards and like a standing Bench Press but that's just the tip of the iceberg. You don't need the gym per say when you have it everywhere you go. Take it out while you're at the park, at a baseball field, at the airport waiting for a plane, in a guest room at a house you're visiting for the weekend, at the beach hell if you an get away with it train at a gas station while you're pumping gas; you have no excuses.

People tend to believe that if you want to get in shape you have to train at a gym or a fitness studio paying a shit ton of money that could be used for other important factors like your fucking food or gas money. I'd say "you're right I do train at a gym when I travel, got it right here in my bad ass bag here, this is my gym and I can get fit anywhere I fucking wish." It really throws people off when you carry a gym in a hefty little bag that weighs no more than 3 pounds at best yet get in great shape under 20 minutes a day and don't have to pay for the day at a lousy gym filled with gross sweathogs that don't wipe down equipment and judgmental shit for brains that think that they own the fucking joint, no you never have to go through that. The world is your gym my friend, embrace and don't give a shit what people think, you're the one getting fit while they stand there with their finger up their ass looking like you're some kind of hippie.

Uncut Review Of C-Mass

Haven't written a review in quite a while on this bitch so I thought I'd share some insight into a course I humbly loved looking into....Paul Wade's C-Mass course, you know that book with the bad ass Kavadlo Brothers on the cover, yeah that book.

What does C-Mass stand for for those playing the home game; it stands for Calisthenic Mass, in plain English means building insane muscle using only your bodyweight. Now really how the fuck does that happen? Isn't this a contradiction that only skinny dudes and guys that can't afford a gym membership only do Bodyweight and isn't Bodyweight Training mainly for Gymnasts and those who do Zumba classes? Believe it or not guys, you can get pretty fucking big using your own body. Just to be clear, I'm not talking the grotesque type of muscle mass you see on roided shit for brains bodybuilders with a gut the size of New York and arms bigger than Sally Field's head and it damn sure isn't about having a back that makes North Dakota look small; it's about realistic muscle mass that is functional, useful and looking like a real old school athlete or muscle builder (pre-1950's).

Paul's brand of humor and non-sense bullshit is the heart of this book and he gets down to the nitty gritty with very few scientific outlooks but more based on experience and letting his readers know in plain English what the real stuff is all about. He's no scientist or doctor, hell the guy has been in the joint but yet he's honest about what has happened and what inspired him to how guys can get huge using the body as the ultimate weight. I for one admire his views on building real muscle and how you can do it without drugs, supplements or machinery.

Now with the guys on the cover Al & Danny Kavadlo, they bring the soul of this book with their smiles and plethora of tattoos (Danny takes the cake as the most tattooed bodyweight guy I've ever seen). Some people gave these two guys shit because they're not "big" in the sense of what the book was intended to apply as but yet in my blunt opinion; they are pretty big for guys who only do Bodyweight, yes they're most likely under 190 or more but that's the amount of weight most muscle guys back in the early 20th weighed; guys like Charles Atlas, Bobby Pandour, Eugene Sandow and let's not forget pound for pound the greatest muscle control masters Otto Arco and Maxick. Shit I admire that amount of muscle on guys like them. I have them beat by nearly 100 pounds and can do gnarly stuff from a bodyweight stand-point.

What's amazing about this course in and of itself is a true testament and hope that with the right tools and the more muscle being used in a single exercise can constitute a great physique. For over 10 years the majority of my training is pure bodyweight and I can attest that it is possible to be big and use nothing but your own body. All I can really say is once you apply these simple techniques you're gonna need a new freaking wardrobe so be forewarned. I give this book on a scale of 1-10; it goes to 11. It's one of the most unique books on building realistic muscle mass and staying as healthy as possible with the only side-effects being increased metabolism, higher testosterone, burn off fat like butter to a fucking frying pan and it can only be limited by your imagination. Get massive shoulders doing presses like Handstands, close-grip push-ups, Dips and others and getting cannon-ball biceps from pulling movements like Pull/Chin-ups, Rope Climbing, Aussie Pulls and Bodyweight Curls and let's not forget an insane mid section from Levers, Knee Pulls, Dragon Flags, Human Flag, Hanging & plenty more. Learn The Commandments with a Vengeance, study the old-timers he mentions and keep an open mind.

Here's the link to C-Mass: How To Maximize Muscle Growth Using Bodyweight-Only Training

A Workout That Tortures The Entire Body

Every now and then I do workouts that are just fucking worth sharing because they are that good and it can make anybody humble when you feel yourself shaking like a damn earthquake. I don't normally talk about my workouts in full detail just bits and pieces about how I feel. Last night however, holy shit it felt amazing but insane at the same time. I love Bridging; it's by far the best method for stretching and strengthening the spine, hips, midsection and neck. This workout consisted of 5 exercises that just hit you hard with a fucking vengeance, still think Bodyweight Exercises are only good for endurance and short gymnasts? Try this on for size and to warn you I'm over 250 lbs.

Wall Walking X 10

(On The 11th Rep) Wall Walk & Touch Chest To Wall 10 times

Wall Walking (W/ Reverse Push-up or Gymnastic Bridge) X 5

3 min. Front Bridge

3 min. Back Bridge

My legs were shaking trying to hold the bridges and still held em for the amount of time. This workout is particularly used by those in MMA or Wrestling (Not WWE) but if you're interested in getting in shape this will be incredible for any routine. Being able to lengthen the spine releases incredible energy that gives you the juice you need to keep your structure healthy and secure from injuries. It opens up channels in the body that most exercises can't. Think how strong your midsection gets from doing this kind of training; you stretch the obliques because of the automated contraction from Wall Walking and your legs get a hell of a workout keeping you stabilized in the bridging exercises.

It goes beyond training your back and neck, you're really throwing your whole body in the mix going forwards and backwards, powering up the hips and it releases a great amount of Growth Hormone that enables you to enhance your metabolism, burn off fat from your neck down to your toes and increases sex drive and seriously having a healthy sex drive is something we all should strive for.

This is not a workout that should be taken for granted, develop mastering the bridges and the wall walking before engaging in this setting. It takes time and patience believe me, it took me a month just to hold a three minute back with no hands with my nose to the mat and took me a few more weeks just to press into a good gymnastic bridge. Wall Walking is fairly simple to do but be cautious and always have some kind of good padding so you don't hurt yourself. Also doing the wall walk (walking down the wall backwards until your head touches the mat) do not ever use a very wide stance, this can really put far more stress on the knee joints and puts most of the weight on them, so keep the foot distance of shoulder-width apart. Also as you get better walking all the way down consistently, decrease the distance between yourself and the wall to the point where you're walking down with your feet less than a foot away from the wall.

Have fun with this if you have the experience with bridging exercises and let me know how it goes for you. If you wish to know about Bridging in full detail check out my friend Logan Christopher's Advanced Bridging course that will take you far beyond holding a bridge. It is by far the best course out there for this specific method.

Throughout The Day

When you have a small window of time, it's important to use it at the best of your ability. Some people have jobs that last half a day or more and exercise might be the last thing on their mind but it can be done if you make the effort to do so. I knew people that have made so many excuses but never once had a "I'll make the effort" comment. Sure it takes discipline and understanding of timing and being fresh as best as possible but overall it's got to have meaning to you. Most people these days work long hours and don't have time for the gym to get in a solid hour but there are possibilities.

I learned from a friend a few years back that when you have that short window and it can be used for exercise, take it. He is always on the move and is a performer in stage shows and produces/manages many people so what the hell does he do for exercise before coming home waiting to pass out? He exercises little by little throughout the day. When someone isn't hassling him or has a window away from the laptop in his office, he does Isometrics and or a bit of calisthenics (using his office chair, desk, sidewalk if he has to) and even when he's at a stoplight on an intersection. He makes the little time he has to train his body and it's kept him energized throughout the day.

 Sometimes I have more time than most because I work for myself but there are days where I'am very busy doing articles, being with my girl, dinner gatherings, going out to places with people and traveling whether on the ground or in the air yet I make the most of what I can do throughout some parts of the day; i'll do push-ups or squats at a gas station while the tank is filling up, do some (what I call) Playful Movement or do Isometrics while someone is driving, rise up on my toes in the grocery store, do deep breathing exercises waiting in line for a movie, all sorts of stuff that is convenient and not looking too obvious. Make your timing count when it needs to be. Even do little things between commercials if you're watching TV (they suck anyway) or a small routine while you're in Bed (not doing the horizontal mambo). There's no reason why you shouldn't exercise unless you're in severe dire straits and about to die. You are your own gym and you have the ability to make things important to you, do so and make it work for you.

Can You Spare A Couple Minutes

For most people it's not always simple to get a workout in when it's most convenient to you. You have jobs, pay bills, take care of kids, handle social gatherings and other things. However; if you're determined to make something happen to get yourself fit whether it's losing weight, building muscle or whatever you'll do it at the best time for you. Believe me it's not easy getting in a workout that lasts 30 min. Just last night I was occupied with my girl that I ended up training roughly around 10 or so and only did a few minutes with the Sandbell. If all you have is less than 5 minutes, than make them fucking count.

People get discouraged when they're told you need to do this or that to get in shape when in reality it's more on timing than anything else. Forget on developing some sort of training for a second, if your timing isn't working, something needs to be done, it happens; shit can run up on you when you least expect it so make an effort to get whatever time you need to train the best way you can. There are days with me where i'm busy with family, working my site or spending time with my girl and I don't always get time to do a specific length of training i'd like to do but I always give myself a window every single day even its under 5 min. Want it bad enough, make the damn effort son.

This morning I made the intuitive decision to train earlier than usual cause I got a big day of swimming, going to a movie and having a day of just me and my Spider Monkey so I did deep breathing exercises, hindu pushup stretches, deep squatting, a couple exercises with my Thor Hammer and an isometric exercise specifically for the abs and that's it. Took me roughly 10 min. maybe more but I made it possible regardless of what my day ended up being, at least I did something. So don't make those fucked up and whinny excuses that you don't have time, make it and don't be bitching.

Spare yourself a couple minutes if you need to but remember, make it important to you and only you. You have the power to make your own choices, be open minded and instead of complaining, embrace the time you have and make it your bitch.

A Weighted Vest Is Your Best Friend

Dear Bodyweight Maniacs,

Don't you just love doing kick ass stuff using nothing but your own bodyweight? So do I. Just the feeling of being free to do all sorts of exercises and workouts that just hit the fucking spot man. A few favorites of my own would be Handstand Push-ups, Animal Movements, Pan Squats (which is from the Pan Program, DDP Yoga and even a few Pull-ups here and there. A lot of us get a bad rap that bodyweight training is only good for endurance and not enough to do to get crazy strong; personally I beg to differ since i'm a big dude and the majority of my training is using my bodyweight. So with that in mind, what can we do to add resistance?

For those playing the home game, bodyweight exercise does have it's pros and cons like every damn method but it certainly doesn't bring just endurance to the table. If we considered on building crazy strength, how can we add resistance if it's using your own body? For those that have the answer thank you for your understanding but yet there are other ways to add resistance.....

Slower Reps

Time Under Tension

Higher Difficulty Of An Exercise

& My personal favorite since I've recently added it in is the use of a Weighted Vest.

Now does using a weight vest count as doing the same with weightlifting? It's a both yes and no answer and i'll tell you why...Yes because it's adding weight to increase the density but no because it's not the same as using a barbell or dumbbell. You're increasing your bodyweight to a higher degree in which you bring a level of intensity throughout your movements. Some people like to do lunges, squats, jumping, sprinting and push-ups/pull-ups which is all awesome but for me I use it to amplify my animal styled training to increase growth hormone and cut my workout almost in half to get greater benefit without injuring myself. I never go to failure or put so much stress on my joints that it's fairly painful. I'd like to be as pain-free as possible.

Although I enjoy slamming down a fucking cool sledgehammer and toss around the Sandbell and play with the cables but all in all, bodyweight exercise is my general past time and I've never really needed anything to get big and strong; at 250+ I can do plenty of push-ups, multiple reps in pull-ups, can do 100 hindu squats in under 5 minutes and have held a free standing handstand plus a push-up to boot. It's all about what you want to make of yourself. I'm in awe of the gymnastic style training and the Barstarzz in NY and around the world but I'm mere a basics guy who makes the best of doing things for a man who shouldn't be doing shit like this.

A weighted vest can be your best friend if you progress the right way. One day I plan on training in a 100 pound vest but for now i'll stick to a 20 lber. That keeps going as it is. Be mindful and think old school. You won't move as fast as you usually do but after some hard, rough training and taking that sumbitch off you'll feel like you can walk on air. May I also warn you it is not recommended you train in a vest in hot shit weather, just walking in that thing is a bitch, I've walked over a mile wearing one and lost tons of water weight because of it, also hungry as hell. If you plan on training outside wait until it cools off a bit or limit the amount of time and bring a good gallon of water.

Iam Not Oh Wait Yes Iam An Animal

It's easy to get confused in the fitness world...Told to do this or that, lift weights to get stronger, do cardio like your life depended on it and tons of other crap. The truth of the matter is it boils down to your intuition. What is it you want to learn? Why did you get into it? Does it help you with your goals or help establish a creative side to you for training? I don't give a rat's ass about most of the junk that's out there. I live doing simple things and staying away from a spiffy gym as much as possible. Living the way of the Animal is part of my philosophy and there's nothing like moving in the way of a wild and powerful creature.

Over this past week or more I have worn a 20 pound Vest throughout most of my workouts from walking to jumping, playing and doing animal moves. It is a very powerful tool to use and one I highly recommend. Wearing this bad boy has given me some kick ass training to the point where already I have lost around 5 pounds and moving much faster and have built up quite an appetite (like I didn't before). Being animalistic is fun, layed out in simple principles and training as minimal as possible. Sure I mess around with a sledgehammer 1-2x a week but that's beside the point. You've got to enjoy your experimentation and looking forward to those sessions where it looks like torture to the untrained eye but to you it's another day at a fucking awesome office in the Bahamas.

For nearly 20 years, I have experimented and participated in some of the most ridiculous workouts and exercises imaginable; I have bled, I have sweat, nearly passed out, ran yards after yards, push-ups until my chest felt like it was going to explode, lift heavy ass weight and have even bent a few bars and spikes in my time but I'am convinced through it all nothing has had me burn more fat, tire me out quicker and had incredible adventures than doing Animal Movements. They are the reason why I love exercise and fitness in general, they are the key to successful bodyweight training and nobody can tell me any different. We are meant to move like our animal friends in the jungle, we bleed like most mammals and we have urges in our DNA that are meant to move and process the gifts of adaptation and utilizing our brains to their full potential.

We are the planet's ultimate animal yet everything we take is for granted and have lost many of what our ancestors were bred to do. We can adapt better than most animals yet society and the media have us become more weak, afraid and feeling like we are supposed to do things like everyone else otherwise being different is something to be ashamed of; fuck those people. I was told most of my life that I didn't have a chance to do anything great or be able to become super strong yet I've reached far higher than they thought. Don't attract bullshit, attract what you love, having positive influence in your life and grabbing the bull by the fucking horns brother. Adapt to what attracts you with positive affirmation and love. Animals hunt for survival, play as cubs to get ready for the dangers ahead so you must hunt for success, play to get better at training and be the best you can be. Like a Wolf there is a pack somewhere that wants you in the gang or you can go solo and kick major ass from there. Become wild, show off your Animality and power up your body by moving like a wild animal in the jungle.

Bodyweight And The Hammer

My training consists of different things and some of them are heavy to move and others are just plain me doing killer bodyweight stuff at my size. I'm not big on moving barbells and dumbbells anymore even though i'll do them on occasion yet the only weight I really like moving these days is my Epic Sledgehammer. I get my cardio basically from using a heavy hammer and going through a deck of cards. When I'm not using the hammer, I do push-ups, animal movements, pulling movements, Gymnastic Abs, VRT and other bodyweight movements to tickle my fancy. Being minimal is pretty intense as it is.

My range of motion will never be like the guys on a DVD or in a book. That doesn't mean it it's terrible, it's actually pretty good. When I do my push-ups, I start from the bottom and only go up maybe 3/4 of the way because I do have a thick upper back and shoulders so I adjust according to how my joints and muscles feel in a particular ROM. I still put in quite a bit of effort and even not always shooting for high reps, I focus best when it comes to form. On the hammer it's a little different; I don't go all the way up on a full swing and for good reason, the hammer is ridiculously heavy and you have to adjust to how you stabilize your core and the way you lift the hammer otherwise you can seriously hurt yourself. I have never had major injuries with the way I move and the way I keep a lid on how my methodical my form is. It's quite maddening once you really train with me.

Most of my bodyweight workouts are pretty low impact meaning I don't do very much of plyometrics or kip while doing pull-ups. I do from time to time do little jumps like in my animal movements but not to the point where i'm coming down hard on my feet, I do have scars and it's not fun having metal in your legs so don't expect me to do 100's of squat jumps and jumping onto boxes taller than Danny Devito. I like the low impact stuff since it still gives me that sense of being throughout the movement and it's still tough but not hardcore like some maniacal crossfit freak. It keeps a good solid foundation for my ankles, knees and upper joints in the arms and shoulders.

I do get people asking me from time to time how much I lift and that i'm not build for a bodyweight guy. I'm in the 250+ lbs. range and the majority of my training is pure bodyweight. The big reason why I have stayed massive for many years is because I do have a big appetite, no I don't eat food enough to be in the 5 digit range but I can chow down with some decent dudes in the fitness world, no where near like big strongmen or guys in the NFL but i'm telling ya, a buffet with me is just the tip of the iceberg. I like being big for the most part, it hasn't affected my joints or overtaxing my muscles; I recover quite well and eat plenty to feel good. You can be big and do bodyweight; Great Gama did it and others so there are people out there that just because they're heavily muscled doesn't mean it's from weights. I practice my training very methodically and when I'm hungry I eat brother. Remember, life is what you make of it and however you choose to do things, they will turn out the way they were meant to. Slam that hammer and use your body like a real machine, not using useless junk that cost more than your wardrobe.

Hit The Deck You Filthy Animal

As you all may know, a favorite set of exercises is based on mimicking Animals. Wait I forgot, for those that don't get the title it was inspired by words used in the first two Home Alone movies where Kevin is watching a trigger happy dude take out a couple people using the words "Filthy Animal" in the dialogue that you may remember. Anyways back to the article; animal movements are just incredible for building muscle, endurance, growth hormone and plenty of power in your veins. One workout I decided to try on them is using my deck of cards. The following way to train in this workout is very simple, all you need is a good deck and a 20 sided dye (you can find one as an app on your iphone if you don't have a dye on hand)....

Roll the dye to get an animal

flip the top card to get the reps (Face Cards=15, Ace=20, Joker=50)

Get through the deck as best as possible


At best this shouldn't take you more than 30 min. but if you're a beginner than do what you can but believe me you will sweat and you will need a shower and water after this workout. Animal Exercises can be brutal so do what you can according to your level and the amount of recovery you need. I did it just over 20 min. and I was soaking wet needing water and a cold shower. It's a lot of fun and it's creative. No need to do a strict set/rep scheme just do the deck and the reps will come to you, make it interesting.

If you have kids, get them involved with you, it'll be a fun experience and they'll get a kick out of playing it like a little game. Training is an adventure, not a punishment. So in the spirit of Home Alone I leave you with this loving note...

I'm going to give you to the count of 10 to get your lazy, yella no good keester on that deck before I pop you a barking order to give me 50 push-ups....1...2...10...........Hit The Deck You Filthy Animal...And a happy workout.

For you wild and crazy Bodyweight Maniacs don't forget to register for the Progressive Calisthenics Certification Workshop ran by Al & Danny Kavadlo. Upcoming Workshop is going to be in Amsterdam Sept. 11th-13th. Get your tickets now before they're sold out.

Getting Certified And Train Anywhere

For over ten years I have been fascinated by Bodyweight Training. The type of fitness that can be done anywhere, anytime and have the adventure of a lifetime. The ability to gain power over your own body without needing too much to do some crazy workouts is mind-blowing in itself. You don't need to drive to a gym or walk no further than your bed to get some good ole exercise in. Bodyweight Training goes beyond just your typical push-ups, squats and sit-ups; it can take you on a roller coaster of great proportions that can aid in gaining flexibility, strength to body ratio, a usable progression system and getting insane endurance and not to mention a hell of a physique with the right strategies.

What if you were able to learn how to progress through your training and accomplish goals, hit over plateaus and gain a small nudge? Would you let a master teach you how to do all that and more; there are two kick ass brothers who can get you there that are not only masters of the Bodyweight Art but have taken it to a level where they make it some of the very best training you've ever been through period. I'm talking about the Kavadlos Al and Danny. These two masters will show you beyond the crap that has been fed to you about Calisthenics and treat you to a world where anything is possible; learn how to do one-legged squats  with ease, pull-ups like a true master and revitalize the push-ups you wanted to do when you were a kid and add in some kick ass Hand Balancing to boot. Danny is clear cut on how to develop solid rock hard abs and it has nothing to do with sit-ups or crunches, he takes you beyond that; Al is sharp on the key elements on helping you master the push-up in a very unique way and many other Calisthenic Exercises.

Being able to train anywhere is a gift but what if you can bring that element to your personal training clients? If I were a full-time trainer I wouldn't be teaching the typical gym crap most do today; I want to teach my students realistic training that gives them the power to develop their bodies that is functional, real muscled and move with such grace and strength. That is the true mark of a trainer. The best way to do so is to get certified and take on your clients in a new and unique way that will bring you more clients, make better money and give them what they always craved; RESULTS!!!

Workshops are held all over the world but it's important to not just go to get certified, they won't hand out that paper to just anyone, you literally have to pass their tests in order to be rewarded so get your ass in gear my friend. Here are the current workshops available at the PROGRESSIVE CALISTHENICS CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP

Amsterdam (Haarlem), Netherlands September 11 - 13, 2015

Chicago, IL, United States September 18 - 20, 2015

San Jose (Mountain View), CA, United States October 2-4, 2015

Oslo, Norway October 16 - 18, 2015

Guatemala City, Guatemala November 13 - 15, 2015

Padova, Italy February 5 - 7, 2016

London, England April 8 - 10, 2016

Which one will YOU be at???


This won't be your typical Bodyweight Training Course, these guys are the real deal and they will help you the best way possible so don't be an ass walking in there like you own the place and just getting certified just so you can say you passed the Kavadlos, you will be tested and you will learn the very best from them so take notes, participate and get ready for the ride of your life. Happy Trails and kick ass in in your journey.

The Intensity Is Incredible

For a while now I've been repping it out hard using a Thor Hammer and an Epic Sledgehammer. The last big workout was with Thor's Hammer; weighing 30 lbs. and doing rep after rep with the deck of cards it is one of the most intense experiences of my life. The intensity is not always how much effort i'm putting in, it's more of the energy I draw in it that makes the greatest difference. Yes I sweat, yes i'am crazy and no I don't plan on stopping. When it comes to intensity whether it's something nuts like that or doing softer workouts like Qi Gong or playfully moving; the effort is the easy part regardless of what you may believe but the biggest thing to really understand is the energy and internal strength you're developing.

I personally believe that nearly every workout you put yourself through, the energy has to be no less than pure high level of intensity. This doesn't mean psyching yourself up doing ridiculous rituals or something that looks like something out of physical comedy; it has to come from within and feeling that surge of power in your system that is so intense, even at a relaxed state it can be felt. When I do my sledgehammer training, I gather up energy into my body and feel as if that surge was running everywhere like electricity. When this happens everything becomes a blur and all my focus is on moving that hammer and flipping a card, my technique for moving a heavy hammer may not look great to anyone but yet I never got injured, I never pushed myself so hard I passed out and I never lost control of the hammer. That's pure intensity and believe it or not when I do various movements and my internal practice, I use that same energy to move as fluidly as possible while as relaxed as possible yet strong.

For me I love learning from others, it's a wonderful thing to read off your favorite trainer's techniques yet however I don't believe in following along with them. I practice the technique after watching how they do it and learn how my body works for that particular technique just like my hammer workouts, its a little different but it's based on the same principles from the people I have seen. You can't get that full on individual energy from following someone's pace and speed. There's no harm in it i'm not saying it's wrong but it limits your real potential and you're not using your own energy from within, you're just doing someone else's moves. Be realistic yet be intense with what you're truly capable of.

Go at it full force. This does not mean you get so intense it's going to hurt you and have you on the sidelines. By full force I mean using that energy and power to the point where you can keep going, taking a breather if you need but let that energy still be filled with great intensity. Taking a breather in my opinion amplifies your energy because if you go at it too hard and with intensity you can't handle it's going to bite you in the ass. Be resourceful and mindful, the world isn't going to end because of how you use your energy in training. At the same time using all that power, learn to be relaxed as much as possible, this doesn't mean lazy or loose, the better you relax, the greater your breath control comes into play and you can do longer workouts even when you're recovering between sets. Be strong both within and after your workout, believe me when you still have energy in the tank after a brutal session, that makes you dangerous.

Being Over 30 Is Fun

In my 20's I learned many things not just in training but in relationships, moving to various places including a new state, taking on exercises most today wouldn't dare do and have been through many ups and downs. Survived a leg injury, got to travel, met really incredible people and all the while doing my best to have the time of my life. I'm now in my 30's and life is just as grand if not far better.

I have made PR's more than a few times but nothing compared to the last couple months using my heavy Epic Sledgehammer. Hit more than 1200 reps using weights as heavy as 26, 31, 39, 44 and 50 lbs. My grip strength has skyrocketed, my conditioning is through the roof and it's kept me eating quite a bit without putting on a ton of fat. I'm in love with a beautiful woman whom I call my Spider Monkey. That's another PR for me that is just incredibly awesome and full of joy. Hammers may keep me strong physically but nothing compares to a woman that has made me feel more alive in years. I guess you can say PR's are a thing for me.

Guys who turn 30 start to feel like they're winding down and ready to just feel as if they can't get any stronger than how they were in their 20's, a decade has passed and no more wild parties or having the strength like they use to have. Hate to break to you but those guys have no clue what life truly means. I'm 31 and I have built up even more strength and testosterone than ever and i'm just getting warmed up. Life is bad ass and I can't be any happier.

Since the formation of my record breaking hammer workouts I'm living life one ton at a time. Using a heavy hammer to be my full on weight and lifting it plus hitting a tire in the quadruple digits is the symbol of how I strengthen my body and mind to tackle challenges and obstacles. I live happily without being used, hurt, taken advantage of and never feeling like I can't be myself. Live with what you have and make the best with who you are, who you choose to be around and never dread getting older, dread not being able to live. Take chances and kick down doors you never thought were able to open. Being over 30 is fun.

Being Used Can Be A Bitch

For the most part I love helping others any way I can be there are at times where people had me sucked into their little agendas that they used me without a shred of decency or shared real compassion and thankfulness. Ever since I started getting big people automatically assume that because i'm this big kid I have to carry their crap because they can't do it themselves, that's not to say they're not capable they are and they're lazy. Have you ever had someone volunteer you to help them yet you have no real desire to help that person but get sucked into it? Welcome to my world.

Over roughly a 15 year period, I have moved friends and mostly family to new places more times than I care to count and most of the time I never volunteered it was "honored" to me. It grinds my gears when I have been taken advantage of, it's not fun and I don't have a complete sense of my true self when that happens. Yes I'am very strong, I get it that I can handle more weight than most people I know but I shouldn't be forced to help whether it's family or not. It's not cool to put someone in a position where you can't really do something about it because of the situation that's bestowed upon you. I'm not ranting about being a victim or being this helpless non-stand up guy but I'am telling you the realities of what it's like to have a lot of strength and where people can be manipulative to use your strength for their agendas.

You are not someone's puppet, you don't have strings attached to your body that someone can play with. You can say no and i'll tell you why; I learned this the hard way and i'm still learning but I can tell you that if you feel forced into something where people want to take advantage of you, just tell them no. They will try to tell you things like "We really need you, we can't do this without you and you will be rewarded for your efforts." I've heard those lines many many times and I got to tell ya, it's a bit depressing lol. I'm not a negative guy, I love what I do and I love it more when I get an opportunity to use my abilities but I can't stand it when I'm being used for something I love; it takes away a piece of my heart sometimes because some people can be cruel and vicious yet they will show fake smiles and laughs to get you to believe they truly care.

Take it from me, you can be helpful and you should help others in need as best as possible even if it's taking a dresser up to some old gal's place because no one gave a damn to help her in the first place, push someone's car if they can't get it out of their driveway or carry groceries for a sick or injured person. Do it because you're compassionate and you have the heart and the willing to go out of your way. Don't be suckered into some crazy agenda because they just think you're strong and can carry out what they're more than capable of. I love the people in my life but some of them can be ungrateful at times and they don't understand that it's painful being used and thinking there's nothing wrong with that. I want you to be helpful because you chose to and you're going to put the effort in that follows your compassion and willingness. Be conscious and be aware of certain signs and red flags. Trust me and trust your intuition and be willing to ask yourself if they're being legit or just use you like a little marionette.  

Its Over Fifty Thousand

And you thought Super Sayians were the only ones to have power that's over 9000, shame on you people. I have been setting PR's for quite a while now because of my Hammer training. Taking a sledgehammer as heavy as you can possibly handle and hit a tire for reps using a deck of cards. Because of this I don't just go for reps, I go for how much weight I actually moved. Let me give you an example....Say you picked up a hammer that weighed 10 pounds and you did 100 reps, you just moved 1000 pounds, that's half a ton. Now my hammer made by the ever bad ass Ryan Pitts at Stronger Grip, weighs a whopping 44.2 lbs. that's more than 4x the weight of the average hammer; using the deck of cards for reps I got up to 1252 reps...So 1252 X 44.2 lbs lifted totals up to 55,338.4 lbs. moved. That's around 27.6 tons. Just lifting this hammer would be difficult for most people.

Whenever I beat the deck doing this I increase the weight of the hammer....Started at 26 pounds empty, got to 31, 39, over 44 and now I'm gonna see how much weight left I can put in and keep going until I get it to as full as possible. I set a goal for myself and before I even pick up the hammer, I make myself believe that I can beat the deck, maybe not a first because I want to see how my body takes it. I make a goal to beat the deck in under 3 workouts and have done so every time I increased the weight. If you choose to go after something that not only putting your heart and soul into it you set a goal to make it happen before you even do it, it puts a burning desire within you to make your mark on what you set your mind to. Some have goals but set the bar too high on themselves too early on, its like climbing a ladder, take it one step at a time. Have little goals that become bigger as you get better and stronger. A friend once told me on hammer training that magical things happen when you hit 1000 reps or more hitting that tire, he was not only right but I have done it so many times yet it never fades away. Setting a goal and making it come true is when magical things happen if not while you're going after your goal.

Personal Records hold dear to certain people especially if you're in the fitness field, breaking a PR on push-ups or the bench press, lasting one second longer in an endurance test it's a thrill beyond belief and it's important to cherish what you're capable of but not making it so that you can be better than anyone else that's not what it's about. Record breaking isn't being the very best out of anyone else, it's triumphing over your personal obstacles and becoming more than what you have done before. I never imagined I'd be able to handle a hammer this size and do that many reps and still want to do more and get better at this kick ass exercise. I never saw myself doing this in my 20's, hell I barely knew about a sledgehammer in my teens, i'm now in my early 30's and because of it i'm far stronger and fitter yet I haven't even begin to peak. Breaking your own record has sentimental value, something you own and nobody can take it away from you. You achieved something only you can accomplish, sure people have higher or lower records than you but that doesn't matter, you are the one that did because you wanted more out of yourself and believing things can happen.

As you may have seen, read or listened; I'm not a normal fitness guy, hell if I had a nickle for every time someone called me crazy i'd be living in a mansion right now. Being normal is taking the easy way out. I get along with just about anyone but rarely ever fit in with any group that society believes you should be in. Why settle being like everyone else, they're taken yet they push others to try to be like them. I don't make a million dollars, I don't have fancy equipment like a cable machine or a treadmill, I don't have dozens of certifications, hell most in the fitness community can't stand guys like me but you know I do have; friends that have given me a chance to show what I can do, I have the coolest hammers in the world in my den, I have loving people in my life that let me be myself and best of all I have my own way of training and there is no one out there who can tell me that I should be doing what they're doing because everyone else is. Being normal is so tedious and boring, who the hell wants to live like that?

The Secret Blueprint To Bruce Lee's Ultimate Power

They say in the strength & fitness field that there are no secrets, just hard work and strategic mind setting to bring out the power within you. I'm here to tell you today that there is a secret that only a handful of people knew about and one that has brought it to the masses to unleash the ultimate power within all of us. This secret alone can take you from weak to super strong faster than anything you have ever experienced. Bruce Lee's power has been the stuff of legends and it's because of this secret that he only truly knew that when it was properly applied, he opened up Pandora's box and brought out his full strength, speed and reflexes that most say wouldn't be possible.

I have had the opportunity of a lifetime to talk to one of those people that has discovered the very blueprint that I just mentioned. His name is Garin Bader, winner of 13 International Music Competitions, one of the most charismatic entertainers in the world today also a master of the martial arts, strength training, sculpting and master magician. He owns, operates and provides some of the greatest info on Strength Training that touches on some very unique elements and guidance to develop your potential for amplifying your entire being. This is called CoreForce Energy; the revolutionary system that gives you the power to do extraordinary things using your mind and body infusing sound, organic movement and imagination. There has never been a system like this before and because of that it's not your old run of the mill BS strength course, it will change you not just the way you move but how to express it, change the way you think and bringing out the very best deep within your soul and bring out the strongest person you can possibly become.

You will learn more in this interview than you would have in decades of training and learning the secrets to unlocking your true power and because i'm in a very exciting mood, i'm going show you just a piece of what they interview will have. The first 15 minutes alone will have your mind blown. Now picture more than 90 minutes of content and information. Garin & I would like to share with you those first 15 minutes but in order to see the rest, you will need to get access to the CoreForce Energy System itself. The rest of the interview will be provided in the membership site that Garin has graciously given you the opportunity to pursue. I'am not going to lie when I trained with Garin back in the fall/winter of 2010, I was in for the ride of my life. I learned some of the most top secrets imaginable. I was taught these very same secrets that you will learn.

I highly encourage you to join me and Garin on this quest and the membership website doesn't just provide the interview we did together, he will literally give chunks and chunks of how to apply the CoreForce Energy System into not only in your strength training but in other areas of your life like sports, music, dancing, how to get out of a chair without straining yourself, lift more weight in the gym and tackle your life's challenges with adversity and full on determination. And not only that but you will get lifetime updates on all areas of CoreForce Energy. A two-payment fee and you are set for life my friend and once you learn the treasured secrets we are about to share with you, you will never want to look at fitness the same way again.

Here is the video that I have promised. Blueprint Your Strength For Massive Power Increases. Listen and open your mind to Garin's answer as I ask him one of the biggest questions I have ever had the privilege to ask.

 

Adventurous Mindset Of Indiana Jones

For over 30 years the man in that wears the Fedora has been set in our brains, hearts and imagination. Most see him as this daring Archaeologist going on these crazy adventures looking for the rarest artifacts on the planet and fighting off baddies from taking them. To me, he is the embodiment of human movement and adventure. The reason why is because he's very unique among most characters especially from the 80's who were these big burly dudes full of muscle and having tons of weaponry; but not Indy, when it comes to weapons only three come to mind; his fists, pistol and whip. Talk about simple and bad ass.

By embodiment of human movement and adventure I mean in the sense where he has a far more realistic approach to how he moves in his environment; he crawls, jumps, swims, swings and if needed push a heavy stone out of a wall to walk out of a tomb. He's what real men strive for; not to have useless muscle but to use them to his advantage and use his wits in the brink of pressure. When you really get down to the niddy-griddy, movement is not about lifting weights (although it's a small part) or trying to look like some roided freak looking to show off; it's about using both your brain and your body to it's potential for moving within the environment or obstacle. There isn't going to be an up and down to help save your life in most situations or even just to train and work the little muscles, you're going to need to shift gears and move into a format that gives you great opportunity to adapt.

Indy is a man's man bar none. He doesn't bullshit anything, when he's determined to do something he goes balls out and not think twice about it. He looks like a real athlete and a man that understands his limits and pushes when he gets fired up enough. He looks like a version of Tarzan (but way better looking) and isn't afraid to use his body in any situation. He will literally climb up a mountain, swim to his aeroplane, crawl in tiny spaces and balance himself in the roughest places imaginable. Women worship him because he has hat manly outlook about him that just screams the ultimate man. When you really dig deep into the mythology of Indiana Jones, he is what most wished could be; adventurous, courageous, daring and go after the girl he adores.

You don't need to travel to exotic places or find artifacts to be like Indy but it's important you get out there and move, go on an adventure, be in a nature, move among the chaos and get into that mindset where you are living life to the fullest and making the best out of what you do. Too many of us sit on our asses and expect things to happen and have become so cautious and we mistake fear for being cowards. Indy is like everyone else, he has emotions, he does have moments of being afraid but unlike most people he goes after it anyway and makes the best of it, even if he fails (Did you not see him get outsmarted by Bellock?) Get out and move, live in the moment and although you may be afraid of some things at least attempt to fight. Don't always be like Indy's alter ego the college professor behind a desk full of students just edging to pick his brain, climb out the damn window and get moving otherwise you will get trampled and your brain will go insane.

The Power Of The Hammer

During my recent exploits into grip training or more specifically using sledgehammers it's come to the conclusion that after extensive repetition and using a deck of cards along with a tire to hit, building a super powerful grip is eventually going to commence whether you like it or not (why wouldn't you). The purity of your hands being crazy strong is an essential part of life every man should strive for. Just to even lift a heavy hammer takes a lot of strength and moving it for an extended period of time takes a ton of mental and physical endurance but in the end; shaking someone's hand may not be good for the other person. 

Most believe in order to be strong you have to have tons of muscle and for enough guys I've witnessed doing crazy feats that theory is not necessarily true. Sure muscles look cool and all but if you don't have strong tendons, your muscles won't mean jack shit in situations where muscles won't be enough. The tendons are what hold the whole structure together forming this machine of nerves and bone capacity to move in the best directions possible. Even having flexible tendons make a huge difference in how you move and hold a heavy resistance. Because of training with a sledgehammer, it builds tendons like steel cords (for you marvel fans, think of Vibraniam or Adamantium) and not to mention the increase of testosterone using a heavy resistance through intense exercise. 

A favorite hammer of mine is the Thor Hammer that is purely made as if the Norse gods had access to it themselves. You don't have to know Norse Mythology yet the moment you see a hammer of this magnitude, it brings a sense of presence that only a few can ever understand. Picture as if Thor handed you this hammer and you were the chosen few to hone it's power and feel the spirits of Valhalla coursing through your veins and bringing the strength of thunder and lightning into your blood stream the moment you hold it in your hands. It has no equal and it can be used in various areas of training and turning your grip into a structure that is no longer human flesh and bone but that of superhuman machinery of solid matter and the strongest steel that you can imagine. Even the Epic Sledgehammer has that very found affect and if you can handle it, treat it with respect and people will be afraid to shake your hand.

The way I train in using Sledgehammers is by swinging and hitting the tire with such force as possible and for as long as possible. The way I count reps is by taking my deck of cards and do the amount of reps the card requires. I don't also train by the reps themselves, I go after the total amount of weight I have lifted with that hammer for example: If you took a 13.8 lb Thor Hammer and your reps were say 500, you didn't just hit the tire 500 times but you have lifted nearly 7000 pounds total when you mathematically multiply the weight and the amount of reps. That's more than 3 tons, can you say freakish strength? How would that feel to you, being able to handle that much weight and having that amount of strength/endurance? My last workout was with the Epic Sledgehammer and it weighs approx. 39 pounds, that's a lot of hammer; now picture moving that amount of weight in just over 30 min. 600 times. that's over 23,000 pounds being moved, that's over 11 tons. I train by the ton because I don't want to just hit a tire with a heavy object, I want to see how much weight I can move within a period of time that brings out the very pinnacle of strength and conditioning. If you're a strength athlete or an arm wrestler; think how much strength you will acquire doing this type of training in your arsenal. This can aid you winning some big competitions and take down some of the strongest opponents imaginable. Feel the power of the hammer and make your grip the strongest it can be.  

Sometimes Being Lazy Is Fun

My definition is lazy is a far cry than what most people consider it. I don't believe sitting on your ass for 8 hours watching TLC Network is that productive as being lazy, that just makes you a slob. Lazy to me in the fitness has both a positive and a negative; yes not making an effort on your goals and just half assing through your routine thinking it's gonna miraculously get you fit is being clinically lazy and you just don't care about yourself. On a positive side to me it means just picking out something repetitively easy and just run with it, don't even think it.

You want to workout but you're too damn tired and just don't give a rat's ass what to do. It happens to us i'm not gonna lie, I went that route today and just didn't care yet I still made myself train even if it was an "easy" day by doing a circuit by mainly using my chair where I watch cartoons and movies as I work. I'm not saying you should have a lazy day everyday and believe its good to get some sun and live outside ever so often; what i'am saying is that if you feel like you just don't feel going hardcore but want to do something simple and quick than do so it still counts as training.

I do circuits on occasion that are quick but effective and the best ones you can to do anywhere is by using the Darebee Workouts. The cool thing bout these is that they give a workout in less than 20 minutes even when you have the busiest schedule. They're good for nearly any type of program but at the same time their great when you're short on time but also get that cardio and sweat going. Just pick a workout you'd like to do and see how you can challenge yourself; you a level 1, 2 or 3 conditioned trainee?

I don't believe in taking days off, that's not my motto (what's a motto with you?) because training every single day is beneficial and builds mental toughness plus it doesn't hurt to keep yourself in tact and get kick ass benefits out of it. I do believe however in "rest" days where you don't go all out like a roided basket-case gym rat but do something that is simpler, something that is comforting and not too difficult, it's still considered a workout and it's important to acknowledge that. My "rest" day came in the form of the workout I did yesterday called The Office Workout where you basically sit in a chair and do pretty simple and easy exercises that nearly anyone can do. I just felt like doing it because I had quite the weekend doing various movements, hammer work, swimming and other fun stuff that wore me out but yet managed to do a workout that took less than 10 minutes. Get in the habit of your "rest" days as a day of being a little lazy but still have fun and go after it the next day. Being lazy at times has it's perks, trust me, I've had people tell me i'm lazy yet i'm far more productive than they are, just sayian.

Workout Bonding

For the most part, training alone for me is the ideal way to get the best out of fitness. Not just in the gym but also anywhere else you want to train but at times being alone sucks and want to have that feeling that there is someone that can exercise with you and motivate you. Trust me for nearly a decade, I have trained mostly on my own yet on occasion go to the gym or workout with my boys Logan Christopher or/and Tyler Bramlett. It's not so much the bonding but getting to hang out and just see how much we can push the limits. With bonding with another person, it adds an extra form within your relationship whether it's just friends or with a significant other and/or if you have kids.

I firmly believe that a family that trains together bonds together. Whether you're with relatives, your kids or with the one you love; being able to bond and work together as a team/group whatever the case may be, utilize your inhibitions in order to create a fun and exciting environment. Kids make awesome training partners because they mimic the movements you're attempting to make or practice and they want to see how cool it would be to do it themselves. A spouse can be a bit trickier because they seem more cautious and not as daring as a child but at the same time, it gives that person a chance to learn who you are not just doing simple exercises but making it feel wild and fun and that's where a kick ass bonding experience comes into play. I'm currently training my girlfriend Holly who you can find at This Butterfly Life and she was eager to learn but felt a little rocky at first but eventually just started flourishing really quick and has gained muscle and flexibility in a short amount of time, very proud of her. That's just an example but the principle still applies, it may be different by just the both of you starting out together and you don't know what to expect, learn your strengths and weaknesses and bring that tight bond together; magical things happen when you apply it right.

A great benefit of bonding while training is how both of you can enhance each other's motivation by bringing it up to a degree where you both are just rocking and helping each other rep things out and pushing each other. Not so much drill sergeant and calling each other name's, to me that's a big no-no. With kids, it's not always showing them the technique but how to keep it interesting for them. Animal Movements are awesome for kids because they get to live out their fantasy being an animal in the jungle in their imagination while they move. Movement is about adventure, exploring the unknown and channeling their energy that isn't hooked onto a TV or an Ipad or whatever electronic device. It builds their brain power, heightens their self-esteem, teaches teamwork and being themselves without ever telling them their exercising but playing.

I firmly believe that everyone should customize their own system because for one, if you're trying to keep up with someone else, it's only making you too much of a follower than forming your own ideals. Being self reliant in this case is a powerful tool because you are learning your own sense of individuality and creativity. By bonding you don't have to do the same program at the same speed and pace but you can encourage each other by sharing ideals and how to apply them for your own style of training. Be proud and let your significant other know that they matter and you bring a sense of inner strength for them because you give them a reason to better themselves. I don't ever want anyone to try to attempt what I do yet what I love is encouraging others to be more efficient in their own style of training and something that works in their favor alone and use that to bond with someone else. Make the experience exciting, creative and something to use for growth physically, mentally and emotionally.

Why Diets Suck

Atkins, 21 Day Fix, Low-Carb, Fruitarian, Water Fasts for weeks and many more crazy diets have you pegged a sheep trying to follow some asshole with a name on a piece of paper calling themselves "Experts" and make you suffer more than helping you. I believe that if you want the best out of losing weight, gaining weight, dropping fat than you need to manage or make the effort to do so without feeling so strict about yourself. Changing everything completely cold turkey is a complete waste of time, unless you've had nothing but junk food your whole life and knowing what the hell a fruit or a vegetable is than yeah time to make some big changes but start small. Life is not a race, it's a journey that you wrestle with and you won't always have a winning streak, losing at times can be good because it's a life lesson that could help you get back up.

What are the first three letters in the word Diet? D-I-E. Those three letters alone should have you be suspicious of anything remotely related to nutrition. I will admit my eating habits aren't the greatest and most likely never will be. I don't eat McDonalds everyday or Taco Bell, Jack In The Box or Burger Queen. I eat relatively healthy having good fats, eggs, meats, fruits and veggies, plenty of water and electrolytes and yes I do eat carbs but not so much the bad kind. I need some high level doses of food to fuel me because how hard I train. I love cookies, bacon wrapped hot dogs, coke, an occasional grilled cheese sammich and yes I do eat fried chicken from time to time. The thing is I don't feel any guilt about doing them because I know how my body works and that because of the way I train, I'll never look like an obsese person. Be noble and smart about what you eat and drink but there's nothing wrong with indulging a few bad things once in a while, you need that balance. I'm not a good or bad eater, I do my best to stay in the middle. You shouldn't have to suffer or feel like dying when it comes to food, it's choices and managing it that works in your favor for your own body.

Eating healthy isn't easy and it's not always willing to be healthy but money isn't always in your favor so it comes down to making compromises with yourself and/or the family you are raising. It can be stressful at times because of certain circumstances but it doesn't have to be negatively stressful. Being stress free means you are doing what's best but you don't feel guilty when something doesn't always work. Be honest and realistic with yourself about what you eat but don't ever feel like you have to strict yourself. Some people can't eat a ton of food but some need more than others depending on your goals and your intensity levels of exercise. Here's a tid bit of how hungry I get, after a workout say lifting a total of 20+ tons striking a tire with a 30 lbs.+ Sledgehammer i'm in no mood for little salads or those small meals i Tupperware, I grab what I can find in the fridge that is fairly healthy and devour it like a madman or go out somewhere like to subway, Quiznos or Panda Express and get as much as either two sandwiches or 4-5 entrees of food at Panda put into around two-three big boxes worth. When you're hungry you need fuel and at times you may not always get the healthiest thing because your body needs food badly. Make good choices but also listen to your body and not try to tell it what you think it needs or whatever the "plan" is on that diet sheet you think you can handle.

When it comes to Experts, I don't look for the shmucks in the fitness magazines or dumb forums and hell I don't trust nutritionists on TV like on Dr. Oz or some crap like that. I look to men and women who have been through the ringer, know that being strict doesn't get you anywhere and that food is fuel, not little bitty pieces of baby lettuce salads and 100 calorie Tupperware Meals. I look to real people who are very strong, athletic and do things out of the ordinary. It's those people I admire, not all of them have six pack abs or the body of a greek god; some of the healthiest people I know aren't the best athletic looking yet their health is even higher than those who look athletic in the first place. Most Experts have an agenda and they don't see through how some individuals don't have the capacity to fit their lifestyle with their diet ideals. Make honest choices but don't make yourself feel like shit in the process. It's tough, it can be frustrating yet eating real food is the best way to go but if you can't always make them happen, use your budget wisely and be open minded.

Top 5 Exercises For A Healthy Sex Drive

It's not an easy topic to talk about when it comes to sex and hormones because for the most part, people feel uncomfortable talking about something that is private to them or have people being refrained from sex and taking advantage for the things that bring out the very best in what makes the world great in many ways. This is isn't going to be your typical list of exercises that you see in the muscle magazines or learning the basic styles of fitness (presses, pulls, squats and ab work). What you're going to see are exercises you don't normally find that actually deliver realistic results and jump up your hormones like a rocket going into space. The importance of staying consistent with your hormones is crucial no matter what your age and sure there other factors to consider beyond exercise for some people but when you do keep it up (no pun intended), you actually have a greater chance of living a healthy life full of excitement and wonders that makes most jealous or envious.

The top 5 exercises I will be mentioning here are not just some random testing usage on a strict group of people or studying the limited facets of what works and what doesn't; these are from my own experiences and the type of training I have literally performed on. This isn't scripted or written out on a pre-made sheet of numbers and statistics, this is the real deal and doing just one of these will increase your hormone levels to heights you didn't think were possible. Do two of them, you're ascending the ladder to hormone heaven. Three and you'll be a man/woman to be feared and your lover will have no choice but to keep up with you. Four and you'll be hitting hormone city and doing all 5, you're a beast and blasting into Hormone immortality......

5. Sprints-

Short and High Intense exercise excels the levels of your hormones into the stratosphere by using strategic styling that brings your hormones to their peak even 2 hours after exercising. Sprints, especially used in the Superhero Sprint System last no more than 20 minutes maximum with the majority of you resting. You sprint hard for a good 10-30 seconds and take the amount of rest you need and then sprint again repeating the process until you can do from 4-10 sprints maximum. These alone done 3x a week burn off fat, increase lean muscle mass and turn you into a muscle building machine with the sex drive of a highly unadulterated teenager. It is one of the most incredible forms of training on the planet period.

4. Animal Exercises-

Ever mimicked your favorite wild animal from when you were little and pretending to be this ferocious beast? We all have an animal living inside us, it's part of our DNA to move and utilize our entire body as a single unit. Training like a wild animal brings out the intensity of your body's craving for natural muscle building and developing growth hormones that keep you fit, young and healthy. When you move in this manner whether you're flowing through them or just going full blast, you're using your entire body and need to tense up the Core Muscles in order to stabilize you from getting injured. The most basic animal movement is the Bear Crawl, trust a few yards of this and you'll be winded and when that happens and the huffing and puffing is obvious, it's pumping your heart with fresh blood and needing to use more oxygen in your lungs in order to elevate your body's nervous system. Doing these exercises will destroy fat and build animal muscle that gives you the hormones of a horny 20 year old on steroids. Think what it would be like for you and your partner to have intense, beautiful and possibly at times crazy sex when you're that high. Talk about going wild in the bedroom my friend.

3. Lifting/Moving Heavy Weight And/Or Objects-

Weightlifting can be a serious testosterone booster and elevate hormones at a level that is at times unexplained. However; as great weights are, moving heavy odd objects bring in another element of hormone elevation that just makes lifting weights obsolete. For instance, you are in a one-sided level of movement in using weights, going up and down in a strict formidable fashion as oppose to using every muscle in awkward positions to move a heavy weight. One of my all-time favorites is doing Hammer Strikes on the tire using up to a 30+ lbs. Sledgehammer; just the mere effort to lift a hammer that heavy using every muscle and tendon to move and stabilize brings a whole other meaning to the term "Elevated Sex Hormones." Doing high reps in this fashion at a solid pace makes your whole body come into play and the muscle generating strength needed to keep going is astounding in itself. Moving heavy rocks, logs, kegs and barrels are lifted in awkward ways because of the way you need to shift your body it's never a straight line, it can throw a curve a lot of the time and this alone generates incredible sexual energy and hormone progression. The more muscles needed, the greater chance you'll be increasing your hormones.

2. Swimming-

Talk about using natural resistance; A full body entity that just screams hormone elevation when done correctly. This type of training is hit more on the nerves than most training ideals because you can't stop moving in water or you will drown. Being in the water over a period of time hits your nerves like a bolt of lightning and when you finally relax after a day of swimming, your endorphins kick in, your nerves are so high it makes you feel alive. Not to mention it makes you hungry as hell (just ask Michael Phelps) and full of energy that needs to be dealt with. Let's just say because of swimming it makes my hormones just screaming bloody murder after a while; having that much Sexual Energy can be a disaster and make you moody as hell if you don't have a significant other. It brings out another element of calmness and awareness within your surroundings and what's going on in your body.

1. VRT Bodybuilding-

Now just because it's number one doesn't mean its the best of the best, this list was never in really any particular order but it is part of the top 5 that I have experienced. VRT is a system where you tense your muscles as if you were lifting imaginary weights or heavy objects. When you flex and extend a muscle, you are using opposing figures in the tissues going in opposite directions of each other like a bicep curl uses a flexion in the bicep and the extension is using the tricep muscle like in a pressdown for that particular muscle. This system is a modern day version of Muscle Control where you utilize a specific muscle during a particular movement or hold. When you imagine and tensify your muscles, you're squeezing out the tissues that eventually break down and need to repair to build greater muscle density. When you practice this method correctly you should be winded after a few reps or more of an exercise as if you actually lifted a big heavy weight. This can be done anywhere and doesn't require equipment whatsoever yet it is very effective on how you can elevate your hormone levels. This system generates great power into your nervous system that can lead into helping the muscles and tendons not be overused and broken down in the way that weights do. It can lead to greater density in the muscles and doesn't wear and tear on the joints, so think about it; when you are making the muscles more dense, fat becomes your bitch and you're forcing it to leave out the body's unwanted resources that can generate muscle growth and increased levels of metabolism and strength.

Sex in most cases is one of the most beautiful joys of life but people especially in our society today have made it rather messed up in order for a healthy living; porn addiction, religious outlining & restrictions, protesting against it's true inflections and intentions and not to mention the weird ass stuff that goes beyond sexual exploitation. It's a sensitive subject I get it but it's clear to me that with the right loving person, life has greater wonders and there's beauty in there somewhere even by the smallest fraction. Getting laid for the rush is just not a great route to be headed into and it's not emotional or mentally stable. When you rush things or just want the excitement and that's it, there's a piece missing in that realm where real sexual love is a rare commodity and there's not only interest but realistic unconditional love and wholesome meaning. Real sex is about love, compassion, the willingness to flow as if two people were as one unit. Sex is amazing when everything just gives off this powerful feeling of invincibility and healthy strength and livelihood. When it's personal and full of life and passion that keeps consistent, it opens up a world not many today really understand or could understand.

The power you can possess in the quest for natural sex drive isn't easy and not always simple but with the right mindset, safe strategic entities and making it interesting can bring you to heights that makes most just hideous and jealous yet want to know your secrets. I'm at an age where testosterone starts to take its toll by 1% a year from now on, even though i'm nearly 31, i'm not going down so easily, I make it my mission to stay consistent in what I do and get stronger both internally and externally, I want to have hormones raging by the time my golden years reach their peak and beyond, living with passion and fire that delivers my true strength. It doesn't matter how old you are, you can have high hormone levels that makes those less than half your age feel like chumps. Yes it gets harder to maintain it in your later years but it doesn't have to be so hard it makes you feel like you can't do it enough. Be awesome and live with passion and the will to keep up with your body strong and healthy for many years to come.

Natural Ecstasy

Did you really think I'm going to talk about drugs? Shame on you; what I will be talking about is how to get high in a natural way using a method that has been used for centuries. It is not a pill or a plant. It isn't pot or aspirin yet it is one of the greatest ways to help you relax and mellow out without any negative side effects. It's Cold Water Therapy.

Whether its a bath, shower or if you're really ambitious jump into a cold lake. Cold Water when properly applied is a very potent stress reliever that releases toxins out of the body as your cells need heat to keep you warm. The excess burning of calories to stay warm helps increase metabolism, muscle recovery, virility and fat burning properties that generate greater growth hormone. I take cold showers mostly or I jump into a lake but the shower tends to be more doable for me because I can adjust the temperature even though I turn it to as cold as it can get. It sends a signal to my brain which digs deep into whatever part of the brain makes you feel negative thoughts and when I get out, i'm laughing, full of bliss and i'm way happier. It also feels so damn good it looks like I just smoked at least a couple joints and feeling higher than a kite.

When you practice taking Cold Showers you'll notice how your nerves make a dramatic change and when you go to bed at night, for some reason you feel so comfortable and the bed feels like you're on a fluffy cloud. Like someone being on Ecstasy, there are sensations that hit you with an enhanced sense of touch and you just feel softer and calmer everywhere. I do not ever want you taking drugs, it's not a way to live and there are other remedies. Using Cold Showers, you build nerves of steel, it enhances your focus, your awareness and the tension is melted away.

Ever wanted to feel like you can burn off fat, increase muscle and generate growth hormones that have you recovering faster, open your body's senses and rest with ease; Cold Showers will do it. This method is best used after a workout and an hour before you go to bed. Do your training in the morning so you won't have to worry about it later and jump into the shower right after and make it as cold as you can take than overtime keep adjusting until you can stay in the coldest water temperature for no more than 5-6 minutes. For men this is a hell of a method for our little swimmers and gives us energy for closed door activities, for women it balances out the hormones in your body which leads to greater fat loss and putting on lean muscle mass (not bulk). Power up on your hormones by doing Cold Showers.