Learning To Shut Out The World As You Train

 I have been training on my own since I was 21 years old. When I first learned how to walk again, I had to learn how to concentrate hard enough to where everything else around me didn't exist. It does get lonely at times but it taught me how to be self-reliant and to challenge myself not to let anyone else help me unless I was desperate enough. When I was in college, yeah I worked out around people and gave them a helping hand as well as learning from them but I was at my very best when I put myself into that mode of "it's just me and nothing else."

Training by yourself has its own rewards and you learn more about yourself than when training alongside others. The only time I have ever truly felt comfortable training with others was other strongmen and not feeling like an outcast or someone who didn't belong. By myself, it becomes a mental game more than anything. The cons really of training alone is that if you're stuck or you get hurt, you're on your own and have to figure out how to save your own ass; it's not the same as being in a gym, they're there to make sure you don't do anything stupid and if you're training by yourself and do something stupid, there are those close by.

Unless there's a training session with my wife, my workouts are nothing but me, some music and whatever I end up doing. I take my training seriously to the point where I shut everything out around me and put on some music and don't stop until I'm ready to call it a day. Some days, my mind runs ragged and I can't always concentrate (we're human, it happens) but most days, I just want to be left alone to do my thing and take care of me. That's one of the true benefits of working out is to give time to yourself and do things that put you into a state of mind where you're in control and you get to choose your challenges and schemes.

On those days where I do up to 1000 Step-ups, I put on music and just go, nothing in the world matters but being in those moments of exercising not just physically but getting in tuned with your inner self. With those Animal Workouts, before every animal I move as, for a split moment, I visualize myself transforming into it and believe that it is the strongest and most powerful it can be. I shut out everything except the music and the movement, I make it feel as if they are one with me. 

What training alone has really taught me was to be open with yourself and understand the only competition you have is just you and making the most of your abilities. I get to pick and choose what I get to do, I can make the choice to do something easy or extremely hard and what pace I get to go as. I'm in no competition with anyone, there's always going to be someone out there faster and stronger than me but not everyone can do what I can do. I figured out on my own how to develop my own program, how to go hard when it's the right time and when to back off. 

I rarely have let anyone coach me, really only a few have ever worked with me and showed me the ropes, everything else I have read, watched and mimicked. I have literally taught myself to shut out the world, some days are not as easy as others but my style is what I live by and what it has given me. I would love to train people but as I've gotten older, I realize that my style of exercise and my way of training someone isn't always compatible with someone else who wants to train. 

When you can shut things out and just focus on the task at hand, you'll start to understand what it takes to make things happen. I've pushed myself for so many years especially in the beginning because for the most part, other than learning a thing or two from dear friends, I had no one to rely on but myself. When I'm training, two things will happen if you try to jump in, you're either going to try to keep up or get kicked out, I don't allow anyone to work out with me unless they're prepared to work, I don't give a damn who it is. I'll be having fun with some things but my pace, my attitude and my dedication is about as serious as a heart attack.

Train according to your style, not everyone is willing to train by themselves, if you're at your best with partners than have at it but if you're on your own, only let in who is worthy and shut everything else out until you're done. 

National Geographic And Fitness

 

Ever since I got Disney+ for me and my wife (yes we are Disney Geeks, deal with it LOL), the majority of the time I spend on it is watching National Geographic, specifically the animal specials. I've always been fascinated by Animals ever since I was a kid but didn't really give it the real attention I do now. There aren't too many Zoos around here and the closest to an Animal Sanctuary I've been to is called Wolf People up near Sandpoint here in Idaho where there's a lady that educates people and raises Wolves on a piece of land. The last and only time I was there was when my friend Bud Jeffries came up here for a few days and he was doing some shows up here and stayed at my house. 

I've also seen some wildlife up close quite a few times around here and when we go to Tahoe for our family vacations. A few bears walking along near our cabins, deer constantly around our house feasting on our lawn and bushes, a couple of moose while camping and wild turkeys roaming. These shows are just a lot of fun to watch and get educated on the vast habits of wild animals. My personal favorites are on Primates (Gorillas, Bonobos and Chimps mostly) and the strength they possess is just inspiring. 

Because of my love of Animal Movements, these specials or at least an episode or two just make me want to get up and crawl around the house or have a little workout out in the Dungeon. The pure and natural aspects of moving like a wild animal pulls me in like the Tractor Beam did to the Millenium Falcon in Star Wars: A New Hope, it puts me into a state of mind where the freedom to roam is the best option. There's nothing wrong with doing stationary movements whether it's weightlifting, bodyweight, cables, club swinging or just doing Isometrics but the ability to move as animal-like as possible opens up another world of Fitness Potential.

The longest time I ever did an animal workout was 1 hr 22 min. and haven't gone anywhere near that long since but it was fun and never knew I went that long until I saw the stopwatch on my phone. I wanted to see how long I can go. Normally now I don't go near more than 30 and on average I do about 10-20 minutes depending on what I'm feeling that day and my energy levels. It is by far the most fun training I've ever done. All I do really is play my Animal Dice Game and just go. Having done literally in the 10's of thousands of Steps/Reps of Animal Movements, it's safe to say it's my all-time favorite training method. I love Combat Conditioning and doing Step-Ups and playing around with a Hammer and Mace but Animals are truly my go-to method of exercise bar none.

Watching what animals can do is an experience that truly shapes the way I look at certain things about life. Most people today don't appreciate the value of the Wild and what it means to be strong and fit in order to survive. We live in a world where we have become accustomed to showing off our bods, eating more and moving less, confused what is the best exercise program to do, sharing memes more than ideas and believing Bodybuilders pumped full of roids and supplements are the way to health. You don't need to be 5% body fat to be healthy and you don't need to look like Frank Zane or Arnold but it is important to use our bodies for long-term well being and be able to move with less chances of getting injured. 

Wildlife is unpredictable, there's no question about that, some of the most deadliest animals sometimes become friendly with other species you wouldn't expect. Animals do whatever it takes to protect their young although often if an offspring is too weak, it gets left behind which hurts to see and hear but if it means a way of needing to survive, you just see it unfold. The point is, movement is life but not to the point where you feel broken at a young age and overwhelming yourself with stress. We can't control what happens around us at times but we can choose how to adapt to it and overcome the odds.

Take the opportunity to move like a wild animal, not for the sake of just exercise but to feel the body from a different perspective and feel what it's like to be free and use your imagination. Imagine the results you can achieve that goes beyond weight loss and muscle building, imagine the possibilities of doing tasks with greater stamina and strength and what you can harness when you have to use your brain in order to work the movements. 

10 Minute Step Up Challenge

 Care for a challenge today? It's one exercise and all you need is a sturdy step stool, bench or the second step of a flight of stairs. The challenge is to do as many Step Ups or at least keep a solid pace and go for 10 minutes non stop. That sounds easy doesn't it, after all it's only 10 minutes right? 

For most, doing this exercise is extremely tough and for good reason; it's a tough exercise and it challenges your cardio big time. It builds incredible stamina, strengthens the muscles in all of the legs, doesn't pound on the joints so it is a much safer option than long distance running and it's a hell of a conditioner if you're an athlete or a laborer or just someone who wants to get in shape. There are great benefits to this exercise.

A lot of people today don't realize what it means to be fit; not just to look like a million bucks but to use your fitness in other endeavors. Some work out to pass the time, others don't care and just go through the motions and there are some that push themselves to the brink of death. When it comes to this exercise, it doesn't take long before you're huffing and puffing. Test it out yourself for even 5 minutes and tell me it doesn't do anything.

Here's a story that makes this exercise so effective, that it made one guy leave the gym without saying a word because he couldn't keep up: One of the most legendary wrestlers of the 1970's was Bob Backlund who became the second longest running champion in the WWE. He became an advocate of the Step Up and the Ab Wheel and made them the foundation for his unrivaled strength and conditioning. One time, a marathoner challenged him in the Step Up because it looked such an easy exercise and if he can run 26.2 miles, doesn't seem much of a challenge right? Bob accepted and told the guy to be prepared to work very hard, after about 20 minutes, the guy gives up and storms out of the gym, never to be seen again. That should tell you flat out how badass this exercise is.

This isn't some ricky dink exercise, it will test your lungs and put on some good functional muscle. Ladies, if you're looking to tone up and shape your butt, this exercise can do that for you. If you can get passed ten minutes without dying, it's a good indication that you're in pretty good shape. You can vary the reps, when I do my workouts with this exercise, I set my watch and do 12 reps per leg, that works for me. When I want to really challenge myself, I'll do 1000 Reps using a deck of cards and keep going with little to no rest. I'm very thankful for this exercise. It feels great on my knees and ankles because although I've done thousands of squats in the past, when I do squats, I feel more tension in those areas because of the rod in my shin and the pins in my ankles. I don't feel tension whatsoever in the Step Up, I do feel my legs working but it makes me feel like the Rod and pins aren't there.

Are you up for the challenge? You think you can go 10 minutes doing this? See what you can do. If you can't do 10 minutes yet, that's ok. You can build up to it doing various sets and reps and taking as little rest as possible each workout until you don't have to rest at all. For safety sake, if you're using a step stool, make sure it's sturdy and can hold a great deal of weight. Most stools can hold up well over 200 lbs. My step stool holds up to 300 lbs. Don't go Speedy Gonzales on this exercise unless you've been at it long enough and you have a good sense of balance. I made the mistake of going like the Flash and ended up tripping and hurting myself twice, I never made it a third time since. I like to keep a steady pace because quite frankly I don't need to sprint on that thing, I feel awesome just getting my heart pumping from the pace I do. 

Do what works for you and do your best to focus on your breathing as well. You'll be huffing and puffing as it is doing this but if you can control your breathing as best as possible, you can go for a much longer time. My first 1000 Reps, I had to take several breaks because those cards will never tell you whats coming. My second time, took less breaks and was feeling pretty good, the third time, I felt like I blasted through it and was in the zone. It becomes a mental game after several minutes cause once you hit 100-200, the mind becomes more of a target than your body. Be sure to find a Stool or Bench that doesn't go past your navel point when you step up; you don't want to overuse the hip joint because this is a full leg exercise not one to overstress the hips. 

Here's a video of me doing the 10 Min Step Up Challenge. 

Some Days Are Short And Others Go Longer

 Although good training results come from consistency, we can't always control the days we do train. Some workouts last shorter than others and other days we'll go longer than normal because the energy is there, our minds are clearer and we just love to keep going. 

A good mini workout on certain days is better than nothing at all. You can do a quick superset of squats and push-ups for 5-10 minutes, you can grease the groove (spread out throughout the day). Rest and Recovery are important no doubt but being active goes a long way as well. Depending on the type of work you do, some people have more time, others only have a certain window of opportunity but how often will they take it? 

We train according to our time frames, our energy, our motivations and what goals we want to strive for. Some talk so much but don't do a whole lot, others don't need to say a damn thing and go after it but overall; what puts you into a state where you want to make things happen?

I'm not a routine guy as I have said in the past, I don't know why I can't stay with a consistent program very long. Maybe it just doesn't come natural to me, my brain processes things differently than most people and I go by my instincts and intuition. Some days I'll have the urge to do 500 Hindu Squats, others go for 1000 Step Step Ups, another day might be a circuit or go for a swim. I go on what my body tells me and how far my mind is willing to go. Here's another example: I tried for a good period doing hundreds of Step Ups a day and so far tackled 1000 Reps 3 times in succession but the challenge didn't feel tough anymore after a short while and didn't feel satisfied or that I accomplished anything. 

At times I feel, why the hell am I really doing this? To prove that I can keep up with others, that i'm in the same league as someone smaller or bigger than me? That despite brain damage that has surrounded me practically my whole existence I should be in the same company as a Professional Athlete? What is really the actual point? The truth is, although I have accomplished so much in my fitness life and it has carried over to things that have helped others in various ways plus I wouldn't be the same person if I went a different route after my accident, the only person I need to prove is myself. The same can be said for anyone. You are your own competition in the reality of no matter how strong or fit you are, there's always someone stronger, healthier, more motivated, more driven, less than fit as you and not everyone is going to love what you're doing. 

Some workouts whether short or long may not always appeal to you or you won't always have a happy place for them in your heart but if you made a choice to do something rather than take a load off, you're already ahead of the majority who don't have a clue to where they can go. You are capable when you push yourself no matter how small and if you have to change things up, do so. Find a challenge, utilize your knowledge and be wise enough to understand your good days, your bad days, short or long. Learn to compromise with yourself. 

Stronger Lower Arms To Kill Tendonitis

 

During my high school days, my biggest form of exercise was weightlifting during P.E between my sophomore year to my senior year. I didn't know very much on how to stay limber and supple, I was stiff as a board most of the time and as an athlete, none of it really mounted to much. For two years I did Shot Put and Discus, mainly to carry on the tradition of my father because that's what he did. I never got as good as he did and because of my lack of discipline and not caring as much about my health at the time, I developed injuries in my shoulders and mainly my lower arms from the elbows to the wrists that also developed tendonitis and joint problems.

It wasn't until I discovered Combat Conditioning that I needed to really fix a lot of areas in my body. Even during my gym days, I had bad knees, woke up so stiff everything hurt as I moved and very little core strength let alone any real strength that lasted. Later on I found out about the Primate Power Super Strength System and wanted to try something new. I did get stronger and became far more limber than I ever did as a teenager but the fun really began when I learned how to move like a Primate or in this case Apes and Monkeys. 

The hanging exercises were just awesome on my elbows and shoulders and although I completely killed my tendonitis, something just needed that extra oomph to really tackle the problems I had when I was younger. I was determined to have the strongest lower arms not just by muscles but also making my tendons and ligaments incredibly powerful especially since I was also into Bending Steel. Moving like an Ape really opened my eyes to what could be an exciting adventure into full on animal movements. Walking/Jumping with the weight on my knuckles, hanging for a good period of time and making my fingers feel like solid bones, Primate Power gave me the strength and conditioning I truly craved for. 

Because of this course, it made my fall in love with Animal Exercises, challenged me in the most fun ways and made me stronger in my strongman feats and in Gymnastics. For nearly a year I did gymnastics at my local college and was the biggest guy in the class outweighing the next guy at 30-40 pounds (I was around 210 at that this time) and could hang pretty well at the horizontal bar and could do a good amount of pullups and dips on the rings. I wasn't any near as athletic or graceful as the other students but they knew what kind of strength I had. 

To this day, I've never had a severe injury to my lower arms. If I ever did get hurt, it didn't last long and healed pretty quickly and could Arm Wrestle with some strong guys. It's not just about developing strength to do good feats, it could also help when you're saving someone's life or your own. If you're in a fight and have strong tendons in your hands and wrists, you have a little advantage and have some good knockout power. If you're a wrestler, you can develop some serious gripping strength and your opponent will feel it, put them in a submission hold and they'll scream for mercy before either tapping or passing out. 

Get your hands on Primate Power and harness the power and might of the Ferocious Ape/Monkey. 

Felt Like Going Ape

 

No I wasn't going Bananas or swinging around the house (I could easily break things around here) but last night after some time playing around with Animal Movements, whenever I got up to get something, I would instinctively start walking on my knuckles or if I wanted to stretch my hamstrings, I would straighten my legs as much as possible and start walking on my palms. Maybe I was just so in tuned with my animalistic side that it came natural to me.

This morning at 6:30, I woke up (it was already 70 degrees outside and my body was just ready) and went out into the Dungeon and started doing some Primate Training. Did several sets of hanging exercises, walked/jumped like a gorilla, walked like a monkey to stretch my hamstrings and just felt incredible. Is this the rediscovery of something? Am I naturally feeling like a primate of the Jungle? 

On a more serious note, training this way gets back to our roots of what strength and health is all about using our bodyweight. Just the hanging exercises alone are beneficial to stretching and strengthening the spine, core, arms and shoulders. The walking movements can be trickier but you'll be making your tendons stronger and building steel-like cords in your forearms. You do them long enough, you might have to be careful shaking someone's hand.

Being able to Monkey around (or more in this case, Ape around) regardless of your age makes you already stronger than the average person. Being able to climb, walk, hang or jump like a Primate takes on another level of fitness that is more keen to our natural instincts and abilities of our Jungle cousins. Now not all of a Primate's movements are meant for humans, we know for damn sure we can't exactly swing as powerfully like a Gibbon or have the crushing strength of an orangutan, but if we adapt to what our human structures can do and progress with our natural abilities, our strengths can increase and be less prone to injuries. 

It's not all about muscle, muscle, muscle. The idea of powering up our tendons and ligaments is something we don't always understand and how to train those areas. Most of the time, we go after the muscles because that's what we see on the outside. Some guy with large arms, barrel chest, a back that looks like North Dakota and legs like tree trunks is what many consider to be an ideal of strength; that's not always true. It's what holds things together and what makes our structure strong, muscles are just a piece of the puzzle. 

Train like a Primate using the Primate Power Super Strength System and have fun in your training. Progress naturally, don't rush it and get the basics down. Like for real, go Ape guys, it's awesome. 

Can Music Increase Testosterone?

 

When you workout, do you notice a difference in your energy when certain music plays or not? What about the level of energy when music doesn't play at all? Strangely enough, when certain music plays, there's an area of the brain that is triggered and it could supply an extra level of adrenalin or decrease a level of energy. Now I'm no scientist and I'm not sure how much study has been done on specifically music targeting levels of testosterone in men and increased or decreased levels of strength due to the type of music being played.

Most people who listen to music for workouts (from my observations and knowing people) tend to tune out anything else around them and just go through exercise after exercise. Others however, use music not just as a motivator but as a way to wake their ass up and have that burst of energy, keep it there for as long as the workout goes and go into this trance where it feels like you're invincible and every exercise you do becomes a cake walk or your strength is powered up and can lift or do bodyweight exercises with solid energy. 

For us guys, going to war is a human habit and fighting for what we want to achieve. That feeling of wanting to go into battle and feeling that adrenalin rush course through our veins. Where our awareness, focus and physical abilities jump up to 11 is the pinnacle of a strong workout. Music provides a key to unlocking our mental and physical abilities and aiding our strength in ways we can't always get on our merritt. Does it increase testosterone? Depends on the type of music you hear I guess. Now I don't consider Abba or Madonna to be very manly type of music if you're going into battle with a heavy deadlift or going after 500 Squats but some people have specific preferences of what drives them. 

Now I personally feel the best music for having that testosterone fueled feeling is various types of Metal, Hard Rock, Heavy Tribal Style, heavy riffs, certain classical music and just hard nosed balls to the wall Rap styles like DMX. Music can alter our brain chemistry and send us on a path that either channels our primal instincts or take us to a place we've never been before, the sound of a great tune could potentially give you a surge of power in your body and amplify your ability to withstand incredible amounts of strength, endurance and agility. 

Some feel it's best to not train with music playing because it's thought of to be a distraction from channeling your inner self. I use to think this way for a long time but nowadays, I sometimes workout with music on or off depending on what I'm feeling that day. It is kind of funny at times to do an exercise and a random song comes on that might throw you off like for example, I was doing Step-Ups one day doing my 1000 Rep workout with the cards and Blue Moon by the Marcels came on and just threw me for a loop for a second, luckily it's a favorite of mine but things happen. I don't consider Disney songs to be very powerful for fitness but if you're working out and having a good time, it isn't a bad thing in that area. 

Find the music that drives you and fuels that fire within that just makes you feel so damn powerful bullets can bounce off of you and you can tackle an exercise without fear or remorse. Strength should come from within, but music is like gasoline to a flame if you do it right. 

Here's a great song by The Hu that will make you feel you can ride into a battle and conquer your enemy with incredible strength and power surging through you. I've split wood with this song playing and felt like I had no fatigue and the splitting maul thrusted down faster and even more powerful. The amount of strength in my veins was out of this world, you may not understand the language of the song, but the sounds of the instruments just fires you up.  

Are Hundreds Or Even Thousands Of Repetitions Necessary?

 Herschel Walker, Bruce Lee, Gama, Dan Gable and Karl Gotch; what do they all have in common besides being some of the very best in their field of Sports or Art? They have literally done thousands upon thousands of repetitions of exercise over their lifetimes. They were also some of the fittest if not the fittest athletes in their time. The amount of push-ups, squats, sit-ups, sprinting, going over moves more times in a day than the average person would in a year. Were they necessary for their chosen endeavor?

These guys were at the top of the food chain in what they did. From Walker making records as a running back, Lee with his expertise in Martial Arts, Gama with his Undefeated Streak in Wrestling, Gable's unlimited endurance and Gotch's unbelievable Condition and Wrestling Knowledge. For them, being in top condition required countless reps to stay ahead in the game and outlast opponents with ease. Does the rep count in Calisthenics and Moving Weight really matter to become the very best? The truth is, in order to become the best in your chosen sport, you have to consistently do that sport to get better ad better. Very few ever reach the pinnacle of success. 

Although you can do 100's of reps per day with any given exercise, it's not going to make you a better athlete. It can have a heavy aid as a supplementation and laying down a foundation for what your goals are. Rickey Henderson was the greatest speedster and lead-off man in Major League history but after all that training and 25 years in Baseball, he was still 3 ticks shy of 300 career home runs. Karl Gotch has said Conditioning is your best hold yet some of the most conditioned fighters still lost or made mistakes. I do believe in being in great shape, but doing hundreds or even thousands of reps isn't always the key.

Nobody can outlast father time and eventually, we have to change how our bodies react and recover from certain aspects of training. If someone who's 20 years and in awesome shape can do 500 Push-ups a day, by the time he's 70, that number won't be that much of a priority. If you set goals and want to go after certain numbers either as a challenge or on a consistent basis, that's one thing but our bodies aren't always exceptional like world-class athletes, we can't train like them and anybody who says you can is a liar. Injuries can occur, reaching a level where boredom becomes frequent and recovery is as much a priority as the training itself. 

I have literally done thousands of push-ups, squats, step-ups, club swinging, hammer striking, nail bends and animal moves in over 15 years of everyday training in total, there comes a point in time where you need to reassess what you want to accomplish. Where does it end and what have you really done? People forget or haven't completely learned how to use their intuition or learned how to be aware of what their body can do and what it can't. A football player can't hold a candle to a Navy Seal and a Catch Wrestler won't always win a street fight, it's a different process of what the body can handle. Yes, it's incredible we can find ways to tap into our minds and get that second or third wind but you always seem to see that either in competition, survival modes and through a challenge, rarely ever on a whim. 

We don't need to do thousands of a ton of things to accomplish something, sometimes we only those few that will get the job done and get results that was meant for you to have. 1000 crunches won't get you six pack abs, 500 Push-ups a day isn't always going to help you in a fight and 2000 Squats a day won't always help you in an hour long wrestling match. Conditioning is a key but there's more than one way to skin a cat to get in incredible shape. High reps do crossover into other endeavors and have a helping hand but it isn't going to make you the healthiest person. 

Train with intention of what you need to accomplish and do it not for the sake of doing countless reps but to develop the quality of those reps and the quality of your body's level to be in energizer mode consistently regardless of age. The quality of life is more important than a number of reps in an exercise.

My Morning WOD

 It's one of those days where the energy levels are just right, the sun is shining beautifully and you're feeling pretty damn good. You may not get those days all the time but when the opportunity arises, take advantage of it and do what makes you happy. I got up and did a routine that I combined a few things together that opened up the body and stretched the living hell out of it without really straining and relaxed as much as possible. It was GLORIOUS!!!!

Started off with Matt Furey's 5x5 System using a few exercises from Combat Conditioning.

The Neck Chi Kung Routine were next and felt everything in my neck open up.

Joint Loosening Exercises were next and worked everything from head to toe, opening up the meridians and getting rid of unwanted tension.

Did 5 Minutes of the Farmer Burns Stomach Flattener which built up a pretty good sweat and strengthening the internal organs and deep breathing.

Finished off with 1 Minute of Shaking everything out and relaxing the entire body, opening up the lymphatic system and just feeling the great energy.

I have no idea how long this took but I'm guessing around 30 minutes or so but everything we by so quickly and with such flow and intuitive awareness. It's better to wake the body up with internal intention than just muscles, muscles, muscles. The practice of releasing energy that radiates and gives off powerful sensations of endorphins and relaxation. Power comes from within, not always how fast you move or how much you can lift, that's secondary. 

The Neck Chi Kung exercises alone can wake you up and help prevent headaches, migraines and groggyness, the rest is just icing on the cake. These are not your typical run of the mill type of routine, it is a great way to strengthen the neck without needing to bridge. It works all the muscles that keep your head in tack. 

The 5x5 System, stretches and strengthens the muscles, the tendons and ligaments that help build flexibility in the shoulders, spine, legs and hips. It shouldn't take more than 5 minutes.

The Farmer Burns Stomach Flattener is a no brainer but should be done on an empty stomach and start off with only a few reps until you can continue repeating the exercise for 5 minutes. It develops incredible breathing power, strengthen the internal organs and can burn belly fat within 5 sec per repetition. It can be done anywhere and anytime. 

Shaking the body out releases unwanted tension or any more tension that is left in the body. Breathe deeply and relax. It also releases toxins in the body at least that's what I've noticed and releases a great deal of endorphins and gets rid of that emotion of anger, anxiety and excess energy. 

This routine can supercharge the body within minutes and make you feel you can tackle your day with ease. If you also practice protecting yourself from Energy Vampires, having a bad day would be as rare as Al Pacino and Robert De Niro being in the same movie together. Get those juices flowing and feel amazingly awesome to get the day started.

It Is Fun To Do Something For Your Birthday

Turned 36 yesterday and quite frankly, I don't feel all that different. Still feel I'm in the best shape of my life, still look like i'm in my early-mid 20's and can still do awesome stuff. Sometimes when I reflect on some of the birthdays I've had, I do feel thankful I'm still here and get to share my experiences and my ups and downs either with my friends and family or with you guys. I've had some kick ass birthdays and some very really bad ones (including being laid up in a hospital bed or when I was 15 and face planted into a lake after jumping off a 10-15 ft railing and literally smeared my towel in blood). 

A few years ago when I turning 33, I was in this phase of doing up to 500 Hindu Squats a day for weeks seeing how fast I can do them and on my birthday, tried to see how many I can do in 33 minutes, ended up being 1000 doing 80 Squats and 20 Jumpers repeated 10 times. Being in my mid (almost late) 30's now, I do see things a little differently, my training is always changing and learning what I can do and what I haven't done before. On Sunday, I wanted to try something I never did before and that's how fast I can do 1000 Step Ups or get through a full deck of cards just doing step ups. I did 1000 in just around 52 minutes at a BW of 261.8. Figured a good feat before my birthday.

Birthday feats are fun to do, Jack Lalanne was famous for his feats of endurance pulling the boats or doing something crazy after he reached a certain age. Don't think I'm on that level yet but again, the man wasn't even human in his time. For turning 36, thought I would go for a hike with my wife out at a place a mile and a half down by our house. A good trail that was 3 1/4 miles long. The humidity wasn't fun but overall a beautiful hike, awesome scenery of the lake, didn't feel winded whatsoever and felt peaceful next to the most important person in my life. Got in another little workout later on in the day after getting lunch and making our way to an entertainment shop full of comics, funkos, movies, classic gaming consoles. Bought a couple books and given a unintentional birthday sale. Played around with a new Indian Club for my birthday (15 lber) and do 100+ Reps doing swings. 

Some people treat their birthday as if it was any other day, that's awesome and you get to choose what you want to do for it. For me, I choose to celebrate it the best way I can in my own way because I wouldn't have this many birthdays by now if I wasn't saved from the great people who treated my meningitis when I wasn't even 2 yet. I celebrate because life is too damn short and I don't want anyone to go through what I went through. On my 21st Birthday, I wasn't even really allowed a fucking beer because I was having surgery on my legs the following day. 15 years ago today was my 3rd and final surgery to be able to walk again after breaking both of them in a stupid jumping accident. I'am so thankful that my legs have kept me strong and continue to raise the bar on physical fitness.

No matter what your age, celebrate life and making it worth while for you. Share with the people you love and have fun, even if it's just another day, do something different and even find a challenge to do and see what you can accomplish. Set a new goal, do something spontaneous and set the bar for your continuation of life. Have a blast and have an amazingly awesome day.

Isometric Posture For Realignment And Recovery

Often times we push ourselves to the max and see how far our bodies can go. We take on different challenges, man up one another or proving to yourself what you're capable of. Training hard can be a good thing every now and then and some of us train as if our lives depended on it such as: Being ready to fight, have the stamina and strength to move somebody, have energy to play with the kids and saving a life.

Training smart is a whole other ball game. You're learning what works, what doesn't and how your body adapts to certain regimens and protocols. Training hard and smart is extremely rare as most do one or the other yet both can co-exist if you are wise enough to understand how both work. At the same time, it is important to train from an internal stand point, conditioning the mind and body in a different format by the use of recovery.

Recovering from hard workouts is crucial to how you will become stronger and healthier in the long run. When in your teens or 20's, recovery isn't as optimal because for the most part, you can bounce back quickly and move on. By the time you're 35 and beyond, recovery becomes a godsend  and you'll need it in order to move and be more efficient in your endeavors. I highly believe in recovery workouts, exercises you can do that don't require a ton of effort but aren't strenuous. You can a low level yoga workout, you can do deep breathing exercises, various postures or you can just literally stand.

Standing postures such as Wu Ji Posture, help realign the body and let's the nervous system repair itself. It's an incredible recovery tool and those who have practiced Tai Chi, Chi Kung or other internal arts have phenomenal abilities at a much older age. A standing posture can be assumed as an Isometric exercise or more accurately, an Aerobic Isometric because you're not exerting as much force and the idea is to relax more, not be loose but relaxed.

It's called a Wu Ji Posture in Chi Kung, the Sponge in Animal Kingdom Conditioning, Standing Meditation and other names of the same thing. Your feet are shoulder width apart, hands at your side, knees slightly bent pelvis slightly tucked and there you go. Relax as much as possible and breathe deeply and naturally. It sounds so easy to do yet most don't understand its true power to literally give your body a reboot or recharge. I would hold this posture for about 5-10 min at a time, every once in a blue moon I'll go for 20 minutes but 10 minutes is more than enough for me to feel recharged. I do it sometimes before a workout, after a workout, as a stand-alone (pun intended) or in-between exercises.

Just the idea of standing there, many will scoff at because it looks like you're not doing a damn thing and it makes you look lazy and resting or something. The truth is, our bodies may not recover as fast as others. Often times, recovery can take longer than you want it to and we push ourselves so hard, it overwhelms the Central Nervous System and our muscles will tear up, if you push too hard the tendons can break and you'll be in a cast for weeks or months. The standing posture strengthens the body on the inside and rebuilds flow to the muscles and the tendons/ligaments. It gives our brains a boost too because with practice, you can learn to quiet the mind and focus on your breathing or do visualization that innates powerful energy.

Start your power from within. Like Yoda says "Luminous beings we are, not this crude matter." Strength is more internal than what we ever do on the outside. Stand and rebuild, stand and harness your power, stand and use it to become superhuman. Socrates from the Peaceful Warrior says "There's never nothing going on", the Standing Posture is a testament to that statement, it seems nothing is happening but inside, everything is going on.

Become Tough As Nails Through Isometric Training

Isometrics can be tough as hell but that's what it was designed for. To toughen up the mind and body through sheer strength from the inside out. Most people don't think twice about isometric training and don't quite understand it's effectiveness to not only strengthen the body but to benefit from it's healing aspects as well.

I believe in the old school style of strength training because quite frankly with all the overwhelming info out there today, you don't know what to trust and understand the true nature of what works. Strongmen of the past and some today use Isometrics as part of their daily training so they can reach levels of strength and conditioning from just about any angle and become almost near Injury-proof.

I can't help but love isometrics and the countless exercises that can be done for just about any type of endeavor. At times I'll use the Isometric Power Belt or do them free handed, use a wall, a tree or using weights, there are so many variations you can do. Can it get boring at times, sure it can and that's why many trainers today think it's inferior when in reality, it can be a life saver.

It is well known that Isometrics are a forgotten style of strength training and although some things of it are still out there today, compared to yesteryear, we don't know the major impact it has.

The amount of time you spend on isometrics depends really on your goals and how much you want to put in for particular exercises. My approach is more on the 7-12 second contractions but from time to time like in these videos above, I'll go more than a minute to really target my body while focusing on certain groups of muscles. When I do Bridges, I'll do 3 min in the front and back each to strengthen my neck and my spine. It's not easy but it's a hell of a workout as it hits the whole body and the sensations of euphoria when you come out of them are incredible.

Although size isn't always the goal, being able to stay strong and conditioned in the long run is. Developing real strength is what will help you be useful for other endeavors. I love to chop wood when I have the chance or when we go camping like this past weekend, I love to help carry things when its needed and move things others can't or they're hurt. It puts a smile on my face that my strength and stamina can do things for others and not feel obligated. That's what really gives off when you put the effort into strength for others and yourself. 

Train with Isometrics and understand the value of its beneficial properties not just in health and physical fitness, but overall to have the strength to work, to help others and do things the average person wishes they can do. 

Morning Cardio

There's nothing wrong with getting the blood pumping or getting a little sweat going in the morning. Many people dread just getting up, showering, eat a little and run out the door to get to work. They may have an ok day and come home just ready to drop dead on the couch and watch a little something, eat with the kids/spouse/yourself and head off to bed to repeat it all over again.

Getting some exercise in before heading to work can change your mood drastically and give you a little endorphin high to feel awesome and ready to jumpstart the day. For me, it depends on the mood i'm in but if I get an urge, I might do some skipping, circuit training, step ups, hindu squats, animal movements or swinging the Indian Clubs. Often I'll do Isometrics but changing it up isn't a bad thing either.

Motivation can be a real bitch to get a hold of and the will to actually do something can be difficult for most people. You don't need to do an hour straight of exercise to make it count for something, just a few minutes can do the trick. Do some movements before getting out of bed, put on your favorite music to set the tone and do exercises that are on your level. You don't have to do a crazy crossfit workout or some infomercial program. Do a few push-ups, a stretching routine or some crawls for a minute to wake the body up. Just Bear Crawling for one minute in the morning will not only help you get fit but it'll jumpstart the brain and kick in your metabolism. 

This morning, I felt like doing Step Ups with a deck of cards and ended with 500 Reps. It felt amazing and the level of de-stressing was incredible. Great sweat running down, breathing and going at a solid clip and moving with very little to no rest. It felt therapeutic, it had been a while and didn't want to overdue it but hey it still woke my ass up. 

A deck of cards workout is a great way to wake the body up, develop some crazy cardiovascular conditioning and you don't have to do the whole deck if you haven't hit that level yet. Start out with a few cards and work up to a full deck. You can do Push-ups & Squats, one exercise, 3-4 exercises, work with kettlebells or whatever works for you. It doesn't take a ton of time and is a hell of a calorie burner and you may even keep burning calories some time after the workout. Be sure to drink water and get a little food in your system. A workout like that can build up a crazy appetite. 

One of my favorite Deck Workouts was what I call the Backlund Deck Of Madness in honor of the legendary pro wrestler Bob Backlund. It's two exercises of Step Ups & the Ab Wheel; you flip a card (red for the wheel, black for step ups) and you do the reps for that particular card. I would suggest you spend some time strengthening yourself on the wheel before doing this workout, it's intense, hard and brutal. This will test anyone in the realm of world class conditioning and physical fitness. I talked to Bob one time and told him about this workout, he thought it sounded pretty good. The fastest time I finished this workout was just under 45 minutes, if anyone can do it faster (with safe technique and pace), you've got some insane cardio bro. 

If you're not into doing intense exercise in the morning, do some qi gong or joint loosening exercises, this also wakes up the body and supercharges your organs. If you're someone who's had previous injuries or is unable to do much, do what you can. Life doesn't have to be so dreary and full of the same negative patterns, learn to change your mindset and use some positive energy. Do what is possible and do it on your level and progress. If you create a routine and stay consistent both mentally and physically, your life with have better quality. If you have kids, have them join you and train together as a family. Build bonds and push each other with great energy. 

Video Game Workouts

Being stuck in the house because of Quarantine can be a real pain in the ass for most people. For gamers, it doesn't matter if you're big on the PS4, XBOX, Wii or (if you're a classic gamer) a Sega/Nintendo, it can get boring after a while. I've always enjoyed video games ever since as a kid in the 90's playing Mario, Sonic, Streets Of Rage, Ninja Turtles, NBA Games, Star Wars you name it.

For you young kids out there, before there was VR, Dance Dance Revolution, Wii Fit and all that, the only way you even felt remotely getting a workout playing video games was the running pad you had to hook up if you had a game that was based on Track And Field. For some, when you had this, in order to move the players or in-game athletes, you had to run in place as if you were sprinting, even the most serious gamers today wouldn't last 5 minutes with this thing.

Along with today's technology, if you're into fitness, you can get hooked up to various games on certain platforms that have you doing exercises aerobically or just swinging your arms to get some blood pumping. Even though it's much easier today to get some form of exercise while playing video games, many people still aren't motivated or have any clue as to what you can do without realizing you don't need to hook up a damn thing.

One of the things that kept me in shape while I played video games, was to come up with a little game myself to do exercises based on the game's plot or in the case of a Sport's game, the wins/losses or getting scored on and having to do an exercise when you are getting beat a little. One of my favorite games growing up in my teen years was the MLB The Show series and always enjoyed playing the legends they had. Still going strong with that series at a point in my late 20's every once in a while I would play a game and if I got struck out, I'd had to do 10 push-ups, if I was pitching and the batter got a base hit I'd have to do 10 Hindu Squats. If a batter got an extra base hit such Double, Triple or a Homerun, I would do 20-30-40 Hindu Squats. Now picture having to do that for a full game. That be a hell of a workout.

You can do this with just about any game, all you need is a little imagination and create exercises for certain scenarios or scenes in games. If you're into War Games like Halo or Call Of Duty, you can do exercises for every time a member of your unit is killed or every time you lose a life. If you lose a life, you have to do 5-10 Push-ups, a member of your squad is killed, you do 10-20 Squats. You can make it even harder by doing Burpees or a harder variation of a basic exercise. If you're doing a two player game or 3-4 player game, you can do some trash talking and taking things to another level.

You don't have to do Push-ups and Squats, you can do Sit-ups, Burpees, Punches and Kicks (keep the distance to a safe area of the room where you won't hit anything), Leg Raises, Jumping Jacks or Lunges, whatever suits you. There's no reason you can't be fit while having fun playing video games. Video Games make us use our brains to figure out things to get certain points, to use hand/eye coordination to fight, dodge and block opponents and have quick reflexes because the higher a level you go up, the harder it is.

Make the use of your Gaming a way to help you stay fit at home. Hell it doesn't even have to be a video game, it can be a board game or a game you play on your phone, don't just sit around twiddling your thumbs, get in shape and never look at gaming the same way again.

If you're looking for Classic Video Games or updating your collection with Next Gen Games, check out my friend Cory Arrison's Retro Attack Ebay Store. If you're in the Santa Cruz area, come check out Retro Attack Official Store in the Capitola Mall along with my other friend George Tegenkamp's Hadbro Toys. Buy, Sell, Trade and Find vintage and classic toys and games that will have you getting that nostalgia feeling and collect some of the most rare items around. They're awesome guys and will hook you up.

What Isometric Routine Works Best For You?

For people who do practice Isometrics, at times it's not easy picking a routine or finding an interest in one particular area of Isometrics. Some use straps, others used the bullworker, some do Free-Handed, using the environment such as within the house or do full on Muscle Control. Courses such as 7 Seconds To A Perfect Body and Isometric Power Revolution (practically the same course just different authors) use the Free-Hand approach while one writes about fat loss and developing better musculature, another takes it on geared to purely physique type training or better to look at it from a old school Bodybuilding approach. Both do wonders.

There are people who practice a particular method of Isometrics and than after years of doing it, changes it up and acts like it's the greatest thing since sliced bread. How would you know what truly works? In my opinion; do different methods, practice styles of it in a combination. Although I prefer the straps using the Isometric Power Belt, I also practice Free-Handed, using things around the house, holding weight, posture type exercises and even animal based movements in an Isometric fashion. 

There are so many uses for Isometrics it's not even funny. You can do them for bodybuilding, rehab, increasing strength for weightlifting/olympic lifting, sports like MMA, Arm Wrestling, Baseball (segments of pitching and batting), Boxing for punching power and so much more. It is often overlooked because for one, they can be boring and two, it's harder work than many movement based methods. You can even use it to increase strength in your calisthenics for example; if you can do 100 straight push-ups do you think you can hold that same push-up for 2 minutes in the mid position? Many people can't. Doing a hold like that takes on a whole other sport of tackling not just the muscles but the tendons, ligaments and fascia. Try doing one push-up where you hold the top for one minute, mid for one minute and the lowest position for one minute and push back up. 

The best people that I have researched and known in this day and age that make Isometrics a cornerstone for incredible conditioning, physique building and superhuman like strength are guys like Bud Jeffries, Steve Justa, Steve Maxwell, Jarell Lindsey, Batman O'Brien, Matt Furey and a couple others. What they taught me about Isometrics through their writings, videos and even seeing one of them personally up close, it makes training all that much sweeter and much more leveled around doing things that help overcome plateaus and utilize cardio without moving. 

Don't always look to making a specific routine routine of Isometrics unless you have specific goals in mind, I encourage to use it as an add on to your regular training say either at the beginning, as a finisher or strengthen the weak points of your training. My use of Isometrics recently was to heal a minor injury to my left shoulder which was my fault since I used a method that had overusing the shoulder muscles for too many days in a row. Within a couple days, my shoulder was feeling great and no longer discomforting or even slightly painful, that was all thanks to Isometrics. 

Now if you want a specific routine that is exclusively Isometrics, here's an idea of what I do....

For most days if I focus on Isometrics, using the strap (or Power Belt), I would hit the biceps, shoulders, back and traps for those particular muscle groups (different exercises for different days). For the Chest, Abs and Legs, I stick to Freehand exercises such as a series of Chest Presses for the Chest, Side Bends plus Hollow & Arch Body Holds for the Core Muscles and Wall Sits mainly for the legs. My personal favorite Isometric is used in two different ways; Fist Over Fist (Which I learned from Furey) or Wrist Over Wrist (Which John Peterson calls the Milo, I call it the X-Factor cause it sounds cooler) and do this Free-Handed Exercise almost every time I do my Isometric Workout. It hits just about every muscle in the upper body and can be done anywhere at anytime. It's more of a Finisher Isometric than anything else but it's a favorite to get a pump going. 

God Dammit, silly me LOL, I forgot about the Freakin Neck (doing my best Kurt Angle impression). Neck Isometrics really are one of the most crucial aspects for any form of training especially those in combat sports. For me, It's Bridges and Self Resistance Isometrics that really work best. The only neck issues I've ever had was when I wasn't training my neck which isn't very often, I train my neck almost more than any other muscle group not only because I find it more important but it's a hell of a lot more fun. 

Add in some Isometrics into your training and see the skyrocket of strength you'll achieve from all sorts of angles. The late great Karl Gotch once said "Always work your muscles from every possible angle." 

The Ups And Downs Of Being An Empath

Definition Of An Empath: a person with the paranormal ability to apprehend the mental or emotional state of another individual.

It is rare to find someone who has incredibly strong empathy which also means absorbing others emotions/feelings like a sponge. I have developed a very strong level of intuition and memory ever since I got the meningitis as a baby. Because of those things, I naturally developed empathy cause for as long as I can remember, I have always sensed things about people or I can read certain emotions or how others felt without saying or showing anything. 

Although it is rare, it's not something all that special and I know I'm not the only empath in the world. It can be both a blessing and a curse because with other people, they don't absorb very much and what goes in one ear, goes out the other and nothing comes of it. I however, absorb it like a Duck to Water and it is difficult to explain or make others understand. Many people believe Empathy is just made up and we're just emotional people and seen like it is mental weakness because we don't have our shit together, trust me I've heard it and been told to my face. 

Here's one way to explain someone who's an empath.....If someone can walk into a room and there's something off or something just feels incredibly good, an empath can sense it, he/she doesn't know who it is or where exactly it's coming from but there's something there and the emotions and feelings can at times be overwhelming. Sounds like something out of science fiction huh? Now it doesn't just end with Empaths, if you have ever sensed a certain energy that just didn't feel right or you felt off, that does happen. 

Here's another way that might seem relatable.....In Star Wars, there are those who are Force-Sensitive beings, those who are strong in the Force and can channel abilities which can include, the sensing of people's energy from a telepathic point of view. Of course in the real world, that's exaggerated but there's a small hint of truth there that we as human beings aren't just made up of bones, blood, skin and a brain. We have emotions that has both good and bad, at times we carry a heavy heart on our sleeve and have a form of sympathy for another person. Others were taught or learned on their own to cut their emotions off, block themselves from feeling a certain way because it is considered weakness to show emotions and form an identity as an emotional robot. 

Empaths are very sensitive to certain things and if someone nears them or feels someone else's emotions, the empath involuntarily collects it and can either feel sick, mentally drained, at times if someone has strong positive emotions or feelings an empath will feel happy or elated for no apparent reason. Empaths feel more compelled to feel compassion and hyper involved with those who have suffered or have felt incredible sense of joy and happiness. If an empath is around a crowd, that can be one of the most mentally exhausting things they'll put themselves through and it's not entirely their fault. When you absorb so much, sleeping can be one's best friend and needs a full on recharge. Throughout most of my life, I have felt this way. 

Isolation can be your best friend, or your worst enemy and in cases like mine, it's a bit of both or a catch 22 meaning as much as I may need isolation, it still sucks because I do love being around people. People do need to be aware and understand the way empaths are and do some research into the subject. We can be hypersensitive and we do what we can to protect ourselves from certain energy sucking vampires but it's not always that simple or easy and in reality, we don't wish that on anybody. It can be very powerful and many who are empaths tend to be more alone than the average person. 

When I absorb people, at times my emotions aren't mine anymore and will feel anger, joy, hatred or suffer emotional trauma without knowing really why. Sometimes I feel things right away, other times, I can't sense anything at all but when it hits me, it's not a tap on the shoulder, it's a shot to the gut with a sledgehammer. I'm talking about this because I want others to know that they're not alone and I sympathize what you are going through and there are empaths out there that have suffered far more than I can imagine and want them to know that I may not understand the full extent of your pain but I do understand what it's like to be overly emotional and not always realizing why. 

Some people don't realize they're empathic and maybe were told to hold their emotions in, not to feel and that emotional strength comes from being told what to do instead of thinking for yourself. When someone's empathic, emotions become erratic and we can't help but feel things others don't understand. No matter how hard we try, being mentally exhausted from others' energy is a sign that we do need a little TLC at times or that when someone cries next to you, you can't help but cry with them, that means you're suffering with them and you sense how much they are suffering. 

If you are someone who carries empathy; learn to protect yourself, set boundaries, take time to recharge and be open to the idea of learning the value of understanding. 

Sometimes A Walk Is More Than Just A Walk

It's always nice to take a stroll on a beautiful summer day, either with someone, a group or by yourself. Taking in the fresh air and listening to the sounds around you. Now if you live in a city like New York, probably got to be more careful but if you live in an area where there's trees, a waterfall (artificial or natural), kids playing, a park or wherever brings you joy, it's to get a good walk in. It's one of the best exercises you can do for your health and wellbeing.

Some people power walk or use very light dumbbells as they walk or in some cases, walk with a weight vest on to add onto your cardio. Recently on my walks, I take out and put on a cable apparatus to really get things going. It's a handle, a foot strap and a cable you attach it to and you're off to the races. This takes Power Walking to a whole other level.

With this device, you can do all sorts of exercises like curls, raises (front and lateral), punching, overhead presses, circles and flys to name a few. The main exercise is a similar motion to a ski walk. This helps burn more calories than regular walking and really tests your cardio, muscular endurance, coordination and long term strength. How long can you go? For most people, a couple miles would be more than enough, for me I try to go for about 20-30 minutes non stop.

Lifeline Fitness use to carry this product but doesn't sell it anymore but it's still around if you do some research. It's a personal favorite of mine and is awesome for a lot of folks who don't like running or can't run but love to walk. The resistance isn't much but the longer you go, you will feel it and you'll be breathing pretty heavy too. The one website I did find it is on Amazon.

Burn more calories, work the tendons and the muscles at the same time, enhance your cardio, endurance, strengthen the organs and the Central Nervous System. It's low impact and gets you in shape fast. Start out with about 10 minutes and get a feel for it. You don't even have to go for a walk, you can use it in your own doing exercises that tone and enhance your metabolic system. Sometimes, a walk is more than a just a walk.

Core Conditioning With The Power Wheel

Many who go to the gym and work on their Abs, generally work in different parts or through Isolation. Doing work one area at a time and although they may look good, they won't have any particular strength that is needed in the long run. Our Core muscles aren't just for building a six pack. Back over 100 years ago, the most built athletes at the time such as Sandow, Hackenschmidt, Arco and Zass didn't do Crunches or used devices that only targeted one area; they built their bodies through hard work, gymnastics, wrestling, labor, bending steel and moving weight in awkward positions. They were the backbone of Physical Culture at that time and very few today in the mainstream fitness culture knows who they are.

Having a six pack in general is an overrated thing to accomplish. If you don't have the strength behind it or can't take a punch, what good are you to anyone other than a photoshoot? I will say it isn't a bad thing to develop it, but in order to truly accomplish having great abs, they better come with a solid foundation of strength and conditioning. To really go into the depths of your Core so to speak, you train it as if it was a single unit instead of pits and pieces of a puzzle put together.

Now, great ab exercises such as V-Ups, Dragon Flys, Side Bends, Bridging, Wall Walking and Overhead Leg Raises will strengthen your Core like crazy but the Cream Of The Crop goes to the simple Ab Wheels and the best of them all, The Power Wheel. The Power Wheel targets not only the abdominal muscles but works other areas of the body too such as the lower back, the obliques and the hips. Our Core is the center of our body and needs to be trained so we have less chances of getting injured or we train it to make it even stronger than before and rid ourselves of back pain.

Someone like Bob Backlund perfected the standard wheel to build incredible strength and conditioned muscles that to this day at 70+, he's still kicking ass in his training. The Power Wheel in my opinion is the Major Leagues of Wheel Training where you don't just roll it out, you can put your feet in and do even more exercises that has your body working together otherwise, you won't last very long. Take your Ab Training into the stratosphere and conquer what sit-ups and crunches could never do. Want to be a better athlete, use the Power Wheel, want to be in shape fast, use the Power Wheel, want better posture, use the Power Wheel.

You don't need more than a few minutes to really feel what the Power Wheel will do to your muscles. It can make you so sore the net day, you would feel like you got hit with a Crowbar. The basic exercises is really all you need such as: The Roll Out, Hamstring Pull-Ins, Pike Ups, Knees To Chest and Walking On Your Hands. The more advanced exercises such as Alligator Walks, Plyo Push-Ups, Walking Pike and the 100 Yard Challenge are for the Sadists who want to test their limits. A few minutes with this thing will do far more than taking a ridiculous amount of time doing thousands of crunches. Want Punch-Proof Abs, strap into the Power Wheel guys.

Staying In Shape While Camping

When there's an opportunity to go camping, it's usually wanting to get away from civilized life and responsibilities while finding a place of solitude or among a small group of friends and recharge the batteries. Being outdoors among the wilderness, surrounded by forest, animals at times and listening to the sounds of the creeks and rivers. 

Growing up in California, I only camped maybe a couple times in the first 27 years of my life. Camping out with friends in Yosemite was fun and my friend Tyler brought along his Kettlebell and we did swings next to the fire. That was a blast. For the last 8+ years since I've lived in Idaho, I've gone camping now 3 times and all have been in a 5 year period with my wife and her friends. 

Camping can be fun but it's also an opportunity to find out what kind of shape you're in. The things I love to do camping is finding big odd rocks to lift, chop some wood, swim in the creek and practicing some qi gong or meditation techniques near water. I've always been a water kid, swimming in oceans, lakes, creeks, rivers and basically just being drawn to it. This past Saturday, we went up for a night and I brought my Indian Clubs with me and got in about 500-600 Swings standing on a small rock inches from the creek. It was a riveting experience and feeling totally at peace.

Being out in nature is a powerful experience and not just seeing trees and all that, it's the experience of feeling the earth and listening to the sounds of the birds, wildlife and water that flows the way the universe intended to be. You learn to be helpful among people, you play a role when camping and whether you are alone or with a group, you find out things about yourself. I'm not big on making a fire due to trauma and I'm really not the type of guy who would camp by himself but I love it when I get to help chop, break down and carry firewood and the person doing the fire gets to do his/her part. I learn to use my strengths and gain knowledge of what I'm weak at and little by little have them become my strengths. 

I do believe in that i you're going camping, you need to be in some kind of shape, maybe not professional athlete kind of shape but some form because if you're among people or by yourself, it can be awkward at times pitching a tent, chopping wood and carrying loads of it is hard work and swimming among a river or creek can at times be rugged and learning how to take the cold water. Ok maybe you don't need to be super strong to put up a tent but you do need some brains, coordination (especially if you find a spot where being at an awkward angle might happen) and the understanding of putting it up properly with some covering because if it rains or the tent isn't set up properly, you're in for a rough night. 

Being in shape has it's perks and not talking Gym Rat kind of shape. I don't think too many gym guys who have built their bodies using machines and metal can last very long chopping wood and than having to carry it. Most pretty boys wouldn't last ten seconds in a cold river or creek and many "gym strong" guys wouldn't have much strength to carry up a heavy cooler up rugged terrain or a small hill. For men (and women at times), you learn what real strength and conditioning is when you camp. 

This is why I love training using hammers, maces, sandbells, rubber cables, ab wheels and skipping; they give you tools to be in shape for the real world and learning how to use your body at awkward angles instead of just straight up and down. Train for the real world and utilize your knowledge to help others. 

Indian Clubs And Rope Skipping

Getting the body to wake up or getting out of a funk from being groggy can be a difficult task for many, especially those who have to be at work in the morning rushing out the door and sometimes forgetting your pants. Some take a nap and wake up still feeling like their energy is depleted. I'm not a morning person and had plenty of times where I napped and still felt tired and unmotivated.

Exercise can be a hell of a wake up and often times, better than a cup of coffee because you're releasing tension and opening up the body from the inside, creating energy and getting those endorphins in. With coffee, people drink it to get the caffeine and give their body that jolt of adrenaline and even help eliminate some waste but the trouble with most caffeinated drinks, that crash can drain you so bad that even recovery is difficult and gaining that energy back. 

A great routine you can do to wake up the body and wake up the brain is swinging the Indian Clubs & Jump Rope. Some people, like me aren't all coordinated with a regular Jump Rope so we use an alternative that anyone can use called the Ropeless Jump Rope. You can do all sorts of skipping movements with it and it'll never smack you in the ankle or foot. The Indian Clubs are incredible for building stamina and upper body conditioning while strengthening the shoulders, elbows and developing agility. They also work the brain because of the specific exercises to execute as you work the wrists and follow the centrifugal force.

You can do this routine as a superset, or do one series of exercises with the clubs and head straight to the rope. It builds awesome upper and lower body conditioning as you get into the high reps. For the clubs, I do sometimes up to 50 reps per arm for 100 total reps of an exercise and go up to 500-700 Reps for that workout. For the rope, sometimes i'll go 10 minutes straight or do no more than 500-1000 skips depending on how my body feels that day. This routine energizes the lymphatic system, strengthens the shoulder girdle, strong feet and ankles and works your reflexes. 

It's a very light workout, doesn't do a ton of impact on the joints and can be done just about anywhere at any time. A lot of us need energy to do the tasks that is needed from us and that's where we might be tested for our stamina and be able to keep going without fatiguing. As we get older, recovery becomes a bigger necessity than the training itself and we need to be able to keep on our toes and get plenty of rest, it varies for certain people but the principle still applies. 

So if you're in need of motivation to wake your ass up and get that blood pumping for the day, give this a shot and see what you can do. If you're to club swinging or haven't skipped rope in a while, do lesser reps and skips and build yourself up. Start with 10 reps per exercise and work up to 100 skips, after that build from there. The workout doesn't need any more than 20 minutes, that should be enough. In the beginning, start with 1-5 minutes. 

Come and check out Matt Furey's *NEW PRODUCT* The Success Posters based on The Theater Of The Mind from Psycho-Cybernetics.

Meditation Finisher

Training in a variety of ways reaps many benefits beyond the physical and the development of the body. There are workouts you can do that don't take very long and can be used as what's called a Finisher where you do your regular workout but at the end, you do an add on of getting that extra boost of hormones, energy and fat burning entities. This last no more than 10 minutes and if your workout isn't long to begin with, than 3-5 minutes is more than enough.

Finishers are awesome for burning those extra calories and keep burning long after the workout. It can be 3-5 exercises where you just blast right through (safely of course) with little to no rest for as many rounds as possible or they can be like a metabolic booster where you do tabata types of 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off or go through the exercises, rest 15-30 seconds than repeat for several minutes. Been a while since I've done one and maybe I just try one out today, you never know.

Now, if we did a finisher to boost our calorie burning, what if we took the Finisher approach and used it as one for Meditation? That might sound contradictory because why meditate and than just go like a madman for 5 minutes? Here's my idea of a different kind of finisher; you do a series of meditative exercise (Qi Gong, Yoga, Tai Chi, Dao Zou, Joint Loosening) for say around 30 minutes to an hour, just de-stressing and calming the mind and body, letting go of worries, fear, criticism and build clarity, endorphins, positive energy. As a finisher for no more than 10 minutes (minimum of 3) do a series of techniques of visualization, deep breathing and boosting even greater clarity and positive energy. Something to give that little oomph of even greater mental conditioning, emotional stabilization, eliminating negative energy at a bigger rate, just like getting rid of unwanted fat.

Here's an example of what I mean by Meditation Finisher.....You do the Dao Zou Program for 30 minutes, swimming in an ocean of peacefulness, mental clarity, brain power and effortless control of emotions by acceptance of the universe and shielded from negative thoughts and energy. Boosting your cognitive abilities and having the radiant energy of a zen monk. As a finisher, you listen, visualize and focus with emotional content the voice and sounds of Garin Bader's 5 minute session of The Magical Imagineering Theater. It's a mental fat burning audio of seeing your goals achieved and picturing yourself in a Success Arena/Theater in your mind. Taking mental pictures of being at your absolute best and most successful even if it hasn't happened yet. It opens up the door to your imagination and creating a new outlook of what YOU can achieve as long as you FEEL it, DREAM it and BELIEVE in it.

To me, the MIT is so damn powerful that every time I listen to it, something always happens within a short period of time. No more than a day or two, I see sales pop up, more money is made, getting positive reviews and clicks/views jump up almost doubled. It is just so amazingly awesome to feel such incredible energy and being able to send it out without strenuous effort. Now this doesn't mean you listen and not do anything. It helps you take action but with incredible passion and energy; you get into a greater flow that makes negative stress seem far in the background. It gives you the belief that the universe is on your side and developing that LAW of ATTRACTION.

Just listening to it once can have an impact on you, listen to it 2-3 times a day, success can come so easy, you thought it was a dream. You can achieve anything in the MIT, the next step is taking action. Boost your mental powers even more with a Meditation Finisher and see where it takes you.

The Spirit And Mysticism Of Animal Exercise

The mimicking of animals has been around for centuries, if not eons from the days of the hunter observing and understanding the movements of a wild deer, wolf, bear or any big animal in order to make a kill to the Shaolin Masters who practiced moving in animal like sequences for combat, moving meditation and defense to the modern day man using Animal Moves as recreation and health benefiting qualities for a better, functioning body. It is a timeless method of exercise that corresponds with the understanding of nature and it's tough yet beautiful construct.

As children, it benefits in a most crucial time in their lives because of the practice and development of gross motor skills and coordination to master the balance and strengthening of the human body both inside and outside. For teenagers and adults alike; the movements from a basic concept, build a rugged body but also teach how to form patterns within the brain and learning the ideas of functional muscle building and the will to test their abilities in agility, endurance, strength, durability and flexibility. It is meant for all ages but like every other method, it has to be tailored to the level their currently at whether it's the complete beginner or the superhuman like qualities that form incredible conditioning.

Crawling alone, tests ones ability to learn how to balance his/her body and understanding the strengths and weaknesses of the human structure. It can be both serious and fun at the same time. It can be a game or used as a punishment but when it comes down to it, it is a continuous cycle of being lost yet found again. The movements or names of the movements may have changed over the years but almost nothing has changed in the fact that it comes back again and again. When you give it a chance and open the doors to its possibilities, it's beyond an exterior looking concept of exercise, it is a door to unlocking the secrets of nature within all of us.

It is slow, it is fast, you can move in different directions, make up it as you go and use it as hard work but seen with the illusion and belief that is playful. Although it is watered down so many times, you can't take away the fact that when you use it as much of an interpretation of movement that humans can handle, it becomes a beautiful form of making the body strong for years to come. It has been broken down to concepts of Yoga, Breakdancing, "Primal" and gymnastic entities and that's where it becomes confusing. Cheetahs don't tie themselves in a pretzel or mimic a tree pose, the Gorilla doesn't do handstands or dance around to the cha cha, a Flamingo doesn't do tumbling moves and a bear doesn't move and always focus on opposite arm and leg movements; they run, jump, crawl and fight for the will to survive otherwise they'll be killed. 

The most awesome yet challenging aspects of animal movements is how to move at a moments notice in unexpected conditions. An example would be the Animal Dice Game; for most, it is just a random set of exercises and you count the steps/distance of that movement but the real depth of it is beyond just a game, it is an ideal experience of being prepared for the unexpected. In the jungle, it's unpredictable and things can sneak up on you at any time so you have to be ready for anything that'll come up and be on your guard. It's that fight or flight mode and also being ready to pounce or run in the blink of an eye. The idea is to teach the person an intuitive mindset that although you are practicing, you must always be ready and if you lose focus, you're a goner or you'll get hurt. It's about play but also learning preparedness and being able to change movements on a dime.

Workouts become play but even the most serious student of the method knows how tough it can be and practices the mindset of using it as way to master their body that most methods can't teach or apply to in a real situation. It is way of tackling your ability to condition the body for other things in life. It isn't easy for most people climbing a flight of stairs or being able to get up off the floor without feeling pain but if you had strong legs, arms that last and core strength to twist and turn without discomfort, you're on your way to being in condition to do those things easily. It can also aid in weight/fat loss because it is a multi-dimensional, multi-muscle grouped set of movements that burns calories like a furnace with the right applications of the movements.

Treat it as play but don't treat it as if it was the easiest thing in the world, it is hard, it's tough to do and if you do it wrong you'll painfully find out why. It is not meant to be easy but with seeing the simplicity of it, it becomes a world full of wonders and will have an effect on your psyche and your soul. Some see it as a myth in the sense of how it's used as a movement for only as a warm up and nothing else but others see the spirit of it in the sense it is a general outlook of developing a conditioned body and turning weaklings into strong individuals and overcoming an obstacle of generating the human condition within our natural selves. It is used in many cultures with their own versions but it is a gateway to learning nature in our own way. 

Conditioning The Hands

When I was in High School, I went out for the Shot Put & Discus. Wasn't all that good at it and didn't really do it for competition, I did it because my dad did the same thing at my age but I wasn't anywhere near his level. My best throws were a 32 ft shot put and 110ft Discus Throw. My training wasn't all that great either and because of it, I developed tendonitis and wrist problems. I even went to rehab at one point at 16-17 years old and it didn't really do me any good. 

At the time I was a busy bee doing School, S & D and Drama at the same time. Safe to say, my sleep and recovery wasn't very good and I use to stay up most nights until 1-2 in the morning because I was too wired. For some odd reason (and getting my own version of sex ed) was listening to Adam Corolla & Dr. Drew's Show on the radio to help me fall asleep. So what does this have to do with Hand Conditioning? At a young age, it sucked being hurt and not understanding how to keep my body in good condition whether for the Sport I was doing or thinking I could heal easily and not have problems. I didn't understand a damn thing when it came to training and just followed everyone else because it was easier that way and I paid the price for it.

Later on in my life after High School, I was going to the gym, still not understanding what the hell to do, had no one to teach me anything and ended up hurting myself to the point where before the age of 20, I woke up at times feeling like an 80 year old man with arthritis and pain in places where I didn't think existed. After studying Combat Conditioning and getting myself back into shape, I started learning other aspects of exercise that weren't just for muscle building and having a good set of lungs. Learned more about the tendons and ligaments, the smaller aspects yet important stuff of the human body. I remember my studies of anatomy when I was going to Massage School and used some of that to train myself. 

I learned right away some of the weaknesses in my lower arms, wrists and hands when I was doing Matt Furey's Carpal Tunnel Program and felt the need to not only improve, but eventually throw all the pain I had from a few years before out the fucking window. Started studying up more on training the fingers and building suppleness in the wrists. It was around this time I was also practicing strongman feats such as bending steel, ripping phonebooks, levering sledgehammers and others. My hands were getting stronger and started noticing that I wasn't having painful days like I use to. The one course (which isn't up and sold anymore as far as I know) that really skyrocketed my progress with Hand Conditioning was Garin Bader's Finger Gymnastics DVDs which to this day is still in my possession. 

Finger Gymnastics opened up a whole other world of possibilities for building strength, flexibility, dexterity and mobility in my hands. I was even noticing very small results from certain exercises with my right hand that I never noticed before. If you read the story about my Meningitis, you know that my right hand has some nerve damage and individual dexterity is virtually non existent but with this course, it taught me how to use my brain and my movements to create another outlook on the way I move my hands. For decades, it was difficult just to feel any sense of normalcy with my right hand, about 75%+ Dominant in my left hand and always felt out of my place to what I had to do with that other side. This course was what I needed more than 20 years prior to when I first learned about it. For me, it was the Holy Grail of Hand Training.

If you talked to Garin or learned the aspects of CoreForce Energy, he can show you incredible exercises that will open up your eyes and shock you to what you can do if you practiced these hand exercises. I was able to play golf with Right Handed clubs, took up gymnastics and could hang with just my right arm on the horizontal bar for a good period of time, better coordination in my other exercises and strongman feats and I was able to give better massages to the point where people thought I was using my elbow but it was my pinky, they couldn't tell the difference. 

To this day since learning Finger Gymnastics, I don't have tendonitis, have very supple yet strong wrists, my finger strength has increased to where I could pick up my 70 lb kettlebell with the middle finger of either hand, my forearms feel like bone yet flexible and elastic and more. 

Strengthen your hands and turn them into powerful weapons of awesomeness. To find out more about Finger Gymnastics, talk to Garin Bader at garin@coreforceenergy.com or you can find him on Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/garin.bader.