What Patterns Or Techniques Of Deep Breathing Work Best?

 The breath is one of our reasons for living and yet many of us take it for granted and don't give it a second thought. Let's face it, if we can't breathe, we will die, there's no getting around that. The type of breathing we do however can determine how calm we are and when we're in panic mode (negative stress), there's a lot of information out there on that subject but what is best to develop a strong system and flow of the body, not just to the muscles but to the organs and the brain?

Experimenting with different breathing patterns for years, some have worked very well and others have caused problems and even made me dizzy and disoriented. There are many patterns of breathing if you do enough research but which ones are worthy to trust and give you a better sense of focus and being relaxed or tense? There's Chest Breathing, Diaphragmatic Breathing, Box Breathing and others but which ones are bad for you and which ones are the real deal? 

Most people Chest Breathe because that was what they were taught later on in life and most likely picked up on it through observation and it become a normal thing. There are courses out there specifically for this type of breathing and some give it a few good points but it goes without saying, Chest Breathing can cause more harm than good; first off, it conditions the body to react to negative stress much faster and causes the Flight or Fight mode which depending on the situation puts an individual in a state of panic, anxiety and other forms of stress. In fitness, it is taught in old time courses to "expand the chest" and trim the waistline and help develop that V-Shape from the low abdomen to the top areas of the back. It can do wonders for a physique (possibly) but to overall health, it can be dangerous.

Diaphragmatic Breathing has shown to condition the body to react in a more calming state even in stressful situations, it's an expansion of the belly on the inhale and a pull back towards the lower back on the exhale. Some people use it as a meditative practice to keep the body relaxed and more in tuned with the mind and control of the breath. There are different areas of Diaphragmatic breathing that teach the body to stay in that relaxed state. Some have even shown results of increased cardio doing this. The Gracie family (most famously Rickson) use certain breathing patterns to keep going in BJJ and be able to roll around without gassing. 

Box Breathing is a specific technique where you inhale for a count, exhale for a count say a 4-count for each inhale and exhale. This is a more concentrated form of breathing where it programs the mind and body to focus more on where the breath goes and creating a "Boxed" format. Some people use this for walking and count the steps per inhale and exhale to create a rhythm or stride at a brisk pace. 

When you get caught in a situation that forces you to breathe in a certain manner, you never know what your breathing is because in a certain situation you don't always know if you need to be calm or go for the fight or flight. When I was in BJJ, I didn't understand completely what was happening around me and I did get caught in fight or flight mode and was gassing much quicker even though I was in decent shape. As I got better in handling my opponent, I was also breathing differently and was learning how to breathe during spars (just the workout of sparring in itself can bring on stress) but I was lasting a little longer each time, I still got my ass kicked but little by little I was lasting longer in matches and at certain times didn't get tapped at all and was able to keep going. 

What patterns or techniques work best? It depends on the goals you want to achieve but from my experiences, Diaphragmatic Breathing always worked in my favor more than anything else. Whenever I practiced Chest Breathing, I lost energy and stamina much faster and nearly blacked out one time in the gym after working so hard on a circuit and my breathing automatically went to the Chest because back then I didn't know any better. When I began experimenting with it in a different setting, the main difference between almost blacking out and actually concentrating on it was the way my body just caused more problems internally. With the "belly" breathing and even box breathing, I have greater energy, my cardio lasts longer and my body feels much better whether in the middle of a workout or after. I use it for Step-Up Training, Hiking, Swimming, during Animal Workouts and other activities. 

A variation of the Diaphragmatic Breathing is doing the "Breath Of Fire" technique I've seen Rickson Gracie do has been my latest experiment in how I apply breathing whether in a meditation or through my hard workouts and so far, I'm really liking it and it keeps me fresh every workout or activity I do. Is it for everyone? Maybe, maybe not but see what it can do and practice carefully and with focus, if you are having trouble with it, don't force it or hurt yourself. Breathe my friend. 

The Freedom Of Bodyweight Training

 When you become invested in your body's potential, you experiment and learn what it is capable of doing. Granted some programs are just flat out wrong or are twisted to the point where you're expected to do hundreds of a single exercise and call it training. Is hundreds of push-ups, squats, step-ups and/or pull-ups really necessary? Hell no unless you're a pro athlete and need to build a level of conditioning suited to specific goals and/or sports oriented training.

One of the benefits of bodyweight training is not just the fact they can be done anywhere and anytime, but they allow freedom in ways most methods can't. The freedom to express yourself through the use of your own body and do something unique and stepping out of the box. There's Animal Movements, there's a way to express the way you do push-ups and other calisthenics without feeling bored or sore the next day and you can learn how to use them as play more than just a workout. Now I do believe in safety and some exercises are not meant for everyone but with a long term goal, you can be creative without risking injury.

This ability to develop an imagination with exercise and movement in general can be an asset through the use of CoreForce Energy where it teaches how to incorporate sounds, techniques that pit the mind and body together to create faster movements, explosiveness and endurance. The breath work from this course is worth the price in itself as it shows how to be stronger on both the inhale and the exhale while most feel stronger through one or the other. It teaches how to pinpoint certain aspects of movement so you can be more fluid and stronger at the same time whether it's lifting a kettlebell, going up a flight of stairs, carrying a suitcase or building greater strength in your push-ups and squats.

With safe modalities and unnecessary risks, you create bodyweight workouts how you see fit, you don't always have to do things up and down, you can go sideways, make twists and turn, forwards and backwards, hell you can even do 360 jumps if your body can withstand it and create combinations that would baffle people. Sure I have done goofy stuff in my workouts and have done some workouts where I was told how nuts I was but that's the beauty of the way I do things, it gives me freedom to express myself without saying anything and just doing it. 

You learn to apply the mindset that when you let yourself be free, a whole new world will open up to you. This could apply to weights too and the best person that teaches the freedom with weights in my opinion is Bud Jeffries, nobody I've ever heard of except maybe Garin Bader and a couple others uses more expression and off the wall experimental aspects of training than Bud does, he's unique in that aspect and challenges the norm more than anyone. Having the fundamentals is a key and once you have them down, in the words of Anakin Skywalker in Episode 3 "This is where the fun begins", you now learn how to use your imagination to create workouts that are meant for you and your goals. 

Be expressive in your training, make it work for you and inspire others to show their creative side to exercise. You can learn all the exercises you want and some may not work but don't restrict yourself to what's going on externally, once you can bring out what's internal, you'll have greater power and movement. Bodyweight Training is not just calisthenic based exercise, it's a window to a creative world where your body is the canvas, your mind is the paint brush and your movement is the painting. 

 

Where Did Ginastica Natural Really Originate?

 Experimentation is always the best way of finding out what works, what doesn't and how to apply it to your daily life (or through a program). Where do these experimentations come from? Someone had to come up with something and someone else takes a concept and molds it to their own design. That's one of the beautiful things about exercise, there's always something to develop either in addition or as a self-discovery through practice of what makes you the best you can be.

One of the fascinating practices of bodyweight training is what's called Ginastica Natural; it's a Brazilian based exercise concept using techniques and combinations in Yoga, Gymnastics & Animal Style Movements that although can be used for developing a healthy lifestyle is more along the lines of being used to train BJJ Fighters and other sources of MMA. One of the most famous fighters to train in this style (successfully) has been Rickson Gracie. It was created by Alvaro Ramano (who was trained by the Gracies) and later adopted by his son Rafael . 

It doesn't just apply to movements in a more natural setting, it also takes on the practice of certain breathing techniques and patterns based on areas of Yoga that helps one stay relaxed and oxygenated to the point where if it's mastered, you can practically go for long periods of time without getting winded or create unnecessary tension. Rickson demonstrates this so beautifully in a clip from the movie Choke. To see a smaller sample of this type of breathing (still from Rickson), there's a scene in 2008's The Incredible Hulk where an instructor shows Bruce Banner how to control his emotions and breathing, it is a very inspiring scene that only lasts less than a minute or so. Some of the control in the breathing makes the Abdominals move like a dance, similar to old time bodybuilders such as Otto Arco practicing Muscle Control.

Now, where did this combo style even come from, it's been proven Alvaro didn't invent it (more or so popularized it and was adapted by others later on with similar concepts). From my research (and more so on Rickson), the practice was based on the teachings of Brazilian Yoga Instructor Orlando Cani. Orlando demonstrates practically an identical format that shows the breathing patterns, the movements, the stretches and more long before Alvaro came along. This practice was more to the tune of giving people an opportunity to understand their own body's abilities to create a more natural state of activity along with controlling the emotional state and well being. Alvaro used this as well but if you look deep into his style, it's more for athletes (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioners) and those who want to develop a greater physique. 

For all intents and purposes, GN originally came from Cani (which he called Biogymnastics) who was a former athlete in his own right in Swimming, Artistic Gymnastics and other sports. He trained many athletes alongside his instruction for Yoga from all walks of life (including Rickson Gracie and MMA Legend Marco Ruas) that included those in MMA, Dance, Swimming, Theater and Beach Volleyball. 

Now does it really matter where this concept originated from? To the masses, not so much but there should be credit where credit is due. Both Orlando & Alvaro aren't big dudes, at best soaking wet they're no more than 145-155 lbs. but they're skills are incredible and their breath work is so powerful yet beautiful. If you ever watch sparring sessions with the Gracies, they're a testament to this concept in how to apply the breath not just for staying calm in very intense situations but to be in such physical condition, getting winded is almost non-existent. They're conditioning is by far some of the best in history. 

Step Ups: An Underrated Conditioning Exercise

 Step Ups were first known as a fitness test during World War 2 (called the Harvard Step Test by Lucien Brouha) to test a person's cardiovascular system which also helped determine a person's recovery ability after strenuous exercise. To test this, the way it went down was a person had to step up and down within a second per leg and went at a rate of 30 reps total per minute for 5 minutes or until complete exhaustion. There were variations of this test by others but this was the biggest one known at the time.

Although many athletes have done this exercise, it has gone by the wayside because it's not a big time exercise that executes top level strength as opposed to Squats and other Leg Movements. The truth of the matter is, with the right height for a person that is congruent with a leveled step up, it can be and should regarded as a great conditioning exercise that does build muscle while acting as a phenomenal stamina builder. When this test was first issued, the subject at hand didn't factor in a person's height or the dangers of overlapping the leg's ability to stay within a level for the joints. If a person was too tall, the test would've been too easy because it wouldn't take much to step up but if a person was too short, they're overextending the hip joint and that could cause an injury to the joints along the hips and quad muscles.

To make this exercise efficient and provide a safe level of working the muscles and the hip joints, a person should have a step up that doesn't extend their knees past the navel point of the abdomen. Some people are flexible with their legs but if you're doing reps over an extended period of time, you don't want to risk the health of your joints otherwise you'll be in pain for a very long time. My step up is no more than 14 inches which is perfect for my height (5'10) and doesn't put pressure on the ankle joints and shin bones from my injuries. I have been training my wife in the step ups and for her height (4'11), 14 inch step up would be too much on her knees and ankles so we have a gym step up that is at best 10 inches which gives her a good lift but doesn't put pressure on her legs, she'll often do 50-200 reps in a workout depending on her energy levels and the workouts I put her through.

My workouts normally with step ups is 20-30 minutes non stop doing 10-20 reps per leg at a time. If I'm feeling ambitious on certain days, i'll do no more than 1000 within an hour or less. In other words I don't do workouts longer than an episode of a tv show. Most of the time, I'll just do step ups as a cardio workout and than do other stuff later in the day. To ensure I'm keeping my joints healthy to continue doing them, I would do Isometric Step Ups from time to time. This type of training has helped me do hikes without getting winded or fatigued and can easily go up flights of stairs.  

Most wouldn't think Step Ups are hard and often times don't consider it much of an exercise unless there's added weight involved. There's nothing wrong with adding resistance to step ups but just doing them in and of themselves can be tough as hell especially if you're hitting the hundreds to a thousand or more. What you may not realize is that at some point during the day, a lot of us already do some form of step up whether it's going up stairs, walking up the steps of an arena, going up hill or taking up boxes to an apartment. The funny thing is, climbing up stairs and such can give you a real test to see how your conditioning is.

One of the best athletes to ever do the Step Up and has made it an exercise that holds true testament is legendary wrestling champion Bob Backlund who has gone sometimes hours doing this exercise. At a tv taping of Impact one year when he was doing an appearance, he did step ups the whole time for 2 hours that included before the fans arrived till the time they left. That is some crazy conditioning. 

For most people, just a few minutes of this exercise can tell you a lot about your cardio and how fit you are. Don't underestimate it, try it out in your own workouts and see what you can do. Just do your bodyweight, don't add resistance until you have done a good number of reps within a solid time frame. Start out doing them 1-2 times a week for no more than 10 minutes, if you prefer sets and need to recover in between, do so and reduce the rest time each workout 5-10 seconds, As you get better, add reps. If you can do a total of 100 without stopping, that's a great start, 500 is pretty damn good, once you hit 1000 in under an hour, that's a sure way of saying "yep that guy's crazy" lol. 

Remember, "Conditioning is your best hold."- Karl Gotch. 

Slow Moving Push-Ups

 Every now and then I like to test my strength in various ways and with the training or demo videos I've put up on tik tok recently it's starting to slowly get noticed which I'm grateful for. I'm not big on push-ups these days but it's cool to see what's possible and how much strength it takes to do something you normally don't do. 

I test myself in how slow I can do a push-ups in a variety of ways and one of them was to see if I can do one push-up within a minute or so on my fists. For some, it's not that difficult but for others, it takes a lot of strength and patience to keep the tension going and I'm happy to say I've done it. You can view it HERE. Another video I tested myself on was doing a Fingertip Push-up and seeing if I can even do a minute, after a few attempts, I did in just over a minute. That one hurt (discomforting not painful) and still feeling some of the effects just in my thumbs but I'm glad I did it. You can view it HERE. This was more about how strong my tendons are and how far I've come in my training. Safe to say, I'm not doing this again anytime soon.

Doing push-ups slower builds a different level of strength and endurance that might actually be safer than doing dozens to hundreds of push-ups a day. Doing them slower tests your not just the muscles but the structure itself and learning to control your body in a different manner. Think about it, if someone can do 100 Push-ups in a row and someone can do just 1 Push-up that takes just as long as 100 Push-ups who's stronger? Either one has awesome strength and endurance but when it comes to control, that 1 Push-up might have to take the cake. It's basically a Dynamic Tension exercise where you create tension as you move. 

I've always believed in challenging yourself to see what is possible and if you never do it again afterwards, that's awesome and you know that at one time or another you made something possible and nobody can take that away from you. I started doing slower push-ups when I was doing DDP Yoga for a period and doing 9-30 count Push-ups were hard but I loved the challenge. It tested me in a way that still makes me work hard to this day when it comes to a challenge. After doing thousands of Push-ups over the years, doing them slower actually feels better and seeing strength from a different point of view. 

That one minute plus Fingertip Push-up however, was one of the hardest I've ever attempted and although I didn't think or a second my fingers would dislocate, I still felt the discomfort from pressing that hard into the mat and trying to control my body, as you see in the video, I start shaking really hard during that last part of the ascent, I didn't want to fail so I kept going. I even made it a challenge on Tik Tok and only one person took it, it was a female welsh fighter and she did her damndest, I applaud her for even attempting, it takes a toll on someone and you need very strong fingers to pull it off. 

So, even if you don't go after that kind of push-up, just doing regular push-ups slowly and see what is possible. You'd be surprised how much strength it takes to do one so damn slow that muscular strength isn't the only thing going into play. Give it a try and see how you do. 

A Great Benefit Of Isometrics Especially In The Winter Time

 

Although it's a necessary activity during winter, snow shoveling can be fun, especially when you listen to music. Sometimes, shoveling can have light or powdery snow but at times you'll get that slush that just isn't always easy to move. It is important to be in shape and be prepared for what the snow can bring. That's one of the great benefits of being able to do Isometrics.

When you shovel (depending on the design of it), it's not just a pick up and dump on a spot, there's the rotating of the trunk, making every muscle work to do it efficiently and stabilizing the core muscles so you don't get injured. I realize some people have a plow and it makes it easier but some of us don't have that luxury and need to do things the hard way. Normally it doesn't take me more than a half hour to shovel and depending on if there's slush or not, it doesn't wear me out all that much. Because of Isometrics and incorporating techniques in my Breathing and CoreForce Energy Training, I have never gotten winded or injured shoveling snow. 

Mainly with the Isometrics, it helps build strength in the muscles and tendons I need to be consistent with the pace of the shoveling itself. The countless angles and specific points Isometrics provide, have helped me move faster and utilize greater power for that hard to move slush at times. Being able to be strong at awkward angles creates better movement for the tasks needed to get done. When your body is strong at a variety of angles, you can do things that would baffle most people. It's not even angle specific, it's being able to control your body in positions that you didn't realize that could be strong. 

I never truly understood the benefits of Isometrics until a year or two of being really into them and seeing the results not just in how to contract, relax and control the muscles but in how my movements were smoother, strong, powerful and with agility. When you really dig deep into what Isometrics really are, they have a component of building your cardio as you truly apply the muscular contractions whether with short intensity or longer holds. Isometrics are a key component in how I do activities such as wood chopping, snow shoveling, picking up furniture, how I prevented certain submissions in MMA, my animal moves and other things.

Isometrics work wonders and when it comes to handling snow and moving furniture, they're a lifesaver. When you need speed, power, strength and conditioning for the long haul, Isometrics will be there. The fact that you can do them anywhere is just icing on the cake. 

Do You Have Excess Energy At Night?

Sleeping isn't always that easy with people especially when it comes to responsibilities like kids, jobs and dealing with deadlines. There are more mental and emotional factors too as it may be hard to hit the sack. There's also the possibility of either running on fumes, you napped earlier in the day or drank caffeine too late in the day. With kids, they can be very restless at a young age.

I've been a night owl for as long as I can remember, there were at times when I was 11 or 12 where I stood up at night on weekends or read a book at night during the week and was difficult to fall asleep. When I was in high school, I'd stay up to listen to Adam Carolla & Dr. Drew's radio show. I wouldn't be able to fall asleep till 2 in the morning and have to be up by 6:30. I over stimulated my brain quite a lot.

There are at times when having excess energy can't be a good thing because when you don't let your mind and body rest, it can lead to insomnia, possibly have hallucinations, night terrors for when you finally do sleep or it can lead to a breakdown. We need that energy during the day to get tasks done and form that balance of doing what we need to do and let our bodies die down at night so we can be ready the next day.

One of the things that has helped me at night at times is Bridging or Animal Movements. Recently, I tried out some Hindu Burprees or a combo of the Hindu Squat & Hindu Push-up. I would do as many reps as possible until I'm out of breath and then walk around a bit to catch my breath. Once everything dies down, I feel a hell of a sensation or "high" in my body, I would take a cold shower afterwards and within minutes of laying down, I'm out like a light. That kind of workout takes maybe a couple minutes max, to me it's way better than taking a pill or do something really boring. This is just an idea.

Reading a book can be vey helpful to just stimulate the brain enough to wear down certain areas. If you happen to get really into the book, that can come back to bite you in the ass. Watching TV is way over stimulating and doing too many things at once and if you happen to fall asleep, it may cause problems later on. Some people can't sleep because there's too much on their mind and can't quite quiet things down no matter what they do, so they find ways to distract themselves but more often than not, it leads to worse problems. It is hard and it may feel like at times there's no end and your excess energy or overstimulation just takes over.

Do what you can little by little and do your best to sleep. Some people like to take pills or drink some wine but if you're taking pills, eventually you might have to take more because you've built a tolerance and drinking isn't always the best choice, even in moderation because over time, your body will come to rely on it and can cause damage. I hate having to take something and drinking is no where near on my radar for anything. There could be a solution if you're willing to give it a chance, it's a tincture called Blue Vervain, it is meant to help calm the body down and relax which in turn can help with falling asleep. Albizia Powder can also be a way to help you sleep, it's meant to support your sleep and emotional well being; the herb itself and its compounds is known to be as "The Tree Of Happiness."

Give these herbs a chance and maybe even grab a Sleep Bundle to really kickstart your sleep. Excess energy can be good in some areas but when it comes to sleep, we want to sleep well enough to be ready for the next day and have optimal energy for it. We spend 1/3rd of our lives sleeping and getting the best sleep can lead to a happier life. 

Taking The Gym Anywhere Using Resistance Bands

 Needing a building to get in shape is like saying you need Harley Quinn to be your Therapist, there are other options out there. Seriously though, you can go to the gym if that's your preferred place to go get a workout. Some love that because it's like getting away for awhile and focusing on yourself and doing something that is rewarding to you, but that's not the end all-be-all option. Sure there's a lot of equipment to choose from but does it save you the amount of time you can truly use?

Resistance Bands have been around for decades and with the most recent ads of the X3 and other banded products, you can virtually take your workout anywhere. The best set of Bands to get is from Lifeline Fitness period. They're inexpensive, they last a long time and provide the lightest to bands so damn heavy that the strongest men in the world can barely budge if at all. 

I would sometimes do research on weightlifting routines either from books, the internet or from DVDs I have and get ideas on how I can do those same routines with the bands or make up one as I go. Doing workouts ranging from conditioning to strength training to agility training, I've got more routines in my head and more exercises than I can count but only end up doing a fraction for the kind of training that suits me. I train mostly in my Garage but at times I'll do a workout in my office while I take a break from writing or want to be in much warmer areas of the house. That's the beauty about the Bands, you can take them anywhere and still have an ass kicking workout.

One of my favorite workouts these days is a conditioning workout where you do Supersets of various band exercises and step ups for building stamina and strength in the legs. Mainly I would do curls, presses and rows with the bands and do step ups after them. The lightest I use is my 100 lb TNT Cable, the heaviest I do is the heaviest cables I have and that's putting two 40 lb Resistance Cables with the 100 lber to total 180 lbs of resistance, those are tough as hell at times but it provides a hell of a strength workout for the upper body. 

The objection of my workouts to do as little rest as possible to the point where I keep going without resting. The lighter band I use is purely for conditioning purposes. At one workout doing supersets I totaled 500 Reps with the Cable(s) and 500 Step Ups, the only rest was maybe marking off a set which took a few seconds. 

After some time at the gym for nearly a year, I was glad to get away from it, I really only went there because there was a strongman room with stones, heavy bags and logs along with a place for MMA and after experiencing both, I do miss it but my heart wasn't fully in them. I did break some PR's there and had the opportunity to spar with a former UFC fighter and quite a few champs in BJJ along with my coach. My gym will always be the world around me and I'm more keen to training at home where I know where everything is, I can listen to my own style of music, don't have to pay to eat somewhere and no one to wait on for equipment. Within a total of less than 30 minutes, I can have the best workouts of my life.

The biggest take on using bands is that you can adjust the resistance within seconds and unlike weights, the the longer you stretch the band, the heavier it gets as oppose to the same resistance throughout an entire movement. The gym can be an amazing place depending on the area it is in and the people that have positive attitudes but it can also be a pain in the ass because you have to find a way to get there, change clothes, at times wait for your turn on the equipment, get your workout in, change back into regular clothes (maybe shower first) and find your way back home. With Bands, you save a hell of a lot more time and save so much freaking money it is ridiculous. 

If you have a gym to go to and you love it, continue to do it but if you're traveling or have no desire to go to the gym that day but still want to do something for a workout, get the bands out and take them with you or get them out of a bag or little storage space you put them in and get cracking. Make the most of what you have and use the time that is meant for you. Train to believe you can do a workout no matter where you are and never limit yourself the knowledge of what is possible. 

Burning Out And Changing It Up

 Often times we are told to give it "All we got" and "Go at 110%." I've fallen for this many times and at times I don't realize that I'm doing it because I'm so far into the zone. In my early gym days in my late teens, I would hammer out what I could do and see how far I can push myself. At one point, at 19, I was pushing so hard that I woke up so stiff and hurt that getting out of bed felt nearly impossible. For years, I would do my best to find the right kind of workouts that challenged me and see what my limits were. Being burnt out wasn't uncommon.

For some odd reason or another, routines were never my strong suit, no matter how hard I tried, doing a consistent program just never felt right with me. I would be into it for a bit but it becomes less and less of an exciting thing to do and the spark I have goes out faster than when it was lit up. There was a time where I consistently did the Matt Furey Exercise Bible but after several workouts finishing a full deck, it became boring and I wasn't putting in the enthusiasm I normally would put into. Another time would be doing Animal Workouts (Even though they're a favorite), I would just naturally stop and move on because it just never felt as exciting as I want it to be.

People get caught up in the ways of being told that if you did X amount of squats everyday, go to the gym X times a week or run X amount of miles, you'll be in awesome shape. How about going in for the long haul. Unless you're an athlete or just flat out crazy and have an obsession, there's only so many times you can do thousands of squats, going to the gym is great but do you really need a building to go to to get in shape? Running can be good for a while but there's a high risk of developing problems with ankles and knees. I personally believe that doing what suits you is what gives you the greatest benefit, but don't do it because some nutjob with a greedy hand and very little knowledge of real fitness told you what to do.

Being burnt out can be debilitating not just physically but even more so mentally and emotionally. You get so excited and enthusiastic that it just won't end until you've reached that point. When you're burnt out, you shut down and it's hard to determine when you'll get back up on your feet. After more than 15 years of doing something every single day, I've learned and continue to learn that it's more important to do something that makes you happy than to do something that burns you to the ground and having to crawl out of the ashes every single time and repeat the process. 

As you have seen with my workouts over the years, I'm always changing things up not because I don't enjoy a good routine every now and then but to constantly use my brain and find things that are fun to do and do them because of the challenge and seeing what is possible. I do have a form of ADD, I will admit that and I get bored quickly when it comes to workouts, so I'm always having to shift and find things to do that keep me wanting more and backing off if needed. The funny thing is, my constant changing of workouts has kept me in far better shape than a 3-4 week routine because when I change workouts often, I'm not neglecting anything and I learn how my body reacts, with a routine; I end up feeling I'm neglecting certain areas or overusing the muscles i'm working and needing to back off due to nearly injuring myself.

Workouts should suit the needs of an individual but at the same time, if you don't have a passion for them or don't get that spark or twinkle in your eye when you're training, it won't help you in the long run and you'll be doing workouts like a Zombie; no real attachment, no enthusiasm and never feeling happy or looking forward to what lies ahead. I train because it makes me happy, it's one of the few things in my life that has constantly been my rock and place to go. I have lost friends, fallen short on relationships, lose family members in death, times going through depression and have been to the hospital on a couple occasions but aside from my wife and the people in my life, working out has been my life saver because without it, I wouldn't be who I'am.    

Can Isometrics Be Good For Women?

 For Women, losing weight and building muscle isn't as easy as it is for us guys. There is a fine line between an athletically toned and functionally strong woman as opposed to women with muscles bigger than an ectomorph male's head that went on a steroid cycle. Most women have trouble getting rid of the unwanted fat and flab and not always because of a genetic makeup or after having kids, it is possible to develop not only a high metabolism that burns off the fat they want but also build muscle that is not only awesome but functional, useful and gives them energy.

Isometrics have a lot more benefit than many in the fitness world give them credit for. They burn fat like crazy when properly applied, form a natural structure to the body, relieve back pain, strengthen the internal organs and builds strength for the long haul. Many women either don't know the full extent of Isometric Exercise or are fearful because they believe it'll make them bulky which in reality isn't true. You gals can develop a beautiful feminine figure if you set your mind to it, not look like a bodybuilder and naturally revitalize the way your body was meant to develop. 

Think of the overall health you ladies can have with doing Isometric Exercises. The type of health that can strengthen your immune system, a stronger bone structure and prevent osteoporosis. Did you know a pound of muscle can burn up to 75 calories a day? What if I also told you a pound of fat only burns 3 calories a day? Think about this for a moment, if you added say just 10 pounds of muscle that is lean, not only will you be faster, stronger and not to mention fitter, you'll be burning up to 750 calories while you freaking sleep. For doing not even moving a muscle you've just burnt off 1lb of fat in a 5 day period.

Also think about this; it has been said women are more fragile and need to be careful so they don't hurt themselves, I say that's bullshit because if you practiced Isometrics, you can be far better protected from injuries because you'd be toughening up the tendons and ligaments along with stronger muscle that won't tear as easily. Women have a right to protect themselves physically, mentally, emotionally and often times spiritually so why not do something that will protect them in the long run?  

Now there are some problems with certain routines that women do and fall into a trap with; developing those troubled areas such as the legs, butt and abdominals. The reason why is because of the "idea" of gaining weight and losing that muscle tone in those specific areas. This is where you need to understand that focusing almost all your attention to those troubled areas can lead to a bad downfall because overdevelopment can happen and you're left with bad muscular imbalances that not only loses the value of how you want to appear but can also cause pain and irritating discomfort. If you want the very best out of your routine, focus on the whole body that creates something more balanced and beautiful. 

One of the perks of doing Isometric Exercise is that you can do them anytime, anywhere and the workouts only take a fraction of the time it takes to get to a gym, change, workout, change, drive home. That will save you so much time for the tasks or responsibilities you have going on in your life. 10-15 minutes can do wonders for you. 

Want to start getting fitter, healthier and stronger using Isometrics? Than come and check out this book by Fitness Trainer & Author Marlon Birch called Isometric Lean for Life (Build Your best Body Ever). A course specifically for Women. 

What Did Other Countries Do To Get In Condition For Wrestling?

 One of the biggest crazes in the last 20+ years when it comes to getting in shape has been bodyweight exercises by Matt Furey with Combat Conditioning, bringing to light for the public doing Hindu Squats, Hindu Push-ups & the Bridge as the main 3. Learning them from the legendary Karl Gotch and teaching others to develop a level of conditioning for sports mainly wrestling and MMA forms of fighting. Although the transition went in the direction of getting the average person in shape without needing to be a wrestler or someone in a high level of sports, what did those who wrestled, boxed or did combat sports do before Karl Gotch came along?

The Indian & Middle Eastern wrestlers were a force to be reckoned with when it came to the sport and in parts of those areas, wrestling was called the King Of Games. They believed so highly on the elements of physical conditioning that it became a basic entity if you wanted to wrestle or were brought to the Akhara to learn the craft. Karl learned these exercises from a wrestler of that part of the world in England and in turn, they became his foundation and taught it to other wrestlers from that point on. My question is, if these exercises were the ultimate for wrestling, what were the ultimate for everyone else before Gotch was even born?

The Hindu style wasn't always adopted by some of the greatest wrestlers in the world. I've never read anything about Tom Jenkins, Frank Gotch, George Hackenshmidt, Ed Lewis, Ad Santel or Billy Riley doing those particular exercises for wrestling, so what did they supplement their wrestling?

In Russia, you had wrestlers doing all sorts of exercises but one of their main implements was the Kettlebell, did they know the Hindu style at all during the early 1900's or even in the 50's when they were dominating the Olympics? For the most part, most countries did do some form of supplementation to wrestling yet a lot of what they did was drill, drill, drill and do just wrestling. Japan has Sumo Wrestling but weren't very known for Freestyle, Greco-Roman or Catch Wrestling until someone like Gotch or Lou Thesz came along and turned the tides from their biggest star from the land of the rising son Rikidozan.

Wrestlers never truly needed fancy equipment or do a ton of supplementation but who truly knows what they used in times before technology came along. The Greeks as far as I know, developed the early stages of calisthenics and when they created the Olympics, Wrestling was the biggest event. How did those athletes in that era train for the sport of wrestling? From certain records, it was just that, wrestling. 

One of the biggest pioneers in both fitness and modern catch wrestling was Farmer Burns who created a system that included elements of Deep Breathing, Calisthenics, Isometrics and light weight training to condition the body but wrestling was the main form of exercise. If you ever read up on the Farmer, you know he was one of the toughest and greatest wrestlers of his era, losing only 7 matches in his entire career out of thousands of matches. I never saw anything resembling the Hindu Style from him. 

Ed "Strangler" Lewis was considered by many to be the greatest wrestler in History. His conditioning was just unbelievable and not only could he cripple you, just wrestling in general would make any opponent tire out regardless of the shape he was in. Once wrestling for more than 5 hours in a professional match, it was a miracle he was still alive to go again within a good period of time. I never read up on him doing exercises like the push-ups and the squats. I'm not saying he didn't do them but there isn't a ton of evidence to what his supplementation was. Could be wrong. He did say however that wrestling was the best exercise and the best body builder (a term in his day for getting in physical condition). 

In Senegal, wrestling is one of if not the biggest sport in that area of Africa and some of those guys are just monsters, beasts who don't just wrestle but have a form of knuckle boxing as well I believe. They're style of wrestling is similar to the Hindu Style of Kushti. The supplementation exercises I've seen from a documentary shows some calisthenics and weight training using modern equipment but when it comes down to it, if you can't wrestle, you're not in shape which is more or less a cultural thing from every country. 

Some wrestlers don't do supplementation exercises and just wrestle, some coaches or old-timers would say that to test your condition, you wrestled and see where you're at. If they did any form of supplementation, it  was merely to keep themselves healthy like stretching, light calisthenics or run. What Karl Gotch brought to the the table is what practically everyone did later to build up to last in the ring or on the mat. He believed conditioning using bodyweight exercises was the start and once you're in shape, you started to wrestle. In part, I believe that to be true but even Billy Robinson has said that it didn't matter if you did 5000 Squats, it's not going to make you a great wrestler. Some of the most conditioned fighters today still gas out after a round or two in the cage/ring or on the mat and there's questions as to why if they put in the time and training, why they still running out of gas in the middle or even in the beginning of a fight?

Wrestling overall is just plain tough, pure and simple. Some are successful supplementing, others just wrestle and dominate. The point is, condition your body to a degree where it comes down to wrestling and preventing injuries as much as possible like any other sport, however; for some, just wrestling isn't going to cut it, do exercises that will help you stay in shape for the entire duration of a match, it doesn't matter how big or strong you are, you can still get your ass kicked and at times it will come down to conditioning and you better be at the top of your game otherwise sooner or later, you'll get tired and your opponent will pick up on it and beat you to the ground.

2 For 1 Deal On Conditioning And Fat Burning

 It's always fun to discover new things, doing what keeps you interested and rediscovering certain aspects of fitness. For me, I'm rediscovering the Burpee or better yet, a variation called the Hindu Burpee (Combination Of The Hindu Squat & Hindu Push-Up). 

I was doing this variation for a period some time ago and it went by the wayside for other forms of training. After seeing Matt Furey do it recently, it gave me a reason to go back to it. This is just one way of doing this exercise but there are other progressions and little goodies to make this exercise more interesting. Think of it as a 2 For 1 Deal on getting in shape fast using the methods based on Combat Conditioning.

As you know, I like my workouts short and to the point, if I go longer, usually that means i'm either really into it or i'm doing a challenge for myself. This exercises makes a better workout than doing the squats and push-ups individually. The rest periods are similar to doing Sprints, you do a set of Burpees that will get you winded but not going to failure or fatiguing and then just walk around or take your time to catch your breath as long as needed and repeat. Just a few sets is more than enough for most people.

It is awesome to work out using an exercise that gives you the best of both worlds from the two exercises in the Royal Court. I will go fast on this exercise but not so fast that it looks sloppy and going for quantity over quality. Doing the best to my ability, i'll do enough that really hits my body but still have energy left in the tank afterwards and bring in heavy doses of Natural Growth Hormone during and after the workout. 

Unlike Sprints, you can do this exercise everyday but be sure to learn the important details of how it's done and progress to a certain level at your own pace. You can do a set at every hour on the hour throughout the day, do a workout that lasts a few minutes or you can do one set of as many as you can and call it a day. This is amazing for getting in shape really fast and be able to burn calories like crazy without ever having to leave the house. You can do it anytime and anywhere and will turn your body into a lean and mean fighting machine.

How Much More Crazy Can The World Go?

 Growing up watching various sports such as Basketball, Baseball, Football and Hockey it was always fun seeing great plays unfold and records being broken. When I research and watch old school films and clips from a generation long before me, it always fascinated me when a sport evolves with the times whether it was good or bad. I was born into the generation of the steroid era of sports in the 1980's so a lot of what I saw were athletes juicing it up and breaking records left and right which was cool to see at the time but as an adult, it's just sad to see some of the same athletes die so young.

When it came to Baseball, for the most part of my life was of a San Francisco Giants fan, seeing Barry Bonds in action, watching the greats like Rob Nen, Will Clark, Matt Williams and others was a treat for me. Going to Candlestick Park with my dad and sitting in the same seats fans did of yesteryear watching Juan Marichal, Willie Mays, Willie McCovey and Gaylord Perry. I never had any aspirations to be a Baseball player but always enjoyed watching the game, playing stick ball in the streets and of course being a little kid in the 90's, playing video games hitting Homeruns with Ken Griffey Jr. at the plate.

I was 5 years old when the big earthquake hit the Bay Area. It was Game 3 of the World Series when it was the Bay Area series of The Giants & The Oakland A's that also had the Bash Brothers at that time (Jose Canseco & Mark McGwire). Scary times man and all I kept thinking about was where to even sit since so many things came crashing down, I was at my second mom's house who ran a daycare (still does today) and spent a few days there until things settle, plus my parents were going through a divorce around this time.

Back to it huh? Sorry, sometimes I hate how my memory works. Although I was a big Basketball Fan in the 90's watching the likes of Michael Jordan and the Bulls, Baseball was another thing with me that I didn't understand till years later when I was researching and learning about it's history and the impact it has on American Culture. When a Pitcher is up against the Batter, it's not just if one can strike out, hit a texas leaguer or smack one out of the park; it's about who can change the entire complexity of the game, who is better than the other in that moment and will history unfold? Sure it has it's boring moments but every once in a while, there's those magical moments that take your breath away. The steadiness of a Base Stealer, a batter so feared that intentionally walking him with the bases loaded was a pitcher's better option than to see that batter shatter him with a potential grand slam, just one pitch that can determine either a hit or a perfect game, turning a double play that wins the world series or hitting a walk-off homerun that can shatter an opposing team's chance of winning the Pennant. 

The point i'm making here is those moments are a treasured and when those same players that were in the same era as your parents and grandparents kick the bucket, it becomes a distant memory of what was good in the world in those moments of time. Al Kaline, Tom Seaver, Bob Gibson, Lou Brock, Joe Morgan & Whitey Ford have all died so far this year and the only thing left of their legacies and legendary prowess are the memories of people who watched them play. Kaline was a mighty hitter for the Tigers, Seaver was a wrecking machine for hitters with teams that included the Mets, The Cardinals' most feared pitcher Gibson was a force of nature on the diamond, Lou Brock was one of the greatest Base Stealers in history only to be surpassed by the legendary Rickey Henderson, Joe Morgan was a finely tuned player that helped shape the Big Red Machine of the Cincinnati Reds and was a SF Giant towards the end of his career, Whitey Ford was nicknamed the Chairman Of The Board and is quite possibly the greatest pitcher in the History of the New York Yankees. 

How much more can this year take? How much more do we have to endure a year that has taken so much and made so many suffer? Cherish what is now and live the best you can because you never know when and how those moments will last. Make the most of what you have count and live for the moments that can end in the blink of an eye. 

Taking A Break From The Workout Madness

 Now this doesn't mean to stop working out, it means to step back a bit from the rough and craziness that certain workouts tend to put on some people. When I say step back a bit, I mean that literally. Often times, a good workout just means to de-stress the mind and body. To clear the cobwebs and get into a much calmer and more focused state of mind.

Letting go of negative emotions isn't always easy and it's no fun when it sneaks up on you in areas of your life that can have potential dire consequences. Like many others, I'm prone to anxiety and feeling overwhelmed. It doesn't help much when you also have a memory bank that creeps up on you on a daily basis and when certain memories are triggered, I don't just remember things, I also feel all the emotions from them as well. It's part of the cause of my anxiety and it can be extremely difficult on some days to feel happy and joyful. I think that was one of the things that became an after effect of my meningitis. 

This is where meditation and visualization programs such as Dao Zou really puts me in a better state of mind because with the effort of deep breathing and focusing on relaxing various areas of both my brain and my body (not forced upon), it gradually over a 30 minute period not only gets rid of the negative stress but puts me in a state of calming my emotions and flowing through my thought process in a non forced effort. I have rarely ever felt such powerful entities when it comes to training. When I practice the techniques in Dao Zou, my anxiety slowly drifts away and the emotional carryover when a memory is triggered becomes smaller and smaller. That's the type of training that can save a life.

There are some forms of stress that can't always be solved with exercise, it takes a much greater deal of effort to get help and form a way to deal with that stress with as much TLC as possible. Dao Zou may not solve everything and those who suffer from PTSD will find things more difficult to cope with but this program can be a huge leap in the right direction of living a life that flows and not suffering from stress that can cause more problems than just mental and emotional. 

Take a step back and practice being in flow without forcing anything. Imagine being in such a state where worry, anxiety, anger, frustration and others are pushed aside and having a feeling (for hours on end) of powerful relaxation, calmness, focus, love, joyfulness and effortless happiness. If you were to practice this at night before bed, you have a higher chance of falling asleep at the snap of your fingers the moment you hit the sack. 

Take a chance and get your hands on the Dao Zou program. It has incredibly powerful techniques that will change the way you see life. 

The Value Of Supersets For Conditioning

 When it comes to short workouts, I try to do very few exercises as possible down to just only one or 2 for the entire duration. I also do my best to keep it going with little to no rest. This keeps up my conditioning and testing my mental endurance. Take for example using Supersets. It's taking two exercises and doing them back to back. 

It's mainly used in weight lifting such as doing exercises for opposing muscle groups, doing exercises to get that extra pump or to get your heart rate up without needing the treadmill. A very tough superset workout would be the Backlund Deck Of Madness I would do where you took a deck of cards and you did Ab Wheel Rollouts and Step Ups. It's no joke and will test your entire body.

You can take various exercises and do supersets with those and still get in an awesome workout, just look as an example the Cables & Step Ups Workout I did. Step Ups just seem to be the norm for me these days over Squats and hey if it keeps me going and it's working, why stop a good thing? Supersets don't take a long time and plus they're great as a warm up or as a finisher. Finishers are awesome for getting that extra push at the end of a workout.

 A bad ass workout that really got me breathing hard like a madman was picking up my 20 lb Slam Ball and carrying it for an entire revolution around the garage (40ft) and then doing 20 Step Ups (10 per leg) and repeat. I did this for 30 minutes straight non stop. This is the type of training that builds loads of strength and endurance for helping people move furniture or carrying boxes up flights of stairs without tiring. This was the type of workout that helped me move my cousin a few days ago and although I was dripping with sweat, I never felt tired. This is the type of conditioning you want because just working out isn't satisfying enough, it's helping those in need and taking the time to help make it easier for them. 

That particular workout was great but the one last night really tested my strength/endurance using a heavier weight. I did 10 Rounds (with little rest in between) of Deadlifting my 70 lb Kettlebell 10 times and 20 Step Ups. Think about that, that's 700 lbs lifted per round and basically going up a flight of stairs after. The end result was picking up a total of 7000 lb (3.5 tons) and 200 Step Ups. This really puts stress on the Lower Back and Legs. 

When you do Supersets, don't just go for endurance and/or conditioning, try to put as many aspects of strength, flexibility, agility, cardio and muscular endurance all at the same time as you can. The stronger each attribute is, the better off you'll be. Conditioning is a mighty asset but with a combination of strength and others, you're tackling real world fitness that is meant to last and keep you from getting injured easily. Think of it as a dynamic duo of exercises and developing superhero like stamina and strength along with attributes that can't coexist without the other. 

Why I Take Leg Conditioning Seriously

 Our greatest strength and power in the human body comes from the legs and for good reason. We can haul more weight and last longer using the legs and we don't always give a second thought to the real importance they possess. When I got injured, I vowed to find a way to strengthen my lower limbs to the best of my abilities and 15+ Years later, I'm still in pretty damn good shape. 

I may have been very upper body oriented but after developing my conditioning in my legs from 1000's of Squats, 1000's of Step Ups, 1000's of Lower Body Animal Exercises and more, the more I came to realize just how important my legs are to me. Because of my will to keep fighting after my injuries, Leg Training became a bigger priority than I originally aspired to. My legs have been a huge asset for me and the way I would help others when they needed it. It has helped keep my stamina up while hiking, it helped me last a bit longer each time in BJJ and it has helped me stay limber and fast to keep up with little kids and others half my age. 

I wasn't always the fastest or lifted the heaviest weight or ran a marathon but I always believed that if I kept my legs in good condition for whatever comes my way, I trusted my instincts and knowledge to keep me going. I had a pure hatred for being in a wheelchair and everyday I wanted so badly to walk and do things and I made choices that would alter me forever because when reality hit me the day I broke my legs, it made me learn a life lesson that is stuck in my memory. Those who have to live in a wheelchair, I have the deepest sympathies for and wished they could do things but life has thrown things at them that make them grow as a person and teach others to not to take things for granted.

The legs may not always look the sexiest, the powerful looking and sure as hell may not always seem like they do much but when you condition them and use them for real function and strength to help others, that's a bigger reward than any trophy or medal. I take Leg Conditioning seriously because I know what it's like to be held down and having to fight to make myself stronger but also because I never want to experience that pain and hatred ever again. 

Train your legs to last, to have strength when it's needed and to enjoy life to the fullest. 

Here is a new video I put up on TikTok where I share bodyweight leg exercises for Men & Women to get in top notch condition for long term strength, explosiveness, agility, cardiovascular conditioning and speed.    

A Quick Circuit Workout That Builds Stamina & Muscular Endurance

 Every once in a blue moon these days, I would do a circuit workout based on the system put out by Darebee and go for as many as 10 rounds practically non-stop to keep challenging my condition and stamina. As much as I love to do strength training workouts alongside the other stuff, having good conditioning is something I'm more inclined to work on. Conditioning is a challenge for most people and although you can be strong as hell, if it doesn't last what good is it really?

This particular workout I did yesterday was more towards MMA or Boxing/Kickboxing type training where it's plenty of punching, kicking and striking. Although the workout has you doing 7 Rounds at maximum, that's not enough for me so I wanted to take it even further. The Darebee workouts base the levels of fitness on where you're at...Level 1 = 3 Rounds, Level 2 = 5 Rounds and Level 3 = 7 Rounds. Some of these workouts are pretty easy to get to 7 Rounds and others you can barely make to Level 2 without wanting to die. 

I tend to push and modify some of these workouts and make them a bit more to my liking to get the workout I feel I need to get in. I usually make the basic squat into the Hindu Squats and substitute the Lunges with Step Ups, the basic squat just didn't feel right with me and lunges put more stress on my ankles than I like. Almost everything else I'm good with. 

This workout wasn't very difficult to complete but even 10 straight Rounds still builds up a hell of a sweat and gets you breathing hard. I do my best to keep my workouts to a point where I'm not killing myself and having a little bit left in the tank because if I were to push to my extreme, I tend to want to sleep for 3 hours afterwards. This workout was more on the bases of getting in some good cardio and doing something fast and quick to have the rest of the day to chill, do some shopping or go hang out somewhere. 

Make your workouts challenging but you don't have to go to the brink of collapsing and nearly blacking out, I've done it and it sucks and I don't wish it on anyone. 

Cables, Step Ups And Sweat Oh My

 If you don't get the Wizard Of Oz reference in the title, we can't be friends. JK LOL. The other night I did a workout that can virtually be done anywhere and any time that you wouldn't expect to be a combo of. It combines Upper Body Strength Training and Lower Body Conditioning while also developing incredible Core Stability and Power along with some Isometric Components.

I figured I wanted to test my strength somehow so I put the heaviest cables that was possible for me to do and used a style like the 5x5 system in weight training with supersetting to really tackle the body. I used the Lifeline Fitness TNT Cables at 180 lbs Resistance (2 Magentas /40 lbs each and 1 Black/100 lbs). Just trying to stabilize my body on some of the exercises were tough because you have to use your whole body otherwise you might be pushed back hard. 

TNT Cable And Step Up Supersets

Curls - 5x5 per arm (10 total each set) = 50 Reps

Step Ups - 5x20 (10 Per Leg) = 100 Reps

Pulldowns - 5x5 = 25 Reps

Step Ups - 5x20 (10 Per Leg) = 100 Reps

Rows - 5x5 = 25 Reps

Step Ups - 5x20 (10 Per Leg) = 100 Reps

Chest Press - 5x5 = 25 Reps

Step Ups - 5x20 (10 Per Leg) = 100 Reps

One-Arm Rows - 5x5 Per Arm (10 Total Per Set) = 50 Reps

Step Ups - 5x20 (10 Per Leg) = 100 Reps

Totals: 175 Reps On Cables and 500 Step Ups

This was exactly as written in my workout log. I have no idea how long it took me, I rested when needed and wrote down numbers and kept going without even thinking of quitting. The rows and chest presses were the toughest cause with heavy cables like that, the stabilization had to be flawless because if I even relaxed a little, I would be pulled/pushed back into my door hard and I didn't have the plan of getting injured during this. You can do this workout with lighter cables (which I recommend if you're not used to the TNT Cables) and it would still be effective. I might do this workout again with just the 100 lb cable and go without rest to really test my conditioning. 

Setting the Step Ups aside, I put my wife through the same exercises with the cables (much lighter of course). It's great training for when you travel and want to get something going without needing to go to the gym. The Step Ups may be trickier but if you can find some hotel steps or stadium steps that would be awesome too. You can substitute the step ups with Hindu Squats or other leg exercises. This will have you sweating in no time and if you use lighter cables and reduce the rest time to none, you're looking at a hell of a cardio workout along with building strength at the same time. Try it out and see how you do.

Here are two new videos I put up on Youtube....1st one is a compilation I made of some of my most recent videos and a video where I hold a 20 lb slam ball in a horse stance for 3+ Minutes. 

Losing Weight Because Of Isometrics?

 I weighed in this morning at 256.2, I'm now just mere inches from my first (semi) goal of losing 10 pounds. I'll put up pics soon and I do see little changes and it's mainly due to Isometrics. Using the Isometric Power Belt, I keep somewhat of a series of exercises in a routine but always doing different exercises in addition to the routine or doing something completely different altogether.

I like to do Curls, Upright Rows, Deadlifts, Overhead Presses and Bow & Arrow Pulls as part of my routine and switch them around to avoid doing the same order over and over. Some of the other Isometric Exercises that I love to do is doing pulldowns, pulling as if I'm ripping a phonebook or pulling on a lawn mower, Bench Press type exercise, step up Isometrics to build strength in the quads, calves and knees and my personal favorite squat; The Zercher Iso Squat. The workouts don't last very long and only do them a few times a week and if I feel like my recovery isn't doing good, I change it up and do things on other days and do no more than a couple to 3 Iso Workouts a week.

My intention was not to really lose weight and dealing with other things in my life as of late, I'm utilizing more of the Isometrics instead of what I normally do. It's worked out for the most part and the Iso Workouts have been a huge blessing. Life throws you curveballs and you never see them coming so you adapt and learn what you can do despite the bullshit that happens. When I got more in tuned to the Iso Workouts, small changes were happening that I wasn't getting in a while, I was seeing more definition, feeling lighter and stronger in the other workouts I was doing and as you have guessed, losing weight. I'm still in pretty good shape as far as conditioning and muscular endurance and strength were concerned but the Isometrics sort of enhanced this attributes more lately than what I'm used to.

With the countless exercises you can do with Isometrics, only a fraction of that you really only need to do but there are so many ways to experiment and finding the right ones or the ones that challenge your weaknesses and make them your strength. One thing I like to add to the belt is a wooden dowel that I can slide on and do Isometrics that way similar to how Bruce Lee used a chain with a handle to build his strength with Isometrics. Doing the Curls and Deadlifts really tackle the muscles, tendons and ligaments when I use the dowel and feel it way more in my abdominals than just using the belt. Because of this and my consistency with Isometrics, I'm seeing far greater definition in my abdominals muscles and these days I rarely ever do a sit-up. 

The weight loss and fat loss has been a great part of the journey with Isometrics but that's not my end goal. It's more about building strength from as many angles as possible and being able to handle other tasks without having to worry about getting injured. I don't like talking about my goals for fear of saying something and then I just drop everything, I've been known to do that, what I will say is my journey is more about building resilience and conditioning my body to where it wouldn't be easy to hurt me and build strong tendons for the long run. Ever since that messed up accident, I'm driven to build the best possible strength in making my bones the strongest they can be in the safest manner and develop almost an indestructible structure.   

Labor Workouts For Conditioning And Long Term Strength

 Ever Hay Baled? Worked a Sledgehammer for hours on end? Carried sacks of rice or potatoes? Walked with buckets of water or concrete? If answered yes to any of these, you've done some form of Manual Labor in your lifetime. I do believe laborers are a foundation within all societies regardless of the country and are incredible at what they do when it comes to the dirty work. Throughout my years of moving family and doing a few jobs here and there, hauling and working various labor is tough ass work. It puts a little more testosterone in your system and gets you plenty of time outdoors. 

I knew guys that worked labor jobs up to 12 hours a day or more and some of them were the strongest dudes around. Even women who work labor jobs are bad ass if not more than a lot of men. Although it is hard work, it can take a toll on your body if you've done it for a number of years and very rarely you ever see a laborer who is in damn good shape and not having as many injuries or a broken down body. 

Every few workouts or so, I do some training in tribute to those hard working men and women who have paved the way for help shaping countries all over the world. I take my 70 lb Kettlebell and do one handed carries around either the garage or my driveway for revolutions to build grip strength and core stability. Carrying a total of 1000 lbs or more is a hell of a workout and it doesn't take long either but it'll give you an appreciation for what these people do day in and out.

Another great workout was one I did the other day where I would pick up and shoulder carry my 20 lb Death Star Slam Ball and do 20 step ups with it and repeated that 10 times shouldering a total of 200 lbs and 200 Step Ups. It's quick but can be humbling because the more times you pick up a weight even as light (and awkward) as 20 lbs, the heavier it can get and you have to use your whole body. Imagine carrying up bags of sand or boxes of fruit up flights of stairs, it can be crazy tough. 

Most of these workouts are pretty short but they work everything and you make every minute count as you haul ass and build that strength because you never know when you'll need it for when someone needs help moving, stacking stuff and putting in time to do some good for your fellow man. One of the exercises I had my wife do was picking up and putting down the 20 lb Slam Ball a total of 25 times, the equivalent to lifting a total of 500 lbs. That may not sound much but this was after working an 8 hr shift while driving an hour to and from work. 

Step Ups are a hell of an exercise for building that leg conditioning for various tasks and having endurance that can go for a good period of time. It has helped me in hiking, swimming and doing workouts I normally don't do and can be tough as hell at times. I can go 30 minutes or more if I put my mind to it and do 1000 Step Ups in an hour or less if I really pushed myself. I'm always up for helping someone if they ask for it and do what I can and want to be in good condition to make that happen. I'm not perfect nor am I the most coordinated at times but I do what I can as long as I can when it comes down to it.

Thank a laborer when you can and do some training that may not look like much to the average person or gym rat but to experience even for a moment what hard labor can feel like. If you really want to understand how laborers are freakishly strong, seek out Slim The Hammerman. 

To all laborers out there, keep kicking ass and thank you for what you do. 

Results Using Isometrics As A Foundation

 My weight has always had a habit of fluctuating like a lot of people, so consistent weight loss and/or fat loss wasn't always easy. That is until Isometrics started becoming more of a priority. For about a year now I've kept my weight between 260-265, still had good agility, endurance and plenty of strength along with decent conditioning. I still do Animal Moves and use other implements to stay in shape but what has given me more of a fat burning edge and putting on definition has been Isometrics on a consistent basis.

Off and on for a decade and a half I would go through these phases of training and was always fascinated with Isometrics and practiced from hand balancing, hanging, push-up holds on my fists, wall pushes, wall sits, using a strap, bodyweight, holding weight in a horse stance and muscle control. With the consistency as of late especially within a month, not only have I lost weight but starting see more consistent muscular definition, the way I move and my stamina. 

These have been my results as of now......

Like I said, normally I've kept up my weight between 260-265, these current photos are at a BW of 257.4, under 260 for the first time in a long time. Because of mainly Isometrics, I've accomplished a weight loss and fat loss I didn't expect to have. My eating habits haven't really changed and only eat when I'm hungry. Other than playing around with my workouts, my biggest recreation is either going on hikes or going for walks around the neighborhood. If I could keep this up, maybe it's possible to be under 250. Who knows?

Isometrics are a key component to aiding in fat loss especially with certain intensities. When it comes to a huge fat loss and weight loss with the results of Isometrics is Steve Justa. I don't know how much he weighs these days after doing his Isometric DVDs 6 years ago but back then he was around 206-210 I believe and looking like a beast with strength many would kill to have. Isometrics don't make you just looking good, they can give you strength from angles other methods can't touch. They can help aid in preventing injuries, strengthen the bone structure and even rehab certain areas of the body. 

I use the Isometric Power Belt from Bronze Bow Publishing as my ultimate tool for Isometrics but that might not be in your budget, so if you're looking to save a few bucks maybe the WorldFit Iso Trainer may be more suited for you if that's your interest. If you're really looking to save money, just use your bodyweight and use the environment around you, you can still get in stupid shape and build incredible strength. Karl Gotch had a saying that said "always work your muscles from every possible angle", Isometrics applies to this in very high regards. 

However you do Isometrics, make them a priority and see how far you can go and who knows, with consistency and decent eating habits, you can get shredded and possibly look like Hugh Jackman from The Wolverine (I said possibly, not guaranteed). 

Zercher Squats....The Benefits

 The Zercher Squat which refers to the location of the barbell during a lift. Holding the bar within the crook of the Elbows and can either be used in a Squat, Isometric Hold, carry or even a deadlift variation. These can strengthen the core muscles, activate the glutes and quads, work the biceps and improve on the Front Squat. The inventor of this Lift was Ed Zercher who was a strongman based out of St. Louis in the 30's and 40's.

The person that really got this lift going in the new millennium is Strongman Bud Jeffries bar none. His poundages in this lift whether partial or full range is absolutely mind blowing. A partial of over 900 pounds and at full doing 600+ lbs. I started noticing how powerful he has become as he kept up with this lift and although i'm not a lifter, I can appreciate the level he has risen up on. What if there was a different route to make this a good form of strength training to build strong tendons in the legs?

When I do the squat in my Isometric Workouts, I always felt something wasn't right, when I use my Isometric Power Belt, I would put the strap wrapped at the back of my neck, step on the strap and do Isometric Squats. It's good and can be done either with high intensity for 7-12 seconds or at a lower intensity for a minute or more but it didn't feel comfortable in the sense where it was pulling more on my neck and not doing enough for the legs. I switched it to where I mimicked a Zercher Squat and not only did i feel stronger but I also felt naturally comfortable in how I applied it. I can make it feel like a deadlift and Squat at the same time or one or the other, it's weird to explain.

What I've noticed about Bud's Zercher Squat Lifts (Partial or otherwise), his strength seems different, more powerful than even his Anderson Squats (Squats starting at the bottom) even though his poundages are much higher, to me he looks like he can go faster in his sprints when he utilizes the Zercher but that's just my observation and I could be wrong but either way, the strength in his bone structure is just phenomenal especially when his tendons and ligaments seem almost impossible to break, he just continues to amaze at what he is capable of and sending a message that if it's possible for him, why can't we?

In the Isometric Zercher Variation with the strap, my knees feel more in tuned with that hold than the squat itself and I feel my tendon strength has increased. When I did 1000 Step Ups on Tuesday, I finished in 51:38, a new PR for me and I felt not only stronger and had better endurance but my pace felt faster. I've only done the Isometric Zercher a few times but yet felt a major difference in my speed and stamina when I went on a hike and the Step Ups. It has put greater strength on my lower back and powers up my quads like crazy along with strengthening my knees. 

Between the lift that Bud does and what I've read on others and the Isometric Variation I do with the Strap, I see a ton of benefits with this exercise, it builds strength from a different point of view and as a lift, may be even safer than regular Heavy Squats. It's not just a leg exercise, it hits practically everything more so on the arms, core and obviously the legs. I find it safer to do than the squat and I believe can be used as a source of rehabbing the joints on the knees. 

If you have a strap long enough to mimic the Zercher for Isometrics, I highly recommend you do them as an alternative to the regular squat and see how they benefit you. If you're a lifter, go for these but I highly suggest you use more of a power rack with this lift especially if you're a beginner, even as an advanced lifter these are awesome to work on and is a damn cool lift to see if you're hitting heavy weight. 

Building A Suit Of Armor Using Isometrics

 

Isometrics isn't a big mainstream method for a reason and it's mainly because many see it as inferior to other methods or have boring entities that is completely misunderstood. The truth is, Isometrics are a forgotten art of exercise that strongmen of the past used to not only crush plateaus but to help perform better in certain acts such as Steel Bending, taking shots to the stomach or twisting horseshoes (look up Alexander Zass and The Mighty Atom). 

It's slowly making a comeback but for reasons that have nothing to do with certain aspects of strength, conditioning or performance (even fewer today make these attributes a priority) but to shed fat, look far leaner and have a more approach to bodybuilding. The seekers of strength and/or conditioning rely heavily on strengthening beyond the muscles but more of the tendons, ligaments and joints to help protect them from injuries and utilize their power for purely functional reasons. Isometrics help develop not just leaner muscle but muscle density and hardness that is tough to match. 

Isometrics help develop a kind of suit of armor for your body to help prevent injuries as much as possible. Steve Justa was heavy into weights and picking up odd objects so heavy, an inch off the ground was the best he can do (partials really) and became so heavy himself it started tearing him up and having type 2 diabetes really solidified where his health was going. After focusing more on Isometrics than anything else, it helped get his health back in order and rarely gets injured these days. With the endless ways to do Isometrics, having a strong body is one thing but to have strength that keeps you from breaking apart is a whole other ball game.

Look at it this way from a comic book perspective; Wolverine's entire bone structure is laced with adamantium and has a remarkable power to heal much faster than the typical human; when you practice Isometrics, your bone structure develops strength that tends to be more of an anomaly than anything else and gives you that extra juice of power within your system that makes injuries less likely to happen and to heal at a greater rate. Now this isn't to say to test that theory in stupid stunts or to see if someone can try to break your arm with a bat, injuries happen but the less chance of that happening if your structure is strengthened and maintained properly. This is a perspective of the inside of the body.

From a perspective of the outside of the body, let's look at it from Batman's Suit; in various films seen such as the Chris Nolan Batman Trilogy, Batman V Superman and The Dark Knight Returns, his suit has armor that is extremely difficult to penetrate and helps him keep fighting and keep pushing the limits of his endurance and will to keep going. The only villain that broke him (literally) was Bane and that was a 1-1000 odds of happening with any other villain. Practicing Isometrics can help up the odds of breaking the body from the outside as well and help you fight off certain aspects of injuries to the shoulders, back, legs and wrists and develop greater durability and endurance. Now this isn't meaning to go out and fight and test your durability and see how long you last while hurt. Bruises happen, scraped knees happen and we can't completely prevent an ankle injury but with proper training, the odds are in more of your favor than against you. You can create your own suit of armor.

The more you strengthen your structure, the stronger your armor is. We can't always prevent injuries from happening but we can definitely up the score in our favor. People like Steve Justa, Bud Jeffries, Logan Christopher, Steve Maxwell, Batman O'Brien and others have done and practiced Isometrics along with other methods to the degree where injuries are less likely to occur yet can do things with weights and other things that baffle the human mind and can do them at a superhuman level. Who's to say you can't do the same thing? Isometrics are hard but that doesn't mean their inferior, they can do things for your body other methods can't come close to touching and your conditioning will soar when you work them with intention, safety and focus. 

7 Seconds To A Perfect Body

Indestructible Body 

WorldFit Isometric Strap

Extreme Power With Isometrics

Iron Isometrics

It's Not Just The Minutes.....It's What Happens In Those Minutes

 

How profound is that? To justify a moment beyond reason as to how great moments happen either in the blink of an eye, or the minutes/seconds leading up to something glorious with incredible results. Not just in the minutes but life as well when something happens or continues to happen. Not many of us truly understand the gratification of what happens either as we experience it as an onlooker or experiencing the moments right in the thick of it. 

When it comes to working out, many don't completely understand what they're experiencing. It's mainly just going through the motions and doing something just for the sake of saying yeah I did this or that so what? Yeah we can just go through the motions and not have a second thought of anything else, but where's the fun in that? We all have the opportunity to experience things in the moments we participate in and for one moment out of thousands, we can experience something so astounding and awesome that it also has the chance of never being duplicated.

In those minutes of moving like a wild animal or setting a new PR, I've learned to cherish those minutes and bask in the vast power of what results come of it. With my Wild Workouts, I get to imagine as I move what it would be like to be the most powerful animal in the universe. When I went for over 82 minutes in one workout, it felt like I was invincible, the beauty to continuously train like an animal for that long was one of the best workouts in my life, I felt like I could take on the world. When I first fell into a bridge and kicked over, I was so elated and full of happiness, I just couldn't contain myself; Logan Christopher was in that moment with me as he was training me in that move. All that hard work paid off and got to celebrate like I hit a grand slam to win the World Series, it felt that glorious to me.

There are days where I don't give a second thought what I'm doing but when those moments arise, the reactions may be different but the end result is that I got to do something that feels amazingly awesome. I don't look for those glorious moments in my workouts, I just love to train, its when they come out of nowhere that makes it all that much more incredible. The first time I did over 1000 Squats, it felt like a weight came off my shoulders because in that moment, I knew something amazing would occur later because it signified my hard work after months of rehab on my own learning how to walk again after breaking both my legs. I nearly cried when that happened.

Cherish those moments and the things that happen during your training will show what you have put into it. You never know what you're capable of until something comes out of nowhere. It's not just the end result, it's the lead up to the result that makes it all worthwhile and getting to do something that could never be experienced again. It's not just the minutes, it's what happens in those minutes that become the greatest experience in your life. 

Isometric Horse Stance Holding Weight

 There are countless exercises that can be done with Isometrics, some are hard, others are fairly easy but in all fairness, Isometrics are a key component to overall strength, conditioning and durability. Every now and then, I like doing Horse Stance type holds and either just hold it or use certain implements and either hold with the weight or move the weight in the Horse Stance. This builds strength in a unique way and combining movement and Isometrics makes up for building unusual strength.

One of the things I have demoed was holding a Horse Stance and walking my hands up and down Big Bertha (my 59 lb Sledgehammer) at the same time. This builds grip strength, agility, reflexes, leg power and core strength. I call it Thor Catches Loki, the exercise itself is something I learned from Strongman Kevin Wikse from his former series where he utilized strength programs based on Mythical Gods. The Horse Stance was an add on that I came up with on my own and damn it's brutal. 

Recently, I did an exercise that I have never tried before and that was holding out (at near lockout) a 15 lb. Indian Club in each hand while holding a Horse Stance. This felt extremely awkward and just using strength to hold them out was hard enough but to balance them took a lot more Core than I expected and it was felt in my shoulders, my forearms and my fingers. I held it for over a minute which I felt was a great accomplishment since I've never attempted an exercise like that. 

The Horse Stance is a staple for many who practice qigong and other internal arts methods and is a foundational exercise for those like the Shaolin Monks. It's a simple hold and has no impact on the joints but it's also a hard exercise when you start to hold it for an extended period of time. Some people can barely hold it for 30 seconds yet others like those of the Shaolin can hold it for hours, it's ridiculous. 

Practice the Horse Stance and see if you can go more than a minute without shaking. The longer you hold it, the more your entire body comes into play. It strengthens the knees, works the feet and puts long-term strength on the quads and hamstrings.  

Sun Bathing And Mace Swinging

 Training outside is such an awesome way to get fresh air, feel the warm sun on your skin and moving your body among the blue sky. Mace Swinging is an ancient form of exercise Middle Eastern Wrestlers used for centuries to get in crazy shape for their sport and utilize not just strength and muscle building but also working on mobility, stretching and developing coordination. 

There are quite a few exercises you can do with the Mace but the two main exercises you'll see people do are the 360 Swing and the 10-2's. These main exercise lay the foundation for building well rounded strength and conditioning as it involves pushing, pulling and rotating. In India, there are some competitions on who can swing the most reps with a certain weight. Some Maces weigh more than 60 pounds yet very few can even manage a single rep. 

For the most part, it's best to swing the Mace outside where there's more than enough space to swing and be in control of your surroundings. It is possible to swing Indoors but you need a ceiling more than high enough so it won't hit anything and to never do them around household objects. I always train the Mace outside and just a few exercises will do the trick. Doing no more than 20-30 minutes you can still cook up a great pump in the forearms, working your shoulders, obliques, the trunk and your Core. Right now my Mace is around 25 lbs but wouldn't do more than a couple hundred reps total, it can get brutal sometimes and if you sweaty palms, just trying to grip that sucker is a challenge. 

To learn more about the practices of Mace Swinging, check out Rik Brown, one of the most authoritative figures on the method today. 

Here's a Demo of my swing style doing about 50 Reps while bathing in the sun. Great exercise and a beautiful way to get a good sweat going.