Keep Those Hands Up Grandpa

Last night I learned about the tragic loss of a friend; Tom Puckett. For a period, I got to workout and hang out with this one of a kind individual. He was rugged as they come but he was as honest as can be. He was a former student of the God Of Pro Wrestling Karl Gotch. He learned his craft from Gotch of Catch Wrestling, Conditioning and Toughness. Tom was a Grappler in various early MMA bouts including a tour or so in Japan. A soldier to the very end and one of the toughest dudes I ever met.

I first got a hold of him years ago when he was still training off and on. He lived less than an hour away from me and went to a gym called Peak Fitness in Hayden, ID. He would go there Tuesdays and Fridays doing some Bodyweight Training & Weights just to keep up his shape because even then, internally, he wasn't in the best of shape. He was a bodyguard and consultant to some very high political leaders overseas. He didn't tell me very much about it but he did tell me what happened to him and it just didn't let up on him.

Even with his condition being severe, he still fought as big of a fight you couldn't possibly imagine. I still couldn't keep up with him when we did our warm-ups together. He was still capable of doing 250 Hindu Push-ups & 500 Hindu Squats each in a row. When I was working out with him, I only managed maybe 120 Hindu Push-ups & 300 Hindu Squats so his influence made me step up my game. After our warm-ups, he would do some free weights and show me a couple of bodyweight stuff he learned from Karl Gotch. At one point, he even showed me a few catch wrestling submissions (Neck Cranks mostly) which I can tell he was reluctant to show me since he wanted to keep Karl's legacy alive with the teachings of not showing any holds until you were in the conditioning shape Karl believed a person should be in. I was lucky enough to learn a few of these and still remember them to this day.

It was a shame that I stopped training with him because mostly, I felt off that I couldn't keep up with that type of exercise at the time. I did call him up or talk on facebook from time to time. Most of our conversations didn't last too long but he would always tell me straight up how he was feeling even if it was a little thing.

Now I know what you're thinking "What does the title of the article have to do with this man?" Well it is a funny story and one I'll never forget......

One day, we went to the park like we did on a couple occasions and we would swing his custom made Mace (Gada) that weighed 50 lbs and had a thick handle. We did the deck of cards workout together and unlike me, he blasted through it and I struggled but finished it with him. We got to doing Bridging and it was tough for him at first since it had been some time since he did it, I would push him to get into a full bridge and he got back at me for it when I did my own bridging. We timed each other in the Front & Back Bridges, the Back Bridge was a cakewalk for me but the Front Bridge was always awkward and I rarely kept my arms off the floor at that point in time. He was timing me and when I felt like quitting and putting my hands on the grass to take the pressure off but still hold he shouted at me "Keep those hands up grandpa" and I did and held it for 3 full minutes.

He pushed me to get better and I guess it's one of the reasons why I've kept myself in greater shape since then and inspired me to do 500 Hindu Squats again for a period. Whenever I bridge now either in the front or back I'll always hear those words from him. I will miss him and never forget the time we had together.

If you want to see Tom in action, check out Conditioning For Combat Sports or see some of his bouts from Japan on youtube along with some incredible wrestlers from The Land Of The Rising Sun. He fought the best of his abilities and kept many people safe during his travels as a trained bodyguard. RIP my friend, say hi to Karl for us.

Learn From The Turtle

Turtles for the most part have the longest life capacity than the majority of the animal kingdom. They can live up to as long as over 150 years old, that's insane. So how can we learn from the Turtle? Let's face it the most famous Turtles are the fictitious Teenage Mutant Ninja variety where you have 4 heroes in a half shell kicking butt and eating pizza. Although we focus on the cartoon aspect of Turtles and the story of the Tortoise & The Hare, Turtles have phenomenal things to teach us.

They have patience like you wouldn't believe, his home is literally a shell and it is consistently moving its neck. A Turtle's neck is something we don't always pay attention to but it is very powerful in a unique way. It has been written that some Turtles use their necks to snap up prey. Ever heard the phrase "Sticking Your Neck Out"?

As humans one of the most exposed body parts next to the arms is our necks; some have a thin neck, others very thick, some so big you can't tell if they have a neck or not. George F. Jowett once wrote "In men and the other male beasts, the neck has always been the true indication of a quality and quantity of his concentrated nerve power. A strong healthy man always has a powerful neck, and he always will have one.” Our necks are the line between our brains and the back, they connect to the spinal cord and have that electrical stimuli that helps us function in the nerves for movement. When that area is compromised in a severe way, it can paralyze us for life. It is important to train the neck accordingly so it can protect us from possible incredible injuries.

You don't have to have a neck the size of Mount Rushmore but if you want a powerful one, train it to a degree where it doesn't overstate your comfort levels and becomes painful. It can be discomforting while training the neck in specific ways but it never should be to the point of pain. Off and on for nearly 13 years, I have trained my neck to the point where I have never had a severe injury and this is from falling back onto my head & kicking over/back, bent spikes in the wrestler's bridge, moving my neck in a headstand, landing awkwardly playing sports, lifting heavy weight and others.

Train your neck doing various exercises that have calming effects but also ones that are a bit more vigorous like bridging, bridging gymnastics and so on. Now I will tell you this, bridging is the greatest form of neck training there is period, but it isn't meant for everyone, there are ways to train that area and still make it mighty strong. Most of them can be done standing, laying down or sitting in a chair. My personal favorites are doing isometrics and dynamic movements for the neck in multiple directions and angles. A more calming form of neck training that can be used for those over 40 and those who have no intention on doing any form of bridging is what's called Neck Chi Kung:

A style of Chi Kung where you move the neck using breathing techniques in various stages of movement. This is not meant to be done fast paced or rushed; it is very calming, relaxed and moving in a comfortable fashion. As you gain strength and flexibility, you'll move in a greater range of motion and learn a pressure point technique and massage method for the neck that feels amazing. Sign Up at Matt Furey's Furey Faithful Website to get the complete method of this program and literally tons of Special Reports, Books, Videos, Workouts & more on Health, Exercise, Meditation & Healthy Eating. 

If you're a more ambitious person that wants the strongest neck possible and snap up on prey like the mighty Turtle, grab Logan Christopher's Advanced Bridging Course. Learn the real methods of building a neck through stages of exercises that progress into more difficult exercises like the one exercise that made the legendary wrestler/strongman George Hackenshmidt have one of the strongest necks around.

Last one I will give you is a link to a program many athletes use especially those in Combat Sports like MMA, Rugby, Football, Wrestling & Hockey called the Neck Flex by the man who is known as "The Man With The World's Strongest Neck", Mike Bruce. A former marine and grappler that has taken neck training that literally less than a handful of people possess knowledge of and has strength 99.9% of the planetary population can't even match. Learn from this guy and he'll take your neck conditioning to a level that your competitors wouldn't dare want to think about. He is that awesome.

Over 40? This Will Make You Feel Like a Man Again

As a man it can be really crushing to your ego and confidence when your partner wants to have sex…

… but your body, specifically your wang, just doesn’t perform.

When this persists for weeks, months or even years it can tear you apart.

Not on the outside… but inside you.

So what can you do to rebalance your aging hormones, raise your T, and sexually satisfy your lover like you did in your 20’s?

There’s definitely the synthetic route. Drugs.

However, they’ve been proven to become addictive and have an almost endless list of negative side effects (you’ve seen those crazy commercials where at the end the narrator lists off 50 side effects while speaking as fast as he can… hint, he doesn’t want you to hear all the side effects).

One proven, all natural way to rebalance your hormones is with the help of herbs.

And not just any herbs, but specific ones, which contain phyto-androgens (naturally occurring plant steroids) which can raise your T fast.

The best part? These herbs typically have little to NO side effects.

How is that possible?

Well they aren’t just ONE single isolated compound, plucked out of a plant (this is what many drugs do… they pluck out one compound from a plant and sell it to you. That would be great if that isolated compound didn’t need all sorts of other compounds to balance it out).

… instead herbs are holistic organisms with millions of micro-nutrients that harmonize one another (making them generally safe for the average person to consume).

So when you consume an herb, your body’s getting ALL the nutrients needed to balance out the specific compounds that will benefit you.

So which herb do I recommend using to raise your T, get hard and balance your hormones?

My favorite is Pine Pollen Tincture, from Lost Empire Herbs.

It’s got the phyto-androgens which naturally boosts your T, and it’s filled with over 200 bio-available nutrients which help repair the toxicity in your body.

… and it doesn’t have a long list of negative side effects (in fact it has a long list of incredible, positive side effects, check out the review I’m posting below).

Try it risk free today. Lost Empire Herbs guarantees all their products. So if you don’t get the results as advertised, then you can get your money back.

>>>>Click Here To Raise Your T Naturally and Feel Like the Man You Were Born to Be

Olympic Gymnast Goes Beyond The Regular Workout

Staying or getting in shape can be a crazy chore and to maintain it can be even more difficult. We have some serious responsibilities and at times, we don't always have an hour to spare so we learn to make do. Being busy is a normality for most people in the world and as much as being busy keeps you going, it is important to take in a little exercise to keep your mind sharp, your body ready and your energy alive.

Many people reschedule their time to go to the gym because of the heavy burden of work, kids, meetings, shopping and others. What to do to make the time you really need? The answer will have your mind blown and change everything you thought you knew about exercise.

A friend of mine named Cees is a former olympic gymnast from Holland and is also a former Dutch Champion in the sport puts on shows in Vegas that has him doing aerial stunts and performs with high octane energy. For years he has shown his wide variety of skills all over the world and in order to do those things, he has to be in top shape at all times otherwise it's the old saying of "No Work, No Pay." To make the most out of his busy schedule as a performer, stage handler & other duties, he uses different forms of exercise throughout the day that keep him energized and well conditioned for whatever comes next and this has proven to be a factor for him in his unbelievable acts.

This is what's called in fitness Greasing The Groove, meaning you spread out an exercise or series of exercises throughout the day and putting forth the effort of those exercises whether it's for a few seconds or several minutes. The question is, where can you do them?

In the car- Drop the texting and do some exercise pushing and pulling on your steering wheel (only do this at stop lights or stop signs, NOT WHILE DRIVING)

In your bed- Come on, quit it with the perverted mind you weirdo, I'm talking about before you go to sleep or when you wake and do a couple exercises first thing in the morning like leg lifts, chest presses, pullovers with the pillows and so on.

Catching on yet?

How about in front of your TV- When a commercial comes on, do some push-ups, squats, sit-ups, Knee Tucks in your favorite chair.

In your Office/Cubicle- Get away from Candy Crush or who's sleeping with who and get in a quick workout that can have self resistance exercises for your arms, do isometrics, squats, twists.

I have used many exercises throughout the day to stay strong and it has helped me in other areas. You don't have to cram everything at one time, it is ok to do little things here and there. They help you burn calories during the day and put on definition and muscle. I have even done gripping exercises while holding a grocery cart. Nobody has to know, all that matters is that you're getting something out of it.

Not sure which exercises to do? Here is a list of courses that can help......

Isometric Exercises

Combat Conditioning

Gymnastic Abs

Body Scuplting For Women

VRT Bodybuilding

Self Resistance Training

You will never have an excuse ever again. Be able to exercise no matter where you are at anytime. Master the mindset.

I Am Me

Life can be a royal pain in the ass and you live with various things day to day but it is important not to live life bitter and unappreciative. Nobody is perfect and what would be the point to even attempt to be. Being who you truly are is a chore in itself. I may not always show my appreciation but I do take it in and show my thankfulness in different ways. Some people have called me a version of "The World's Strongest Man" which as flattering as that is and very much appreciate the gesture but I will never claim that title whether figuratively or literally. I have claimed a lot of things fitness wise in my lifetime but never that.

I live everyday like everyone else with just a few unique entities. There are days where I don't feel all that important to myself or anyone, some days I'm brighter than the sun shining a beautiful beach but at the end of the day, I Am me. I love what I do and not try to be like everyone else, they're already taken. The truth is, when it comes to my playouts; I have no idea what I'm going to do that day. I never trusted any real routines and when I do or talk about them, it bites me in the ass. The fact of the matter is, I do what I do on instinct and not by a planned idea or a next day set up and I'll tell you why:

Every single time I have planned and prepared for a routine based on the program I have at the time, it only lasts less than a couple of weeks if not less than 6 days because whenever I push myself to that, my instincts kick and tell me to leave it alone. Training daily has been very difficult for me but I have managed to still do it whether for a minute or more than an hour since the summer of 2005. I always felt that was my biggest accomplishment next to everything else I have crossed in my life.

There are certain things about me I have no control over and being told to get over those things like cleaning dust with a mop has made me have doubts about myself at times and question who I truly am. I'm not perfect nor do I want to be, I'm happy with what I have, what I've done to make my life the way it is and where I go. I never thought I'd be getting married, never imagined having people read my stuff and talk about it in various forums (yes, I have read specific forums where they mention me in both positive and negative ways). I have learned that if people talk behind your back, they do it for a reason and don't have the balls to say it to you either up close or with a keyboard.

I Am me. What I put up on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook or wherever on social media is not a character or someone just looking to get noticed, it's all me. What I promote and share are things that make me laugh, believe in something or give someone an opportunity to find something interesting for them. If you love what you do, never give up on it, whether someone likes it or doesn't it doesn't matter.

People project this form of body image and destroy people's intentions on ever doing something great for themselves. You can look as good as you want or strive to be but if you're an asshole on the inside, it will show one way or another. I don't have six pack abs, don't have 20 inch arms or able to run a marathon but I know I can do things many who do or have those things can't but that doesn't make me better or superior to them. Do I want to make more money? Of course I do, who wouldn't? The funny thing is, I don't care much about wanting to own a mansion or living a luxurious life. I wear sweats during the day at times, I read comic books, I watch various movies, I go on walks and/or hikes when I have an opportunity and if I want to train in a wide space; I go to a park or go swim in the lake. I don't own suits or leather jackets, I wear shorts in the snow, I put on shirts that are comic book related or have a funny theme or quote. In the words of Lynyrd Skynyrd "I'm a simple, kind of man."

I'm fit the way I was meant to be fit, I play video games and I tell my fiance I love her every single day; sometimes annoyingly more than once. Don't tell me how to live, don't tell me to believe in your religion, don't tell me to not love comic books and don't you dare tell me how to love. I Am me and if you want to talk behind my back and talk shit, well then you screwed yourself because you decided to choose me over something else that could make your life a little more brighter. Live happily and have a reason to be happy otherwise you won't be happy and you'll attract bullshit.

Athletes This Simple Herb Takes Your Workout To The Next LEVEL

Have you ever thought about using herbs to upgrade your athletic performance?

If you’re like most people your answer is “NO”.

… because herbs haven’t gotten popular yet out here in the Western world (though I think that’s about to change).

Most people do take vitamins and fish oil though.

Herbs are simply a powdered form of supplements… derived from a plant.

And some of these plants which companies are turning into powders have INCREDIBLE health, immune and athletic boosting properties.

They can…

Reduce stress (some herbs have shown to lower stress and cortisol in stressed individuals by 30%)

Balance hormones in men and women of all ages (this is crucial for folks over 40 who are experiencing all sorts of hormonal imbalances)

Increase your sex drive (which helps you stay motivated)

Keep you from getting sick.

And much much more.

This one simple herb I want to share with you helps with all the above, and it’s especially great for athletes who want to perform to at a higher level.

“I’ve added this to my recovery protocol and have seen an improvement in my running capacity. Top end speed and ability to maintain output has definitely improved over the past couple weeks!” -Stephen Hill

In studies this herb, Eleuthero, has been shown to SIGNIFICANTLY improve mice’s swimming endurance… VS mice who didn’t consume it.


And for decades, Russian athletes have been using Eleuthero for peak athletic performance.

So if you want to:

Increase your muscle mass at the gym

Reduce stress

Increase your physical endurance

Boost your metabolism

Then I highly recommend trying Eleuthero, specifically from Lost Empire Herbs (they’re the best herbal company I’ve found when it comes to quality… since they derive their herbs from the purest sources and lab test everything).

Here’s what another athlete has to say about Eleuthero:

“I’ve been using Eleuthero (often referred to as Siberian Ginseng) which is a performance-enhancing herb for a little over a year now; this 100-gram package has lasted me that long. Which is pretty impressive, that’s a lot of herbal performance enhancement millage from a supplement that costs about $40.

One of most well-documented effects of Eleuthero is it’s strengthening or tonifying of the immune system. I certainly experienced this.

Since I’ve been using Eleuthero I’ve been living and traveling in some countries that are best described as dodgy; I’ve none doubt exposed myself to all sorts of interesting pathogens.

During this time I’ve spent a winter and half (as in 1.5 winters) in Eastern Europe, which gets pretty extreme weather and in this time, with one exception I’ve managed to keep from getting sick. Anytime, I felt myself maybe getting sick I would step up my high dosage of Eleuthero for a few days and very consistently would feel back to normal.

The one time I did get sick, I really think it was because of the apartment I was staying in. I think there was maybe like a decaying body hidden below the floor that was making me sick. Just kidding, it wasn’t that bad!

I think herbs are kind of a victim of poor branding…

It’s funny before I knew about herbs I always kind of thought as them as being like kind of wimpy; you walk by the herb aisle in the vitamin store and you see all these bottles with like flowers on them but then I started researching herbs and herbs are actually like really manly!

Herbs raise testosterone.

Herbs make you more aggressive, assertive and energetic.

Herbs increase your libido and make you a better lover.” -Jonathan Roseland

How To Eliminate Boring Cardio

Ever been on a treadmill, elliptical, stairmaster or any machine that has you doing endless and mindless minutes of cardio? I've been there too and it isn't fun. Cardio in the real sense is the concept of getting your heart rate up within a certain level and keeping it there for 5 minutes sometimes up to an hour. Common areas of cardio generally have you running, power walking, riding and just be in a stationary position for up to a half hour or more to "help burn fat." The problem with this especially with recent studies is that long, slow cardio is not the best way to burn fat, build muscle and burn the amount of calories needed to lose weight. You can burn calories doing plenty of running or riding a bike but in the end, unless you're at a high level of speed and tempo, you're only burning calories during the exercise.

I genuinely hate cardio in the mainstream sense. It has no real use to be in realistic shape and you're only managing one area of conditioning and/or distance style training. However, you can burn off calories and fat in a much shorter amount of time when you speed it up for 30 seconds and resting 3 times that amount of time. This is what's called HIT or High Intensity Training. Some people added the word interval or SIT (Speed Intensity Training) so regardless of what you call it, it is still an area of cardio that not only takes less time but gives you less impact on the joints and ligaments. Now you can do all sorts of exercises for this, even with a machine (if its cold outside or just like being indoors) but for me I get the best cardio using Animal Exercises & Hindu Squats. I know what you're thinking "How can squats help your cardio?" The Hindu Squats generate loads of natural hormone production due to the level of intensity you make it and it's not just using the legs; you're moving the arms, contracting the core muscles for stability and it takes a bit of balance. I've literally heard and seen people do long ass treadmill running and for the life of them can't do more than 50 squats without getting out of breath.

If you think Hindu Squats don't build cardio than test that theory by doing 100 in under 5 minutes, i'll wait. It goes beyond cardio, once you hit into mid to high triple digits into the 4 digit reps, it becomes a mental game and it is a challenge that even world class athletes at times struggle with. When I was really serious into cardio, I would do up to 500 Hindu Squats a day and the objective is to get that number in 15 minutes or less. At first getting back into them, it took me around 20 minutes, than 18, 15, 13 and than a few times it was under 12 minutes, that's cruising. I shifted my mindset of counting down instead of up and that created a more fun way to hit high rep squats. Your heart is racing unlike anything else and yet you can do them anywhere. I've hit as high as 1000 squats in 33 minutes. This will burn calories like crazy and it will build muscle, shed fat and get you in incredible shape fast.

The other approach to cardio is doing Animal Movements; think about it, moving on all fours or bipideling for a period of time and getting your heart rate up in mere seconds. The movements use multiple muscle groups and have you going in awkward positions to the degree where you're adding in strength just starting with the stabilization. More than just moving, you're building muscular awareness and strengthening the joints, tendons and ligaments in order to stay strong in those positions. They don't take long either, 20 minutes or less and you'll be in phenomenal shape. You will have strength very few possess, conditioning that would make jaws drop and agility you didn't think existed.

The last ideal way to build great cardio is through the use of Isometrics. This is probably the most odd way to get cardio but trust me you can get a hell of a workout without moving a muscle. Push, Pull, Squat, Grip and Stabilize your body in all sorts of positions and flex hard for a few seconds or hold and do deep breathing. The most common isometric these days is the plank and for good reason, the majority of people do this exercise and hold up to 5 minutes or more but there's more to the concept than just the plank. If you lift weights, pick up a weight and hold it there for a period of time and what you'll start to feel are muscle fibers coming into play hard, your core tightening and your whole body will feel like on fire. For bodyweight this could mean holding a dead hang, a handstand, the human flag, stopping at a half squat, various yoga positions or a wall sit. Isometrics build the little muscles or tendon strength and if you hold for 30 seconds or longer, you'll not only feel it but your heart rate will go because you're generating greater strength in the muscle fibers.

These are just ideas on how to get rid of boring cardio and get in shape that is more fun and doesn't make you feel lethargic or feel like you're going out of your mind. We all have responsibilities and not all of us have the amount of time needed to get in the training we feel needed. Do what's possible but don't make it boring for yourself, make it interesting, fun and challenging.

Herbs Which Get You RIPPED, Rock HARD and Raise Your T Naturally [30% OFF]

Got low energy, low sex drive and no motivation?

It's fairly common for men like you to experience this as you're aging.

So it's really not your fault.

In fact, your father, and his father had on average TWICE as much testosterone at your age than you do.

Why is that?

Because we're living in an increasingly toxic world.

Everything from pollution in the air, to the food we're eating is affecting you, and your hormones.

So what can you do?

FIGHT BACK.

... with mother nature!

Specific herbs have been scientifically PROVEN to restore and rebalance men's (and women's) hormones.

How do they do this?

Well they each have their own mechanisms.

For the most part, they're FILLED with anti-oxidants, which fight off cancer-causing free-radicals (and also wreck havoc on your hormones).

Many herbs are also filled with naturally occurring plant steroids and androgens. These are the building blocks to proper sex hormones (and gets things moving down there, if you know what I mean).

Why am I telling you all of this?

For 2 reasons.

1. I want to help you get your health back to where it was. YES you can be healthier TODAY than you were in your 20's and 30's. Lots of men have done it (I'll share a story with you at the end of this email).

2. Until this Friday only, you can get 30% OFF 11 of our featured herbs. Just about all of these herbs either directly, or indirectly help restore your body's hormones, and raise your T levels.

Simply use the coupon code CELEBRATE30 when checking out to get 30% off your order.

>>> CLICK HERE to get 30% OFF select Hormonal Boosting Herbs.

The True Measure Of Strength

In every era of Physical Culture, there has been some person or group of people who have felt the need to tell everybody what the mark of real strength is. Some have said the Overhead Press, the Deadlift, the Squat, Bench Press, Lifting Stones, Bending Spikes, Sprint up a hill a hundred times and so on and so forth. In today's society there are three big time groups that literally believe they are the true measures of strength; Bodybuilders, Crossfitters & Strongmen. Personally i'll take the Strongman any day of the week but this isn't about who's better and has the larger point of view on strength.

The truth is, there is no real test to fully know what the measure of strength is because it's not meant to be generalized to one specific category. There are different areas of strength that people possess more than another and it's not to say one group is weaker, it is what they built upon and taken to the degree of their craft in that area. Not every strongman lifted 500 lb stones but some have held back airplanes, bent spikes the greatest bench presser cannot even match, one guy can lifts hammers that are heavier than anyone can even get off the ground but can barely handle a heavy kettlebell. The greatest athletes don't possess the strength of a 1000 lb deadlifter but can throw a ball, have insane eye coordination to hurl a basketball from full court and you have guys that can go for hours wrestling and still have the will to pick up an opponent and drive them into the mat, that's crazy strength.

There is no such thing as one level of strength among all people. I personally believe in the type of strength where it carries over to the real world and has usefulness in many aspects. There are many strong guys that can pulldown 200+ lbs. on a machine yet those same guys cannot do a freaking pull-up, a 500 lb. Bench Presser is really strong but that same guy may not be able to do a 200 lbs stone or do 500 push-ups. Another thing I believe in is being able to master different forms of training and take bits and pieces that make up the natural order of those forms. You may not see me do a Tae Bo tape but I'll pick up rocks, sprint up a hill, do difficult animal moves, hold positions that come from gymnastics, carry heavy furniture and even lift up heavy boards that are under somebody.

The greatest mark or measurement of strength is what creates a real world form of what brings to the table instead of a glorious one time moment that happens to be a record. 100 years ago, many of the old-time strongmen didn't focus on specific lifts or isolate the muscles to look pretty; they had a hand in many styles such as wrestling, boxing, weightlifting, manual labor, dock work and blacksmithing. They found what they had to use in order to function in more than one aspect. Look at men like Otto Arco, George Hackenschmidt, John Grimek, John Davis and others; they possessed strength in areas more than 95% of the very best strongmen and crossfitters today. Yes the weight is heavier, the speed has greater velocity and the events have a greater spectacle but let me ask you this, how many strongmen today can go an hour or more on the mat? How many crossfitters have precise muscle control? How many gym rats can haul a couch? How many 700 lb. bench pressers can bend a 6-8 inch spike? I will guarantee you 1 out of every 10,000 can probably answer these and that latter number is actually short if you really do the research.

I beg of you guys, stop being such ego maniacs and walking around saying shit like "The mark of a man is measured by his bench" or "life ain't worth living if you can't do a heavy deadlift" or even one of my favorites "Strength is only measured by your squat." I'm thankful I still have strength in ways many my age don't have but that doesn't no where near make me better than them because they have strength that I can never fathom or fully understand but all in all, we are all extremely strong in some form or another and if someone is looking to get strong, show them different ways so they can find what works for them and cheer them on, putting them down doesn't show strength, it shows weakness more than anything. Be grateful that you are already strong but remember, there is always someone out there stronger than you'll ever be in ways that you can never truly measure up to. Be strong both in mind and body and master more than just one thing, it creates more excitement and adventure to find what else is out there to be strong at. 

It's Never A Good Time To Lose One's Head

It's easy these days to forget that keeping your head in tact is a literal and figurative centerpiece of what keeps us alive. Having a strong neck isn't just about sculpted muscle, it is the strength of the tendons, ligaments and joints that keep everything together. If you have bad posture, chances are you have a weak neck so it is important to train that area the best ways possible. 

Our neck holds up our brain and is holding on to the spinal cord that is the electrical power in our back. If you ever had an injury where you broke your neck, you're also putting severe strain and injury to the spine. Our spine is our lifeline so we must check-up from the neck up. There are great ways to strengthen the neck and the very best is by bridging exercises. Now don't be afraid, I was too the first time I even saw a bridge being done, it can be very scary and downright intimidating but from a health standpoint, it is actually one of the best things you can do.

Bridging not only strengthens the neck, it stretches the back, strengthens the legs and provides incredible lung power as you stretch and open up the rib cage as you breathe deeply which in turn creates incredible endurance. The main three bridges are the Wrestlers (Back) Bridge, Front Bridge & The Gymnastic Bridge; each one develops incredible flexibility and all three strengthen the body from the inside out. You can say they are literal Body Builders. 

I do realize not everyone is meant to bridge due to severe problems like bone spurs and have had surgeries that wouldn't allow them to get into the positions regardless of progression, so what can you do to strengthen the neck without the need to bridge? My personal favorite is doing Self Resistance Neck Exercises where there's no impact on the joints and you are in complete control of how much you strength you put into it. The big 4 are as follows:

Side To Side (Moving The Head like a Rainbow)

Side To Side (Move The Head like an Equator)

Up And Down

& Circling The Neck For Mobility and Dynamic Flexibility

These alone are foundational for building a powerful neck and keeping your tendons and muscles strong. Start with 5-10 each way and build up to no more than 25-30. Another incredible way to train the neck especially for those over 40 is what's called Neck Chi Kung; it is a series of exercises that virtually anyone can do and it teaches how to breathe and relax (hardly strenuous) the muscles and focus on building energy and life into them. These take only a few minutes a day to do and helps realign your body from the head all the way down to the toes. You can learn about this type of training and many other forms of Energy Training & Conditioning by signing up at Matt Furey's Furey Faithful Website.

If you're really ambitious and want to take your neck training to the next level than I suggest you check out Advanced Bridging by Logan Christopher. This course gave me the best tools to strengthen my spine and neck and still use them to this day. It helped make my neck so strong that I will bend tough spikes with my bare hands in the Back Bridge. Imagine what it can do for you.

So get aHEAD in life and become literally HEADstrong. Never neglect the one thing that can keep you alive and possibly prevent you from becoming a vegetable.  

My Recent Visits And Lifts At The Gym

I officially have had a membership to a gym for a few weeks now and mainly going once or twice a week at best, no more than three because I still love my bodyweight training and can do that anywhere and go in just to have fun moving heavy stuff around. It is quite an experience and have met a few people and have had a great time lifting some iron again and some new lifts I've never done before.

My lifts are not that special since I have no where near the strength some of these guys have but it is thrilling to be alongside them and try things out. I have learned a little on lifting stones but due to back issues still I haven't hit a heavy one as much as I'd like but that will change soon. I have picked up an 88 lb. stone which is pretty easy for me although I Am a beginner, picking it up and pressing it for reps and learn the technique. My next stone is around 150-155 lbs. I'm lucky I can still move some hefty dumbbells and like a Dinosaur, just do basic stuff no bodybuilding or to look like a pretty boy, not my forte. Carried up to 90 lb. dumbbells across an area of the gym for at least a couple revolutions in the Farmer's Walk. Haven't done this since I first trained with my friend Tyler "Garage Warrior" Bramlett.

One lift I'am surprised I can still pull off is benching more than my bodyweight. I haven't touched the barbell bench press in roughly 10 years and ended up benching 285 at the end. My max however was 305 back in the day but within a near 15 year period, 20 lbs lost is not that much if you really think about it and this is after years of push-ups, pull-ups, animal exercise, isometrics and other things so I'm actually happy. Doing the Log Press for the first time was quite an experience, learning the bar alone was 100 lbs so I was up for a challenge and managed up to round 150 for 5 reps or so. Doing the Yoke for the first time was a real eye opener and a humbling experience I'll never forget. Without weight on the corners, it is 200 lbs. alone (52 pounds below my bodyweight) and started out with that and carrying it across an area of the gym. My max carry was around 435 and for a first timer at age 33 and never carried that much weight in my life, it was incredibly exciting. My max weight however without carrying was a partial squat lift of 525 lbs. (more than doubled my bodyweight).

As I started getting a bit of a bug, I wanted to amp things up a little bit. For the most part I'm no really interested in deadlifting or benching anymore and focus mainly on odd object lifting, thick bar training (fat gripz) and other strongman style training at the gym. I decided to bring my fat gripz to the party and see what I can do with a thicker bar (they have an axle barbell but you never know who wants to play with that) so I have done just overhead pressing, rows and curls with them. My best lift in the overhead press with the FG has been 185 lb. for 1-3 reps for multiple sets, would love to hit 200 soon. DB Benched with the 65-70 lbs dumbbells with the FGs and curl with 30-40 lbs. for multiple reps. Without the FG I can still curl for reps with more than 50 lbs with DBs so that felt awesome to be able to do.

Now I'm not doing anything heavier than I need to do and never train to failure. I only do things I can instinctively do and I never reach a point of pain, sure I can go far heavier but why would I need to, I have nothing to prove. Some guys like to push their limits and see how far they can take it which is fine for them and kudos for their efforts but for me, it's about having fun and just playing around. I'am serious about going into a lift yes but not to the point where I'm maxing out and being in pain, I lift what I can and be able to walk straight and still lift my arms up without joints hurting.

Usually after a lifting session, I put on some swim trunks and go in the pool for a finisher or to cool down and let my body recover. This really helps the process and will do a little more training later in the day like animal moves or core training. Deciding to drop my guard a bit on joining a gym and seeing what I can experience and take in with it, very inexpensive and the only gym with an actual strongman room, that sold me right there. It is not my intent to be a full fledged strongman from that area since I already have done strongman stuff like steel bending, phonebook tearing and levering hammers. This is more of an adventure and learning certain skills. It is a blast and more than just doing lifts, I'll play basketball every now and then, I love to swim when the opportunity arises and help encourage guys around me, some of them are intimidating looking but after 20 years of off and on training in all sorts of areas, you get used to it being around big guys and learning from them as they can learn from you. Some of them are just young kids in their early-mid 20's and have a ton of potential so hopefully I can pass on some of my wisdom and share knowledge with them.

Eleuthero Root Extract

If you’re like most Americans today, you’re very likely under a decent amount of stress. 

We tend to be have a fairly stressed culture since many of us are chasing the American dream. 

Can you relate?Today I’ve got 2 simple tips to share with you, for when you’re feeling a little worn down, stressed out and like the world is on your shoulders. 

(Note if you think Tip #1 is obvious, keep reading because Tip #2 is something you may not have heard of before and helps tremendously)

Tip #1. Exercise.

This may seem obvious, but it’s far overlooked.

You need regular exercise at LEAST 5 days a week. And you should be breaking a sweat on most of those days.

This is extremely important since sweating helps detoxify your body, balance your hormones and boost your metabolism.

The best part is… after just ONE good workout you can lower your stress levels dramatically.

So if you’re under ANY stress… go for a run, hit the gym and push your body.

Tip #2. Supplement with Adaptogens, like Eleuthero

First of all … what are adaptogens?

Adaptogens are a type of substance (often herbs) which build your body’s resistance to stress.

They do this by working on your adrenal glands (which are responsible for your body’s production of hormones) . . .

You can think of adaptogens as body armor that fight off stress INSIDE your body.

These are great to consume when you’ve got a busy schedule, a heavy workload, and especially when you need all the help you can get to relieve stress.

Some adaptogens have been proven in human studies to lower cortisol (the stress hormone) in stressed individuals by 30%. That’s epic.

One of my favorite adaptogens is Eleuthero.

It’s often called Siberian Ginseng … since Russia gave it to their athletes to boost their performance . . . and it was mistaken for ginseng.

So if you’d like an easy boost in stress reduction, I highly recommend you:

1. Hit the gym

2. Try Eleuthero out today (it will protect you from ongoing, day-to-day and chronic stress… which is the type known to affect us worst).

Not only will Eleuthero help reduce stress, but studies have shown it can help you lose weight.

… one 8 week study on Eleuthero found a 43% increase in the body’s ability to burn fat.*

Try Eleuthero risk free, from my favorite and most trusted herbal company, Lost Empire Herbs.

Animal Exercise & The Connection To Our Brains

As infants, there is natural order in the world, we cry, we're hungry and we laugh but more than that, we have natural progressions from crawling to standing to walking bipedally. As we get older, our natural order of things start to become unnatural; we sit too much, we don't crawl as much, we don't stand very long unless it's in a line at a bank, mcdienolds, burger queen or supermarket and even, it doesn't feel really natural. The brain becomes accustomed to the surroundings and have that mentality of "Monkey see, Monkey do." We stop being our natural selves and buck up for society's sake and trade our natural movement for desk jobs, driving people around and other sorts of unnatural tendencies.

We even have forgotten our true nature of exercise and replaced it with metal machines and isolating the body to make it look pretty. We have lost the ability to understand ourselves individually and become a part of the pecking order of doing trends and following orders. We have forgotten our universal spirit of the SELF.

A major reason I have built a level of specializing in Animal Exercise is not just to learn a movement and mimic something wild in the jungle; it is to understand the natural connection to ourselves physically, mentally and emotionally. Add in some spiritual connection but not through religious entities but through the universal element of the soul. Going beyond just the movement, it is recreating the natural order of the human body and sustaining lifelong health, strength (not just physically), agility and other attributes that constitute what was already within and bringing it out.

The connection to our brains as we move and hold within the mechanics of the animal moves opens up new neurons in the tissue and revitalizing the electrical stimuli in the spine, muscles, tendons and ligaments that protect our body. Animal Exercise may not turn you into an Einstein or an Issac Newton but with consistency and controlling the movements whether slow or fast, your intelligence can increase overtime and jumpstart the hormones in the body like when you were a kid. It has been proven that exercise can have an impact on the brain and help generate great power for motor skills, coordination and spatial awareness.

Think about it, in order to move like a bear, crab, ape, bird or reptile, you're forcing the brain to send impulses to the muscles needed in order to move in those positions. You are naturally sending the nerves into overdrive and provide the electricity in the spine in order to hit step by step, move for move and even hold for hold. You are recreating the natural order of the earth and strengthening your body from the inside out starting from the brain to the spine, to the organs, to the muscles and to the nerves.

Children beyond more than benefit from learning this type of training and it's not just for the sake of exercise, it is creating an exciting, stimulating and active form of development. Think what it would do to your kid if you had them do just 5 minutes a day to get going doing Animal Exercises, what they can do for their brains, the development of their motor skills, their imaginations and the ability to strengthen their minds where intelligence can be enhanced? Now this doesn't mean you force it on them, that can easily push them away but instead, make it a game, let them naturally find their stride and help them move like a wild animal. It is a great way to make friends, be interactive, play and harness their natural abilities to be on the path for whatever they go for in life. Adults can benefit from this as well but it is important to not be analytical and progressively let things flow and do what you are capable of and build from there.

Get that brain stimulated and unleash your Animality.

Animal Moves Develop Muscles At Awkward Angles

The world of fitness is a mighty big place; you have your plethora of exercises, programs, supplements, equipment and workouts galore. Many of the programs today don't have any real emphasis of the full muscular structure starting from the inside, it is always what you can build on the outside. That's why you see many people do exercises based on bodybuilding more than real function. I'm not knocking bodybuilding in general, if that's what you want to do than by all means but it is important on what information you learn about.

The old school style of bodybuilding isn't really on piecing the body like a puzzle, it is to structure the whole body as if it was a single unit using multiple muscles in a single exercise and working the tendons and ligaments along with muscle training. The simplicity is to use as basic form of exercise as possible without relying on the isolated machines people use. We're talking about Presses, Pulls, Squats, Grip Work & Ab Training. These in turn build realistic muscular power and strength along with agility but that isn't always enough.

Many of the single best equipment for old school training has you doing up and down movements, if you were to focus more of the tendons you would do partials at specific positions of a movement or you hold the exercise in a static (non-moving) position. If you want to add this type of training that is more functional, lookup Bud Jeffries, Brooks Kubik, John Grimek, Otto Arco, Maxick, John Davis and others of that caliber. 

Up and down movement are phenomenal in their own right along with using the most basic tools and little to no machines (Rehab & Isolated Bodybuilding are the only reasons they're good for) but to get the most out of the functioning of the muscles along with the bone structure this is where nature thrives. Animal Exercises do not isolate the muscles as they work you from multiple positions and angles.

The awkward positions like say in a crab walk or a lizard crawl, build strength in a unique way as oppose to singular type movements in weightlifting or machines. When you move around like an animal, you're forced to use the whole body and twist, turn and generate power in the joints rather than just going up and down. If you already lift weights, I would suggest get Fat Gripz as they force the muscle fibers to fire regardless of the exercise and due to gripping hard enough to move, you're generating greater strength and growth to the muscles. Add animal moves to the mix and your strength will have limitless potential. Other bodyweight exercises are great but they can't compare to the animals.

Get the most out of your training using methods that are simple yet can kick your ass. Don't see yourself as pieces of a puzzle, look at the bigger picture and utilize training that encompasses the full potential of your body not just in the muscles but the tendons, ligaments, joints, organs and overall bone structure. 

Superhero Fit Using Animal Exercises

If you could transform into an animal, what would it be? What attributes would want for that animal? Many superheroes have incredible attributes of Super Strength, Unlimited Endurance, Mega Speed, Flexibility beyond belief and have incredible senses. Animals also have some attributes that have them existing and surviving for eons.

The cheetah is the Flash/Quicksilver of the Animal Kingdom, ability to take down a prey in the blink of an eye and starts off running before a car even starts. Animals like elephants, gorillas, bears and even the Dung Beetle have incredible Strength & Power to take down some of the most versatile animals on the planet. A Tiger has insane stamina and can cover an area up in the triple digits in miles, it's tendons are so powerful that if shot and killed, it's believed to still be standing on its legs. Flexibility is a great attribute that helps stay loose and works well being able to stretch for any occasion; the sea lion has staggering flexibility where although they're a little on the heavy side, they can stretch far back enough to their heads can touch their spines, that's incredible.

Animal movements help you in a unique way to gain strength and conditioning that most "human" exercises cannot touch. This is mainly because while most common exercises have you going up and down, the animals have you going in all sorts of directions (long ways, short ways, left, right, east, west, sideways, backwards, forwards ect). Superheroes need to be able to handle levels of strength and durability from all sorts of directions in order to survive in a battle. Take Batman for example; he's an incredibly skilled martial artist that moves in different directions and able to detect upcoming moves regardless which direction it is coming from, he ducks, blocks, kicks, punches and wrestles from time to time in as many places to fight as possible.

The Animal Moves give you long-lasting strength and endurance that can have you keep going even when you think your tank is running empty, they have you crawling, jumping, balancing, dragging and using every muscle your body is known to have plus gives the tendons and ligaments some strengthening as well. Many athletes use animal moves to keep them in the game, one of the most common animals used in sports is the Bear Crawl; moving on all fours puts another stamp on building the body fast than if you were to just run or walk on your legs. Animal moves have also been known to naturally jack up hormone production and develop youthful physique-like qualities such as shapely arms, firm ass, thoroughbred legs, a chest filled with lung power and abs that are incredibly powerful and functional. The moves can be used for cardio, flexibility training, strength-endurance, agility and more.

Superheroes have some of the most powerful physiques around although you won't have comic-book type muscles, you can naturally develop muscle mass and burn off fat as it also helps with increased metabolism. Move like a bear, a cheetah, gorilla, duck and many other animals that scream fitness and awesome conditioning. Get superhero type muscle that isn't just for show and become wild and free.

They don't take that long to do and it is very difficult, almost impossible to be bored from them since you're moving in different directions and using muscles you don't normally use. All you need is no more than 20 minutes at best and only about 5 minutes to start. It save you time and they can be done by anyone and for all ages.

Animal Kingdom Conditioning: Survival Of The Fittest

Animal Kingdom Conditioning: Call Of The Wild

Wild Animal Fitness For Kids

Animal Kingdom Workouts DVD

Animal Kingdom Workouts Book