Getting Summer Fit In A Fun Way

It's beautiful outside, time to hit the beach, soak up some sun, go for a dip and getting fit for these warm and sunny days. Getting beach ready may not be easy but it shouldn't be boring as hell either. Although it is important to be fit all year round, maybe you'd like to show off a bit, show the hard work you put into and get some heads turning. A great way to do this is by moving like a wild animal.

Animal Movements get you fit fast and with a good nutrition plan, you can make it happen. The exercises make you use your entire body as a unit and the more muscles you use in a movement, the greater chance of unwanted fat being burned and natural muscular definition comes into play. This is awesome especially for women who struggle getting weight down and want to have that tight fit body. This isn't about getting skinny, starving yourself and especially it isn't about trying to please anybody; it's about building confidence, having fun with the work you put into and having energy that is off the chain.

For us guys, it can be a struggle too but it isn't impossible. It doesn't take hours to do and certainly doesn't take isolating the muscles. Having that strong, powerful energy and magnetism is what a lot of guys want. But remember, it's not about developing tight abs, 20 inch arms or looking like a comic book character; it's about becoming athletic, strong in the places you need, conditioned to where tiring would take a long time and building muscle that is useful instead of a waste on looking pretty. I'm sorry but if you look fit and can't do jack shit on the important stuff, you're not making the real effort.

Animal Movements focus on the muscles that you normally don't use in the gym, just because you can curl good weight, doesn't mean your arms are strong enough to hold you up when needed. Bear Crawls, Crab Walks, Duck Walks, Tiger Crawls, Frog Jumps; those are what will give you the ability to use the body in the real world. Hitting the iron can do wonders no question but a 500 lb squat won't help you sprint or swim a lap without tiring. This is a different kind of strength training & conditioning and you can take it just about anywhere. What would it feel like to you to swim for extended periods of time, have less chances of getting injured and have muscle that actually means something?

For men, it develops natural muscle mass and strengthen your core, your ligaments and have a profound impact on your joints; for women, it develops a sleek and powerful body without bulking up or putting on unwanted weight, shaves fat off your tummy and lift your butt (Duck Walks, Frog Jumps, Lunges and Donkey Kicks develop a great butt), gives you real world cardio that you can't get from a treadmill and energy that just screams badass.

Crawl, Jump, Balance and sprint your way to being in the best shape of your life and the more you get into it, the more addicting it becomes. It doesn't feel like a workout, just playing. How long do you do it for? That depends on your goals and what you want out of it. Time wise, you don't need more than 30 minutes a few times a week, 4 times a week would be only 2 hours of real training, imagine how much time you'll be saving and being around the people you love, getting tasks done in the day and having fun. For beginners, 5-10 minutes is a great start and if your body can't do that yet, start with one minute and build from there.

Get your hands on the book Animal Workouts: Animal Movement Based Bodyweight Training For Everyone and get into the exercises slowly, do too much too early, it could hurt you so go at your own pace. You can also pick up, Animal Moves: How to Move Like an Animal to Get You Leaner, Fitter, Stronger and Healthier for Life for another variety of exercises that are fun, challenging and more structured.

Lost Empire Herb Of The Day: Hercules Pre-Workout Formula

Free Circuit Training Workouts

If you research hard enough, you can find places where you can get workout ideas not only for free but without any agenda behind it. Darebee is one of those places that offer free workouts, nutrition plans, 30-90 day programs that consist of workouts to keep you fit whether a beginner or an advanced athlete. Circuit Training is a style of fitness that consists of a specific number of exercises one after another with no rest until that set of exercises is complete. It takes on more of conditioning purposes but Darebee has workouts that attain attributes to specific goals whether it's strength building, developing muscular definition, flexibility, agility, cardio and more. 

I use to do a lot of the workouts from this place and some of them are pretty tough once you get into more sets. I did one yesterday that wasn't too tough but didn't want to risk overloading my body by going at a fast rate so I paced myself but still got through each circuit without stopping and recovered doing their allotted time of 2 minutes between circuits. These workouts do have some cool themes that appeal to pop culture and films, cartoons, military, martial arts and athletic conditioning. This is great for people who can't afford a gym or want to save money and not buy equipment, can be done anywhere and any time. It is non-profit and only ask for donations to keep making the workouts and provide them for everyone. 

All their workouts and programs don't cost you anything but if you want the workouts in book form, you can buy them at Amazon for a stupid cheap price and each book covers dozens upon dozens of workouts. For all the books, you can have a lifetime of choices to choose from and all it does is cover costs for the website, that's it. If you want to just stick to the free form, you can download the workouts on the website to your phone, ipad, laptop or whatever and take them with you anywhere you go. 

The exercises are as basic as you can get but as a method to the madness, they have workouts and rep schemes that can even fear some of the best athletes and fitness enthusiasts around. They can help you get in shape for competition, they can help pass the time on a lunch break at work, they can provide a challenge for the crazy fitness nut and don't take more than 45 minutes to complete a whole workout. If you're in crazy shape, you can recover in less time and cut the workout down to 10-30 minutes. One program even has you only doing a total of 5 minutes. Each workout provides illustrations of the exercises, specific reps, choices for rest time and levels of fitness. Some workouts only have 3 sets, others have 5, many have 7 and the most murderous workouts have 10 sets. Each level of sets correspond with your way of finding out how fit you are. 

These are fun, challenging and exciting workouts that just about anybody can do. However, not everyone can handle some workouts as they're so tough, if you're not there yet, it can put you at risk for injury so find workouts that are suitable to your goals. They provide warnings on which ones are suitable for anyone and ones that are for the big dogs and want a challenge. 

One of my favorite workouts to do was the Batcave Friendly Workout where you do up to 10 circuits that have 9 exercises that even the Dark Knight would be proud of. My shortest time is around 30-35 minutes for the whole workout. You will sweat, you might end up cussing up a storm and it gets you in top condition fast. 

   

Get fit at home, in your hotel room, at a park, at the beach, anywhere that has enough space to do the exercises. Don't try to do Level 3 all the time, give yourself time to recover from certain workouts, cut down levels so you don't overdo it, rest in the time you need to get the most out of the next circuit, use some workouts as a finisher to your current program, some workouts are for recovery purposes so use them on some days and challenge yourself every now and then. If you want a challenge and take your cardio to a whole other level, do 10 sets of the workout below even though it says 7. Believe me, even I'm scared to take this on but one day it'll happen. This is cardiovascular conditioning at its finest and wll challenge even world-class athletes. All together if you did 10 sets it'll be 400 Push-ups, 400 Squats, 400 Punches & 400 Lunges. 

100 Workouts Vol. 1

100 Workouts Vol. 2

100 Workouts Vol. 3

Lost Empire Herb Of The Day: Schisandra

The After Effects Of Bridging Exercise

For nearly 14 years off and on, I've done bridging exercises and experienced different benefits and what it felt like afterwards. Some variations are better than others and the basic ones seem to work the best. The gymnastic bridge to me is one of the greatest isometric exercises in existence because it's much more than just a skill; it is a gateway to understanding strength & flexibility on a whole other level and learning the ideals of what a meditative exercise can really be. However, it isn't what gave me the most blissful moments after holding the exercise. That belongs to the Back Bridge or in other words Nose To Mat Bridge with Feet Flat and Hands Off The Ground. 

Lately I've slowly been getting back to bridging at night before bed because when I'm done after holding the Front Bridge & Back Bridge for 3 minutes each, I experience something I don't get from any other form of exercise (Isometric or Dynamic). When I lay back down after coming out of the bridge, it feels like time has stopped, i'm in a complete relaxed state, my mind doesn't wander and I feel completely at peace. Maybe it's the effects from stretching in that position or feeling comfortable with deep breathing added in but the very moment I come out of it, that's where the meditation really begins and nothing feels forced or dragged out, but blissful and letting my entire being just be.

Bridging goes beyond just holding a position and stretching the body out, it's more than just strengthening muscles and ligaments, it's well beyond the norm for meditative practice in this day and age, it's a state of tapping into yourself that is unique and having peaceful moments where nothing else matters but being completely present. It's concentrated on the here and now without much effort and letting everything flow. I don't think, I don't feel about holding onto anything and my body feels amazing. 

Now, does this have an effect on others? Well that's hard to say because not everyone can bridge, not because they don't want to but because they're not meant to but that's a small amount of the population. Most are afraid of the bridge and what they've been told what it'll do negatively. Most people who have given bridging a bad rap is mainly for two reasons; one, it didn't work for them so why should it work for anyone else and two, they never actually practiced it but seem to think what it does from an outside source and give people a reason not to do it and do something else instead. I do believe in safety and learning that if there's something going on and it doesn't feel right, you shouldn't do it. Listen to your intuition and listen to your body. Yes for some people bridging is a no go due to injuries in the spine, spurs in the neck, torn cartilage that never healed and you're disabled from the neck down but the majority can learn to bridge but it does take serious progression and it's not something to be rushed or taken lightly. 

It took me weeks to get my nose down to the mat when I first started and my longest bridge hold after that was less than 3 minutes. After a period, I held a nose to mat bridge for more than 7 minutes and that was more than enough. 3 minutes is my average time and I don't go any further than that. It's not an easy exercise but it has benefits many cannot grasp. I've been told time and time again that i'll break my neck, cripple my spine and when I get older my body will feel like crap but yet I'm still here, moving around, still doing things I love and keeping an eye on staying flexible, strong and agile as ever. I have had a back injury but not from bridging, it came from doing something stupid which I still feel today but it's more just tension in specific areas of my back now than what it was when it happened. If I didn't have a strong neck and back in the first place, this injury could've been much worse and more crippling, I do feel blessed that it isn't and it has kept me from needing a brace and not being able to get out of bed. 

Like I have said before, it goes beyond just an exercise, it can be a lifesaver and keep you from getting hurt worse if you weren't in shape. For more info on this form of exercise and strengthening the body in a unique manner, check out Logan Christopher's Advanced Bridging Course where you'll learn more than just holds, you'll learn to move your body in positions most can't comprehend and develop strength and flexibility that is beyond the norm. Become a master of the bridge and you'll be taking steps into a much larger world. 

Lost Empire Product Of The Day: Horny Goat Weed

Get Up And Move Like An Animal To Start The Day

What do people do when they first wake up or should I say the majority do when they wake up? Get out of bed, hop in the shower, wake the kids, grab a cup of coffee, dread about the day they'll have at work, take the kids to school or just head out the door for work and it's off to the races. I'm not knocking anyone who makes a living but I also don't want people to feel how awful the day is before it really starts. Some people can't stand their job and it affects their lifestyle when they're not there but I may have an idea.

I would like you to experiment with something for a week and see how you feel. Get up slightly earlier than usual and just do 1 minute of an animal movement, just a minute. If you live in an apartment and don't have a lot of space, do no more than 3 steps forward and 3 steps backwards at a time. It can be a Bear Crawl, a Crab Walk, Tiger Walk or whatever you choose, do 1 minute of it. Moving like an animal can have a great deal of positive impacts on the brain, your muscles, coordination and blood flow. It can supercharge your body and release dopamine which helps you feel good. We want to feel good when we wake up, not dread and feel like crap.

Basic Animal Movements have been around for a very long time and have benefits that we are still finding out today. Doing Quadrupedal Movements gives the brain and the body a powerful force of energy that can link to reducing anxiety, depression, Alzheimer's, Dementia and osteoporosis. As we age, our bodies become weaker and our brains need to stay strong because if we don't practice strengthening the neurotransmitters, it can lead to a life that you'll never wish on anyone and losing your memories, forgetting to go to the bathroom, basically becoming a vegetable.

Exercise in this manner can have a profound impact on your programming and starting with just 1 minute a day can do wonders. Think about it, 1 minute doesn't sound like much does it? If you did this kind of exercise for 30 days, that's 30 minutes of movement you're doing in the morning, if you did it for a year of just 1 minute a day, that's 365 minutes (6 Hours & 5 minutes) of pure movement to start your day. Not just strengthening the brain but it could change your body and build natural muscle and lose body fat. You'll have a stronger core, legs that have greater endurance, better breathing capacity and increase fat loss. Now how cool would that be to start the day on?

 Now, this whole article started with just what you can do to start the day but look what it could turn into in the long run when you practice what I have given you here. We were meant to move and make the most out of our lives. Make your body stronger inside and out and see what wonderful things can occur. Have fun and wake up with that pep in your step.

I would also like to wish my friend/mentor and concert virtuoso Garin Bader an amazingly awesome Birthday and hope it brings joy, love, laughter and kick ass training. Happy Birthday my friend. You can learn about Garin and his vision of making others stronger and faster by checking out coreforceenergy.com and reading the benefits of this amazing system.


Lost Empire Product Of The Day: Thor's Hammer

Slam Your Anger Away

Anger is an extremely powerful emotion. It can consume us and turn us into people that we weren't meant to be. Anger & Hatred go together like a horse and carriage and can put us in a dark place, much like turning to the Dark Side. What if we can take that Anger and turn it into something positive and get it out of our system productively, safely and without harming anyone or anything; would you want to learn how to do it?

In Star Wars, for the Sith, Anger is a weapon when focused and making it an overpowering emotion to destroy enemies without any remorse. In the depths of the Star Wars Universe, there is a group of Jedi called Gray Jedi who use concentrated emotion either in peace or in Anger to keep themselves in line. It's a form of Jedi that doesn't follow the rules of the Sith or the Jedi in the same context. They utilize both ideals. They call on the force projections of the Sith but aren't corrupted yet they also can apply techniques of the Jedi to be peaceful in certain times.

-Gray Jedi Code

Flowing through all, there is balance

There is no peace without a passion to create
There is no passion without peace to guide
Knowledge fades without the strength to act
Power blinds without the serenity to see

There is freedom in life
There is purpose in death

The Force is all things and I am the Force

Now what does this have to do with getting your Anger out? As far as you know, this is just a geeky thing to write and all I'm doing is Fanboying on Star Wars. The point is, like a Gray Jedi, you can use your emotions to your advantage, in this case getting fit. One of the best tools to get fit fast and not use a chunk of time is a Slam Ball. A Slam Ball is a tool you can pick up and like its namesake, slam it hard on the ground as many times as you can until you're fatigued. You can also toss it, throw it high in the air, press and drop, do lunges, curls, squeeze it for Isometrics or anything else you can think. The most basic exercise is just slamming it.

There are a lot of cool Slam Balls out there but to me, (Like Highlander) there can be only one; The Death Star Slam Ball. This bad boy is wicked bad ass and is in the shape of the evil Space Station. Instead of blowing it up, just pick up this sucker and slam it down hard and fast. Get a hold of this thing and get your Anger out in a healthy way. Just slamming it for a minute or less will strike you down and release dopamine like crazy. You'll be huffing and puffing like the Big Bad Wolf in no time flat and supercharge your body with natural growth hormone and help you build muscle and increase fat loss.

Sometimes we get upset and need to blow off steam, instead of venting, make use of it and slam that aggressive emotion away. We're all human and we can't never be angry all the time so it is important to utilize our emotions and let ourselves heal. Being pissed off shouldn't be a long thing so keep it low as much as possible. Sometimes we just get emotional and need a release, take advantage of it and use it in a manner that can also get you in shape. Look at it this way, it's cheaper than therapy and you won't have to hurt yourself or someone else in the process. Give yourself the opportunity to get out those feelings out. I've had my share of Angry Moments and after a minute or two of slamming this thing, I wasn't feeling angry, I was feeling out of breath, tired and couldn't think of anything more than just being worn out.

Be resourceful and don't let your emotions get the best of you.

Play By Swinging The Mace

In my "right mood" workouts, I want to find things to play with and have some fun without worrying about bullshit that might occupy my mind. I've been wanting to swing the mace and just feel my body getting to that place of peace and tranquility. With the circular movements and the hand placements, it is more than just a workout, it is a journey. It is a journey of learning of who you are, how to control your body along with an implement and feeling the flow within the body.

The Mace, is an ancient tool of the Middle East for centuries that dates back to the writings about the Monkey God Hanuman. It is a tool for developing the athlete, was a tool for the soldier and now a tool for fitness. Also called the Gada, it was foundational for wrestlers in developing strength, conditioning, mobility and flexibility aimed at the shoulders, core muscles and grip. The main purpose was to strengthen the muscles not normally used as opposed to the dumbbell and barbell in today's movements using heavy resistance or weight.

Most beginners learning to swing ought to start very light at around 10 pounds or so. As you get stronger and develop control, move up to 20-30. For strength endurance and conditioning, the heaviest doesn't need to exceed more than 25 lbs. For strength purposes, 30-50 is decent enough. The more weight you use, the more it's about control and stability than regarding repetitions. It is awkward to move once you get up in weight and if you don't pay attention, you'll pay the price. In India, there are contests on who can swing the heaviest Gadas and Meels (Clubs) and some of these implements have spikes on them so if you can't control them, they will get you. Focus on a weight that isn't difficult but still challenging to where, each repetition is smooth and concentrated. Lighter weight, you can go faster and get some cool cardio out of it.

My Mace is loadable and it stands right now at 25 lbs which doesn't sound like much but when you pick it up and start swinging, it'll feel heavier because it's full of water and shot lead. I'll do a rep range of 10-20 reps swinging what are called 360's and 10-2's. There are a lot of different exercises you can do which you can find here at Art Of Manliness.

For follow along workouts or instruction on Mace Swinging, I recommend checking out Zenkahuna on his youtube channel, one of his videos on the mace is here. Get yourself this amazing workout tool, get outside and swing away.


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Lost Empire Product Of The Day: Albizia

Getting The Kinks Out After Waking Up

As we get older, it is important to keep our joints healthy and our muscles ready for what lies ahead. When we are young, we don't think too much about flexibility and mobility and we think because we are young, our joints don't need much. There are a great many ways to loosen up the body but the biggest factor is after waking up whether from a night of sleep, a nap, or even after passing out on the couch.

One way to loosen up the joints and give your body that wake up jolt is to move certain parts of the body in a circular type fashion and work from your head to your toes. Hip Circles, Ankle Rotations, Neck Circles, Circling The Knees; these will open up the body big time and just because they're not big exercises, that doesn't mean it won't help your body in the long run. Another would be to do Animal Flow by dynamically stretching the muscles by moving in animal like fashion. A favorite of mine is the Ape Reach which opens up the hips, lower back, shoulders, chest and scapula.

Another great way to open up the body is by doing Yoga, even just for a few minutes. I prefer DDP Yoga as it seems more fun to me and it interests me than other forms of yoga. The 10 Minute Warm Up is freaking amazing to get that body going. That is from the DDP Yoga Extreme DVDs but because it is a warm up, don't freak out because it's on an extreme workout DVD. I'm not the biggest fan of following along but I do modify it to my needs and pace and do what's best for me which is what DDP encourages.

I know what it's like to not be able to move after waking up because i'm so damn stiff and my joints hurt every inch I moved. After my accident, I dedicated myself to be in the best shape possible and not just for building muscle but keeping my tendons strong and my joints healthy because when I get older (I'm almost 35 now) I'll have issues in my shins and ankles so my job is to prevent as much injury elements as possible and focus on staying fit without having to go on meds to suppress my joint pain. I flat out hate being on medication because up until about 9-10 years old, I was on meds from when I had the meningitis as a baby and it didn't make feel normal, now granted I'm still not normal but I don't have pills being shoved down my throat for the sake of being under control.

Be healthy inside and out and keep your joints strong for as long as you can. In our teens into late 20s, we don't think too much about our tissue and cartilage along with staying on top of keeping our tendons strong so we just go hardcore on the biggest workouts and tear it up until we are so beaten up that by the time we reach Grandparent age, we can't move or do a damn thing without being in so much pain. By our 30's and beyond, we have to be smarter and not let our egos get the best of us, we can still do amazing things but we want to enjoy life as well. It all starts with getting the kinks out.

Lost Empire Herbs POD: Legendary Body Bundle 

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Why Did I Let Them Win?

During the preparation of my wedding, I had some anxiety issues, not because I was nervous about the wedding itself but the after effect of nervousness who had some doubts of what man I'm supposed to be for my wife, my future kids, my work and overall image. I needed a distraction in order to really stay balanced and it didn't really work out the way I wanted it to. I joined a forum out of word of mouth and research, it was decent and had some knowledgeable people there but pretty much from the start it became a negative vibe and mentally painful entities that I didn't want to see but it was right in front of my face.

Some of the people on that forum were nice to me and were open to what I had to say and were inspired by me but the majority were just mean, self absorbed assholes that didn't give me the time of day to just have an intellectual conversation about fitness. Some even tried to call me out on bullshit I wasn't even really aware of. I admit I got caught up in it and lashed back at them and it bit me in the ass. I left that forum for a day or 2 than came back but made up the story of being hacked and had restart the process of being there. That blew up in my face and I got bullied again and also fought back in those keyboard wars which now in my mind was so freaking stupid, I just wished somebody would slap me upside the head and tell me to quit being a bitch and let it go. The weird thing is, whether in reality or online at times, it isn't ignoring certain comments. I wear my heart on my sleeve and some of those people made me feel ashamed of that and I let that happen.

Why did I let them win? How could I have been so blind that I didn't see that they were deliberately trying to get under my skin and I let them pin me down just like the kids that pinned me down when I was 12-13 years old and a kid got on top of me and starting beating the crap out of me. I felt sick and appalled that I let that happen to me. The truth is, these same people who think they're knowledgeable, don't have a clue how to be a true human being and put people down because they look different or have to be this way and do things that cater to them. The real truth behind these people is that they hate on and mock one man and his system of exercise and the people who follow him to such a degree that they band together and do nothing but try to "expose" him as a fraud and a frail old man that can't find his way out of a paper bag. Honestly, these are some sick bastards that need more therapy than an assault victim. One of these guys even tried to compare this one man to Hitler for christ sake, the hell is wrong with you?

Now that I'm married, everything is done, had the wedding, went on the most kick ass honeymoon and ready to start my life as a married man, I started seeing things more clearly and remembering the advice Bud Jeffries gave me when I talked to him about the cyberbullying stuff, it has opened my eyes to a different perspective and going through this experience and surviving it mentally and emotionally makes me appreciate more of what the world does offer and the people that love and care about you is a gift. I'm always learning how to be a better human being not just in my self but to those around me and the things I heard out of Bud, my father, my best friend, my wife's best friend, the BFF's mom, my niece and my sister just shook me to my very soul that maybe there is something about me that can grow into this person and what to do with it.

I had quit this forum a second time even though I said I was back for good because the BS these guys kept coming at was overshadowing the real important aspects of training, philosophy, intellectual conversations and other things. I check in on it occasionally but I don't post there anymore and check out the free info I can find on there that has some value. The rest of those guys can go screw themselves and live in their circle jerk world. They have no real value to fitness or to the aspirations of being gentle and loving, they just love to hate on what values others and can't seem to let go of the person they try to "expose" and live a real life that has meaning, positivity and forming a real relationship. They're nothing but keyboard jackasses that live their lives demeaning others. They don't win anymore and I'm not going to lose sleep over their BS about me or the people they hate on. I hope they find peace and learn to just be human instead of trash.

Got Married In A Galaxy Far Far Away And Couldn't Be Any Happier

Did you miss me? I've been gone for more than a month because I was preparing for the biggest day of my life. Times were a little rough, saved up quite a bundle with some help and made it happen with all our friends and family there to celebrate me and my Princess Leia.

The majority of the planning goes to my awesome wife Holly because quite frankly, decision making isn't my thing although I got in some really cool ideas and plenty of ideas we came up with together. One of the best things about this wedding was getting our officiator. The world's strongest man/jedi Bud Jeffries. He did an amazing job with setting things up, telling us what we would like to do and run with it. During the ceremony itself, he made us all laugh to ease some of the extra nerves and just made it so perfect for us.

I'm so thankful for everyone that came out to be there for us and me and my wife are so blessed to have friends Jeremy Farr & Jackie Nicholson for the extra things they did for us and we owe you both a great deal of gratitude. Everyone who pitched in was wonderful and deserves a lot of credit.

A fun thing I got to do since it was Star Wars themed was instead of the traditional tux, I went a completely different route and dressed up as Han Solo for the ceremony. It was super cool and Bud dressed up as Obi-Wan Kenobi. I had the idea of doing music for my groomsmen when they walk out. I also got to dress up as Indiana Jones because that was one of my biggest dreams as he was my all-time favorite character and the films were what I grew up on. Being Indy was definitely a dream come true for me.

It truly was a fun and magical day for me and Holly. I couldn't be any happier and getting to share our nerdiness, love for Star Wars and being our true selves with the rest of our loved ones. This wedding was truly one to remember and can never forget our Anniversary, May 4th LOL. Here are some more pictures from the wedding you'll get a kick out of.

To see more photos, got my facebook page https://www.facebook.com/benjamin.j.bergman

I even did some training days before the wedding with Bud doing Hammer & Kettle Training. Think you'll find these pretty damn cool. Now that I'm back, I'll be writing more frequently and bring you some fun articles and maybe a guest or 2. Have a wonderful day guys and bask in the love of those around you.

Review Of Animal Workouts Book/DVD

This course is a lot of fun to do and gives the reader a series of progressions for each animal and has quality content for doing something different or what you did as a little kid. Most of the issues that come with the program isn't a major factor for me but I do wish the author were more involved with the exercises instead of using models. Don't get me wrong, they are very fit people but it is important to show the readers what YOU can do and inspire them.

David Nordmark is a knowledgeable guy I'm sure but shows more of a copy and paste style as an author selling courses at a cheaper price than folks who wrote previous courses that cover the topics virtually identical. Matt Furey, Ed Baran, Batman O'Brien, Charles Atlas and others wrote courses that dealt with basic to advanced calisthenic movements utilizing traditional Hindu Wrestling Training, Gymnastics, Self Resistance, Isometrics & Flexibility training. These courses are pricey in areas but are well worth it. David wrote courses that carry the same exact exercises and a tad more but sold them half or more cheaper.

The animals based in this book and DVD course are very simple to do and can be done virtually anywhere. I love how playing around with these exercises can make a person fit and healthy in the long run but if one has had previous injuries, some exercises won't cut it for that individual. The principle movements are mainly crawling and jumping which is essential but some people no matter how hard they try, won't have great jumping abilities because of how their tendons and ligaments handle the stress. Overall, one can adjust to the exercises according to their level of energy, flexibility and fitness. You don't have to do the jumping exercises, you can just do squats or hold the positions in an isometric fashion. It's all what you can do and make the most of it.

Although it suggests elements on speed, technique and rest periods, do what you can do. Some exercises I can never speed up on due to previous injuries in my legs and I don't jump that high on some exercises. With the crawling, your body will naturally tell you the speed and the weak links in your body. Take it from me, just play and adjust accordingly. Don't expect to have great strength off the bat and your stamina and endurance will come in time because when you really get into it, it doesn't feel like a workout, more like a game and that mindset can help your results come quicker.

The weight loss & muscle building aspects vary from individual to individual so if you don't lose weight or build muscle right away, it's OK, keep at it and things will eventually happen. You will build natural muscle due to the amount of muscle groups being used during the movements. The more muscles being used, the greater chances of development faster. Have fun with it and get into the mindset of making it a game, it'll change your perspective and develop results you didn't think were possible. Get wild my friends.

Animal Workouts Book

Animal Workouts DVD

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Pushing The Limits....Good Or Bad

Every individual experiences different levels of tolerance or intolerance to soreness, pain, strength, endurance, flexibility, durability and stamina; so we can't fully determine what gives us that balls to the walls limit of understanding how far we can go in our training. There are people who do the Ironman, run Ultra-Marathons, Crossfit like a maniac, train to extremes for bodybuilding or their specific sport and than there are people who feel going beyond the limit is a badge of honor.

Don't get me wrong, testing one's ability is a meaningful goal and every person wants to know within themselves "How far can I take this?" The problem is that too many people strive for this goal way too quickly and it's not always by way of their own choice. Yes we have a choice but we also tend to get caught up in the hype and being told what to do and how to apply ourselves to reach our maximum limit without regarding the consequences of injury, possibly death, becoming crippled, breaking bones, tearing tendons and scarring the psyche for life. It's like driving a Viper and testing it's limits of how fast it can go and getting caught up in that mentality of seeing what it's truly capable of. The car can only take so much and at its highest peak of maximum performance, won't last more than a minute tops. A similar ideal is the cheetah the fastest land animal on earth, at top speed, the wildcat only lasts seconds and only uses that speed for survival and catching food. If this cat were to challenge itself and even remotely test it's speed more than it is meant to, the death scale would be at its highest due to exhaustion, heart beating too fast for the body to handle, the bones would shatter and would be destroying the internal organs.

Like the Viper and Cheetah, the human body can only take so much and everyone, even the greatest athletes in the world have their limits. How we determine what we can tolerate is through experimentation, where the mind is tested, preparation and finding out what we can do to do more and more until we reach complete and utter failure. It is important to challenge yourself but it must be done with intent, understanding when to back off and recover, plus learning your mentality and physical needs. When we are young, we have greater chances of recovering like crazy and have energy that keeps us going and having mental toughness. As we age, recovery takes more time, physical exertion becomes greater in order to provide results and mental strength is at it's apex.

Pushing our limits can be beneficial to a degree but each individual will never have the same limits or abilities as the person next to them. There are some things I can never achieve because of my structure, my strength levels, my tolerance for pain but that other person may not have what I have and won't ever do things that I'm capable of doing. It's all a matter of perspective and understanding how far that person can push their highest levels of the attributes they have acquired or willing to test at their maximum levels. Now the real question is.....If you push beyond your limits, are you willing to suffer the consequences that comes later or during? Or are you willing to find out what you can truly do? This is the real test for every individual. 


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How Can You Trust The Information You Are Given Or Learning?

There's a lot of great free info around fitness websites, forums, blogs, podcasts and much more but while absorbing it, how much of it can be trustworthy and valued to you? Some places have info that is so freakishly basic and generic that it is boring as hell and people just can't always get on board. Some places even have colorful marketing ploys and fonts that just jump out at you and have this exciting look (believe me, I've fallen for it too) but is the info on there just to sell or really help you with your goals?

In my research and learning various methods from isometrics to circuit training, training in gymnastics, some training in submission grappling, strongman feats, bodyweight exercise, weightlifting, sports and others; it is easy to get sucked into something and not look at things on a deeper level. Certain people promote things just for the sake of promoting and not give a damn about what they're truly selling but on the other side of that same coin, people will market and promote things so damn hard that it is the end-all-be-all product along with never looking at anything else but that. What do your instincts tell you when you look at an ad copy? Do you trust what someone is selling or giving it away for free?

Let's cut to the chase, many people market fitness as ways to build income and the majority of marketers only care about selling and don't give a damn who buys it. The magazines, dvds, cds, webinars, youtube videos, kindle books, paperbacks and other digital downloads all play a role in how to drive people to their product or whatever. I will say not all marketers are assholes and do care who buys their product and even gives their gratitude to them in amazing ways.  The people I learned from the most give their blessings to the people who took a chance on them and got incredible results. People like Bud Jeffries, Logan Christopher, Steve Maxwell, Tyler Bramlett and others cater to a certain level of people but will work with the people that want the help. They're not in it just for racking the dough, they treat people with respect and dignity.

Now from my perspective and learning from experience both hands on and on the net, there's very little trust in what I want to learn. I can be a skeptic and have become a follower in certain methods but I never treat anyone like they're a god or some leader of a revolution, just want to learn and see where it takes me. On the net, trust is about as limited as you can get and you have to protect yourself from whom you get involved with. Yes I do have friends in the fitness world and some I even refer to somee as like brothers and I will promote them because I have seen how they treat people and how passionate they are, both are a rare combination in this world.

Most of the free stuff you'll find on the net are mainly on forums and blogs. Some are good, some are great and others are just freaking weird. I have written about some of these forums recently and I have to say, they're entertaining to a degree and have decent knowledge but just because it is free doesn't mean it's always the right way to do things but the same can be said when you pay for something. You have to be instinctive in what you choose and do your best to shield yourself from bullshit stuff. It isn't easy but it isn't impossible either.

I'm learning myself what I trust is the right info for me and have gotten caught up in the bullshit stuff. You really don't want to get into things that these assholes can exploit and make you feel less about yourself because it has happened to me and I hate that feeling. It is a process but remember what is important to you, keeping your goals on track and learn to trust yourself. It is easily seductive wanting to defend everything and developing strong ideals that creates enemies but the true enemy are the people who want to watch the world burn and feed on misery to fill their own ego because they themselves are miserable and become obsessed with being negative towards whatever made them bitter in the first place. Find the trust in the info that suits your interests and goals whether you pay for it or find it without paying a damn thing, you have the power, make it work for you. 

Killer Benefits Of Isometric Training For Women

Women don't always realize how much they can benefit from using Isometric Exercise as part of their program. Some exercises offer greater advantages for women than a lot of us guys. Isometrics is often overlooked as a way too damn long method for losing weight and is one of the very best ideas for women and teaching that you won't need to bulk up in order to be strong.

As of late, women are beginning to understand the crucial benefits of having a solid strength training program for all-around health and Isometrics includes certain add on elements that conventional training doesn't offer. Take a look below to learn a few badass benefits that Isometrics offer for women. Pay attention to these very important factors and start a foundation today practicing Isometrics....

1) It increases the metabolic rate - This is a very critical element of Isometric Training. Many women want to find out the true secrets of weight loss and here is one way to find out. Isometrics shoot up the metabolic rate when you increase the calories you burn. The more calories burned, the lower your bodyfat goes.

2) Developing, Restoring & Strengthening Your Bone Density - A lot of women suffer Osteoporosis and Isometric Exercises helps prevent and even battle hard that condition. The way that happens is by stressing the Connective Tissue in the muscles and bones leading to greater Re-Densification. This will really slow down and even prevent the process of Osteoporosis along with even arthritis. Think of the healthy glow and ability to stay strong as a woman ages. Wouldn't you love to play with your grandchildren, maybe even great-grandchildren? Start practicing Isometrics.

3) Stable & Even Powerful Muscle Mass (Not Bulk) - Incredibly important. The tissue which some have called the "Metabolically Active" will burn calories like a damn furnace. This does not mean increase in bulk, I know some women wouldn't want anything to do with that. Because of the lack of testosterone in women, becoming bulky just doesn't happen unless you're on steroids or TRT. That is not what I want you to do ever. I believe in being healthy and having a strong foundation for having muscle that is useful. With Isometrics, you'll become leaner, tighter and trimmed.

4) Preventing Injuries - For all intents and purposes, Isometrics is one of the safest methods around. The stronger your tendons and ligaments are, the less chance of being injured. For both men and women, as we get older, we become brittle, worn down and get more aches and pains but if we consistently practice Isometric Exercise, these factors can be yesterday's newspaper and they'll help you stay fit in the long run.

Hope you learned something new and are on your way to a healthier you. Become stronger for the long haul and check out some cool ways to develop a strong foundation for Isometric Training.

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A Quick 10 Minute Workout To Build Your Conditioning

Timing can be a hassle when it comes to training. Having to pay bills, go to work, pick up the kids, go to meetings, make deliveries ect. Working out doesn't have to be a chore and it certainly shouldn't be something you dread doing. Having a small window can make a massive difference and what if you can use that window anytime and anywhere? How about doing a workout that doesn't take more than 30 minutes a week (3 10 minute sessions), would that be cool with you? 

We don't always see a workout lasting less than 30 minutes to an hour so what would 10 do? 10 minutes for most people sounds like a warm up. The funny thing is, within those 10 minutes, you can be huffing and puffing and feel like you just went an hour doing something. This workout doesn't require a ton of space, uses very little equipment and saves you a hell of a lot of time and money. Seriously who doesn't like saving a buck or two?

Doing this workout from my point of view can be tiring but fun and challenging. With the right amount of resistance, you won't be doing a ton of reps per set but you won't be resting much either. Each round is 15 seconds of work and 15 seconds of rest. You continue this 20 times and that's it. If you're new to it, start with 5 rounds and build up. For the resistance, start light. You'll be using the Lifeline Resistance TNT Cables which are awesome for working out anywhere and cost effective if you're on a budget. 

The workout itself is a combination of the Curl, Squat & Press in sequence. As you get into heavier resistance, the less reps you'll be doing per round. It's not always how many reps you can do, it's keeping form and not straining especially in the beginning rounds.  If you're completely new to it, start with sessions 1-2 times a week, as you get better, make it 3 but you don't need to do any more days than that but it's up to you. 

The cables come with instructions and loads of exercises to choose from, has a door anchor you can attach and have even more exercises to choose from. Workout at home, at the park, in your hotel room, the garage, practically anywhere. This cable system can get you do many exercises from the gym and fits into a small bag. Give it a go and hope you have fun getting fit. 

Why Sculpting Was Never A Part Of My Training

There's a fine line between looking fit and being fit. There's also a difference between being strong and looking strong as well. Let's face it, I'm not going to be winning any bodybuilding titles or looking like a greek god any time soon. I was never into sculpting my body but rather have the strength and other attributes to do what I love.

For some, sculpting is mindset and often times an obsession to develop the body that makes heads turn and making women's knees buckle. Not saying someone who wants to look fit is a bad thing it just isn't my preference. Now on the other hand, I don't want to be looking like a 400+ obese guy who hasn't done a damn thing in 20 years and eats McDienolds everyday. Sometimes looks can be deceiving and just because someone looks fit, that doesn't mean they have world class strength and the ability to outrun an olympic sprinter.

For the most part, I don't look like the fittest guy, I don't have 20 inch arms, 8-pack abs, cannonball shoulders and certainly don't look like I can go an hour in a workout without sounding like I'm having a heart attack. I do however can move a near 60 pound hammer for reps, have done 500 Squats in a row on multiple occasions, haul heavy furniture, Curl 60+ pound dumbbells, Run Sprints, go an hour or more in an animal workout, can spar with people far lighter than me in No Gi Grappling and other things. I don't feel the need to look like Zeus or Hercules to prove that I can be strong and have stamina, endurance and flexibility.

Maybe it is genetics, maybe it's the way my brain works or how my mind is made up but I don't need to look fit in order to be fit. If my health isn't well and I need to change things up like losing weight, lower my blood pressure, focus more on flexibility or whatever, than I'll do things to make those happen and I have. I was 275 about 2 years ago and that was too much for my height (5'10) so I changed my eating, worked out differently and changed my mindset and now I'm 20+ pounds lighter and feel incredible. I'll probably want to lose more weight in the not too distant future but for now I'm happy with where I'm at.

High Blood Pressure runs in my family so I do know I need to keep an eye on it especially when I get older into my late 30's, early 40's and beyond but I'm going to do the best to my abilities to stay off medication and keep it to less stress, better nutrition and training. The first I had it checked was for a physical a few years ago and I had it at 150+/110 which is damn near danger zone. I also needed my cholesterol levels down because I ha more bad than good. So I changed things up again and instinctively went on a program for 6 weeks before I checked it out again. The next time I went in after doing the program, my blood pressure dropped nearly 30 points at the top number and more than 20 points on the bottom number and it was incredible. Now I haven't done this program in a long time and have used other methods to help keep my BP in tact, one thing more than anything is to keep stress levels down. I hate being on meds because as a child that was what I had to do until I reached about 9-10 years old.

So what does this have to do with sculpting? Quite frankly nothing because just looking fit doesn't mean your health won't be in jeopardy. You can have the fittest looking body on the planet and still have major problems and not always from taking steroids or being natural. People with Diabetes have a sculpted look, not many but they do exist, fit athletes have developed cancer, it happens. Some people who look like a Greek God have high blood pressure or need a sleep apnea mask in order to get rest because their breathing is an issue. I can go on and on but you get my point. Do what makes you happy and keeps you actually fit. Looks won't always save you in real life situations so it is important to understand things in perspective. Now if you're sculpted and have the attributes to back it up, that's awesome, it works for you and it should continue to work for you.

The point is to be healthy and develop your body that can be resilient and strong along with being able to go for a solid period of time, be flexible, have less stress in your life and live well. Sculpting was never my thing because I rather be healthy overall instead of just looking like I'am. A fit body doesn't always mean healthy so learn to value the differences and make the choices that keep you healthy both inside and outside.