Isometrics & Quarantine

Since we the people were told to stay home, might as well make the best of it right? Good thing I work from home anyway or wherever the hell I want if internet is up. I'm more of a homebody anyway and when I do go out, its for a good walk, shopping with the wife (good thing we don't have to break anyone for Toilet Paper), spending time with family or being out on the patio getting some sun. Although this is a serious virus and I know I'm not invincible, I still don't feel threatened to it and I'm so grateful my wife hasn't gotten it considering how many people she deals with all day.

Where we live is beautiful, surrounded by trees, next to a golf course, awesome neighborhood and some good hiking trails nearby so fuck you Coronavirus. Anyway, since we're cooped up here, let's keep ourselves in shape and stay as healthy as possible. Over a period of weeks, I was doing the Matt Furey Exercise Bible which I got really good at and gotten incredible results as you have seen recently. However, as I naturally do, I switch things up to keep from doing the same thing over and over, so I switched over to mainly Isometric Training.

Some of the best info on Isometric training is through the Facebook group Vim & Vigor (Isometrics And Beyond) where you'll find like minded people who have a very positive spin on the subject, a great file section on Isometric Training and loads upon loads of encouragement and inspiration. For me, some of the best people to learn the subject of Isometrics are people like Bud Jeffries, Jarell Lindsey, Batman (Paul) O'Brien, Steve Justa and others.

Isometrics in and of themselves can be a hell of a workout and it doesn't take a ton of time. These would be the perfect workout to do while in Quarantine. You can do exercises from your couch, your bed, in the kitchen (maybe not while cooking lol) on the wall, in the doorways, hell even while you take a shower. The main summary of Isometrics is that you're using force without actually moving, you can also hold a certain position with less force and hold it for an extended period of time. The most common Isometric people do is the Plank where you're in push-up type position on the hands or forearms. 

Although the Plank is a good starting point, it's good to progress to other positions or hand placements to make the Plank more interesting such as holding it with your fists, holding in the mid position, on your fingertips, one arm, switch hand placements every 30 seconds, one legged and way more different variations. You can do virtually thousands upon thousands of exercises without ever moving a single muscle but in all fairness, I think around a dozen should cover it within a 10 minute period. They're phenomenal fat burners, can amp up your cardio (if you know how to do right, you'll never need to be on a treadmill), build real world strength and speed, possibly lower blood pressure, build muscle that is less prone to injury and strengthen the tendons and ligaments.

I mix up various Isometric Exercises ranging from using a Strap or Belt, Pushing against the wall or doing wall sits, free handed exercises, Gymnastic Type Holds, Yoga Poses, planks, Muscle Isolation such as Muscle Control, Chair Exercises, weighted holds and plenty more depending on what type of mood i'm in. They can also be very meditative such as holding the deep squat for several minutes, Horse Stances, being on one leg, holding a handstand, Wu Ji Posture like in Qi Gong and others. Isometrics are more than just flexing or holding a wall sit, they give you strength that not many possess and if you're an athlete, they can prolong a career. 

Being in Quarantine freaking sucks big time and with having time on our hands, avoiding cabin fever can be a chore in itself. A few minutes a day doing Isometrics can also alleviate stress and help you be calmer and more focused. Let's face it, we hate it when we have to be forced to stay in our homes but we can make the best of it and do our best to keep a positive attitude while getting fit in the process. 

Take care of yourselves, your loved ones and have positive vibes. This thing won't last forever. 

Staying Healthy During A Big Epidemic

It is Hump Day and the Coronavirus is still running a muck. I really hope everyone is staying safe, healthy and not trying to do too much when you go out to the public. Our world is going nuts right now and it is predicted to get crazier before it gets any better. My wife works as a manager at Albertsons and coming rom her, it has been chaotic and overwhelming with often times not having enough people to cover things to keep things flowing smoothly. People buying up Toilet Paper and just overcompensating for gearing up for basically the Apocalypse. Physically, I'm grateful she isn't sick and I'm very grateful I haven't caught this thing.

Small businesses are being shut down, cities closing shop on restaurants and bars or completely minimizing capacity, sports are postponed and other businesses losing major dollars due to limiting employees to have in the office and others sent home. Quarantine is at a rate where almost an entire city in the U.S like San Francisco is completely cut off. Deliveries are becoming limited and disrupted as well. Not to cause a panic for anyone, just giving a heads up.

My friends over at Lost Empire Herbs however, are making sure everyone who orders the amazingly awesome herbs that they sell is getting to people the best ways possible. This is why they have now put up a major Stock Up Sale where you can save and get some top quality herbs to boost your immune system, enhance brain power, have incredible energy and not to mention gut health. Think of the support you get when you take these herbs and formulas and being given a fighting chance to be ahead of many people who have contracted the virus.

This isn't easy for them but because of possible disruptions with shipping, the inventory might run out sooner than later and they don't know how long it'll last. If you're going to be stocking up, snatch up healthy options that gives your body a powerful load of antioxidants, hormone support and healthy blood cells that will battle like the Red Army.

If you're able to, I encourage you to support this company because it is a small business and the employees working there don't get support always from other means and it means a lot to their families. The major focus right now is the health and well-being of not only the people providing these herbs and formulas but for you as well.

Two major components are critical now that I want to address.....One, remember that these herbs aren't a cure but they can make your body adaptable and not only fight the virus but will tackle it with a vengeance and incredible strength...Two, this is a very stressful time. Stress-Relieving activities are essential to stay ahead of the game and keep your body strong inside and out such as being out in nature, meditation, doing the right kind of movement or exercise and of course taking in the herbs will help with stress. Most of what you'll notice when things kick into your system is the adaptogens and nervines such as in herbs like Ashwagandha, Spartan Formula, Blue Vervain, Cordyceps, He Shou Wu, Reishi Mushroom & Albizia.

So be prepared and give your immune system that surging boost that could possibly be incredibly life saving. Remember, your health is your greatest wealth. 

Forums Can Be Death Traps

Social Media can confuse the living hell out of you especially in these troubled times with the damn coronavirus and you don't know who to trust (especially those in the news media, the government and the research being displayed) and it can overwhelm you with so many emotions, you wonder why bother? The truth is, although it has its problems, it can also do some good by putting out positive messages, sharing something inspiring and seeing some of the good people do in this world.

Forums are another platform for Social Media where people get together in a single place and talk about various topics ranging from politics to fitness to nutrition and even the weirdest stuff anyone is ever willing to talk about. We all want to fit in somewhere, be heard, given an opportunity to share ideas and see things from another perspective; the major problem with this however (and I can attest to this), they can also be death traps where you get caught up in a keyboard battle where nobody wins and it turns into a bitter war that should never get out of hand.

Aside from certain issues this platform often provides, it also gives some people the floor to state their biased agenda towards people, a subject or in this case of fitness, certain methods of exercise. Some forums provide pretty damn good and inspiring info that help others reach their goals and provide some awesome workouts, equipment and positive feedback towards you and others. With the negative stuff, it can be very tempting to say what's truly on your mind (or what is being said in the moment) and getting caught up in a whirlwind where all you're really doing is adding gasoline on the fire. I do regret getting caught up in some of these battles and thrown on my own anxiety and letting those get to me have their petty victories. Falling into a death trap can hit your self-esteem but you can choose to climb out and be victorious within yourself and get back on your feet.

Forums in and of themselves aren't always terrible, (depending on the title or the agenda behind it) it's usually the people within them that makes or breaks that particular forum. Like the Joker in the Dark Knight, some people just want to stir shit up and watch others crumble beneath themselves while watching the world burn, they have nothing inspiring to show, they don't give people the credit they deserve and they certainly can't stand themselves but will never admit it and take out their grievances on others so they can have their own little pity party in their tiny bubble.

One forum I admired for a long time was the Transformetrics forum based on John Peterson's take on the Charles Atlas program and how it can help prolong someone's fitness endeavors with little to no equipment. It had a lot of inspiring things and ideas for workouts that I've personally done myself but the more I started paying the attention, the more I started noticing very few people on there were fit and it acted more like a religious setting that was more off putting than anything. John is an ok guy and I'm honored with the conversations we've had over the years but he's far and wide from being a super trainer or anything of that sorts and is very biased in how he does workouts and some of those workouts did hurt some people not just physically but mentally as well. I had to leave because for one, that place is dying off and won't change anything to keep it afloat, two there's nothing inspiring there anymore and hasn't been for a long time. It's practically a ghost town and the only members left are just looking for heartache.

I know what it's like to get so caught up in keyboard battles that you forget that it's a test of control and my impulses got me into some heat with people but at the same time, I realize now that those same people most likely set me up to set me off so they can go run to their buddies and tell them horrible things about me. I do admit, it's my own damn fault for being in those situations and I know some people who would've or could've smacked me upside the head and told me to knock that shit off. That's where the death traps really come in where if your anxiety is high, you're frustrated and have no control over your thinking, you're going to act on impulses and it will bite you in the ass and I'm not ashamed to admit that I did do those things. I'm a passionate person, I wear my heart on my sleeve and I stand up for what I believe in but some people took advantage of that and it did get to me.

Another forum I've looked in on is based on the courses by Ross Enamait which are pretty freaking crazy but using simple exercises to get in top condition. Some of the people I've read are biased in a certain sense but others are open minded and see it for what it is and use the creativity to find the best workouts for themselves. Ross is a no, nonsense boxer who even in his 40's I believe is in peak physical condition that most guys half his age would envy or even fear. I admire guys like that and they have that warrior spirit that is inspiring.

Now one forum that I have mentioned before and will do so for the last time just can't get over their obsession with John Peterson and others like myself. Some of the same people on there I have gotten into it with are the ones that did get to me and I feel sick every time I talked to any one of them. They do their damndest to exploit, ridicule and belittle those that are far better than they ever were in their lives. Can you imagine living day after day doing almost nothing but show no remorse or empathy towards people you never actually met in person. Somebody should've just knocked my ass out for even engaging with those people. I know I'm giving them free press here but I'm here to tell you that if you ever plan on engaging in a forum or a group on social media, stay the fuck away from people like these guys. They're old, probably crippled, don't have an ounce of true sympathy in what they write and most likely get off on seeing those suffering while circle jerking around each other. I don't ever make a habit of disrespecting my elders but if there are people out there who act on things the way these guys do, respect is not only thrown out the window but locked in a box and put in the middle of the ocean to drop to the deepest of the bottom floor.

If there's anything I've learned about myself is that don't ever do what I did and learn to control your emotions when you're online. Not only will it get you into hot water, you will find how ice cold people can be and they'll only see you for they think they see. Whether it's on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, TikTok, Snapchat or whatever, be yourself but at the same time keep your guard up and protect yourself mentally and emotionally. Although in the end, words are just words, they can hit people far harder than others and it can get chaotic and keep you from being truly happy.

Another Update On Results

Since Jan. 29th for just about every single day, I've been doing the Matt Furey Exercise Bible and as of now, I feel lighter (even though i'm 260 lbs.) and my flexibility is better, my core is way stronger and my conditioning is the best it has been in a while. Beyond just the exterior results, I do have far better breathing (other than that one night where I screwed myself up) and don't have fatigue. 

This past weekend was a little stressful because I had to take care of my mom who had surgery and had to have an organ removed. Me and my wife didn't hesitate twice about being there for her and I'm glad we did. Even with all that going on, I still managed to get workouts in every day, even it was just Isometrics. If you got a fire in you, regardless of certain situations, getting a workout in can be the best thing for you. It helped me from worrying so much about my mom and kept me focused on what I can do even better. Just happened to get pretty good results because of it.

I get my fighter's mentality from my mom and a few other people in my life/family including my grandma (Dad's Mom) who had surgeries recently herself and still made it to 99 years young on Monday. Results are not just about the work you put in, it gives you insight to what you don't see....Those rough days where even in the middle of a workout you want to quit but keep going, those times where you don't want to put in a lot of time so you make the time that is possible in the moment. I have done the MFEB so many times now that getting through it isn't difficult, it's more of a mental game because there were days I just didn't feel it yet I did it anyway.

After sharing my results yesterday, I get a comment from Matt Furey himself saying how shredded I can be if I went on the Carnivore Diet. It was really cool to see that from him but like i'll tell you what I told him, it would take a lot of desire and motivation to do that Diet, he even mentioned the possibilities of being on it for 2 years. Diets never truly suited me, I just eat better than I did when I was in high school and cut back on some things or cut them in half. I hardly ever eat McDonalds these days unless I'm traveling on the road or having a rare "F*ck it day", I eat more meat and chicken and although I do have bread, I don't eat loads of it or anything like that. Shit, my grams is 99 freaking years old and hardly ever had a vegetable or real fruit in her life, so coming from that gene pool and the way I train and eat, i'm perfectly ok with not being shredded and having a good physique plus being healthy as a horse.

I developed these results without looking to lose weight but more geared towards fat loss and putting more pep in my steps along with cutting some body fat(don't need to 10% or less, just at a level where my health isn't in jeopardy). I also realize the type of condition I'd be in if I lost 40-50 lbs but it's not my ideal way and I feel great. 

Train according to your goals but don't let it suck the life out of you and don't ever do things that make you feel weaker or fatigued that you can't do much else. Always have energy left in the tank, progress with intention and listen to your body. If you're so damn sore the next day, take a day off, go for a walk, do deep breathing exercises or light yoga, Rome wasn't build in a day. 

Can You Push-Up Bro?

Just about everybody and their grandfather has at least done a push-up in their lifetime. It is a foundational exercise for strength and conditioning that has been around for centuries or more. There are so many variations, it might as well fill an encyclopedia. The benefits alone for doing Push-ups are enormous and have been used by countless athletes, celebs, trainers, coaches, kids, military, law enforcement and the elderly.

My personal favorite variation is the Hindu Push-up and have done hundreds of them lately doing the Matt Furey Exercise Bible where in the deck, I do 100 or more in a workout. This old time exercise was a staple for middle eastern wrestlers and became adopted by the late Karl Gotch who taught it to the now legendary Japanese wrestlers and the author of Combat Conditioning Matt Furey.

For a period I was doing military style push-ups while doing circuits of Darebee Workouts doing 100-200 for various workouts at a time. The only time I ever challenged myself doing as many push-ups in a row as possible was probably while I worked out with Karl Gotch Student Tom Puckett and when I had my three day stint (before injuries occurred) in High School Wrestling. The most Push-ups I ever did in a workout was 600 doing many sets of ladder schemes.

Every now and then I get bored of the push-up and focus on other exercises for conditioning purposes but I do go back to the once in a blue moon. Yesterday however, I got inspired by Johnny Grube (I've written about him and although I can't stand his rants, I do respect him highly for his conditioning and work ethic) because lately in his videos he shows planks and midpoint push-up holds on his fists for several minutes which is impressive all on its own. I have done planks plenty of times but one day I held a plank on my fists like him for a minute and a few seconds mid position and was more than enough for me. This time I took out my Warrior Power T's (or Neuro Grips that are around these days) and held a plank for a minute and felt like forever.

Today, I thought I'd do a little filming with the Power T's and did Iso Holds in the up and mid push-up positions for a 5 count each as a demo and a few push-ups. I haven't done push-ups with these things for a looooonnnggg ass time and although i'm shaking, I'm still pulling them off fairly easily. you can check them out here.....

Instagram: @benjbergman

It doesn't matter if you can do 100 or 1000 Push-ups, with these handles, you're not going to do that many because not only is it highly advanced but it requires tremendous focus and muscle control that very few can pull off. Just doing them on the knees at first takes some skill and there are some out there who are very skilled with these types of handles but for even the most basic push-up you need a solid amount of strength to do them. I feel blessed that I can still do them and not fall on my face. The first time I did them many, many years ago it felt almost impossible. After learning the muscle control aspects and a few imagery techniques I learned from CoreForce Energy, I was doing more than 15-20 reps at a time and the most in a row was around 40.

I highly recommend you build some good strength, stability training and muscle control as a foundation for these handles and once you begin with them, do not go fast or think it's an EZPZ thing. be sure you're not on hardwood floors or concrete cause if you fall on your face, it will hurt and they can slip on you without warning. If you've had previous injuries or have shoulder problems and your core is weak, do not attempt these. If you do have the strength to them, focus the most on control and not so much on repetition. The more reps you can do, the stronger you are at doing them. Anybody who says Push-ups after 25-50 reps is nothing more than endurance has NEVER done these, if they did, they wouldn't be talking shit lol.

Slim Down Like The Joker But Also Be Way More Fit And Conditioned

First off, I want to say congrats to Joaquin Phoenix for his portrayal of the Joker in the same name Film and winning the Oscar for Best Actor. That is now two wins for a high up award for a Superhero Film and both actors (including the late Heath Ledger) were the Joker in those roles. I thoroughly enjoyed it and it was a much darker look at the Clown Prince of crime in recent cinema.

Now like the Joker, there is a lot of people in the fitness industry that are maniacal and psychotic to the degree where they try to sell you what being fit really is and in reality, it's a setup where people get hurt and the seller makes the dough. Crossfit fits into this category where an extreme few coaches actually teach the mechanics and the basics but the majority just flat out put people in workouts they're not supposed to do and don't really teach the proper form to actually sustain fitness for the long haul.

There have been different Jokers throughout the years; you have the clown, the comedian, the anarchist and the gangster and through evolution, has had ups and downs. The fitness world is no different, it has evolved for the best and the worst and like Joker, it can be difficult which one you're going to end up with. The thing that makes Joker so iconic regardless of what version you get, he is the epitome of good vs. evil and without the villain, there is no hero. There are so many courses out there that are just messed up and look like they're nothing more than a money-making scheme but on the other hand, there are plenty that can change your life and help you become fit in the long run without an overriding agenda.

The Joker for the most part is a freaking twig, let's call it for a what it is lol, he's so damn skinny, Batman ought to give him a sandwich more than an ass beating before he puts him in Arkham. There's no way around the fact that this soulless and demented prick of Gotham doesn't hit the gym or even knows how to do a push-up but there's a couple things that he does have that make him a world-class Villain and that's his ability to take a beating and has endurance to keep fighting the caped crusader. The Joker workout works mainly the legs and building cardiovascular endurance so whether you're a villain trying to plot against the bat or take down a major city in the DC Universe or even just to be in better shape for stamina and durability, this workout can get you going.

It'll give you a good set of lungs and trim you down with the right eating plan. If you're a woman, it'll also give you a killer pair of legs that can go the distance. Strength is a great asset but if you can't last very long, what's the point? Does Joker give up on plotting against Batman? Does he just sit and die while locked up in Arkham Asylum? No, he's always on the move, he keeps being creative and he just doesn't stop. Got to give him credit for his persistence.

If you want to be in awesome shape and have an evil laugh at the old you, get into training with the Joker workout. You can do it anywhere, anytime and it would fit your schedule. Are you up to the challenge? Picture as if you can beat him at his own game and saying that you just kicked the Joker's ass.

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What Is More Difficult With A Deck Of Cards: 500 Hindu Squats Or 500 Reps Of The Matt Furey Exercise Bible?

There are different challenges and various workouts involving high rep bodyweight training but what makes certain things more difficult than others? If you're a beginner, doing something with high reps will make you sore quick unless your body recovers faster than normal but in an advanced stage, it can vary from exercise to exercise and the consistency of what your training goals are.

Doing 500 Hindu Squats for the average person isn't an easy task and being consistent can be daunting but for an athlete or someone who is use to high rep training, it's almost the norm and once you reach 500 or more, it becomes a mental game more than anything. Doing the Matt Furey Exercise Bible is quite a challenge in itself in the beginning and it's always changing whenever you do it. Some people who have done this workout can do it pretty damn fast but some do it very slow, focusing on form and being methodical along with working repetitions. 500 Reps of the MFEB is no joke but is it as difficult as to do doing 500 Hindu Squats? I believe it depends on the perspective from those who have done both.

From my POV, doing 500 Hindu Squats with a deck of cards isn't as difficult because for one, you're literally focused on one exercise (unless you're a maniac adding jumpers and flat foot squats in the mix) and you're going through it the entire time. For the MFEB, you're focused on 3 added exercises and have to be ready whenever they pop up. These exercises have multiple variations and sure you're doing less of the squats but you're working all the muscles in your body in order to get through the deck. The concentration is different, the muscles being worked are unpredictable and your breath work is different. In each case, you're using multiple muscle groups and you're testing your conditioning levels but unlike focusing on groups that give a particular one way more attention, you're giving your attention to every muscle in the body almost equally.

For those who have never done either of these workouts, don't go diving into them like they're a cake walk, you will be sore as hell or worse. Some people think bodyweight training isn't a big thing yet if they did either one of these workouts, they're in for a rude awakening. Neither one is to be messed with and they'll get you in shape like crazy. You can do them on different days, both on the same day or if you've got some kind of fitness death wish, in the same workout. I have done 500 Squats plenty of times and done them to prepare for a little day of hiking. Doing the MFEB, I've done different variations of the exercises and did various rep schemes but even at a total of 500 Reps, it was pretty gnarly (sorry not sorry, even after nearly 9 years in Idaho, I still have my Cali Lingo).

So what do you think is more difficult? Give me your perspective if you've done reps at a high level like this. Although 500 Hindu Squats is more commonly done with or without cards doing them straight through, I've read plenty of people have done the MFEB and find it more enjoyable. You never know who might answer it in this manner.

Breath Of Fire For Endurance And Universal Power

One of my favorite scenes in a Marvel Film was in the Incredible Hulk where for a few seconds you see Bruce Banner learn a breathing technique that helps him control his emotions and stay calm. The teacher is the legendary Rickson Gracie, the red belt Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Practitioner who is the best of the best in the Gracie Family. I didn't understand about this technique until years later doing research on the technique and paying attention to how Rickson does it in the Documentary Choke. 

The simplest way to explain it is similar to lamaze breathing women use for childbirth. The big difference is that although it looks like you're hyperventilating, it's a concentrated breathing pattern working the diaphragm and exhaling short and fast bursts of the exhale. It's not an easy technique to learn and I'm sure there's far more to it than the way I try to practice it. The more I applied it through meditation and throughout certain workouts, it doesn't just give you a more calming effect, it helps amplify your stamina and aids recovery like crazy.

Through practice of various breathing techniques (ones one should and should never do) I find Diaphramic Breathing the best variation with its different styles of that form of breathing. It keeps things flowing and puts more of the body and mind in tuned with movements without going into panic mode which is what chest breathing tends to do. We walk around breathing all day and don't give it a second thought but the way we breathe can have a profound effect on how our emotions play a role in that area. 

For fitness reasons, there are books out there (some nearly 100 years old or more) that teach what's call Intercostal Breathing which uses more of the chest and rib cage to tighten the waistline and breathe more upwards into the chest. That's all and good if you want to build a tight waist but in the real world, that can cause a lot of problems and put you more into a negative emotion like unnecessary anxiety/panic and fearful. You have read recently that I tried this technique and suffered for a while and had a bad case of anxiety and other problems. The moment I started breathing through my diaphragm and focused on my breathing, I was back to normal. Other people have told me that Intercostal Breathing gives them headaches and have more of a shortness of breath and have learned from the likes of Steve Maxwell and others that this type of breathing is an endurance killer.

When I was going on for nearly a month doing the Matt Furey Exercise Bible, I changed my breathing patterns on the Hindu Push-ups to have better endurance but what really made the difference was as I was getting better, after each workout I would do this technique for maybe 30 seconds as a finisher and my breathing felt incredible. I was refreshed, I wasn't huffing and puffing and my mind felt clear as crystal. It literally felt like I could start another workout at 100%. 

Yesterday, I put this technique to the test in a different way; I tried out some boxing by going 10 Rounds (1 min on and 15 seconds rest), just doing various punches and speed of punches while also using techniques from CoreForce Energy. After each round, I would do the technique as active recovery during the 15 second rest periods, with that I was able to continue punching each round without tiring and was hitting harder and faster within practically every round. I never felt weak or fatigued and my speed never really wavered, I did mess up a couple punches here and there but I was moving too fast and I wasn't paying attention to my form but once I put the focus back on my speed while paying attention to my breathing, it was as if I couldn't stop and was in that zone. Never felt that much energy and I never have done a workout like that in my life. 

As a side note, I was playing a video game on my PS4 called Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot and it either gave me so much adrenaline from playing or just plain inspired me to workout but either way, that workout after playing that game made me feel like I can turn into a Super Sayian (if anyone knows that term, you know what's up) and my body was just full of surging power, energy and strength that I felt invincible and can turn into a mighty warrior with spiked blonde hair. That was what it felt like during that workout and practicing that technique. I never even warmed up, it was just there and during the rest of the day and as of right now, don't feel any soreness or discomfort/pain, just energetic. 

This is just an idea of what I experience when I practice this breathing technique and how it has changed how I work out and go about my day. It might be different for you and have a very different affect but from my personal recollection and understanding, it is by far the best breathing technique I have learned thus far, it has made my endurance go through the roof, I feel stronger, far more clear headed and has been a good practice for meditation.  

The Wild Was Calling Out To Me

For years I've watched and became a big fan of Animal/Wildlife Documentaries from the Planet Earth Series to Disney's Monkey Kingdom, Wild Alaska, Documentaries on Wolves and many others. It's fascinating how much our world is enriched with the vast species of animals, insects and the killer intelligence of the Orca. I sometimes ask myself "how could you not watch these and want to move like them?

For us humans, we can learn a lot from animals and although a trend of animal movements has hit big lately, it's been practiced for centuries or even longer where we mimic other species in different formats such as Kung Fu practitioners and hunters who learn how to stalk and kill a wild animal. Many people who practice the movements today give off more of a theme or a combination of freestyle moves mixed with gymnastics and the crawling patterns but for someone like me, I love keeping it simple and dig deep into the best possible ways as a human to move like an animal.

Last night, I just had an itch to play my animal dice game. After eating a few homemade tacos and watching Fast & Furious, I went out to the dungeon and just hammered out about 15 minutes of animal exercise and felt incredible. The surge of energy, the calming effects after the workout and the deep breathing was one of the best experiences. The ability to transform (in your imagination) into an animal on a whim is a powerful feeling and when you start crawling, jumping, side stepping and moving pretty damn fast, it goes beyond just cardio and building functional muscle.

No I don't howl at the moon or growl like a grizzly or roar like a big cat but just moving through various planes of motion and setting yourself in awkward positions makes your body in a way you're not used to. A lot of these movements are a staple in many sports conditioning programs, more notably in sports like football and wrestling. The game is just an idea but other aspects of an animal workout can turn someone into a lean, mean fighting machine and it brings out a whole other form of superhuman conditioning. Just the Bear Crawls alone can take down even the greatest athletes so imagine putting together a workout based on an entire kingdom of wildlife.

You can start at any point depending on your level of fitness and progress through various stages of movements. Treat it like a game, a way to have fun and play. The results are nothing short of incredible when you practice the art of moving like a wild animal.

I have no clue if I'll be doing it everyday for a while or when I get an itch but this type of training always seems to make me happy while staying really fit at the same time. Doesn't take up much time since most don't need more than 20 minutes but if you're really into it, you can go as long as you want. 

Training Like The Dark Knight

Within 2 years, there will be ANOTHER Batman film but this time with Twilight star Robert Pattinson. Now I know what you're thinking cause I thought the same thing "who the fuck, thought it was a good idea to have Edward be Batman?" For quite a period during the Twilight Saga that girls and fanboys flocked to root for Team Jacob & Team Edward, talk about a rivalry that made people laugh than anything else. However, from recent photos that have been roaming, they're already giving fits to how Pattinson looks in the suit. The question I have is "How good of shape is he going to be in?"

The training this time around isn't going to get him to look no more than 185-190 at best and looking more than a tweaked looking Tarzan from what I have read but than again what can you truly believe these days. They're more concerned about how the suit will fit because for a new film, they have to gear towards the guy's shape which I can understand but putting a ton of muscle on a guy that hasn't been seen with that kind of physique is going to be tricky, not impossible but it should be interesting.

Each Batman over the decades have gone through extreme changes in how they train to be the caped crusader: Michael Keaton barely did any workouts to be believable but did a hell of a job with the role, Val Kilmer was ok but had a physique that resembled more like Adam West from the 60's, we NEVER, ever speak of George Clooney, Christian Bale had the best physique of all the batmans of the last 30 years even though he was 20 pounds shy of the Character's actual weight and is probably the best Batman to date. Ben Affleck did a decent job and looked in ok shape but he had far more potential and we were left wondering "what if?"

I have my doubts as to how this will play out with Pattinson and I hope they train him right because any lean guy can put on the suit but how you present the physique on screen that captures the synergistic affirmations with the suit itself is a whole other ball game and it can make or break that actor. I'm going to take it for what it is but many people are just going to look at him as the pale and sparkly vampire. He's not particularly the kind of actor I like watching but being in a superhero film can flip that a 180 like they did with Affleck.

Now training to be Batman in this case isn't realistic for the average person and Pattinson will get his ass kicked into shape hard. Most people can't train 2 hours a day and do things so intense it'll make you throw up just by the site of how hard that person is being pushed. Training like the Dark Knight takes a level of conditioning many don't know how to get to but it can be attained with basic principles and a solid progression system. Bodyweight Training is perfect for this kind of thing and with a little imagination, you can transform your physique into something to be proud of and do so without paying a dime to a gym, trainer or coach.

Darebee.com has over 1000 workouts to choose from and they range from super easy to highly advanced, all within the comfort of your own home. They take the most basic exercises and mold them into workouts that are tough as hell but fun to do. The Circuit based workouts take only minutes a day to complete and they can be done daily or a few times a week. The Batman workout from this system is one of those tough ones where you can progress with various levels but at its peak, it's one of the best conditioning workouts ever and it's very simple to do. A full 10 Round Workout shouldn't take you more than 45 minutes to complete. I've done it within 35 where's little to no rest.

As you can see, it may not look that hard but once you get into it, it's a wake up call. You're working practically everything in this workout and it'll make you crazy fit in no time.

Workout Like Harley Quinn

Me and the wife went to see the new DC Film Birds Of Prey (And The Fantabulous Emancipation Of One Harley Quinn) recently and although it wasn't that great of a DC movie, it was fun to watch. The soundtrack was pretty bad ass and the stunts & fight scenes were great too. Margot Robbie does a decent job as the Clown Princess of Gotham and is more of a Siren than a Bird Of Prey.

It is interesting how mega stars get in shape for blockbuster roles; Marvel films are notorious for having really in shape actors for the characters but truth be told, being in shape in hollywood comes at a cost for the most part. The transformations alone can be admirable but it takes a toll after a while and even can cause health problems (do some research on Tom Hardy as Bane and you'll see what I'm talking about). Training and working out for a big role makes typical gym rats look like wimps but that's because you have hands-on personal trainers that take those actors to limits the average person would be put in the hospital for.

Learning what Robbie did for Suicide Squad was pretty gnarly; a lot of HIIT workouts and working with a trainer that had ballet experience added in the mix and you got yourself some hard ass work ahead of you. I don't know how much of this training was true but it's definitely not the type of training that can go long term and for specific reasons. When you're getting ready to film or preparing for a role, you're on a time cruncher and that actor has to be ready to be in shape not just for scenes to look great on screen but be able to maintain it for as long as the shooting goes.

Some of these workouts last up to an hour or more everyday of the week and often it is within 3-6 months before shooting even starts and to maintain while being on set, you're constantly being pressured to keep the physique where the movie makers need you and that means doing little workouts between takes, eating at specific times or do a hard workout before going on set that day. The thing you'll notice in most of these workout schedules with actors is very little recovery time and that's where the toll really comes in because you're training, filming, eating and filming some more day and day out until it ends. Recovery is virtually non-existent.

 Nobody in their right mind should workout like an actor has to and although many people are envious that these people can afford trainers, chefs, coaches and anything else in between, when it comes down to it still have to put the work in otherwise their spot can be taken just like that. If you want to train long-term and develop a superhero type physique, you work with realistic goals and workouts that not only aid in muscle building but give you time to recover and be able to do little things.

One of the best methods for training for general fitness is through Circuit Training. Done enough of it myself, I can tell you that when you learn the aspects of training this way and understanding your body's level of condition and strength, you can do this for quite some time and figure out when and how to properly train the body in this fashion. You don't need a personal chef, trainer or coach to make your goals work; websites like Darebee.com have so much information and over 1000 workouts to choose from (most of which is bodyweight related so you can do them anywhere) you have everything you need at your fingertips.

One of the workouts I have done and even my wife has done is the Harley Quinn Workout which nowhere near is as intense as Robbie's workouts but can save you a ton of time while working the body at a solid level. It's not on the darebee website but you can do some research on it and type in Superhero Workouts Neila Rey in google search.

As you can see, it's a heavy emphasis on the legs and punching. Yeah it's geared towards women but guys shouldn't knock this workout, I did multiple workouts with this where I did 10 Rounds with very little rest in between, it's an ass kicker for sure. Girls, if you're a Harley Quinn fan and want to get in shape, here you go. Do this workout up to 3 times a week and see the results. If you're really ambitious and want to pack on some functional muscle and burn fat like a furnace, do this workout with very little rest to none whatsoever unless to check off that set. Go for 10 rounds and see how you do. You might even see Harley working with you and picturing the Joker running like a little bitch cause he couldn't handle a woman like YOU.

Update From My Scary Moment

Wanted to give a quick update about the moment that was scary as hell for me and how a breathing exercise went wrong.....

It's been well over a week since it happened and haven't had an episode since. I'am due for a physical and I will at some point get checked out but based on my research and what I can recall from that experience, I never had any symptoms of a stroke. No droopiness of the face, passing out/blackout, nothing abnormal in tastes or smells, no difficulty of speaking, no altered visions, no headaches, no numbness or tingling on the right or left side of my body, no particular balance issues, no temp blindness in one or both eyes and certainly very little memory loss which came back really fast.

The biggest factors that i'm pretty damn sure made that moment happen was having a panic attack after doing those breathing techniques, having a typical argument with my wife which I take responsibility for and trying to make dinner all at the same time just went into overdrive and caused me to have what was likely an Anxiety attack. I'am prone to anxiety which has lessened over the years and due to the meningitis I had as a baby, there are certain triggers to my brain that cause certain things, nothing severe though.

This was the only bad episode of this specific caliber I ever experienced in my life so the chances of it happening again are extremely slim if at all but I have taken better precautions, breathing deeply using more of diaphragmatic and using techniques based on CoreForce Energy. My energy is still very much intact, went for a walk the other day for about an hour and wasn't anywhere near out of breath and still able to do my workouts without any fatigue or shortness of breath. I feel really good but I do know from now on, chest breathing and intercostal techniques are a no-go and I pay attention to my breathing and how my body feels if i'm feeling anxious or there's a trigger.

I have received comments about this incident on this blog and I thank you so much for your support and giving feedback on your own experiences. I have also learned of concerns from people in a place where they're also known to have little to no sympathy or remorse towards me and I want to thank them too. We all have this one life, take care of yourself but don't be so cautious it takes away what life also has to offer. I've been in far worse situations and have survived near death on multiple occasions, this was just a really bad night and it has passed.

I'am in a twisted way grateful for what happened because it was a lesson that had to teach me what can happen if something were to go wrong and I feel blessed to be in the shape i'm in and able to pull through without going through what could've been far, far worse. If I wasn't in shape, the ER would've been without question. Take care of yourselves and sending all of you (even the assholes on a certain forum) positive vibes and a peaceful day.

Isometric Deck Of Cards Workout

Doing a deck of cards workout is quite challenging, especially if you put in specific reps for each suit. Although it's far more common today, these workouts were the foundation for many athletes and not always fore recreation or plain fitness. The most infamous athlete to do this type of workout was Karl Gotch but other athletes such as Ray Lewis, Mike Tyson, Ric Flair, Antonio Inoki and Herschel Walker would make the deck an alternative at times when it was needed.

You can put just about any exercise you want in a deck but it's more efficient if it was done bodyweight style because that way you get it done anywhere especially if you're traveling. Sometimes it's good to add a little flare to the deck or even change the entire complexity by doing something very unique. I'm talking about Isometrics.

Even with all the science and expertise, not many today still can't grasp the idea of Isometric Training. Unless you talk to guys like Bud Jeffries, Steve Justa, Steve Maxwell, Jarell Lindsey and a few others, Isometrics have become somewhat of a lost art as a pure common form of fitness training. Now let's take Isometric Exercise and apply it to the deck of cards. How the hell do you do that?

 Instead of doing the typical repetitions, you hold the positions for a count of seconds or breaths. Just holding for seconds alone can be tough but holding positions for breaths is a whole other ball game. What do I mean by this, well after you shuffled and flipped a card, say a 5 and it was a push-up; you do one full rep of a push-up but you count down from 5 in the upper, middle and low positions of that push-up and come back up and move onto another card or you can take 5 breaths in each position and then move on. For squats, I prefer wall sits but you can hold the half squat if you wish.

Now imagine going through a whole deck of this caliber. For the Matt Furey Exercise bible, it's the Hindu Push-up, Wall Sits, V-Up Hold & Tablemaker. If you drew a joker, that's 25-50 counts of a wall sit or you take in breaths which can last longer than seconds, could be a few minutes. It's a very different type of workout where you're focusing not so much on the muscles and speeding through, you're working the tendons and ligaments; strengthening bones and building strength from the inside out. There's no time limit for this workout because you never know how long you hold a position. This takes breathing to another level and you're going to feel amazing.

Now if you were to hold an abdominal exercise such as the sit-up or in my case the V-Up Hold, that's a bit more difficult to hold because this requires more balanced strength and it's definitely a full body hold and most can't hold it for more than a couple seconds. When I get that card, I would hold for as long as I can, come down and hold it again, repeat that until the count for that card is done (sucks the most if you get a face card). It's still a great exercise to test your balance and strength in a fixed position.

I've only done the Isometric deck on a couple occasions and the last one was a couple days ago. It's a different feel and you will sweat, maybe swear and learn a whole new meaning to the words Tendon Strength. This is like a concept martial artists such as Kung Fu masters, Karate guys and Shaolin Monks who would hold stances for extended periods of time and have strength not many can explain. The mindset to do this workout is in a class by itself and most people won't get through it.

Try it out for yourself and see how you do.

Finished The Matt Furey Exercise Bible In Under 30 Minutes

When I first began the Matt Furey Exercise Bible now over 3 weeks ago, it had been a long time since I finished a deck and previous attempts I couldn't finish because I felt bored. Something clicked in me to just go for it again and get myself back into shape with those exercises. The first time I went through the deck it took about 45 min.

I wasn't discouraged but I felt like I could do better and went after it day after day for weeks. At one point during a 5 day period, I would switch up the numbers on the cards or I would double the squats on the cards which for my numbers came out to 308. I know i'm in shape but this was a different kind of conditioning, a whole other ball game.

One of the important aspects of card workouts is to be prepared for what lies ahead because you're doing a different workout every time you shuffle those cards. You can do the same exact exercises but it'll never be in the same order. That's one of the things I loved about doing 500 Squats with the cards, same numbers, same goal but the order was always different.

The thing I learned from Furey is that, you can do the speed aspect of the workout with the cards but they can be done in ways beyond speed. You can do multiple variations of the exercises, you can do them slow, you can hold positions or add more reps, there's no limit to what you can do with them. For the exercises done (Hindu Push-ups, Hindu Squats, V-Ups & Tablemakers) sometimes i'll speed through but at the same time I want to have the best form possible while having solid breathing. The workouts themselves are tough as it is.

As time went on, the speed through the deck came naturally and I was getting better and better. My tension in the lower back was fading, I was doing V-Ups like they were nothing as to feeling tense pain when I would do reps, the squats went by faster and my endurance in the push-ups got better. I switch things up again and lately I started doing not one but three variations of the Hindu Push-ups since I heard Karl Gotch's voice in my head going "Always work your muscles from every possible angle", so on cards under 10 reps, I would do them palms down, higher numbers were with the Push-up bars either facing vertically or horizontally to work other muscles.

On tuesday, I tested myself and set a timer to see how fast I can get through the deck (wasn't trying to go for a world record). It felt like things were flowing and my energy was there, my mind was super focused and my form felt flawless through all the exercises. After it was all said and done, I stopped the timer at 28:41. I was in a state of disbelief because in years I haven't touched 30 minutes or less in a deck of cards workout unless it was 500 Squats. My conditioning game was on fire that day and after doing one breathing technique for recovery for 30 seconds afterwards, it literally felt like I could go through a whole new deck. Felt on top of the world and smiling both inside and out and had an amazing sense of pride and love for what I had pulled off.

Setting a goal is a great thing but to really go after it, it takes more than just pushing through obstacles, it takes something you are invested in with being interested and having a fire within you that burns even in the toughest of times because there were days where I wanted to quit but something inside me told me to keep going, see the bigger picture and feel as if you witnessed it in your mind's eye that you can do this and you have the balls to run over that "Governor" in your head. One of the things that kept me going day after day doing this was how I would focus on my breathing and try to remain relaxed as possible without being sloppy. I would tell myself outloud to "relax" and feel the flow of the exercise and not worry about speed. It worked and now as far as I can tell, this workout feels like physical meditation.

 We all have a fire within us, the question is, how hot do you want to make it burn? There's a difference between cozy & warm and fire so damn hot it turns blue. Cozy fireplace warm is the type of fire within that the majority set their goals to, they set it and once they achieve it, it doesn't have a ton of value; some but not high and then there are those who have flames that are so hot, anyone who comes near the person burns to a fucking crisp. Their flames are so powerful, nothing can stand in their way and nobody can put it out no matter what they attempt.

I'm proud of what I accomplished with sincerity, not ego. No matter what your goals are, they have bigger victories later that build up and if there's a peak, be the ruler up high in that mountain.

One Of The Scariest Moments Of My Life

For years, I've practiced various methods of conditioning, deep breathing exercise, strength training and developing flexibility and endurance; very few things however have scared the living hell out of me and recently it was one of those moments and also nearly put me in the ER. I recently bought Jon Hass' E-Book and Video Evolve Your Breathing Program and I figured it was a way to learn some new techniques to enhance my conditioning and performance. This nearly became a tragedy.

From this experience only, I tried out the exercises he laid in his course and although I never experienced them before in that manner, it didn't feel weird at first until I was getting dinner ready that night and something terribly went wrong. The exercises I did were Chest Breathing & Intercostal; my chest started feeling as someone hit me with a bat or something and my breathing became very shallow, I stood in the middle of the kitchen feeling nearly paralyzed because although I was conscience, I had no idea what I was supposed to do. I lost my train of thought, my brain didn't feel connected to my nerves so I can move my body and it almost seemed as if I had a mini stroke.

I was disoriented for what seemed like minutes but according to my wife, it was a couple hours. Normally it takes me a good 7 minutes or so for the dinner I was making but this time took me over a half hour because I completely forgot how to make it. Something with those exercises triggered something in my brain that took me to a place where I wasn't me and I was just a pole in the middle of a room. Those that know me, know that I have a memory that is very unique and a solid sense of balance but for that moment, it was completely gone and my body was nearly shutting down on me, I have no clue how I was still even standing and conscience.

Once I felt some form of composure and intuitively knew I was in a good state of mind, I started breathing the exercises I knew like the back of my hand and I was back at 100% with complete sense of my memory, my control of the limbs, the balance and completely aware of everything around me. Only one other person knows about what happened but my wife was the one who witnessed it and I can't bare putting her through that again. I cannot put myself through those exercises again.

We breathe through life because if we couldn't breathe, we'd be dead but yet certain techniques can make or break your nervous system and it's extremely critical to pay attention to how you do breathe. I don't know if i'm the only person who had this experience or people before me experienced it but I do feel the need to warn you that certain techniques can be dangerous and don't want to imagine anyone going through what I did or worse. I have read both sides on Chest Breathing & Intercostal but after this experience, I know first hand, these techniques can be a hazard to your health.

The best breathing techniques that have given me the optimal performance and conditioning were Diaphramic Breathing, The Breath Of Fire Technique and Exercises that ties in with Garin Bader's CoreForce Energy Program. I also use techniques to remain as calm as possible, even through tough workouts as I stay relaxed but not loose.

There are techniques that have been around for thousands of years but that doesn't mean they're meant for everybody. Be as safe as possible as you train and never to the degree where you could end up in the hospital like I nearly did or worse. Learn to use the breath as your power and breathe with intentions on building a strong nervous system and cardiovascular as well.