Can There Be Only One?

 Every once in a blue moon, I would try to find the 90's show Highlander and re-watch the series, seen it in it's entirety about 3 times and still never gets old. That sound of Freddie Mercury and Queen hammering that intro of "Princes Of The Universe" is just incredible. The series was definitely way better than the movies (except the very first one). This brings me to what I thought about writing today, in the spirit of Highlander when it pertains to exercise, can there Be Only One?

Like the immortals in the Action/Fantasy genre, exercises come in different forms and some are very unique but also, many have been around for centuries and have often times evolved while others stick to the conventional idea and have a history with tradition. Within the comparisons of the life and times of Duncan Macleod of the Clan Macleod, certain exercises can help you become a warrior, an athlete, be prepared for what lies ahead, able to last with a woman or man (this is for the ladies as well) and they also develop wisdom and knowledge as they teach you what works and what doesn't to give you the best advantage. After all, Duncan has lived for 400+ years.

All immortals are chasing that one goal, to be the last one standing and claim the ultimate prize. Now, if you've ever seen the movies and know what that prize is, you know the importance of it even though the 5th and final film kind of ruined it's reveal in an unclimactic way (even Adrian Paul admitted that) but the idea is in its true form, the prize is what gives them ultimate power. What if we brought this idea into reality and look at the aspects of what is the ultimate exercise, what is the one that gives you the very best and helps you be in the best condition?

The truth of the matter is, the ultimate exercise or workout in the real world only helps that individual achieve their own goals and give them a sense of what they're trying to accomplish. A goal that leads them to their biggest prize such as a beautifully sculpted physique, a trophy in athletics, the right to be called the strongest or fittest, a champion in their chosen sport or to maintain incredible health. 

I have written before that the Bear Crawl was possibly the one exercise to rule them all but is it the true one to help claim the ultimate prize? I'm not so sure anymore because things change and the body has different needs at different times in life. As of right now, the one exercise that really hits many things and can be done anytime and anywhere is a variation of what I call the Hindu Burpee (a combo of the Hindu Squat and Hindu Push-up). I still do my carries, step ups, slams and rollouts but this variation of the Burpee (also known as a sub variation of the Sapate exercise Hindu Wrestlers do), hits so many muscles and combines a stretching component and fat burning elements that are powerful. 

What's the Endgame? What is the true ultimate prize? In my opinion, it's Mastery. It's the ability to master yourself and taking the knowledge you have acquired and formed your own style that leads you to the greatest achievement that you can possess. 

The Pandemic And Does Exercise Really Matter In These Dark Times?

 Whether you buy into the covid 19 stuff or not, there are people out there dying, maybe not billions but those who have died had families, a wife, a husband, brother, a little girl, a teenage son taken too soon and elderly folks and it is tragic. We aren't immortal and certainly not always being able to prevent this virus whether we wear a mask or not. The only time I've ever worn one was in a store and in there no longer than 20 minutes or so and spend the rest of the time not wearing one. I'm not fond of Social Distancing but I do so not out of fear but out of compromise. 

Some have it totally planted in their brain that it's all a con and a money making scam which in some ways it probably is and false reports have been done but we never truly know 100% how bad or sinister it is and yes the survival rate is very high but it's still not 100% preventable. It doesn't matter if you believe it's a messed up rouse or living in such fear you won't leave the damn house, what matters is is that it won't last forever and things will go back to normal in some form but in other cases it won't. 

So that begs the question, if you're a healthy and fit person, does your training really matter during this pandemic? I believe in the idea that yeah it's important to be safe but not in a fearful type of way and as you work on your health and maintaining or strengthening your immune system, there is a higher chance of beating it and run over it like a Mack Truck. I'm happy and relieved that my near 100 year old grandmother beat it and that woman probably hasn't had the best nutrition or worked out in her life, so if someone like her can fight it and beat it, so can you if you're into working out. 

Honestly, I do want others to be safe and it has caused not just physical ailments but because of the stay home laws and social distancing, it has caused many people to become depressed, raised anxiety levels and have Cabin Fever. I have not seen nor hugged anyone from my family in California since Nov. of 2019 and yes, it has caused me to be a bit emotional because I miss them like crazy and I'm not going to lie, the moment I have that opportunity to hold anyone in my family in my arms, I'll probably have a waterfall running down my face. I have a few friends and family here but the only person I'm around consistently other than my wife is my mom.

During this whole thing, I trained every single day and at times for the very reason it makes me feel the most normal when I'm alone a lot. Mentally and emotionally, it is a roller coaster at times. Physically, I feel great, never got sick practically at all during 2020 and had nothing to do with covid, not taking the vaccine since I never had a vaccine of anything in my lifetime and am a survivor, I do my best to help out whenever I'm needed and I want everyone to be safe and healthy because even in these dark times, it's vital we condition our minds to see that bright light of hope and love in our hearts and believe that this will end sooner than later and we cherish every moment when we finally get to see the people we love, travel without so many damn restrictions and live in the fucking moment man. 

Whether you believe this is all a hoax or not, it's not right to bully anyone and live your life the best you can and take care of each other because in the end, showing compassion is much more rewarding than being an asshole. Be safe guys. 

Does Working Out Become Something More Than Just A Workout?

 Why do we train? What truly gives us the motivation or the drive to exercise and better ourselves? Do we even know what the endgame is to our workouts? I ask myself these questions from time to time and although I don't fully have the answers, it becomes a matter of finding the right answers from your own experiences and what gives you the greatest benefit. 

People workout for a variety of reasons; to create a better physique, to be in better condition, to help win in a sport, to maintain health into their later years and at times to be prepared for some sort of battle to protect those they love. Whatever gives you the opportunity to train, make it work in your favor, not always for somebody else. I'm constantly changing up workouts because for one, I don't want to always rely on one thing or one program and two, I want to experience what I can do without the need of killing myself to get the results I want. 

Training in a way for me is like Superman's Fortress Of Solitude, it's not necessarily an actual place I go to physically, it's when I'm in a state of mind where I'm in the moment, everything else around me doesn't exist except what I'm doing in that point in time. It becomes meditative, something that is mine and belongs only to me. It's not a workout anymore, it's home and no matter how hard it is,  I'm deep in it. 

The real question here is, does your workout put you into a state of mind where it's just you and nothing else? The ability to be so locked in that it becomes a world where you decide what happens and where you go. To become something more than what was intended and harnessing the power of pure focus and unleashing the real strength you've always possessed. 

What many don't understand is that working out is something more than what it is intended to be; it's more than just picking up a weight, doing a push-up or carrying a heavy load, it's what brings your entire being into a universal entity that pits you into the realm of the real self, not just what you can do or look like on the outside. That's very foreign to put it and many would think that's just some New Age type stuff but once you let it happen and open up the possibilities, things will happen you've never experienced before. 

Train to not only find who you truly are but do so with the intent that a workout is more than what is seen or used.  

Slasher Comic Makes Use Of Dynamic Tension

Do you have a favorite slasher film; Nightmare On Elm Street, Friday The 13th, Halloween, Child's Play? I wasn't the biggest fan of horror films and very few have ever caught my attention and were maybe a once in a while kind of watching but when it comes to comics, I have a soft spot for certain stories that are a little slice and dicey. One comic in particular really caught my attention that I never thought I'd see and that's the use of Physical Culture.

Many kids of yesteryear knew the legend of Charles Atlas and the story surrounding the idea of turning a young man who was skinny and frail into a superman-like being building muscle and knocking the bully on his ass. What if that story was interpreted in a very unique way and gave it an extreme makeover? Hence the now Comic Series of Luther Strode: A story of a young high school nerd with a chubby friend and has a crush on a beautiful yet unstable and violent torn girl. Gets his hands on a course that teaches how to build muscle using only your bodyweight, this isn't just an ordinary fitness course, it has a much more sinister side to it.

A course that makes you see violence and forms a deeper meaning to the idea of fighting and becoming an assassin. The kid develops the body of a Greek god but also becomes involved with a cult that is hell bent on murder, destruction and has a cult like following. Torn between using his body and new skill set to kill or destroy the person that created the course following a death in the kid's circle. 

The second book takes place 5 years later and the young kid (now an adult) is a legendary vigilante and taking his place as the "hero" of his city but criminals are striking back in a big way. Old foes are taking matters into their own hands and allies emerge. It's a fascinating look at the anti-hero and the adventures he goes on.

the third and final book, the Legacy, comes full circle into the depths of how the murderous cult came to be and the changing of the tides for Luther as he sets out on a quest to find a being that is possibly an immortal and learning the true nature of why was the course really made, not just for developing a cult of muscle bound assassins but to create an army. The final battle has begun and will this man survive the journey and his final encounter? 

Like I said, I'm not a big fan of the Slasher genre but when you add in the element of an old-time mail order fitness course and make it the cornerstone of a superhero/action/horror story, I couldn't help but take a look at it. It is a very good story and gives new insight to what it means to take something that was meant to be evil and turn it around to make it a powerful entity against evil. It's an exaggeration of becoming something more that what was intended and training the body using a course loosely based on what Charles Atlas did decades ago. That to me is really cool. 

Check them out and learn about Dynamic Tension and Action in a very different but intriguing way. 

The Strange Talent of Luther Strode, Vol. 1

Luther Strode Volume 2: The Legend of Luther Strode

Luther Strode Volume 3: The Legacy of Luther Strode

 

Slam And Skip Workout

One workout that's short enough to really fire you up and not take a ton of time is slamming either a Slam Ball or a Sandbell and rope skipping (I just use the airope and still get a great workout from it) for 1 minute. Do the amount of slams you want and immediately set a a 1 min timer and start skipping. Once your set is over, mark it off and/or just repeat the set for as many rounds as you can. The heavier the weight, the less reps you'll slam.

With my 50 lb. Sandbell I did 12 rounds of 4 slams and 1 minute skipping. That was more than enough and got plenty of excess energy out. It was one of those "getting shit out of my system" kind of workouts and test my explosiveness with the 50 lb. beast. 

This workout builds explosiveness, conditioning, coordination, agility, functional strength and endurance. Have at it and train with intent.

Step Ups And A Sandbell Can Make Up A Killer Workout

 Using little to no equipment in training is a beautiful thing and it is up to your imagination to create the very best out of what is useful. With the new addition to the Dungeon (NEW 50 LB Sandbell) I'm just going nuts on what I can do to make my workouts better and building a more rugged physique (It's a process). Yesterday's workout made me breathe pretty damn hard in a short amount of time, I picked up the 50 lb beast and dropped it over my shoulders repeatedly for 7 minutes straight. That was a lung burner that's for sure and if you don't believe me, try it for yourself.

Doing Supersets to me is a simple method of conditioning and mental toughness where you're doing one exercise after the other for several sets or reps. In this case, doing step ups and a sandbell exercise to really target the body more than just the muscles but building explosiveness, strength, stamina and handling awkward objects. 

This workout I did for 15 min Non Stop was 20 Step Ups and Picking up a 20 lb SB and dropping it behind the shoulders 5 times totaling 100 lbs at a time. This will have you working hard like crazy, imagine climbing a flight of stairs and than having to toss a sack of flour into a truck for an extended period of time. Now you can call this workout whatever you want but using my imagination, I pictured climbing stairs and picking up a lot of bags of lets say rice or potatoes. When you do this without any rest, you could not help but notice a few things happening. 

See it for yourself.....

It is important to be in a solid state of condition because you never know when you'll need it and if you're prepared to handle what comes with the tasks. This is really unconventional and a bit more primitive to modern day cardio and just because you can go 30 minutes on a treadmill, it may not help you from getting your ass kicked in a workout like this. This is some pretty old school stuff which is my kind of training. 

This is geared more towards things that might happen in everyday life and being in shape to handle strenuous areas of labor. I want to train hard so I can be useful when the time comes and having that little extra pep in my step. Listening to good music to this kind of training puts you in a different state of mind and to me putting on a song to start like The Hu's Wolf Totem is just an awesome outlook of getting into the spirit of a warrior and channeling that primal aspects of the human soul.

Training like this is a sure fire you're not doing what everyone else is doing and you're doing things that are tougher than you are normally used to. In the words of Odin from Thor "A wise king never seeks out war but, he must always be prepared for it." Conditioning is an incredible asset but the true aspect of a conditioned man is to be prepared for when he is needed or do what's right.

Conditioning The Body Using A Sandbell

 Happy New Year Everyone. Hope it was full of fun, awesome people and love. This is a time for new goals and making the most of what is possible while beating previous goals. As you know, I change things up quite a bit and get into something for a period. Routines were never a true thing with me but I always find a way to work on something that I find fun but kick ass to do. One of those things is using a Sandbell. It is a tool that works the grip while acting as a Kettlebell, Dumbbell, Medicine Ball and Slam Ball all rolled into one.

Safe to say it is one of the best training tools I have and highly recommend it. I recently ordered a 50 lber which should be here in a couple days or so since I have a 20lber and wanted to amp up my training. A really cool aspect of the SB is the countless exercises you can do that really enhances your functional strength and conditioning. In some of my workouts, I like to carry it across the garage, slam it, shoulder it, do 360's (or Halos) or do some Core Exercises. 

Because of the functionality of the SB exercises, I tend to go the route where I want to train to be useful in the real world. I'm not very fond of Isolating my body and want to get the best out of my training working as many muscles as possible in one shot. One of my favorite workouts was picking up the SB and dropping it behind my shoulders to mimic picking up sacks of flour or potatoes and putting them down, I did this for 10 min. Non Stop which totals well over 100's of pounds lifted, talk about cardio.

I've had my wife use it from time to time and she'll do dozens of sit-ups with it which is pretty awesome to watch. For her brief workouts after work, I don't hold back training her so one workout I had her carry it for distance and then go do step ups, had her do this for 5-10 minutes with little to no rest. She still tells me how much she hates me for that LOL. 

The idea of real world conditioning is to train to be useful when it is needed. Shoveling snow isn't always easy to do but if you got a good lung capacity and can still use your strength continuously, that tells you you're in pretty decent shape. Lifting boxes even properly can hurt somebody if their strength and mobility aren't there but when you can train for function and work the muscles from every possible angle, it'll make things easier to move and you won't have trouble with your back or legs. When it comes down to it, train to avoid injuries as much as possible. Don't do things that runs a high risk of injury if your body isn't prepared for it. 

Sandbell Training is a kick ass way to build functional strength and conditioning to the degree where you're training with live weight and can work the muscles and tendons that regular weights can't touch. Grab a hold of one and with the right exercises, you can build a rugged body that will be useful and not just to look like a million bucks. 

Why Isometrics Are Vital To Success Beyond The Training

 Are you sick of me talking about Isometrics yet? #SorryNotSorry LOL. When it comes down to it, Isometrics may be coming back in small ways but in reality, many people don't truly understand the magnitude of the success that Isometrics creates beyond the workouts and the knowledge of developing the body from all sorts of angles. We can go to the gym and lift weights here and there, do Bosu ball stuff and run on treadmills but as good as some of that is, Isometrics secretly builds strength that still baffles even the strongest trainees. 

The most famous Isometric in mainstream fitness these days is the Plank, which is a great exercise to build overall body strength to keep yourself up and the multiple variations have some value as well but the real exercises builds strength in areas of the musculature that the Plank simply cannot even begin to touch. As we get older, one of the first muscular groups to wither down is the legs, coming from a place where having to rebuild myself, my legs are extremely important to me. After doing thousands of reps with squat variations and thousands of step ups, you truly understand the value of what your legs are capable of but Isometric Leg Training is a whole other universe that many don't truly understand.

Isometrics for the legs takes on a whole new meaning to the term "tendon strength." It's great to build muscle but if you don't maintain strength in the tendon and ligaments, not only injuries will come quicker but you also lose the value of what it means to have truly strong legs. People don't realize or even consider the possibilities of just how strong you can truly be, not just for strength purposes but to keep that strength well into your later years. Wall Sits, Horse Stances, Squeezing an object between the the thighs (get your mind out of the gutter) and Iso Squats are very powerful in building strength beyond the muscles of the legs, they build endurance to the degree where walking, swimming, climbing stairs without pain brings success or results that shouldn't be taken for granted.

Isometrics helps keeping you strong in the long run so when someone needs help or when you're chopping wood, shoveling snow, carrying groceries, moving furniture or whatever, that strength will prevent injuries as much as possible. That's the true success and worth of training with Isometrics is to prevent injuries even with strenuous activity. 

I firmly believe from a basic point of view, Isometrics are crucial and important to train regardless of age because what do we really want to have when we get older, to wither and die or to stay vibrant and feeling like we still have something left in us to keep going? I realize not everyone is safe from certain conditions or diseases but if there is even the smallest fraction of a chance we can stay strong beyond our peak years would it be worth it to you? For your loved ones who still want you in their lives? To help others when it's called upon? To keep that vibrant power alive? 

Reasons To Be In Condition Part 2

 Hope everyone had a kick ass Xmas and getting ready for 2020 to freaking end LOL. What does it mean to be in Condition? To look like a million bucks, being able to handle certain tasks while preventing injuries as much as possible, or is it because you're very strong and have a lot of stamina? Believe it or not, it can be all those things and more. Now you don't have to look like a million bucks to be in good condition, let's face it, some of the most conditioned people on the planet weren't always the most appealing. 

To me, being in condition means your body and mind adapts and has solid attributes for everyday life and being able to conserve energy for when it is needed. Maybe someone needs help moving, getting some wood chopped up to build a fire while camping, having the time of your life with your significant other or being able to go through a great workout without fatiguing. There are a great deal of reasons to be in condition but it is important to understand the means of being that way. I wasn't always in great shape, matter of fact, my strength and stamina didn't truly get off the ground until I was in my early 20's. I lifted and walked a lot by the time I was 19 and did plenty of swimming but I couldn't last long in just about anything worth mentioning. 

Conditioning is a very peculiar word in today's age and it's not what most people think it is. It's not just about going hard and gaining endurance while hoisting up weight at a fast pace or doing countless burpees and running sprints; in reality, it's about maintaining not just physical strength or endurance but to be able to keep going over a period of time with little to no fatigue. If any athlete knows this, it's wrestlers especially those who practiced Hooking or Catch Wrestling. You want to see who was in condition better than anyone it was Ed Strangler Lewis who could go whenever he wanted and succeed. 

In all seriousness, being in condition in the purest form means you're able to do things and still have gas left in the tank that can be used for other important areas of life. Keeping up with the kids can take out just about anyone but if you're in solid shape, you can give those little wackos a run for their money. Working on various projects takes focus and at times, aspects of labor that need your strength in the long run such as those who carry awkward objects at a job or those who do dry wall, wheeling out bricks, rocks and wood. Carrying a load of groceries can be draining to a person and you may not walk that far to your car or to the door of your house but if you can handle that and not get out of breath or having to put down anything, that's just one of the great things of everyday living. 

If anything will tell you what kind of shape you're in, it's going up flights of stairs. Most people who take the elevator can barely climb two flights and start feeling like their goose is cooked. Even the strongest people around may have trouble breathing after using the stairs but with enduring legs and practicing deep breathing, it won't be much of a challenge. Step-Ups are a great way to build long term strength and endurance and once you're hitting in the hundreds to a thousand plus at a time, climbing stairs will feel like walking on air. 

Develop attributes that will give you the best chances of being in shape in many aspects of life and not just for daily tasks but for when those times come when those attributes can save a life or protect the ones you love. 

Reasons To Be In Condition Part 1

 Most today who get in shape become "Influencers" on Social Media and try to teach people how to look better and be able to do kick ass things which is all good but how long will that truly last? Looking good is not the same as being in condition which a lot of people are led to believe. Back in the pre-steroid era of Physical Culture, some of the most amazing physique builders were also in tremendous condition when it came to certain tasks, quite a few were laborers. 

Being in condition goes beyond the looks and the illusion of what it means to be strong and healthy. Many who have 6 Packs in today's society can't even haul furniture or carry a shelf on their own. If your idea of being in shape is to look like a model, that's awesome and more power to you. Remember this though, being hard and having a shredded physique won't last forever and your workouts will change in order to balance your body's ability to recover and maintain strength. 

Some of my reasons to have a decent level or higher of conditioning is to be able to help others in need when it comes down to it such as helping friends or family move, play with kids and be able to keep up with them as much as possible, be able to save a life if need be and have the ability to get down and up without pain or discomfort. As we get older, our bodies start to go downhill, some faster than others and it is up to us to make a choice to let things deteriorate or strengthen ourselves for the long haul, not just for a momentary purpose. I understand under certain circumstances we can't fix the issues our bodies have but if we can do something about it, it aught to be at the top of any list. 

Not all workouts are created equal as you may come to realize later and later in life but if we can slow the pace of aging, wouldn't it be worth it? Very few people over the age of 65 have maintained a level of condition, strength and health and as a society, we need to help grow that number so the quality of life can have greater influence than just looking like a million bucks. Having a look is just a piece of the puzzle but its not the end all-be-all. 

One of my favorite past times is swimming and every summer at every chance I get, I would go to the lake and have a great time. Often times I can be in the water for long periods of time and feel like it was only 10 minutes. Doing different strokes to certain areas around the lake is very meditative to me. When we would go to Lake Tahoe, I would swim out as far as I can, sometimes to the other side of a place we stay at and just feel at home. That's another reason to be in condition is to continue living life to the fullest as long as possible. I don't want to be 80 or 90 and living in a wheel chair waiting for death, I want to live and know that I can still do things many at that age can't. 

Building An Iron Core With The Power Wheel

 The Power Wheel may look awesome but can be really brutal in how it's used. The basic rollout alone can make you sore. Most don't know how to handle an exercise like that and it can be so tough, they may quit after the first use. Don't fret, it's not going to kill you, it can make you sore as hell but all it is is just another tool. When I first started using it, it felt like a hammer to the gut the next day but I persisted and kept at it off and on.

My idea of training is to make the workouts mean something, shoot for the best quality possible and make a habit of keeping them interesting, fun and ass kicking. I don't always shoot for failure and i'm not in the habit of doing things so damn sloppy it's going rupture something. Training is a mindset and taking the best from what you learn and mold it into something you can call your own. In the case of the Power Wheel, it's strengthening your body through your center as a main focus and conditioning not just the muscles of abdomen but making your Core as strong as it can be for whatever life throws at you.

Beyond the Rollout, the Power Wheel has straps to put the feet in and get more out of your training. One of the hardest exercises is actually very simple, you strap in, get into a push-up position and start walking; our legs are obviously stronger than our arms but what if you had the strength and endurance to walk a good distance on your hands? A gold standard is to a 100 yard walk but even a minute can wear down even the strongest men in the world.

The stronger your Core is, the rest of the body will be stronger as well. We need that strength to keep our lower backs healthy and injury proof and strong muscles along the sides, upper and lower abs can even strengthen the organs plus giving you an ability to take a punch. Making your abs like Iron can go a long way in having incredible durability and conditioning that can't be matched. Get a hold of the Power Wheel and turn your body into a conditioned machine. 

Don't forget the major SALE going on right now at Lost Empire Herbs where you can SAVE 15% OFF of many many herbs and tinctures. Use the Promo Code: BYEBYE2020. Be healthy, be safe and keep kicking ass. 

5 Minute Abs

Remember those infomercials back in the day about 8 Minute Abs? Those crazy exercises that person made you do that "guaranteed" results, talk about the changing of the times. These days, there are more gimmicks out there than real world class training using simple exercises and many people can't tell the difference (the reason...Marketing). 

It has been proven that very short workouts can create extremely powerful results from Micro Workouts to Circuits that will kick your ass. Is it possible to get a solid workout within 5 minutes? Absolutely, they can be tough as hell but with the right attitude you can make it through. Now, some exercises you might need to progress because certain variations can be too much on someone's body and can cause injuries and come on now, if you get injured what good are you to anyone? You don't need to do advanced variations of certain exercises, just keep it basic and you'll have a way better chance of getting awesome results. 

One of the things I like to do is take as very few exercises as possible and go for as many rounds as I can (without getting sloppy and maintaining a pace that is efficient). Core Conditioning is a very important entity to have in your arsenal because it doesn't just help build muscle, it strengthens the organs and could help prevent injuries to the lower back. A 6 Pack can be the cherry on top but a stronger core will get you going a hell of a lot longer. One of the best pieces of equipment to make that happen is the Power Wheel.

The Power Wheel goes beyond just doing a few rollouts, you can strap yourself in and do all sorts of exercises that will challenge your Core like no other. Forget the crunches and sit-ups, they're good to a degree but the Wheel strengthens you in a much quicker time and has greater effectiveness than typical everyday Ab exercises. Want a stronger Core that takes only a few minutes a day? Check this out after you have developed some good strength, all with the Wheel....

10 Rollouts

10 Hamstring Curls

10 Knee Pull-Ins

10 Push-ups

Do as many rounds as you can in 5 minutes. That may not sound like much but it's a killer workout and will hit muscles in your body you didn't think could be hit. If you feel you aren't ready for that, a couple rounds can be good to start with. Don't rush it, build up and rest if you need to between exercises or rounds. Also, don't use sloppy form either, this is meant to be smooth and fast without compromising anything. Once you get stronger, go for time, if 5 minutes is too easy for you, go for more reps or for more time. The idea is to get in a great workout that is short, simple yet ass kicking. 

Have fun and always strive train and be the best version of you. Build an Iron Core.

Do Six Pack Abs Really Matter?

 Anyone who works out at some point wants to have a better physique than what they started with and many will say would love to have the Six Pack look. Washboard abs that make people's heads turn and thinking that person could be a Supermodel or Bodybuilder. Ripped, Shredded, Symmetrical and Muscle Popping abs that would definitely make someone an elephant in the room; but does it have any real significance?

Having a Six Pack wasn't a major deal until the early era of Physical Culture where you had many strongmen and physique builders sprouting muscle everywhere, men like Sandow, Pandour, Arco, Maxick, Grimiek and others having strong and powerful core muscles that looked like they were carved out of granite. The funny thing is compared to today, many people who sprout a six pack don't have anywhere near the level of strength the old timers did. The mainstream media today shows that having a Six Pack is a source of strength and confidence which part of that is true (not so much the strength part) and it does take some work to develop it along with diet and training but in the end, what does it really show other than the external?

It doesn't take too much to understand that if you have a low percentage of body fat, it's much easier to show some form of muscle but if we took that context for granted we would be naive in the fact that yeah you can show a Six Pack but there's no real muscle behind it and that person doesn't necessarily have to be in world class shape to some kind of stomach muscle. There was a term Karl Gotch used to determine the strength and condition of a person, it was the difference of Counterfeit Muscle & Conditioned Muscle; the Counterfeit was that yeah he looks strong and powerful but if you fought him or put him through certain fitness tests, that strength has little to no value and his stamina and endurance is weaker than a 10 year old asthmatic. The Conditioned is where he may not look like a million bucks but he's got tremendous strength and stamina along with less chances of getting injured. If you want to see this in action, look up Maurice Smith Vs. Mark Coleman. 

A Six Pack can be awesome but if you don't have the strength and endurance to back it up, does it have any value? Some of the strongest people on the planet today don't have washboard abs and some of the weakest do, see where I'm going with this? For the most part, I believe if you want a strong Core, you do things that don't just give you muscle but the strength to take a hit and strengthens the internal organs. One of the very best exercise to build a conditioned Core is the Ab Wheel, just rolling it out and back is a far tougher exercise than the typical sit-up. Most people can't do more than 10-15 let alone maybe 5 but once you can do 20-25, that's pretty good, 50 would get you decent shape and 100 or more would most likely make you damn strong. 

If your goal is to get a Six Pack, go for it, make it work for you and I want you to achieve it but if you also made it stupid strong, than you get the best of both worlds. I want you to have both but yet make them valuable in life as well. So does it really matter? You decide. 

What Are Isometrics Really Used For?

 The concept of Isometrics has been around for ages yet the true nature of Isometrics isn't fully understood. It has been used in a variety of ways to not only strengthen muscles but more importantly strengthen the connective tissue and developing stronger bones. One of the most famous men to use Isometrics was Alexander Zass who used them to strengthen his body to escape prison not once but multiple times during WW1. He used a form of exercise in a real world situation and not only succeeded but made a name for himself in the process.

One of the uses of Isometrics is to sculpt the body like in Bodybuilding. Many champions used what's called Muscle Control to develop the musculature on a more individual level meaning contracting and relaxing certain muscles one or two at a time as opposed to just an entire group. People like Otto Arco, Maxick, Ed Jubinville, Bill Pearl, John Grimek and countless others used this for shaping the body. One of the best yet mysterious figures to use this method was Bobby Pandour who had quite possibly one of the greatest physiques of the vaudeville era yet unlike other Bodybuilders of that time, didn't have a great deal of strength when it came to weights.

When it comes down to it, Isometrics in my opinion are truly made for developing strength from so many angles, we have yet to find out all of them, it's so vast and almost endless it's impossible to determine how many there are. It's used to harden the musculature and strengthen injuries. It's used in self defense and is also one of the greatest fat burning methods around. If anyone that has used Isometrics to not only strengthen the body but to save his own life was Steve Justa who was on the brink of death with type 2 diabetes and used countless exercises of Isometrics to lose weight, sculpt his body and eventually get himself off medication. 

Isometric Training is like developing a suit of armor that is durable and conditioned. Some exercises can be very tough yet so simple to do like holding a mid push-up plank on the fists for more than a minute, it's not as easy as it looks. As we age, Isometrics become more and more valuable as a training tool to prevent bone disease, losing strength in our legs and keeping our posture in alignment. It is truly meant as a way to live with greater vigor and keeping ourselves young. Think of it this way, I like to look at it as Adamantium, the indestructible steel-alloy made for X-Men member Wolverine's skeletal structure. In the real world, we can only wish to have that kind of skeletal strength but the stronger we can make our bones and tendons/ligaments, we become less prone to injury and can hold out better in the long run. 

Use Isometrics as you see fit but remember to use the basic concepts and train them to strengthen the body's structure, not always for looking like a million bucks. You can look like Tarzan but if your strength doesn't match up, it's not gonna mount to much. Some of the strongest people on the planet don't look like a bodybuilder or a strongman or a sculpted statue come to life, they're pretty average looking but have strength that can't be explained. Develop your suit of armor and become stronger to live better. 

The Hindu Burpee And Its Benefits

 The Burpee has been a big trend lately in the fitness world with many variations from Beginner to more Advanced. The "original" concept of the Burpee was a fitness test used to see how fit someone was way back in the late 30's around the start of World War 2 by Royal H. Burpee. The movement didn't include the push-up and jump that we see today in Crossfit Gyms around the country but it did give an idea of a person's cardiovascular fitness.

The basic Burpee today is to squat down, kick the legs back into a push-up position, do a push-up, jump back into a squat, stand up and jump. This movement was designed to kill fat and put on muscle while developing a more anaerobic feel to it in a way you feel from doing sprints; it's fast, tough and doesn't take long before you're huffing and puffing which in turn helps generate natural growth hormone and burn calories even after a workout. Some people prefer to just stand up and not do the jump at the end which for all intents and purposes in some cases is because jumping can cause damage to the joints.

There are so many variations of the Burpee that it is ridiculous and has turned more into how hard can you make it and how many reps you can do even as you get sloppy and exhausted. I've done workouts that when I was done, napping was inevitable. With the injuries I sustained in my early 20's, the jumping portion of a Burpee would do more harm than good in my ankles and left shin. 

I believe the real original Burpee came from India where wrestlers would do literally hundreds or sometimes 1000 or more to build practically superhuman stamina and long term strength. This is called the Sapate which is a combination of the Hindu Squat & Hindu Push-up at a rapid pace that is explosive and with a powerful thrust.  I've tried this exercise a few times and my brain just didn't know how to keep up with the explosive thrusts with the movement and ended up hurting myself more than anything. That exercise is not meant for everyone but if someone's body can do it and do it well, they're on their way to building phenomenal conditioning.

A variation that I use of the Sapate is a combo of the Squat & Push-up based on the teachings of Karl Gotch & Matt Furey. I find this way more compatible with my body and the pace is a lot better and I concentrate better with the movement as a whole. This modified version that doesn't have a jump at the end is still a killer workout and doing it just for a minute or 2 would get you breathing hard, hell for most people, 30 seconds is more than enough. This is the exercise I do at night before going to bed to get any excess energy out, I would do a set, take a breather and do another set; repeat that until I feel like I'm done. Started out with 5x5 and added a set each night until I was doing 10x5, progress with sets of 6 reps, than 7 until I can do sets of 10 reps. I like this system because like sprints, I'll take my time until my body is ready for another set and go as best and fast as I can without doing sloppy form. It's a great combo of conditioning training, stretching, coordination, strength training, agility, durability and stamina. It's also a great Calorie Burner.

The best benefits I have found with this Burpee Variation was being able to sleep better, feeling more energized in the morning, my breathing is stronger during other workouts and my stamina is getting stronger as well. What this also does is burn calories throughout the night and because of the fat burning element, it increases your metabolism throughout the night as well so you may end up losing weight faster as you sleep. I can't say this for sure for everyone because not many studies that are this specific have been done, just going by my experiences. If you wanted to do this exercise more in the day time than at night, go for it, you're burning fat and calories throughout the day. 

How many times a week do you do this? Start with 2-3 times a week and as you get stronger and fitter, bump it up to 4-5 times a week. I do it every single night but if there's a day where I would like to back off, I'll do so. In the beginning, do as many as you can. This isn't an exercise to really prove how fit you are compared to anyone else, this is also done to have good form, if you become too exhausted and your form is sloppy, stop. When it comes to reps, like I said, as many as possible but not to the point of fatigue or feeling tired, just enough to where you can feel it but have enough in the tank for another set. This is to help build stamina and conditioned strength over time. As you get stronger, reduce rest times. If you do any reps to the point of fatigue, you're going to need to recover for a minimum of a couple days. 

Give it a shot and see how it goes for you, if you've had previous injuries or don't have the strength to do the movement, do what you can, go slow if you have to and if anything causes pain, don't do it.