The Mighty Strength Of Hercules

           A god caught between two worlds; Mount Olympus & Earth. Mythology’s strongest hero is one of the greatest stories ever told. In the training world, it’s the pinnacle for us guys to try to emulate (At least the strength). We are so amped when we develop our strength in many areas but building physical strength comes with a price. Like the 12 labors of Hercules, we too must conquer our challenges even as they get tougher. Unlike the Labors, it’s never ending and sometimes we suffer to get what we want but we should never give up on what can be ours.

            Although we can never have the strength Hercules possesses, we can however channel our energy to create super strength and power by how we use our imagination. Our strengths are different but we have similar goals and although we think differently generally a certain outcome will remain the same. How we breathe can generate or destroy our strength, how we move and think can lead a path of strength or have it be given away. Building strength just by lifting or doing certain exercises may be good but it’s not quite enough. Think big, dream hard and make the impossible possible. Hercules also used his intelligence to help his strength; we too must learn this concept for it is the very key to creating results fast and powerful.

            What do you want; do you want to lift heavy weights, build more muscle or do you want to become super conditioned? Why not all three and more? You don’t have to settle for just one thing, that’s like saying if all you had for dinner the rest of your life was steak, you’d lose your damn mind and just get tired of it. You can develop great functional super muscle by applying the thinking of Hercules along with what you want to achieve. We won’t always look like a Mr. Olympia but we can create strength and muscle using techniques that can help our breathing, our movement, the way we think and going beyond the very essence of our strength and add even 1% of what scientists say about the amount of strength we use.

            To produce results fast, we have to think differently and we also need to use things differently. Grip strength is one of the most important keys in strength development and there are many ways to do it, one of my favorites is using sledgehammers particularly Thor’s Hammer to enhance my grip strength and overall body conditioning. Another is thick bar training if you want to lift great weights; this cuts your workouts in half maybe even a 1/3^rd because it takes a lot of strength to move a weight when it’s more than 2 inches in diameter like a barbell or a dumbbell. Some people can’t afford the thick bars so what can you do, use Fat Gripz or Fat Gripz Extreme, these alone can enhance your strength in ways that you never imagined possible.

            Think about getting strong in pull-ups, add thickness to those crazy machines and turn them into strength enhancers. Slap a Fat Grip onto your barbells and dumbbells and instantly turn them into one of the most difficult lifts around. Hercules was a man of superhuman strength and was built like a house but he does teach us the value of our strength and how we can apply it to create strength that all of us want to achieve in some form or another. When you think differently, your body reacts differently. The next time you lift or do a certain exercise, don’t look at it as just an exercise, think as if you’re the mighty Hercules and you have a powerful body, mighty hands and you have the strength and power to make the impossible happen. See how you react and the way your body moves with your thought. 

You Are Your Best Trainer

            Over the last 8 years or so since I've succumbed to the Physical Culture bug, one thing has stretched in my mind more than anything else in my search for great training and that’s being your own best personal trainer. What does that mean being your own trainer? Simple really, it’s not allowing those who tell you to do something and go with creating your own way of training, being self-reliant. It’s not very easy to do because there is so much info out there that you don’t know what works and what doesn't.

          We have a plethora of programs to choose from, like bodybuilding, strongman, 8 days a week, the super programs of crossfit, the next gadget in the infomercials, how to build bigger arms, getting 12 pack abs, grip strength you catch my drift. The secret is finding what works for you. Experiment, do different programs at the same time, piss off the establishment who don’t know a lift even if they had a gun to their head (exaggeration I know but it’s a good metaphor though). Those who try to tell you what’s superior, what’s the coolest trend, how to build a program that has nothing to do with your progression; they’re the ones who keep you from making something of yourself on your own. Trust your instincts, be bold and question things.

            Nobody really just trains and has fun anymore, to quote the joker “why so serious?” We pay to go to the gym and do all these crazy programs and eventually after a few weeks we just give up and quit. It’s not how hard you push yourself, its how much fun to do something you love to do. If you don’t love training but just keep running through the motions, sure it’s better than nothing but you won’t find the results you want. Train and have fun with it, focus on what you want, use your imagination and create something for yourself. Yes I believe if you have a goal you should be focused on it, be determined and willing to go beyond it and strive to excel at your challenges but don’t become a mean asshole to get there, play a little and make it an adventure.

            There’s always someone that follows specific programs and for some it’s the end-all-be-all for others it’s temporary and the rest think outside the box. Mix things up, draw outside the lines. Here’s an example, I’ve learned from many different guys and even some women and yet I don’t worship their craft and take all of them as a god/goddess of the fitness world. I respect what they do but I don’t agree on everything they do, if you agree with everything then you might as well not have a brain of your own. I love some of these people, some as if they’re my family but I also love being creative. I take chunks out of their craft and mold it into my own thing, kind of like Michelangelo carving out David; I take chunks of concrete to create a masterpiece.

            Love what you do, be creative, feel what you want to do. Think outside the box, be weird, be a dork whatever you are who you are and should train according to who you are as a person. Be safe but don’t be lazy, progress at your own pace and train smart. If you happen to get hurt, then you need to change things around and don’t ever stop learning. Think and Grow because eventually, you’ll find something someone doesn’t like or does but only you will love it the way it is and no one can take it away from you. That’s the heart of being your own trainer. 

Bouncing Back Progressively

            Being sore from training is part of the fun. When you are so sore it feels like a crowbar hitting you it’s best to step back a bit, not a whole lot though. It takes discipline to keep going even when you don’t always have the strength to do something the next day. Be mindful and listen to your body.

            There have been guys that got so sore from a workout it takes days sometimes weeks to recover but that shouldn't stop you from doing what you love. Little by little do something till you recover. Recovery is a priority because if you believe you’re going to challenge yourself during every workout till you drop you’re setting yourself up for injury. Do little workouts while you recover, this helps keep the blood flowing and might help you recover quicker. You want to let your muscles rest so they can build themselves back up and help you be stronger next time around. If you’re used to big workouts and don’t get sore that easy that’s one thing but the majority of people need quality rest and food to bounce back.

            As you recover, take the time to reflect on your next challenge. Those little sessions during that cycle can make all the difference when you give your mind the chance to figure out what you can do next. Mental strength is a must otherwise you’re just bouncing around like an idiot and just doing physical work without any real discipline. Be tough but don’t be like a smart ass, be mindful and endure it because once you recover and you’re at your best again, you’ll be far stronger. Meditation practice is a great way for recovery. One other form is channeling your energy during those little workouts, do them right and you’ll feel like you just got an adrenalin rush and your body is surging with strength. What I like about CoreForce Energy is that it teaches you how to use your strength at anytime even when you’re sore because the power within you will give you that surge with intense focus and it can never be broken. It is also one of the greatest recovery tools I've ever encountered bar none.

            At the next challenge you might end up being crazy sore again but also you repeat the cycle. Reflect, do little workouts that keeps your blood flowing and learn to channel your energy. There will be times where you won’t get sore at all and your strength is just uncanny and powerful that recovery is merely instant. For most of us, we need to recover after a big session and build ourselves back up. Take your time but don’t slack off. Sore after a big lifting session? Do some flexibility work, build your energy and eat plenty because the right foods will help you in ways you can’t imagine.

We all get sore after some kind of big workout whether it’s....

Animal

Odd Objects

Bodyweight

Partials

Training For Martial Arts

    Whatever but that doesn't mean you stop training all together. Do something that isn't that vigorous or do a percentage of your challenge workout every few days or so, listen to your body. Magazines or Infomercials will tell you to do this after a big workout or only X amount of days to recover, it’s all really bullshit because that’s just a generic look at what they believe you should do. Do what works for you, listen to your body and recover when you need to, to get yourself back in the game.