Throughout The Day

When you have a small window of time, it's important to use it at the best of your ability. Some people have jobs that last half a day or more and exercise might be the last thing on their mind but it can be done if you make the effort to do so. I knew people that have made so many excuses but never once had a "I'll make the effort" comment. Sure it takes discipline and understanding of timing and being fresh as best as possible but overall it's got to have meaning to you. Most people these days work long hours and don't have time for the gym to get in a solid hour but there are possibilities.

I learned from a friend a few years back that when you have that short window and it can be used for exercise, take it. He is always on the move and is a performer in stage shows and produces/manages many people so what the hell does he do for exercise before coming home waiting to pass out? He exercises little by little throughout the day. When someone isn't hassling him or has a window away from the laptop in his office, he does Isometrics and or a bit of calisthenics (using his office chair, desk, sidewalk if he has to) and even when he's at a stoplight on an intersection. He makes the little time he has to train his body and it's kept him energized throughout the day.

 Sometimes I have more time than most because I work for myself but there are days where I'am very busy doing articles, being with my girl, dinner gatherings, going out to places with people and traveling whether on the ground or in the air yet I make the most of what I can do throughout some parts of the day; i'll do push-ups or squats at a gas station while the tank is filling up, do some (what I call) Playful Movement or do Isometrics while someone is driving, rise up on my toes in the grocery store, do deep breathing exercises waiting in line for a movie, all sorts of stuff that is convenient and not looking too obvious. Make your timing count when it needs to be. Even do little things between commercials if you're watching TV (they suck anyway) or a small routine while you're in Bed (not doing the horizontal mambo). There's no reason why you shouldn't exercise unless you're in severe dire straits and about to die. You are your own gym and you have the ability to make things important to you, do so and make it work for you.

Can You Spare A Couple Minutes

For most people it's not always simple to get a workout in when it's most convenient to you. You have jobs, pay bills, take care of kids, handle social gatherings and other things. However; if you're determined to make something happen to get yourself fit whether it's losing weight, building muscle or whatever you'll do it at the best time for you. Believe me it's not easy getting in a workout that lasts 30 min. Just last night I was occupied with my girl that I ended up training roughly around 10 or so and only did a few minutes with the Sandbell. If all you have is less than 5 minutes, than make them fucking count.

People get discouraged when they're told you need to do this or that to get in shape when in reality it's more on timing than anything else. Forget on developing some sort of training for a second, if your timing isn't working, something needs to be done, it happens; shit can run up on you when you least expect it so make an effort to get whatever time you need to train the best way you can. There are days with me where i'm busy with family, working my site or spending time with my girl and I don't always get time to do a specific length of training i'd like to do but I always give myself a window every single day even its under 5 min. Want it bad enough, make the damn effort son.

This morning I made the intuitive decision to train earlier than usual cause I got a big day of swimming, going to a movie and having a day of just me and my Spider Monkey so I did deep breathing exercises, hindu pushup stretches, deep squatting, a couple exercises with my Thor Hammer and an isometric exercise specifically for the abs and that's it. Took me roughly 10 min. maybe more but I made it possible regardless of what my day ended up being, at least I did something. So don't make those fucked up and whinny excuses that you don't have time, make it and don't be bitching.

Spare yourself a couple minutes if you need to but remember, make it important to you and only you. You have the power to make your own choices, be open minded and instead of complaining, embrace the time you have and make it your bitch.

A Weighted Vest Is Your Best Friend

Dear Bodyweight Maniacs,

Don't you just love doing kick ass stuff using nothing but your own bodyweight? So do I. Just the feeling of being free to do all sorts of exercises and workouts that just hit the fucking spot man. A few favorites of my own would be Handstand Push-ups, Animal Movements, Pan Squats (which is from the Pan Program, DDP Yoga and even a few Pull-ups here and there. A lot of us get a bad rap that bodyweight training is only good for endurance and not enough to do to get crazy strong; personally I beg to differ since i'm a big dude and the majority of my training is using my bodyweight. So with that in mind, what can we do to add resistance?

For those playing the home game, bodyweight exercise does have it's pros and cons like every damn method but it certainly doesn't bring just endurance to the table. If we considered on building crazy strength, how can we add resistance if it's using your own body? For those that have the answer thank you for your understanding but yet there are other ways to add resistance.....

Slower Reps

Time Under Tension

Higher Difficulty Of An Exercise

& My personal favorite since I've recently added it in is the use of a Weighted Vest.

Now does using a weight vest count as doing the same with weightlifting? It's a both yes and no answer and i'll tell you why...Yes because it's adding weight to increase the density but no because it's not the same as using a barbell or dumbbell. You're increasing your bodyweight to a higher degree in which you bring a level of intensity throughout your movements. Some people like to do lunges, squats, jumping, sprinting and push-ups/pull-ups which is all awesome but for me I use it to amplify my animal styled training to increase growth hormone and cut my workout almost in half to get greater benefit without injuring myself. I never go to failure or put so much stress on my joints that it's fairly painful. I'd like to be as pain-free as possible.

Although I enjoy slamming down a fucking cool sledgehammer and toss around the Sandbell and play with the cables but all in all, bodyweight exercise is my general past time and I've never really needed anything to get big and strong; at 250+ I can do plenty of push-ups, multiple reps in pull-ups, can do 100 hindu squats in under 5 minutes and have held a free standing handstand plus a push-up to boot. It's all about what you want to make of yourself. I'm in awe of the gymnastic style training and the Barstarzz in NY and around the world but I'm mere a basics guy who makes the best of doing things for a man who shouldn't be doing shit like this.

A weighted vest can be your best friend if you progress the right way. One day I plan on training in a 100 pound vest but for now i'll stick to a 20 lber. That keeps going as it is. Be mindful and think old school. You won't move as fast as you usually do but after some hard, rough training and taking that sumbitch off you'll feel like you can walk on air. May I also warn you it is not recommended you train in a vest in hot shit weather, just walking in that thing is a bitch, I've walked over a mile wearing one and lost tons of water weight because of it, also hungry as hell. If you plan on training outside wait until it cools off a bit or limit the amount of time and bring a good gallon of water.