The Other Side Of Seeing Death On Another Scale

On Oct. 29th this past week, a friend/little brother to my fiance and her best friend had his life cut short under tragic circumstances that ended in a horrible mistake. I only met this young man a couple times but to Holly and her bestie Brit, they knew him like he was family. Although he was only 24 when his life ended, he was beyond his years when he was alive. He was a former marine that had a heart many of us wish we could have. He had his flaws like the rest of us, but if he liked you, you knew about it because apparently he expressed it well.

Death wasn't always easy with me especially with people I cared about. I've lost friends to suicide, family members that were in later stages of life and a few that I was emotionally invested in. However in this circumstance, it was particularly tough to handle more than usual because at this fallen marine's funeral, I felt the pain around me everywhere; especially those who loved him the most. It wasn't just the pain of losing him or honoring a soldier or even emotional attachment, it was the love that became broken beyond what I had expected. I hugged my girl, her friend and her friend's mother so hard that I didn't want to let go, it was that powerful, not just because I knew he was gone but to give them the love they needed when it meant the most.

What really took me back more than anything was actually viewing him in that casket. I have sprinkled my step father's ashes and I carried my aunt's casket with men in my family but never up until this funeral have seen a body that was no longer alive in front of me. It was surreal and full of emotion I never experienced before. He was in full uniform and a trimmed beard and was ready to be at peace. I'm not a religious man and don't exactly believe what happens when someone dies in the form of religious beliefs; I do however wish to feel that when someone is gone, they go to a place in a time where they were the happiest and live out the rest of time being in that state. I will never get that image of him out of my mind for the rest of my life. Although he is forever asleep, his love and heart are with the people that brought joy to their lives and feeling so passionately what he gave back to them even in death. 

 It's one thing to see and watch other people die in the movies and being moved or unmoved regardless of how it is played out, it's a whole other realm when you see it literally feet away in real life. It really puts you in a state of emotions that are very hard to comprehend and thinking many things all at once. At one glance, I saw a man who was a fallen soldier and did the best to his abilities serving his country in the time he had; on the other side of the coin, I saw a boy he had more left to give in this world and had many opportunities to grow further as a man especially making amends with those he left behind. Like I said, I only met him a couple of times but I KNEW who he was by the people that talked about him. Rest In Peace Mitchell. 

Happy Halloween: Indoor Animal Workouts

Dressing up in your favorite costumes later? Grabbing some awesome candy from neighbors down the road? Hope everyone has fun tonight on this great Hallows Eve. Tonight i'll be passing out candy and not going out but that doesn't mean I'm not going to workout. In between giving out free candy, I'll be moving around like a wild beast and maybe a howl or two just to have a little fun.

Some days, the weather can be so crappy that it may not be the best idea to go out and exercise even though it could be fun. Besides, I think for one night where you dress up, you don't want to get it wet or being dragged around in a muddy area (unless you're into that you sick twisted individual) lol. However; animal movements can still be done while indoors and going back and forth. Some can be done in your own bedroom doing frog jumps, rabbit hops, bear walkouts, frog sprawls ect. but the cool thing is, if you use your imagination, you can make it as fun as you want.

  Do you travel at times and need a quick workout but the weather isn't always in your favor? Do some movement in your hotel room or in the gym area of your hotel or poolside. Sometimes you just want to stay in; when me and my fiance were traveling to Lake Tahoe, in the second hotel we stayed in, I got up in the morning and did up to 100 crawls of the Tiger, going back and forth. It was a great stretch and great way to wake up the muscles. You can do multiple animals or just one, whatever you choose to do.

For some people, they want to be stationary and just move in the space that they are limited in which is fine, I do it too. You can do all sorts of animals like the Frog Sprawl, Hop like a Flamingo, Donkey Kicks and others. They may not look like much but they can get you into serious shape if you do them right. They can even get you breathing hard within seconds and that in turn can get you some great cardio.

So remember, just because there isn't a ton of space to use it doesn't mean you can't get a great workout in. Make it interesting and make it fun. Move like a werewolf, go crazy like Cujo, slither like a creepy snake, Flap your arms like the wings of a scary bat that could turn into a horrifying Vampire, Hop like a bullfrog; like I said, make it fun.

Happy Halloween everyone and get moving to burn off that candy. 

Animal Workouts

Animal Kingdom Conditioning: Survival Of The Fittest

Isometrics For Cardio Conditioning

Did you know that sometimes being still can burn calories like crazy? Now I didn't say relaxed because some people think being still and relaxed are the same thing, they're not. When I first learned the concept of Isometrics, I just figured it was more about strength because you're not moving or anything, just contracting and relaxing the muscles right? It turns out, the more you learn about Isometrics, the more things you discover that goes beyond just building strength. It' not just about building dense muscle and developing a physique (Just look at guys like Otto Arco and Bobby Pandour), it can give you quite a cardio workout if you do it right.

There are quite a few ways to get a great cardiovascular workout using Isometrics but the main two that really hit the spot are:

1. Circuit Isometrics

Like a circuit, you go from one exercise to the next practically without stopping. This normally would be for HIIT, Bodyweight, Weightlifting and other methods using movement but with Isometrics; you take one contraction, take a breath, do another and so on and so forth. Let's say you do three positions for the chest using various hand placements and just go flexing hard in one position like downward, take a breath, do the middle, take a breath and do the upper, switch hand positions and repeat.

This is more of an advanced type workout where you have understood the mechanics of contracting the muscles using a specific breathing pattern and can handle it. This isn't something for beginners, so once you get a feel for how to apply Isometrics, you can do this kind of workout. Hell of a fat burner and building up that heart rate that can get you sweating in less than a couple minutes.

2. Aerobic Isometrics

This type of training can be used for both beginners up to advanced trainees. It's very simple, you hold certain positions and stay there for as long as you can. The idea however is to not necessarily flex hard for a short period and relax, it is to keep the contraction to a lower percentage say less than half of a hard flex. An example of this would be to test yourself in a horse stance or even a half squat and hold that position for let's say 30 seconds to a minute. For the average person, a minute can feel like an eternity. How about just hanging on a pullup bar; simple enough, grab a hold and lift your feet off the ground. Not easy is it? This method of Isometrics teaches you how to control your body while breathing deeply and concentrating as you hold a position for an extended period of time. For some athletes, in order to be tortured after hard practices they would do a wall sit and really let those muscles burn to a great degree. If you hold long enough, you'll start to feel your whole body being worked, not just the muscles you're focusing on. Take the Plank as another example, this full body Isometric works your body from head, all the way down to your feet; for most can't handle more than 30 seconds. There are endless exercises you can choose to hold a position in.

Now what does this have to do with cardio? Well, when the muscles are firing after a period of time, your heart rate can jack up because the more muscles being used, the greater you're generating a strong heart rate. This doesn't mean you're going to have a heart attack or anything but once you have control over your breathing, it opens up new doors for your conditioning. Now this is going sound contradictory but with great breath control, you are conditioning the body in a different light, you can almost seemed relaxed in certain positions but internally your body is firing but in a good way.

Aerobic Isometrics can make you feel lighter but have a stronger ability to contract the muscles without compromising speed. This method has also been known to make someone go faster. Think of it this way....Think of a beaver dam, it holds large amounts of water and looks calm and soothing but when it is let go, it comes out creating a far larger impact and causes great chaos in its wake. If you hold a position like a runner for 2 minutes and then start to run, think how fast you can be. It could go up as much as 20-30% faster than you'll believe.

Isometrics can generate amazing cardio within a short period of time. The incredible endurance you can have is within your reach.

For more info on developing your body through Isometrics, check out 7 Seconds To A Perfect Body and learn the best exercises, the history, anatomy and breathing techniques in this one of a kind course that is one of the best in the modern age.

Your Path To Optimal Vitality

Let me tell you a fascinating story...

Mr. He (pronounced ‘Ho’) was a 58-year-old drunk, largely because he was depressed. And why was he depressed? Because of his lifelong lack of potency and a weak constitution.

So one day he passes out in a drunken stupor in the forest.

As he slept, he dreamed the roots of a plant were making love to each other. When he awoke he noticed that he was right next to that same plant so he dug up the roots and took them home.

He began to consume these roots daily.

Soon enough his depression lifted as his virility and libido came alive in full force.

Not only that, but as he continued to take it daily his white hair returned to black.

With his newfound health, he found a woman, got married, and the legend says he fathered 19 children while living to be 160 years old.

Now as a legend this story is undoubtedly exaggerated…

But it goes to show the power of this root, known as He Shou Wu.

Since it has become popular it is regarded by many as one of the very best herbal tonics in all of Chinese Medicine because of how it restores vitality and fights aging.

Wouldn’t that be something you’re interested in?

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Rooting for Your Vitality,

Your UFC Fighter For Bad Bacteria

Today, I’m going to talk to you about something kinda gross. But it's something we all have.

Yes, I’m talking about bacteria. The thing is, bacteria is all over us but it only harms us sometimes.

We actually have more bacterial cells than we do human cells, which makes me wonder...

Are we bacteria? Maybe I should call you ‘microbe’ instead of calling you by your name.

Just kidding. That would get confusing real fast since I, too, am a microbe. Let’s go back to the bacteria talk for a second.

One way these bacteria can harm us is through infections. Infections come in many forms, but one of the most common is Streptococcus Pneumonia.

This tiny bacteria works its way into your lungs and then multiples, which can cause the common disease known as pneumonia.

Pneumonia can be life-threatening depending on the person, and it costs thousands of people their lives each year.

Those who have weak immune systems are the most vulnerable to this bacteria. These include older men and women, anyone battling a disease or those who are malnourished, or young children.

Luckily, your body has many enlisted soldiers ready to fight bacteria off. One organ that plays a key role in this is your spleen.

The spleen is the largest organ in the lymphatic system, and its primary function is to keep your blood healthy.

When healthy blood enters your spleen, the organ gives it the go-ahead to circulate throughout your body.

If it notices blood cells that are suspect, whether they are damaged or unhealthy, it hires a slew of hitmen known as lymphocytes. These are your body's white blood cells and their job is to destroy any harmful blood.

Your spleen also serves as your primary blood store. It can actually hold up to a cup of blood in reserve if you’re ever in an accident (God forbid) and you lose a lot of blood.

Getting back to the topic of Pneumonia, your spleen also responds to bacteria and viruses in the same way it responds to unhealthy blood cells. Meaning it hires the white cells to whack them as well. This includes bacteria like Streptococcus Pneumonia.

If you want to avoid being sick, retain muscle and joint health as you age, you must take good care of your spleen.

How you can hurt your spleen?

Consume too much alcohol or drugs
Physical trauma to the spleen (such as a sports injury)
Eat a diet rich in gluten, soy, dairy, shellfish, and any chemically processed foods
Have blood disease caused by abnormal blood cells
Breathing air filled with pollutants
If you engage in these activities too much, your spleen can become enlarged from fighting off too many harmful substances.

Symptoms of an enlarged spleen include...

Feeling discomfort, pain on the upper left side of the abdomen, especially after eating a large meal

Easy bleeding
Weight loss
Changes in appetite
Frequent infections
Anemia
Yellowing of the skin
How to keep your spleen in fighting condition?

Eat clean meats like wild salmon that are filled with omega 3 fatty acids
Consume plenty of nuts and seeds including chia, flax, and pumpkin
Increase green leafy vegetables like broccoli, spinach, and kale in your diet
Exercise 3 times per week to keep the blood and fluids moving
Regular massages or sitting in a sauna can also help detoxify your body
And one our personal favorites...

The most potent medicinal herbs for the spleen and blood, He Shou Wu. This herb is primarily known as the KING of all Yin Jing tonics.

It performs several vital tasks for your blood. It can...

Aid in blood production
Filter out blood sugars, fats, toxins so you can take some of the load off your liver/kidneys
Rich in antioxidants to help lower your risk of infection
Can help fight diseases like the common cold
Can help lower blood pressure
Do your spleen and other lymphatic organs a huge favor...
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Rooting for your spleen and health.

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