Everybody has goals whether we admit them or not. It's good to have goals whether it's losing weight, building muscle, getting on a sports team, making a starting roster, lifting certain weight, developing a business and so on. We read these self-help books and learning how to set goals and what we should strive to do or try to be in a particular point in time.
I have made many goals in my life, I've failed at many of them too and for some of us, we see more of the losses than the wins. If we focused on the wins, we want to keep that streak while some remain the same or use the same strategy or do something different to remain fresh but with something to look forward to. We are taught that if you set a goal, you're going to achieve something beyond yourself or learned that if we set goals but don't achieve them, we are failures and weaklings because we couldn't make something happen.
We are a country that strives to be the very best at just about everything but the truth is, we have failed more times than we care to admit and we never speak of it cause we don't want to lose face in front of people. There are certain goals in life we will never achieve, not because its within reach, but because it is unrealistic and not meant for everyone. Not every tall person will become an NBA Player, not every MMA Fighter will win a world title and not every businessman will be CEO.
I'm not saying every person who plays basketball shouldn't strive to be an NBA Player, not saying an MMA Fighter shouldn't have a goal to be World Champion and I never said a businessman shouldn't have the opportunity to climb the ladder in his company. It's the little goals that tend to make more of an impact than the little ones. Think about it this way, in math, you just don't start out in Calculus; you start with baby steps and take little leaps to rise up in that particular subject. Some people are slower getting there, some will be faster and some will stop at a certain level that their brain capacity can take them. They still achieved a level in math and use it in their daily lives or in some capacity.
When you set a goal, learn the baby steps to get there. Some goals take years to achieve, some even in days or weeks, all in all, get the most out of it and obtain the knowledge from it. Some have failed to the point that they don't see a reason to set a goal anymore and that's not right. We all should strive to reach certain goals that make us proud and bask in the gratitude of doing something others thought couldn't happen. The irony is, many people struggle just stay alive. Their goal is to just get through the day and more often than not can be debilitating and rough.
I struggle creating a routine for myself in working out, I barely last 2 weeks at times and I feel like a failure when I lose that drive to make it work. I would force myself sometimes to push on and although I feel good physically, mentally, I feel like crap and often wonder what the hell i'm doing. I've worked out every single day since the beginning of August, 2005 and there were many days where I didn't want to jack shit but I always seem to tell myself "Do something small like for a minute and that's it." Some of my goals were to see if I can be like fellow athletes I admire and learn their training styles. Bob Backlund is one of them and after going through certain workouts, it's important that I tell you that, the man even today is a damn machine and many world class athletes won't be able to keep up with him; he's on a very unique level of conditioning.
I will tell you right now that if you're striving to be exactly like certain people you admire, as noble as it is, you're in for a rude awakening. They got to where they're at because that's what was meant for them to do. Walt Disney was a great man in his own right and made things happen that nobody can come close to achieving and there will never be an equal to him. There will never be another Michael Jordan, there will never be another Dan Severn and certainly there will never be an Abraham Lincoln. Don't go for being the 2nd version of someone, be the 1st version of you and turn that volume up.
Set goals that make you unique to everyone else. We can't duplicate someone else and what's really the point of that anyway? They're great to learn from and it's not a bad thing to be like them but in the end, we are only one person. There's always going to be someone stronger, faster and more driven but you have an opportunity to make things happen nobody else can fathom. You have something inside many don't have and taking that first step to figuring that out is 100000 times more than many won't even attempt.
Create goals that separates you from the rest of the population. You will achieve them in time, won't always get great feedback from it and not everyone will root for you but if you want it bad enough, you'll find a way and remember to take those baby steps, as the old saying goes, a 1000 mile journey starts with a single step.
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
Monday, October 28, 2019
The Real Purpose Of Fitness
All over the world, you'll find info about what fitness method works in this capacity or that capacity and the truth of the matter is, it goes beyond a method. It has more to do with what is the true purpose and the realist goals in the long run. Most fitness methods out there are pure garbage or just a rehash of what came before. We are led to believe that in order to get results, we have to be somewhere and use this machine, this set of weights, this type of workouts and work our asses off till we throw up.
Some of us treat fitness as a way to prepare for war or at least the apocalypse which in some sense can be good in the way of challenging yourself and developing levels of strength and conditioning at a higher entity beyond the average person but in the end, where is it truly going? There are some strong ass people out there with real world strength, not just lifting a weight. They carry with them a sense of knowledge, wisdom and understanding the true nature of how to apply exercise for the real world.
We do tend to forget that many of the fitness magazines mainly promote conventional methods and push on the fact that certain actors and athletes train specifically for a role or their sport. The average person cannot train like an elite NFL player or MMA Fighter and certainly does not have the capacity to challenge themselves the same way an actor trains for a role. I have fallen into that category a time or 2 so i'm not immune to not see what the fuss is about and take a leap. The facts are, when an actor trains for a role say like in a Superhero film or an action movie, they have to go through specific workouts and meal plans to suit what the film calls for whether it's bulking up or developing muscle tone, they have trainers supervising them and pushing them for that very purpose. If a regular person tried to do that on their own without any prior knowledge or experience, they can very much get hurt and thrown onto a stretcher and have to pay hospital bills.
Personally, I like being my own guinea pig and experimenting with certain methods and mold different ones together and see where they lead. I have had little minor injuries I'll admit but I've never pushed myself to the brink of blacking out or puking up a storm. I don't even see myself training as hard as many pro athletes cause why would I need to? I'm not getting paid millions of dollars to bust my ass for a sport. The closest training I would ever put myself through would be wrestling or MMA and that barely even goes through lol. I have pushed myself hard and some people call me crazy for what I do but I always look at the bigger picture, to be better tomorrow and not focus on comparing myself to others because it doesn't matter if some train harder or less than me, I make it work and learn from experience the best that I can do.
For my purpose in the long run is to stay fit as possible and adjust to what my body CAN handle and what it CANNOT. I still have no idea what my real capabilities are and although I know certain aspects of me has limitations, I keep finding strong points that I use whether its a workout or not. I had no idea at 35 I can do 500 Step Ups & 200 Ab Wheel Rollouts using a deck of cards, I couldn't imagine doing that in my early 20's; I didn't know that I could do 500 Squats and immediately do a circuit for several rounds. I don't do this all the time but I'm not afraid to find out what I'm capable of doing. A lot of people fear what their purpose is because as the cliche goes, Fear Of The Unknown is the main thing and it's the fear of not knowing or understanding.
Everyone has a real purpose in life, some know it, some don't and others just haven't figured it out YET. We all have a path in this world and it doesn't matter how small or big it is, make the most of it and never forget how you got there and where you started. Every pro was once an amateur, every strongman was once weak and many self-made millionaires/billionaires once knew what it was like to be hungry and have ripped clothing. Be fit both in mind and body and continue to improve even down to the smallest fraction because even something that small can lead you forward.
Tweet, Pin and/or share on Facebook by clicking on the buttons below this article. Send some feedback and tell me what you think.
Some of us treat fitness as a way to prepare for war or at least the apocalypse which in some sense can be good in the way of challenging yourself and developing levels of strength and conditioning at a higher entity beyond the average person but in the end, where is it truly going? There are some strong ass people out there with real world strength, not just lifting a weight. They carry with them a sense of knowledge, wisdom and understanding the true nature of how to apply exercise for the real world.
We do tend to forget that many of the fitness magazines mainly promote conventional methods and push on the fact that certain actors and athletes train specifically for a role or their sport. The average person cannot train like an elite NFL player or MMA Fighter and certainly does not have the capacity to challenge themselves the same way an actor trains for a role. I have fallen into that category a time or 2 so i'm not immune to not see what the fuss is about and take a leap. The facts are, when an actor trains for a role say like in a Superhero film or an action movie, they have to go through specific workouts and meal plans to suit what the film calls for whether it's bulking up or developing muscle tone, they have trainers supervising them and pushing them for that very purpose. If a regular person tried to do that on their own without any prior knowledge or experience, they can very much get hurt and thrown onto a stretcher and have to pay hospital bills.
Personally, I like being my own guinea pig and experimenting with certain methods and mold different ones together and see where they lead. I have had little minor injuries I'll admit but I've never pushed myself to the brink of blacking out or puking up a storm. I don't even see myself training as hard as many pro athletes cause why would I need to? I'm not getting paid millions of dollars to bust my ass for a sport. The closest training I would ever put myself through would be wrestling or MMA and that barely even goes through lol. I have pushed myself hard and some people call me crazy for what I do but I always look at the bigger picture, to be better tomorrow and not focus on comparing myself to others because it doesn't matter if some train harder or less than me, I make it work and learn from experience the best that I can do.
For my purpose in the long run is to stay fit as possible and adjust to what my body CAN handle and what it CANNOT. I still have no idea what my real capabilities are and although I know certain aspects of me has limitations, I keep finding strong points that I use whether its a workout or not. I had no idea at 35 I can do 500 Step Ups & 200 Ab Wheel Rollouts using a deck of cards, I couldn't imagine doing that in my early 20's; I didn't know that I could do 500 Squats and immediately do a circuit for several rounds. I don't do this all the time but I'm not afraid to find out what I'm capable of doing. A lot of people fear what their purpose is because as the cliche goes, Fear Of The Unknown is the main thing and it's the fear of not knowing or understanding.
Everyone has a real purpose in life, some know it, some don't and others just haven't figured it out YET. We all have a path in this world and it doesn't matter how small or big it is, make the most of it and never forget how you got there and where you started. Every pro was once an amateur, every strongman was once weak and many self-made millionaires/billionaires once knew what it was like to be hungry and have ripped clothing. Be fit both in mind and body and continue to improve even down to the smallest fraction because even something that small can lead you forward.
Tweet, Pin and/or share on Facebook by clicking on the buttons below this article. Send some feedback and tell me what you think.
Monday, October 21, 2019
Meeting Greg "The Hammer" Valentine
This past Saturday along with my Idaho Family (My Wife Holly, Mother In-Law Sophie, Step-Father In-Law, Brother In-Law Jeremy, Holly & Jeremy's Step Sister Faith, and niece JoJo) went to the Lake City Comic Con here in Coeur D' Alene, ID hosted by Lilac City Comic Con Runner Nathan O'Brien. It was a pretty awesome time despite the heavy rain. Got to walk around and check out some cool stuff like comics, toys, collectibles, costumes and tons more.
There were a few celebrities there, all I knew of but only one was bound to get money out of me for an autograph and picture taken with them and that's the legendary wrestler Greg "The Hammer" Valentine. I've studied bits of his career for as long as I've been a fan of pro wrestling (23+ Years) and is one of the guys I wished I could've seen in his prime. Safe to say I was a fan born in the wrong era LOL. The wrestlers I began with growing up were from the Attitude Era such as Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, Stone Cold, The Rock, Triple H & DX. I started learning more about that business through tapes of my favorites and documentaries such as The Unreal Story Of Professional Wrestling. As I got to understand the basic history and terms of pro wrestling, I began to look more to the early days most notably the 70's and the 80's.
Greg was in the thicket of what were the territories and the emergence of the New Golden Age of wrestling when Vince McMahon Jr. took over and dominated that era of television and PPV's. He had won championships in a lot of the territories such as the NWA & WWE most famously. A former tag team partner of Ric Flair, a guy who can go the distance in a Broadway (60 Min. Draw) and was one of the best Heels (bad guys) in the 80's.
Being trained in the Hart Dungeon and learning the ins and outs from his father the late Johnny Valentine, traveled the world and having matches with some of the biggest names ever. One of his most famous matches was a Dog Collar Match with quite possibly the greatest talker in Pro History history "Rowdy" Roddy Piper at Starrcade '83 in Greensboro, North Carolina. Another match that solidified his status as a exceptional performer was against the WWWF Champion Bob Backlund in a 60 min. draw at Madison Square Garden in 1979.
He's the only 2nd or 3rd Pro Wrestler I had the opportunity to meet up close along with Undertaker and former Karl Gotch Student Tom Puckett (RIP) who mainly did promotions in Japan and other MMA organizations that I had personally worked with. Got to ask Greg a few questions about his career and his thoughts on guys like Flair, Stu Hart & Verne Gagne. He did tell me a funny Ric Flair story where even though Flair was famous for his Drinking binges, he hated Weed, so whenever Greg rolled up a joint around flair or smoked around him, Flair would get pissed. Greg was no slouch himself with the drinking but he told me he prefered Beer & Wine but couldn't stand Whisky.
On the thoughts of Stu & Verne, it was quite the contrast where Stu was a nice guy and Verne was just flat out mean, I'm not surprised by this at all and coming from the horse's mouth, it was quite a confirmation. I think Greg wanted to say Verne was a rotten son of a bitch but I believe he held back and didn't want to swear too much around the crowd of people. I had told him at one time in my life, I wanted to see what getting into the business would be like, he just told me never to pursue it cause the rough toll it takes on family. I knew this and plus even at the time I wanted to which was at All Pro Wrestling in Hayward, CA when Rollin Alexander was alive running the promotion, the money just wasn't there.
I think because he didn't want to reveal his true self to fans, he didn't talk very much about his real opinions so his answers were a little vague and predictable but I can understand and didn't ask him any deep details about his career. Plus there are some things he has said in interviews that I don't agree with and personally, it would probably be difficult to be around him but you never know so overall, as a fan it was a pleasure meeting him and he seemed like a nice guy when I talked to him.
That's my Greg "The Hammer" Valentine story and I'm glad I had the opportunity to meet him. If you want to see him on DVD, check out Behind Closed Doors: The Greg Valentine DVD and also check out his interview and match clips with the film 350 Days which talks about the drama, tragedy and crazy stories of traveling 350 Days a year in the wrestling business, amazing film. You can also see shoot interviews he's done like this one with THE HANNIBAL TV.
There were a few celebrities there, all I knew of but only one was bound to get money out of me for an autograph and picture taken with them and that's the legendary wrestler Greg "The Hammer" Valentine. I've studied bits of his career for as long as I've been a fan of pro wrestling (23+ Years) and is one of the guys I wished I could've seen in his prime. Safe to say I was a fan born in the wrong era LOL. The wrestlers I began with growing up were from the Attitude Era such as Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, Stone Cold, The Rock, Triple H & DX. I started learning more about that business through tapes of my favorites and documentaries such as The Unreal Story Of Professional Wrestling. As I got to understand the basic history and terms of pro wrestling, I began to look more to the early days most notably the 70's and the 80's.
Greg was in the thicket of what were the territories and the emergence of the New Golden Age of wrestling when Vince McMahon Jr. took over and dominated that era of television and PPV's. He had won championships in a lot of the territories such as the NWA & WWE most famously. A former tag team partner of Ric Flair, a guy who can go the distance in a Broadway (60 Min. Draw) and was one of the best Heels (bad guys) in the 80's.
Being trained in the Hart Dungeon and learning the ins and outs from his father the late Johnny Valentine, traveled the world and having matches with some of the biggest names ever. One of his most famous matches was a Dog Collar Match with quite possibly the greatest talker in Pro History history "Rowdy" Roddy Piper at Starrcade '83 in Greensboro, North Carolina. Another match that solidified his status as a exceptional performer was against the WWWF Champion Bob Backlund in a 60 min. draw at Madison Square Garden in 1979.
He's the only 2nd or 3rd Pro Wrestler I had the opportunity to meet up close along with Undertaker and former Karl Gotch Student Tom Puckett (RIP) who mainly did promotions in Japan and other MMA organizations that I had personally worked with. Got to ask Greg a few questions about his career and his thoughts on guys like Flair, Stu Hart & Verne Gagne. He did tell me a funny Ric Flair story where even though Flair was famous for his Drinking binges, he hated Weed, so whenever Greg rolled up a joint around flair or smoked around him, Flair would get pissed. Greg was no slouch himself with the drinking but he told me he prefered Beer & Wine but couldn't stand Whisky.
On the thoughts of Stu & Verne, it was quite the contrast where Stu was a nice guy and Verne was just flat out mean, I'm not surprised by this at all and coming from the horse's mouth, it was quite a confirmation. I think Greg wanted to say Verne was a rotten son of a bitch but I believe he held back and didn't want to swear too much around the crowd of people. I had told him at one time in my life, I wanted to see what getting into the business would be like, he just told me never to pursue it cause the rough toll it takes on family. I knew this and plus even at the time I wanted to which was at All Pro Wrestling in Hayward, CA when Rollin Alexander was alive running the promotion, the money just wasn't there.
I think because he didn't want to reveal his true self to fans, he didn't talk very much about his real opinions so his answers were a little vague and predictable but I can understand and didn't ask him any deep details about his career. Plus there are some things he has said in interviews that I don't agree with and personally, it would probably be difficult to be around him but you never know so overall, as a fan it was a pleasure meeting him and he seemed like a nice guy when I talked to him.
That's my Greg "The Hammer" Valentine story and I'm glad I had the opportunity to meet him. If you want to see him on DVD, check out Behind Closed Doors: The Greg Valentine DVD and also check out his interview and match clips with the film 350 Days which talks about the drama, tragedy and crazy stories of traveling 350 Days a year in the wrestling business, amazing film. You can also see shoot interviews he's done like this one with THE HANNIBAL TV.
Tuesday, October 15, 2019
You’ll Be PleasANTly Surprised By These Benefits — They Will GuarANTee It
Today we want to tell you about the most powerful micronutrients on the planet...
Polyphenols.
These are some of the healthiest compounds you can put in your body.
Berries, dark chocolate, beans, and vegetables are just a few common sources of polyphenols.
But do you know where you can find the GREATEST source of polyphenols?
Ants.
Yep. I said A-N-T-S.
Many insects are chock full of polyphenols… but ants take the cake. (And they will, literally… if you leave it out too long!)
No, but seriously, studies prove it.
According to the latest research, ants contain the highest levels of TPI (Total Polyphenol Index) of water solvable extracts of edible insects.
Ants also contain a similar FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant potential) to that of fresh orange juice.
All this power is why we’re proud to offer you a potent version of Black Ant Extract. Completely natural and GMO free.
Click here to learn more about it.
The polyphenols in this particular Black Ant Extract…
• Contain heaps of ATP for a potent, instant energy boost (making it great for endurance athletes)
• Enhance weight loss by triggering healthy gut bacteria and promoting optimal digestion
• Boosts levels of ‘feel-good’ serotonin for a more chipper mood
• Boosts immunity and resistance to viruses
• Contains 13x more protein than fish or meat to help you pack on lean muscle mass and recover from workouts faster
• Supercharges libido for better sexual performance
• Reduces cravings for high-sugar, processed foods
• Lowers blood sugar levels
Learn more about the amazing benefits of Black Ant Extract here!
The sheer nutrient density of these small insects is insane. And our customers notice this full-body effect as well.
Here’s what a couple of our customers had to say about their experience while taking Black Ant Extract.
Doug –
“Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it!,” that’s all I have to say about Black Ant Powder. The effect is subtle but apparent and immediate. The effect for me is a feeling of general well-being like my body has been given the nutrition that it requires. My assessment of Black Ant is totally anecdotal but all I can say is ‘I can’t wait to take my Black Ant in the morning!’ I was expecting it to taste horrible but to my delight mixing it with Chaga (imagine coffee) it is practically undetectable as far as taste goes and it is ground so fine it mixes quite well. A ‘Five Star’ product which I plan to purchase again!
Note: I have not been remunerated in any way for this review!”
Kyle Montgomery —
“I went through my first bag of Black Ant Extract and absolutely love it. I can really feel a difference in my energy right off. My sex drive got a little boost as well which is never a bad thing. I’m wondering if it’s safe to take it along with Tongkat Ali and Pine Pollen. I currently have them as well. Is that safe? Is it overkill? Someone help, please. Great product though… I will be ordering more… depending on if it’s safe to use all three together.”
Tap into the power of polyphenols.
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Monday, October 14, 2019
Do You Do High Reps Or Do You Not Do High Reps? That Is The Question
Debates can be fun but every now and then, they can can become so annoying that it's no longer a debate but who has the bigger dick and only one person is right. The truth is, high rep and low rep workouts both have qualities over the other and one has a person work on a set of goals that are different. Some people prefer high rep exercise while another work low reps for different reasons but in the end, it's about the individual and their goals.
It's even common to do both in the same workout but the big question is, are high reps really necessary? Don't get me wrong, high rep training is phenomenal with the right format but it isn't the cream of the crop of fitness unless you're a blue-collar roughneck with a hard on for high rep workouts. You can be very fit with high rep training but you also can be fit with low/medium rep training. What are you really shooting for?
My favorite forms of high rep training is deck of cards workouts and circuits that total up to some huge numbers in the end. High reps mainly come in the form of doing a certain number of reps in a set such as 100 Push-ups or 50 Reps of a Barbell Squat, both give you exceptional strength one way or another. Another way to do high reps is by doing an exercise in a period of time say doing Step Ups for 20 minutes or doing 5 minutes of Burpees, either one will kick your ass. Low Rep workouts are mainly for building strength or building strength by firing as many muscle fibers with heavy resistance. This can be done by bodyweight or weights it doesn't matter.
Here's another question that comes up quite a bit in fitness, if you're doing high reps, are you just building endurance and no longer dealing with strength? It's a complicated process to answer because you have people on one side saying there's no way you're building strength but on the other end, you are building strength but in a different way. So what does strength have to do with high reps? A lot actually because when it comes to exercise, the more difficult one is and is done for reps, it's actually a form of building strength or Strength Endurance. Say after doing 50 push-ups, are you building strength? Well, once fatigue sets in and you have that final rep, you're using strength to get that last one in. How about making the exercise more difficult? Do One-Arm Push-ups or Arms Extended Push-ups, if you're doing high reps with either one, that is some serious strength and you have incredible control and power. What about fingertips, Handstands or just one finger, where does it end to tell you you're building only strength?
The fact of the matter is, you're working your body hard regardless if it's high reps or low reps, some prefer one or the other and others do both. Neither one is superior to the other yet both can be tough as hell with the way you apply them. Do what gives you the biggest benefit and go with that. Sometimes, you'll switch things up, other times, you'll just stick to it, its neither right or wrong what you do, the endgame is what you want out of them. Make it interesting and make it an adventure. Kill it one way or another.
It's even common to do both in the same workout but the big question is, are high reps really necessary? Don't get me wrong, high rep training is phenomenal with the right format but it isn't the cream of the crop of fitness unless you're a blue-collar roughneck with a hard on for high rep workouts. You can be very fit with high rep training but you also can be fit with low/medium rep training. What are you really shooting for?
My favorite forms of high rep training is deck of cards workouts and circuits that total up to some huge numbers in the end. High reps mainly come in the form of doing a certain number of reps in a set such as 100 Push-ups or 50 Reps of a Barbell Squat, both give you exceptional strength one way or another. Another way to do high reps is by doing an exercise in a period of time say doing Step Ups for 20 minutes or doing 5 minutes of Burpees, either one will kick your ass. Low Rep workouts are mainly for building strength or building strength by firing as many muscle fibers with heavy resistance. This can be done by bodyweight or weights it doesn't matter.
Here's another question that comes up quite a bit in fitness, if you're doing high reps, are you just building endurance and no longer dealing with strength? It's a complicated process to answer because you have people on one side saying there's no way you're building strength but on the other end, you are building strength but in a different way. So what does strength have to do with high reps? A lot actually because when it comes to exercise, the more difficult one is and is done for reps, it's actually a form of building strength or Strength Endurance. Say after doing 50 push-ups, are you building strength? Well, once fatigue sets in and you have that final rep, you're using strength to get that last one in. How about making the exercise more difficult? Do One-Arm Push-ups or Arms Extended Push-ups, if you're doing high reps with either one, that is some serious strength and you have incredible control and power. What about fingertips, Handstands or just one finger, where does it end to tell you you're building only strength?
The fact of the matter is, you're working your body hard regardless if it's high reps or low reps, some prefer one or the other and others do both. Neither one is superior to the other yet both can be tough as hell with the way you apply them. Do what gives you the biggest benefit and go with that. Sometimes, you'll switch things up, other times, you'll just stick to it, its neither right or wrong what you do, the endgame is what you want out of them. Make it interesting and make it an adventure. Kill it one way or another.
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