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.