What's More Important? Good Looking Muscles Or Healthy Joints?

 Now this isn't to say you can't have both which can be attainable with the right tools to make it happen but many these days go gung ho for one but not the other and look at it from an external point of view most likely. With all the overwhelming info out there and never truly knowing who to trust when it comes to "Fitness Influencers" these days, how the hell can you make a bold decision to make something worth while without understanding the aspects of it?

There's nothing wrong with having a good physique, it can look like a billion bucks and maybe even land you a role or two in a Superhero flick but did you know they sometimes CGI areas of a person's body in those movies? Anyway, it does take hard work to develop a great body, for some it's easier on others but in the end, putting in the work is where it starts. The problem is especially in the day of Social Media, Magazines and other Digital Formats, they filter and alter various aspects of the human body in pictures to the degree where it looks practically unrealistic to even achieve. Along with many who photoshop and/or take steroids, diet pills and often very unsafe supplements, you're looking at a body that isn't made to be developed by the average person. 

Muscles can do wonders, but they won't always be able to save your ass. Some guys and even women develop a condition that's called Bigorexia which is to develop so much muscle that it looks as if it popped out of a comic book. They take steroids, TRT, Muscle Supplements and eat so much that it consumes and overwhelms the organs. That can kill you quicker than the amount of time tickets are sold for Wrestlemania. Along with that, many Influencers show off bodies that look great but have some very dark undertones in order to obtain it and to even try to maintain it, they brainwash people into believing it can be achieved through all these gadgets and $500 resistance bands or these workouts that would put the average person in the ER. It's ridiculous. 

Now, what about developing healthy joints, tendons & ligaments? They're internal and they don't show anything that is worth more than a pluck Nickle at times but they do far more than meets the eye. For people who have healthy and conditioned joints, many don't look like Bodybuilders or Crossfitters, they look almost "normal" or average but they've got more going on than you might think. The power behind those healthy joints is incredible when it is used in various ways. Did you know that some people over the age of 60 have a much healthier body than the 30 year old influencer that gets injured more than Wiley Coyote? That's because despite the appearance, the joints carry far more into a person's years from a long term point of view than those who only use fitness for a short period of time and lose themselves by the time they're 40. Imagine still feeling you're in in your prime than only having it for a few years and than it just poof disappears. 

I'm not saying all influencers and fitness stars can't do things into their golden years but many can't grasp the damage they can cause when they influence people to believe what they do is the greatest thing since sliced bread and that if you did this or that you can be just like them. It's that snake oil salesman mentality and can have dangerous consequences. As we get older, things do change and it can be very challenging to keep a level head on how to maintain a level of fitness and health especially when it comes to the organs and joints. If you can maintain a good physique, that's awesome and I'm happy you pulled it off, but also keep your eye on maintaining healthy joints because nobody wants to say "I've fallen and can't get up" by the time they're 50 and beyond. Be vigilant on taking care of your body both internally and externally. 

Overcoming Isometrics

Encyclopedia Of Bodyweight Training 

Lost Empire Herbs 

Jack And Jill Went Up The Hill To....

 Remember that old Rhyme? Well. times have changed and those two have been climbing that hill too long to fetch some aqua from that damn well. I bet they got in pretty decent shape from climbing that thing everyday but what if they decided to sprint up that hill? They'd be totally different in terms of physique wouldn't they? 

Sprint Training is a timeless and true art form of burning off fat faster than any other method period. Hill Sprints are the king of beasts when it comes to fat loss and quick muscle building. Run up one for 10-12 seconds, slowly walk down to the starting point and repeat, you'll be getting a hell of a workout. There's even research that says Hill Sprints are better than running on flat ground; I wonder why? Well, for one you won't be able to run at the speed you normally do on flat ground and two, you're looking at better joint application. You're also fighting more on a hill because the incline is resisting you; this in turn gives off better chances of developing the muscles.

Acceleration is different too so even at the starting point, you're only accelerating at the speed that a hill will give you. There's no doubt that even at top speed, you won't stay there for more than a few seconds and to even maintain it takes up more force than if you were to do it on flat ground. Some of the best athletes were Hill Sprinters and their conditioning was in the elite of the elite. Did you know that when Walter Payton ran those hills during the off-season, some athletes would join him and these guys weren't too bad either but even then, they had trouble keeping up with Sweetness and would quit before he even had a chance to feel fatigued. He even once said he would run hills trying to kill himself. Now for most people, you don't need to go to extreme lengths to get the most out of Hill Sprints.

How many should you do? That depends on where you're at. If you're just starting out and you can't even sprint yet? Be like Jack & Jill; climb the hill a couple times twice a week at best and increase the number of climbs by one every few weeks or so. When you feel ready, start jogging up and see how it feels, 2-3 times a week. When you're ready to start sprinting, start with 4 at first and you don't need to go further than a 10 second burst. 2-3 times a week do 4 sprints time for a little while, than bump up to 5 and so on. You don't need to do more than 10 sprints per workout and you don't need to sprint any further than 15 seconds worth. A sprint should be your top speed otherwise you're basically jogging up the hill. Even jogging up can get you in good shape but a sprint will separate the men from the boys. 

Start as Jack Jill going up to fetch a pale of water and work your way up to a mountain lion catching prey. Be prepared to see major changes in your body from Sprint Training. It'll be like looking at a totally different person.  

Unleash The Power Of Your Core

 Core Training these days is being thrown around like it has to mean something; for example, the six pack abs look or working towards training for a sport or god forbid Crossfit. Real Core Training is more than just some explosive exercise or working your ab muscles so hard into the ground that if you're not sore you didn't do it right, it's more about strengthening both internally and externally. It has more to do with training the body to prevent injuries as much as possible. Many exercises taught today are merely just muscle building and have no regard for being safe and realistic. 

From a realistic point of view, real life situations aren't going to call for how many sit-ups you can do or how many times you can toss a ball against a wall or even how long you can hold a plank. Things creep up on you and it's important to be prepared. If you have to move your body in awkward situations and your core muscles aren't in shape for them, you're not going to last long. Conditioning is more than just how long you can go, it's about going while staying strong in the process. 

Conditioning the mid section goes a long way than to just put on some muscle. Core Strength helps you move things in awkward positions without hurting yourself, it gives you power to take a hit and it even helps with flexibility and mobility. The Core is not just ab muscles; it's the obliques, the lower back, the pelvic area and others. My favorite forms of training the core is using the Ab Wheel or the Power Wheel to really tackle those areas in a short amount of time. Sit-ups don't really do it for me anymore and plus, they're boring as hell in my eyes. Isometrics while focusing on the Core is a hell of a lot better than sit-ups, you can do sit-ups until the cows come home and not truly get anywhere. Farmer's Walk or shouldering & walking with weight is a hell of a Core Builder because you need to be in control otherwise you're flopping all over the place. Animal movements force you to work the Core in order to stabilize you in those weird positions. 

Having million dollar abs may look awesome but if you turn slightly or can't move in the most basic format, you just wasted all that time and now you're hurt. There's a difference between being sore and being in agonizing pain; I've had both. When I do focus on Core Conditioning, I have a greater chance of being strong when the unexpected comes. That's the reality at times and it's important we make training the core a priority. I don't give a damn about a magazine cover or what people think what's better for your abs, I train to make myself as strong as possible so I don't get hurt very often and be able to do things that are fun to do. 

The idea is to train the body as a unit, not working a bunch of isolated muscles. When you work your Core, work it to the degree where multiple muscle groups work together to get the best out of it. Exercises from the Power Wheel give you real Core Strength & Conditioning in such a short amount of time it's not even funny. Get strong and remember, you have the power in you to unleash levels of strength you didn't know existed. 

One Flu Over The Cuckoo's Nest

Being sick sucks and that's a damn fact man. Over this past week, me and the wife ended up a little under the weather and tried to take it easy as much as possible. I did end up getting my wife's cold which could've been worse but I'm recovering pretty quickly since it's been less than a few days. She's healing up to the best of her abilities and she seems to be practically over it since she was being cute and a little mischievous yesterday.  Think this is the first time I've been sick for a little over a year or more but who's counting?

When it comes to illness or getting over something, I try to make it as natural as possible to heal up: Intermittent Fasting, Hydrate, Take Some Vitamins, Training And Rest. Training might sound a little odd and maybe even cuckoo you might say but it does have some benefit to be a little active to get some of the crap out of your system. I don't mean to go running sprints or going to the gym and moving some plates around but something light and about maybe no more than 40% of what you normally do but that also depends on the condition you're in, everybody is different. I like to work on some joint loosening, deep breathing as much as possible and do Isometrics with less intensity. 

Being sick is never fun and some get sick easier than others which is why we need to strengthen our immune system more often than just our muscles and the connective tissues. We can't completely prevent ourselves from getting sick but we sure as hell can find ways to heal/recover at a quicker rate with the right tools and info that gives as many individuals an advantage as much a possible. It's a known fact with me that I don't trust the medical industry all that much and go to a route that has alternatives than to just take a pill or pop something in order to feel better temporarily. That doesn't mean the medical industry is all terrible, yes it has flaws but it also has many success rates for many things. To me, it's important to stay healthy as much as I can, unless I'm in severe dire straits or need to see a specialist (which is already rare).

Take care of yourself the best way you can and let your body heal when it needs to. Even superheroes get sick sometimes so do what works best for you. I can give you ideas on certain supplements you can take but overall; rest up, hydrate when needed and give your body time to recover (it may not be that easy for many but do your best).

Elderberry

Immunity Page At Lost Empire

Mushroom Alchemy Tincture

Meditation Jedi Style

"The force is what gives the jedi his powers, it's an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds, penetrates us and binds the galaxy together."- Obiwan Kenobi.

Ever since I was little, Star Wars has been one of my all time favorites but when I got older and getting into the ideas behind the "force" and all that, I started to understand the true purpose of it and what it means to have that spiritual feeling. Now I'm not into religion or anything like that for reasons I really don't think people care enough to hear or read but I do like the idea of certain meditation practices, breathing techniques, visualization and thinking differently. Meditation has many meanings but the true and sole purpose of it is to have the ability to be empty in the mind and form a connection between yourself and the universe in the present moment.

Some people think in order to meditate, you have to sit or stand in a specific position, make your hands a circle and just empty everything in your brain; that's not as easy to do nor is it the only way. Some form of meditation is by moving or doing things that just have your mind go completely blank and all you're doing is just being. Lifting weights can be meditative, moving like a wild animal can be meditative (just look at guys like Rickson Gracie) or whatever. It's the ability to be in such control of your body and mind that it becomes one with everything around you. I'm not very good at sitting when I meditate, I mainly lay down in a comfortable position and just focus on my breath. Lately, I've been listening to Ambient Sounds and videos with amazing visuals of nature and even Jedi videos.

I would sometimes listen to this meditation I found on youtube that sounds like a Star Wars soundtrack with music and sounds of nature mixed together that is just awesome to listen to and just breathe into. It's about an hour long, other videos have 10-30 minute skits of the same or similar music. I downloaded it into an MP3 on my phone and now I just listen to the sounds. I've also downloaded into an MP3 a Jedi Meditation Guide where a guy talks you through the process and uses quotes and references from Star Wars, it's about 10 minutes long and although he sounds like a robot at times or his broken english is painfully obvious, I just listen to what he says, breathe and just let everything sink in. Done it a couple times now and each time, I feel great, relaxed and more present.

There are books out there that uses various practices like Daoism, Buddhism and others in the words of Star Wars that is actually really cool. Some are catchy and/or tacky a bit but they also share great messages. Some of the references you might need to have some knowledge of the franchise in order to understand but the messages are pretty direct and make good points on meditation, how to be a good person, what to look for when it comes to "energy vampires" or applying certain Jedi Practices in the real world. No, you don't learn to make objects float in the air or use the jedi mind trick to manipulate someone or even shoot lightning out of your fingers like Count Dooku or Emperor Palpatine; but you do learn how to be mindful, practice doing good deeds whenever possible, relax the mind the body often and making good choices. 

Meditate like a Jedi or in some cases like the Gray Jedi (A jedi who finds balance in both the light and dark side but doesn't succumb to the evils the dark side creates). 

The Jedi Mind

The Dharma Of Star Wars

The Jedi Path

Be More Yoda

The Way And The Power Of The Force