Why Bodyweight Exercises Are Important

    Within the fitness food chain there's a source of many levels of different styles and forms in exercise and workouts. Some people do the cardio machines, lift weights, go to aerobics class, do those weird ass kangaroo bounces with those shoe springs and there are forms of fitness that are not normally associated with the gym. Within bodyweight exercises a lot of people see that as toe touches, jumping jacks, military push-ups, basic squats, planks, burpees or whatever and you see these in the gym every now and then but the key to remember is that bodyweight training within the right system are extremely important for any workout routine. If you take a look back in history say 100 or more years ago; Barbells and Dumbbells were in the early stages of the major weightlifting world but the main type of training these old-timers used were Bodyweight exercises and why is that?

 

    In another lifetime, using one's own bodyweight was a main source of health, strength, conditioning, flexibility and even looking the part. The reason why was because back then, gyms weren't as mainstream as they are today and if any young man or woman who weren't doing farm work, working in the coal mines or oil rigs hell even the railroad or skyscraping in the big cities they couldn't always afford a weight set so they had to learn to use their bodyweight in great many ways. Training in this manner teaches how to master your body from all sorts of angles the body is able to manage or develop. Think about it; if you mastered lifting your own weight that's a great amount of strength to withstand even in the most basic positions. There a lot of programs out there today that do work but very few teach how to go to a level of physical strength that is beyond the basic components. You do need a foundation and progress to a different level otherwise how will you achieve a higher status of mastery. Mastering the basic exercises doesn't mean how many reps and sets you can do and although that's awesome what more can you do; how about changing the tempo, speed, holding and slowing down the movement. Say you can do 250 push-ups in a single workout or within a few sets of up to 25-50 reps at a time, great now how about you change things up a bit like doing them on your fingertips or getting in the push-up position and go down for a ten count and up a ten count. You are taking a basic exercise and using the body on a whole other level that is not just using external formalities but building an internal strengthener.

 

    I'm all for pushing the body to its maximum capabilities, it's a test of your mettle of how the body is taken to a higher level however; with that being said I also believe in testing the body in doing exercises that are a little out of the norm and building that relaxed strength and moving at a much slower pace or holding a certain position that is difficult. It's creating that internal power that you don't always get from just a regular routine. Holding certain postures or creating dynamic resistance to get that heart rate up in another way. Its power beyond the typical strength and endurance concepts you're used to seeing. I've done well over 500 push-ups in a workout and for nearly an hour I did over 1000 squats but yet I can also do the exercises in a much slower pace like doing 15 count push-ups and going so slow in the squat it not only gets me breathing more but it also creates a sensation in my body I can't experience any other way. I'm mastering my body in a different way that builds energy from within. The next time you hear that "Bodyweight exercise is only good for endurance" bullshit, have that person tested on that theory by having do exercises at a much slower pace or holding a posture for say like 3 minutes max; they won't be giving you a hard time and they'll either run away or won't have a clue what the hell hit them.

 

    Are bodyweight exercises good for only smaller people like gymnasts? Fuck no, it doesn't matter what size you are, you can do bodyweight exercises. For big men, this is extremely important because if you master your body at a much larger size, you're doing something most can't even fathom. Say you want to do 10 pull-ups but you're a big guy say around 220 lbs. or more, is it possible? Of course it is as long as you understand the mechanics and how your body to weight ratio works in unison with the muscles needed to do that many pull-ups. I'm over 250 lbs. and I can do around 12 pull-ups if I chose to do so and that is exceptional for a man that size. If you are a big person and still want to do hard bodyweight exercises you can do them if you practice and learn how to use the muscles for that exercise. One of the greatest lifters of all-time Doug Hepburn was the first man to bench press over 500 lbs and was well over 260 lbs. but would you believe he was also an exceptional hand balancer? How about wrestler The Great Gama who was 5'7 and well over 250 lbs yet was capable of doing reps in the push-up and the squat in the hundreds, how about Bud Jeffries; at around 6'and 280 plus lbs. he can do push-ups that make smaller guys look like chumps from clap push-ups to one-arm and beyond. There are possibilities and don't think for a second that you can't achieve something because of your size. Make it work for you and don't try to surpass someone else, learn to surpass yourself and build strength that reaches your potential.

 

Have a kick ass Friday, have a wonderful weekend and be awesome.

Can This Be The Most Powerful Hypnosis Technology Ever?

My friend and esteemed colleague Niraj Naik – a pioneering brainwave entrainment and meditation expert has collaborated with John Vincent – an expert hypnotherapist and change expert trained directly under the father of NLP, Richard Bandler and world renowned hypnotherapist Paul McKenna.
I think they may have created what I believe in my experience of developing mind tools, is quite possibly the most powerful hypnosis audio technology of its kind.
It’s called Trypnosis™.



The reason why self help tools like affirmations and the law of attraction do not work is because you have to go deeper and change the story you tell yourself.
Trypnosis is an evolution of hypnosis and a powerful new method created by leading peak performance experts designed to empower your inner voice and thoughts.
Imagine your life with better health, confidence, creativity and motivation. Trypnosis™ – the heart of the full Peak Power Hypnosis system will give you this and more.
Download the first part of the full Peak Power Hypnosis System powered by Trypnosis™audio technology for FREE today.
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Be Awesome

Recovery Workouts Are Essential

   

   Some people just love to get in the gym and just hammer out the weights and use their Bosu Balls, run like a madman on the cardio machines and just crank out rep after rep on those "machines." I love training hard too; getting out and hitting tire with my Epic Sledgehammer, play with Battling Ropes, and move like a wild animal and just go raw with my favorite exercises but yet I understand the importance of recovery. Unless you work all day in construction or at some heavy duty job or having to survive in the wilderness; you can't train that hard all the time without suffering some sort of consequence like an injury or being burnt out or whatever. It's great to push yourself but it's also important to let things die down a bit and let your body repair itself.

 
    My type of recovery training is to practice forms of Chi Kung to train my internal strength and use more of a flow of movements and holds that unleash that electrical vibration in the body not just outside. A lot of us can be filled with tension that deprives us from doing things that are fun and enjoyable. Tension can be used in a positive way depending on the situation but the negative side of it is it can cause damage to your body like inflammation, tendonitis, back pain, knee problems and it can take a toll on your emotional state as well. Exercise done right releases endorphins and is often a stress reliever which is why daily exercise is good for the body but like anything else if it's not balanced than you're in for a rude awakening which is why a lot of people quit after a week or 2 of training because they pushed too hard and not enough recovery time to balance it out. You don't have to do Chi Kung to recover but you can do other things that balance out your body's nervous system. Go for a walk, stretch your body and loosen up the joints, do deep breathing exercises for a day or before/during/after your workouts, do meditation; there are so many things you can do but it's up to you to find that balance.

 
    Now contrary to popular belief you don't always have to do workouts that only go 3-5 times a week and not do anything on you're off days. In this day and age, very rarely you find people in fitness who never take a day off. I have not taken one day off since I started training for rehab way back in 2005 around august. When I tell certain people that they often think "how can you do that everyday and not be burnt out, don't you get injured?" The truth is, I train hard when I can but when I need to back off I do which I'm currently doing right now. There's no such thing as a day off because you're constantly doing something every single day and it doesn't always require training in the gym or doing a few push-ups at home. Here's the thing, there are times we can get so sore from a workout or we become sick and need to take care of ourselves, what to do then? How about say you're sore from head to toe and you still want to get in a good workout, why not go for a brisk walk for about 30 min., go swimming and just tread water or swim a few laps so the muscles are loosened up, stretch your body to open up the channels within your muscles. What about being sick with the flu or you can hardly move feeling like a crowbar is hitting your body; well you do a fast or eat very lightly, lay back and flex the muscles in various places to bring blood flow to the body, you can also do light stretching, kick back and do some deep breathing exercises (trust me it's not easy to do when you're stuffed up but breathe from your diaphragm and not your nose) and mentally picture yourself feeling better and visualize healing yourself. You don't always need to move to train your body.

 
    A lot of us struggle to relax and go with the flow. It happens to me quite a bit and I get really tense sometimes and jittery. I'm known to be a night owl so sleeping at night isn't always simple to do like in my current situation where my body is just going nuts and my sleeping patterns are way off so I'm training myself to not fight and just relax and flow while listening to my body. Relaxing isn't easy for some people because they're so stressed from their job or something is wrong in the family or your mind just runs at a million miles an hour and it's causing you frustration. We have 24 hours in a day and so if you have time to ease down even if it's for a few minutes believe me you'll see a whole new look at training the body in a different perspective. Watch something funny, chill out and forget about the negative bullshit for a bit. Destress yourself with intent. I'm not always talking about positive thinking or be one with the universe but train your body to ease down when you make the effort to and let your body repair itself, sleep when you need to so the muscles can have time to rebuild and grow. Balance yourself according to your needs and recovery just as efficiently as you train hard.

 
Welcome to October everyone. Have a happy Wednesday and be awesome.

Sprints Without Needing To Run

    When people think of sprinting, normally you'd think running very fast as hard as possible on a track/field, up hills and stairs but yet sprinting can be used in a variety of ways where you don't always need to run your ass off. As far as I'm concerned Hill Sprints and hard running on a field for up to 30 seconds is the very best method for burning fat faster than anything else. Some of you may not have that luxury due to being in certain places that doesn't have hills or you live in a city that uses more of the elevator and also weather can be a factor. I'm all for training in nearly any type of weather but I realize some of you like to be in inside and want to train in that environment or somewhere around your home.

 

    My training varies from practicing chi kung to hard hitting sledgehammer work and I even practice DDP Yoga from to time but if I want a quick workout that doesn't take a lot of time and is easy to set up, I go out to my driveway and work with my 50ft one inch thick rope and go to war on Battling Ropes. It has become a great trend lately in the last couple years due to its major influence from old-time strongman John Brookfield. Because of the way you need to use your arms to make those kick ass waves takes a ton of strength and coordination that it's almost impossible to not burn fat doing this. Although there is more than one way to sprint, I find this the most fun and interesting because you can vary the exercises by going in different directions, different grips and more often than not changing the tempo while maintaining a good clip and velocity that makes you sweat from head to toe within a few minutes or less.

 

    If you want a workout that will smoke you quick and you're pressed for time; do this and you'll be cooked like a Xmas goose in 10 min. Go after this workout once you have the basic exercises down and are efficient to keep going.

 

-30 seconds on/15 seconds off

Go for up to 10-15min. in this fashion.

 

It is brutal, hardcore and will test your limits and your creativity as you generate a great amount of strength and endurance that shape you into a machine.

 

    When it comes down to it, just training with the ropes a few times a week will generate a great deal of natural HGH (Human Growth Hormone). Because of the benefits of strength and cardio at the same time, the exercises will take your lungs and your breathing to the next level and you're working the whole body by holding a stance with your legs or squatting depending on the exercise and working your arms, shoulders, back, grip and anything else you can think of. This type of sprinting burns fat like crazy and the amount of strength you generate is immense. Think about it especially if you're over 35 or 40 to bring up your levels of natural testosterone and power up your metabolism like when you a kid. For women, this helps awesomely for strengthening the arms to get rid of that fat from the upper arms, being in a quarter squat for a period of time taking fat out of your glutes, thighs and hamstrings and building a killer core because you have to stabilize a certain position in order to stay efficient for the movement. It doesn't take up much time but if you want to train longer that's fine too, Brookfield can go for an hour without stopping so there are a great amount of possibilities. Get fit fast without wasting your time on hours of endless training that won't get you anywhere. Unless you're a pro athlete or training for competition, 45 min. to an hour of training should be your max and using compound movements that hit multiple muscles.

 

Be awesome and rope yourself into a powerfully fit body with endurance to back it up.

 

    
 

 

My Unusual Way Of Researching

    As a fitness fanatic, I always find certain ways to get stronger, interested in cool programs, watch films, listen to music and read books. There are certain phrases done in a certain tone that help me discover a way to unlock my brain power into training differently. I guess you can say I'm a total nerd when it comes to this stuff. Although I love fitness my research doesn't involve it. I have a very unusual way of laughing pretty much any time I wanted which is a workout in itself if you really understand it; I can think of something funny at the top of my head out of nowhere and I just start laughing my ass off. After I have a good laugh, my body is more relaxed, calmer, full of life and I can train very efficiently. Laughter is an awesome tool to help you train if you learn to apply it.

 

    The way I see things and hear things is different than most people. When I see an action flick or a scene that is emotionally intense, I see an opportunity to learn how to make my training more fun or serious to do. Remember those scenes in No Country For Old Men where the guy is just so cold he doesn't hesitate killing someone, its not one of those "maybe I'll kill you" kind of character it's destiny and that's the way it's going to be, most see that as a cold-blooded murderer with a psycho entity but me; I see intense focus and yes it's evil but for you it's a way of learning to channel your focus on what you want to do. How about listening to a certain quote not just reading it but how it's sounded. Reading a quote can be done in many ways but the way it sounds is more powerful, it can make you laugh or cry, make you think or it can destroy your way of seeing things. You can take some of the most ridiculous quotes from music, film, books and turn them into some of the most intense sayings. Kind of like a workout that just looks weird, odd and unorthodox and yet can turn it into the most intense and sweat drenching workout of your life and you're so focused it makes people run instead of laugh at. I have done workouts playing the animal dice game from Animal Kingdom Conditioning and yes some are tough and some a relatively easy but even doing what's called the Cartoon Workout which consists of looking at the exercises as your favorite characters can be the most brutal and fun workout of your life and you'll never see those characters the same way again.

 

    For a while now I've looked into certain aspects of Mythology from the Greeks, Norse, Irish and even Vampires to study not only the strength and superhuman entities of these beings but the way they're personality is conducted and how they live that can be both a blessing and a curse. Like the Vampire that has extraordinary gifts of sight, strength and speed but yet has to live with the fact that it's main source of food is blood. Also given its lifespan can last 100's of years which means knowledge and learning different aspects of culture throughout time. How does this apply to training? Well, you learn things you normally don't learn from other places, you're not into learning the normal way of training, you want to be crazy strong, super-fast and want to find out how to increase your length of life at the same time gain knowledge of the foremost secrets that mainstream people don't know, like an underground thing. In all of mythology there is always some power hungry god or goddess that think they're hot shit and if you don't worship them they'll find a way to destroy you in some form or another; we as humans can relate to that because we have people that are so full of themselves that if we think differently of them in a way they don't approve they'll get rid of you or put you down in some form or another. Think about it from a fitness point of view, there are "top gurus" who tell people that they're way to train is the only way and if you strike back at them because you have a different opinion they'll give you shit for it. Truth is we are all different and we can't do things the same way so in order to make something successful happen, we need to find a way to learn what can be the best for us and makes us the very best of ourselves. Train according to your needs and use exercises that use your potential to become very good at what you do.

 

    The few people who know this I'm a total movie buff (if you don't believe me than you ought to learn about my collection). Ever since I was a kid, movies have been my way to get away, have a few laughs, get pumped up or spend time with family and friends. I have many favorites from Indiana Jones to Spaceballs, Star Wars to cult films like The Big Labowski and yes I like some of the dumbest films ever like Adam Sandler films to Will Ferrell but I also like Marvel Films like the Avengers series, X-Men and Blade and even DC stuff like Batman & Superman. I get pumped every time I watch Indy or get great ideas about training from Pumping Iron and I even get a kick out of the sarcasm and references used in the Avengers. As a fitness fanatic, this is an incredible way for me to learn how to channel my focus when I train because of the way a character moves or his intensity in a scene helps me find an intense way to focus so much on what I do that nothing else gets past me. The Expendables are awesome to watch because you have the nostalgic thing of seeing the greatest action stars in one flick and you can't help but want to train and just get that flow of testosterone going.

 

Happy Friday everyone and have a kick ass weekend. If you have a weird way of researching ways to train or have an unusual way of doing what you love, that's great. If it makes you happy and it helps you be unique than don't ever let it go. You may have the most oddball way of learning things and you know what, that's awesome because you found a way to do what works for you. Keep it up and use it to make yourself successful.

Why Join The Matt Furey Inner Circle?

    Before I could walk again in 2005, I learned about this guy who was a wrestler, world champion in Kung Fu and practiced Bodyweight Exercises. I bought a book of his called Combat Conditioning and it seemed interesting. I didn't want to do regular rehab like most people would after an injury so I made a vow when I did learn to walk again I would do the exercises from this book to help me along the way. First month sucked as I only did the Hindu Squats, Hindu Push-ups and the Bridge. Couldn't do more than 25 squats, 15 push-ups and 30 sec. of the bridge felt like an eternity. I never gave up because although I couldn't do a damn thing at first, my legs were getting stronger and I was having more energy than I could possibly imagine. Within 6-7 months of just pure bodyweight training, I did over 1000 squats in a workout, over 300 push-ups and could hold the bridge for 5 min. anytime I wanted. I was hooked ever since I got that book and many more courses from Furey and he helped change my way of training forever. Nearly 10 years later, bodyweight training is still my main style of training adding in cables, hammers, mace and a few strongman stuff in the mix.

 

    When I first signed up for Furey's Inner Circle a few years after buying Combat Conditioning, I learned things there that couldn't possibly be worth using in public styled book or DVD because a lot of it was very different, not meant for hardcore bodybuilders or the typical gym rat. A lot of it was bodyweight stuff but adding in hill sprints, cable work and others it's just one of those things that you want to grab a hold of and never let go. I was on there off and on for a number of years but always found a way to learn something new from it and use to my style of training. You can't learn this stuff from a regular DVD/CD/Book because it wouldn't have that unique and mystical aspect of it. Think about it, if everyone knew all the secrets where is anything more to learn? In the Inner Circle you get to learn about training from a very different perspective and you get exclusive access to some of the most guarded secrets he has to offer. You think you know all there is to know about bridging? Think again. How about various squats you don't normally do or see anywhere else? I thought you knew about squat training. Why not how to run faster without adding tension to increase not only speed but to burn off fat faster than any other type of training? It's all about learning from different angles to give you the edge in health, fitness, sports and longevity.

 

    One of his recent forms of training came in the style of Neck Chi Kung. If you thought you knew about training the neck, this is goes beyond your own assumptions and what you have previously learned. It's not bridging although it helps and will make you neck stronger. This style of training is not hardcore and not meant to make you sweat hard or breathe heavily it's far from that; it teaches how to relax the neck and the body all the way down to the toes by moving in a much slower fashion to unlock and release tension from that area. First time I did this routine, I was hearing crackles from every square inch of my neck, traps, upper back and shoulders and that doesn't happen too often. I rarely if ever stay with routines because that's just how I roll but I trust Furey's judgment and do what I can to learn from him. His other style of training the neck is doing exercises based on the Tortoise because it's been said this animal is a symbol of longevity and one of its secrets is having a healthy neck. You move and hold the neck in certain positions, some I've never heard of before and they hit you like a bolt of lightning and you're not even doing a whole lot. The last thing I'll mention about this is his Bridging Chi Kung. This type of training alone is worth the price of the Inner Circle because it teaches how to relax in the hip, back and front bridges in a whole new way. Imagine holding the bridge with your arms in different positions that will make you stronger in every portion of your body and doing it only a few minutes a day; the routine lasts about 15 min. at best. Release all that tension in your back, neck, legs and torso as you sail through the day with vigor, internal power and agility unlike anything else.

 

    I like doing hardcore stuff from time to time like sprints, animal exercises, pulling on the chest expander with heavy cables, hit a tire with the Epic Sledgehammer, bend spikes, rip cards/phonebooks all kinds of stuff but I also like to train a little calmer, learn how to internalize my body and expand my energy from the inside. It's fitness on a whole other level and although it's not hardcore and bad-to-the-bone crazy, it's also tough, demanding and takes great concentration on a scale you can't find anywhere else. From walking backwards extremely slowly in 30 minutes to standing and just relaxing the body for several minutes to even sitting in a chair and letting go of the tension in my body by just breathing deeply and using a visualization technique its fitness within a different world that is needed. Do me a favor and sign up for the Matt Furey Inner Circle. At the moment you can get a yearly membership fairly cheap that is less than 10 bucks a month yet you get thousands of dollars' worth of info you can't get anywhere else. This cheap price won't last long because soon he's going to double it. It is one of the most awesome things you can do and it's far cheaper than going to a gym, buying lousy junk food, bottles of booze and even far cheaper than cigarettes that can kill your health far quicker. Be healthy and learn the very guarded secrets that will have you gaining more energy, strength, flexibility, explosiveness, stamina, mental clarity, emotional stability and can even help you in sports like never before.

 

Happy Thor's Day everyone. Be Awesome and get your hands on one of the most helpful resources on the planet.

Strengthen The Spine

    Lately I've had this one spot on the left side of my lower back that's been aggravating me. So far it's only painful when I sit or lay in a certain position but when I train or sit in a natural squat there's no pain whatsoever. So what I can I do to reduce the pain? I'm certainly not taking some kind of meds just temporarily ease the pain and unless I can't walk I'm not going to any doctor. I've decided to train my spine a little more and not just build muscles of the back (got plenty of that already) but want train the bones, the ligaments and make my spine the electric superpower it's meant to be. The spine is our foundation that is connected to the brain which wires all the nerves in the human body. If you have a spine injury, chances are you can be crippled for life or haven't learned the aspects of spinal training.

 

    One of the best ways to train the spine is by Bridging. This can be done in quite a few ways; one is what's known as the wrestler's bridge where you're on your head and feet are on the floor and the objective is to touch your nose to the floor. Another way would be is to go into a bridge where your hands and feet are only touching the floor; this called the Gymnastic Bridge or the Wheel Pose. The most common bridge you see people do is the Hip Bridge where you lay down, lift the hips off the floor and the only parts on the ground are the feet, upper back and shoulders. Bridging is one of the key ingredients to developing a healthy spine that builds that natural curvature and lengthening the torso that helps you lose fat, build muscle and have a strong body overall. In the Gymnastic Bridge you're practically lengthening the entire body and it's also one of the greatest forms of isometrics because it takes a lot of strength to hold the position. In the wrestler's bridge where you're on your neck and stretching everything from the neck down. Some discredit this exercise because it seems dangerous plus you're putting pressure on the neck when in fact the exercise helps increase blood flow to the brain, strengthens the legs and torso for the stabilizing muscles and it's regarded as a great way to get into a euphoric state or a natural high that de-stresses you and brings a calming sense of mental clarity.

 

`    An exercise I've been doing lately that really helps my spine is just hanging on my pull-up bar. By doing this, I'm stretching my entire body from the arms to the legs because just hanging there the flow of the body becomes a whole other realm of electric power within every vertebrae of the spine. This alone builds incredible grip strength, shoulder flexibility, eliminating those "love handles", creates better posture and you're getting a sense of what it's like to a wild ape like an orangutan, gorilla or Chimp. I ought to do this more often and so should you. As we age our spines start to shrink and compress until we are so hunched up that just by moving or straightening feels like a crowbar smacking every part of your body. In order to reverse this, lengthen your spine a few minutes a day and if you have trouble hanging, just do what you can and build up, eventually you'll be so strong you can hang for minutes on end.

 

    Another style of training I've used for my back from the muscles to the spine is doing DDP Yoga. You know I've written about this a few times but it bears repeating. DDP Yoga brings a whole new element to strength and stretching. Bringing the spine into play is the focal point of this because DDP learned how to recover from major back injuries from wrestling all those years ago and to bring that powerful lengthening to build a solid, strong and flexible spine to live without pain. In some of his exercises like the Cobra or the Diamond Cutter, they open up the spine like crazy and when you use Muscle Control as you move throughout the movement you're getting strength and cardio at the same time. Think about it; if you have a healthy spine you have more energy, greater sex drive, be able to flow through your favorite exercises with ease and you get to open up your breathing better. A powerful spine that is relaxed and pain-free creates better awareness and better posture. You're expanding your life force because the nerves in your body are just immensely powerful and it helps your internal organs become stronger which means better hormone levels, youthfulness, recover faster, burning off fat and living well past your prime (hell with a healthy spine you may not even peak beyond your 40's or more you'll just be in superb health).

 

Strengthen that spine everyone and live with happiness, pain-free, love and energetic power. Have a great Tuesday guys. Be awesome.