New PR In Step Ups And Club Swinging

Sometimes, certain things inspire you to test yourself and see what you're capable of. Yesterday for Easter, I decided to do 1000 Step Ups using the deck of cards again and see how fast I can do them. My previous best was 51:38 and I thought I'd never be able to go faster than that. I guess things have a way of surprising you and after all the sweat and number of times I wanted to quit I did it and broke my own record by finishing in 50:01, shaving off nearly 100 seconds of my previous best.

Step Ups are for all intents and purposes an underrated exercise that works like a charm when it comes to building leg strength and conditioning. Hell if Bob Backlund can go for hours straight doing them, a few minutes a day would be just as good for the average person. I'm not big on celebrating holidays like I used to. When I was living in Santa Cruz, holidays were a constant thing with my dad's side of the family especially Easter and Xmas (my grandmother is Roman Catholic) and ever since I've lived up here for nearly 10 years, it hasn't been the same since it's gotten harder and harder to travel to see them.

For holidays, I like to do crazy workouts to celebrate which is kind of a weird thing for most people but it gives me an opportunity to celebrate victories for presents. Now that I'm married for almost 2 years now, my wife and I would do some holiday celebrating but because of her job, it's not as easy and we celebrate either the day before or some time after. 

One of the other workouts I did on Easter was doing 1000 Reps with the Indian Clubs doing various exercises. Getting fresh air and getting into almost a meditative state that just feels incredible and getting in some conditioning for the shoulders, wrists and elbows. It was fun and just having that calmness and happiness instilled into you as you exercise. That's what it's all about and making the most of your time so you can enjoy other things later on. 

Today for some reason I just decided to start my day with 5 straight minutes of calf raises on one leg switching from one to the other each rep, it's one of the exercises I learned from Kevin Wikse's Pan Program which is now defunct and consisted of training the legs in a unique way. You can learn a bit more about Pan and his other takes on mythology by going to https://mightandmagick.com/. It just felt right to do and I enjoyed it. That's one of the great perks about fitness is that when it feels right and you enjoy it, it becomes something more than just physical, it becomes a mindset. Most likely today would be an Isometric Day but who knows what will happen. 

Enjoy the day, be happy and make the most of what is possible for you. 

A Moment In My Life That I Thought Would Never Happen

 For those that have known me my whole life know the struggles I had to endure when I was diagnosed with Spinal Meningitis. It made a major impact on the nerves around the right side of my body and scrambled my brain to the point where it would either kill me or make me live my life as an unintelligent member of society. When I was little, I used almost nothing but the left side of my body and barely did anything with the right side. Couldn't even pick up a pen or pencil with my right hand because the nerves were badly damaged. I struggled for decades but I kept fighting.

By the time I was a teenager, I could do quite a few things here and there for basic daily life but some things still weren't possible. I could lift some decent weight and move ok without the assistance of my left arm. Still can't shoot a basketball or throw a baseball or football with my right arm. After my leg injuries, I focused on getting stronger in a different way than ever before (as you may have read) but I also needed to challenge my right side even more. In gymnastics, I had a moment where I could do a one arm hang either on the horizontal bars or the rings with my right arm and that was an amazing feat for me, I was 24 at the time.

As I got older, I had to find more challenges, I was bending steel bars, nails, ripping phone books, levering hammers and holding myself up in a one arm push-up. Yesterday was a defying moment that made all those years struggling worth while. You've seen the videos of me pressing the Darth Vader Kettlebell with either hand or doing one arm farmer's carry with it, I wanted to make it harder so I thought I would attach one of my fat gripz to the handle. I never thought I'd be able to even clean it, let alone lift it with that thing attached and to my surprise, I did it with each arm and didn't use any assistance with my left when I did it with my right. I got it up to my shoulder and pressed that son of a bitch 10 times each arm, this thing is 70 lbs BTW and took a lot of concentration to use the muscles I needed to lift it. At 3-4 years old I have gone from not being able to pick up a damn pencil to basically cleaning and pressing a thick handled kettlebell that weighs 70 lbs. more times than I ever thought I could. This to me was decades in the making and I made it possible. 

You have the power to overcome adversity beyond anyone's expectations. Some never thought ever that you could do something they thought was impossible. You have the power to become stronger and make the impossible possible. The struggle is part of the journey but its those moments in time where everything came together and something incredible happens. Look at some of the old-time strongmen and what they endured to become legendary figures in the world of strength. I made something happen for myself that I never dreamed would happen and yet, it came to light when for years there were dark clouds over me. Although the fighting never stops, it's in those brief moments where you have won the battles over yourself and those who told you it wasn't going to ever happen. You made things happen and you CAN continue to make things happen. You are a bad ass my friend and never stop becoming something YOU were meant to be. 

Starting The Day Off With The Wu Ji Posture And A Cold Shower

 Sometimes when we wake up in the morning, we're still groggy and barely alert but also we wake up full of anxiety and feel the need to really haul ass; shower, dress, get a quick bite and run out the door to head to our job. I wanted to start my day with the Wu Ji Posture and just stand there practicing deep breathing for 10 minutes. It felt really good and it was a great moment of just getting blood flow to the body, breathe deeply and controlled and shake the cobwebs out a bit. The cherry on top of a beautiful Tuesday morning was getting into a cold shower.

For all intents and purposes, a cold shower is a hell of a way to wake your ass up out of that groggy zombie like state. Most wouldn't last 10 seconds and I can't blame them. Who in their bloody mind would want to emerge themselves in cold water, let alone bathe in the damn thing? This practice is more than just having the guts to withstand the cold, it's to really tech you how you handle your body and being calm, cool and collected. I practiced my deep breathing and focused on that as much as possible. It's never easy but the benefits are incredible man.

Getting into the habit of taking a cold shower does take time and taking small steps into letting that fear go and just let the water consume you and build that tolerance for cold temperatures. Is it meant for everyone, probably not but you never know until you test it out for yourself. For the most part, it's fear and others can be because of certain conditions. You don't need to take a 20 minute shower in order to notice the benefits, just a couple minutes is more than enough for most. 

The absolute key to both standing in the Wu Ji Posture and being in a cold shower is how you breathe. Cold showers tend to really get the lungs going and naturally make you breathe even deeper than normal (at least from my experience). You breathe in as deep as you can without straining, breathe out everything without straining and hold onto that. It's a very powerful sense of focus and concetration, think of it this way; you remember the stories of Peter Pan? The idea of slapping on some pixie dust and focusing on a happy thought, put them together and you can fly. Your pixie dust is your breath, your happy thought is your mind and picturing being calm, happy and full of power (I know this sounds goofy but it's the best analogy I can come up with on the spur of the moment).

We hate starting the day off with being anxious, in a rush, having our brains go haywire and dealing with negative thoughts. Start your day fresh and ready to kick ass, whatever it might be and being cool and collected in the midst of chaos. 

Is It Unmanly Or Weak To Be Open About Injuries?

 When it comes down to being a man, you're taught this or you shouldn't talk about that, hide your feelings so they're not used against you later, be cold, don't show weakness and most importantly don't cry like a little bitch; do any of these sound familiar to you? So basically, you're taught to be an emotionless robot or act like you're angry. Quite frankly, some of that stuff is a bunch of bullshit. That tells me, you are taught to live in fear and that everyone is against you, even the people in your life. Should you be open about everything, hell no but you shouldn't be ashamed of who you are either.

Injuries happen to everyone at some point unless you've lived under a rock and were taught to be careful with everything. Do I feel you need to brag about your injuries? No, even those that believe an injury under a certain circumstance is a badge of honor which the majority of the time really isn't. In sports, injuries are more common than a goal, run or point and some are very devastating and end careers while others may be more of a scratch or a sprain and you still go out there or lay low for a few days. In life, some injuries completely transform you either physically, mentally, emotionally or all three. Injuries make us suffer but they also teach us lessons that only those who have similar or we're the only one who can understand it. 

I don't brag about my injuries, I'm open about them because they're a part of who I' am, they're mistakes I have made and had to come back from them, they're ones that changed my entire brain chemistry, one injury changed my entire outlook on fitness and one broke my skull when I was little. They're not badges of honor, they're teachers and I continue to learn from them and adapt so I can keep living. Some have been taught to not talk about them or show they're painful because for some god awful reason it's a sign of weakness and you won't be seen as a man. 

Injuries teach us to make certain choices and whether we can come back from them or not. Some never get that opportunity and die from injuries and it's not always their fault. When I broke my legs, I had to choose whether to make myself strong and push through what would lie ahead or I could've just let them wither and not give a damn about myself and stayed in a wheelchair longer. Because of the meningitis, I couldn't speak very well until I was about 6 or 7 and with problems in my right hand, I couldn't pick up a pencil for a long time but they taught me how to overcome those issues and turn them into strengths. I'll never be 100% from the things that happened to me but that's ok, the world goes on and like everyone else, I have to adapt to it.

When people brag about injuries, they treat them like they've won some special award. When it comes to military, (uncorrupt) law enforcement and firemen there's an exception because they sacrificed their mind and bodies and get injured for a cause for which in many cases are heroic. Some people make too much of an injury that is a little over the top for example: every now and then a famous quarterback breaks his pinky, he'll make the front page of a newspaper and fans will send sympathy cards and roses but what about a soldier or cop trying to save someone's life dies? you'd be lucky to find him/her in the obituaries of the same newspaper. 

Injuries happen in life and we can choose to overcome them or let them consume us. You don't need to shout to the world about every injury you've had because at times, some injuries are completely irrelevant and no need to mention them but there are those that you can never come back from and not everyone is going to understand them but I believe that sometimes being open about yourself shows character and you're not afraid of what others may or may not think because in reality, what people think of you is none of your business. If you're willing to be open about who you are and what you have suffered and overcome, the negative stuff could end up being just dusts in the wind.

Be compassionate and remember, you don't always know what someone is suffering from so do your best to be mindful. Some of us are continuing to learn this. 

The Power Of Aerobic Isometrics

 Out of all the crazy type of training people do these days, would Aerobic Isometrics be one of them? I guess it depends on the type of isometrics you're doing. First off, what is exactly Aerobic Isometrics? It is a form of Isometric training first coined by the White Buffalo of old-time strongmen Steve Justa that he used to increase strength for his hay bailing back in his early 20's. To make this work, he would push, pull, squat, grip, twist in every direction that his brain can manifest and specifically work with longer holds of these categories up to 5 minutes at a time exerting less than 50% of his full strength. The idea is to hold an isometric for more than 30 seconds to a minute or more using less strength and controlling the muscles when needed.

Within a few months, Justa increased his labor work by 40% as opposed to only building 10% strength after 2 years of heavy weightlifting. Now if he can build that kind of strength using Isometrics, what's possible for you? Although I prefer the 7-12 second contractions, holding an isometric longer than usual helps aid in building strength, power and speed that is just nuts and gives off several other attributes including endurance, fat burning and skyrocketing the tendons and ligaments beyond the norm of strength. Holding a horse stance is a classic Isometric that helped martial artists for centuries including the famous yet Jedi-like mystique of the Shaolin Monks. Bridges such as the Wrestler's Bridge and Gymnastic Bridge build incredible power in the neck, spine and legs. For the Gymnastic Bridge specifically, it takes strength and flexibility just to even get into the position but the moment you hold it, you learn very quickly how strong you are with your own bodyweight.

Aerobic Isometrics can be very beneficial to your training especially if you're short on time. Just doing a deadlift isometric for 90 seconds at 40-50% max strength would humble most people and it's a hell of a back strengthener and works the grip like a mother. It can be used for rehab and strengthening the knees and hip joints, just doing a wall sit can build incredible strength in the knees and it would give you stronger ligaments to go up flights of stairs or feel better on a hike or just standing. One of the most famous Isometric exercises today is the Plank and its many variations. Most people would do a plank on their forearms which is a great starter but to get the full benefit, do a plank on your hands/fists and see where your real weaknesses are in that position. A good fist plank at 2 minutes would be a killer for a most.

Some would do Aerobic Isometrics to test where their weakest at and strengthen those areas, many discount Isometrics overall because it is tough to measure strength in various positions. For the most part, they're very good at building an injury-proof body and help you work longer and feel lighter as you do other tasks. No it's not going to give you a 500 lb bench press or break a world record in the 100 yard dash (or maybe it could, you never know) but it also develops a level of conditioning that isn't from conventional styles of training and that would be extremely useful in sports such as MMA, Amateur Wrestling, Baseball, Football and Hockey. 

It develops the little muscles and provides them with strength that is hard to break. Think what that could do for a pitcher or a running back, being able to last longer in games and have little chance of injuring a shoulder or an ankle. Most injuries occur because the big muscles overlap the tendons and because of that, the tendons can't always keep up and are at a higher risk of breaking down faster and tearing. Strengthen those areas and see the results for yourself. 

You can do Isometrics with just about anything from a strap to your own bodyweight to using traditional equipment, hell you can do isometrics with a freaking broomstick and build some awesome strength. Use your imagination and get stronger in very unique ways. 

Weight Vest Training

 I have been experimenting with Rucking lately and within a few workouts went from walking with a 20 lb vest to 50 lbs (40 lb weight vest and 2-5 lb ankle weights). It has been interesting and it's great for those days where I feel like going for a walk. I love the cardio benefits from it plus getting out in nature walking around the neighborhood where there's enough trees to make yourself believe you're in Lake Tahoe. 

Been trying other workouts besides walking where I would do push-ups, animal walks, carry my 50 lb Sandbell, holding a horse stance or doing isometric hangs. There's a lot you can do with added weight for resistance. I bought myself a 40 lb vest to see what I was capable of and I'm happy with what I have done that is now possible.

Yesterday I tried a step up workout with an extra 50 lbs and managed 182 reps in 10:20 which for my first time doing that workout with that much added weight was  more than enough. Hell of a cardio workout and building incredible leg strength and conditioning at the same time. One workout I did recently was wear 50 lbs of gear and pick up & shoulder carry my 50 lb Sandbell 50 times across my garage (40ft at a time), so with that math I was walking with 100 lb per set (2000ft (666 Yards), 5000 lbs carried). 

Rucking can be hard at times so whenever I need a break from it, I just recover and do other things, most of the walking is around 35-45 min depending on the route I take. I've done research about how much per week to Ruck and some places say once a week, others say a few times a week if you're experienced at it and quite frankly, I don't trust certain things so I go with my instincts. If I need to recover, I do it and it has panned out very well. I also need to be careful how often I do go because as great as it is, I still feel I need to give my ankles a rest because of scarring and the hard discomfort I get from my injuries. I ruck basically to toughen up my legs overall, also need to do consistent stretching and loosening of the joints so they don't become painful later. 

I do believe Rucking is phenomenal exercise and strengthens the body along with developing great cardio. It also builds great durability and forces you to have good posture because if you bend over too much walking with weight, it can strain and really hurt the lower back plus not to mention if there's no one around, you're pretty much screwed so be sure to have a few things handy if certain things should arise. Be careful but also have fun with it. 

Train that isn't conventional and be unique. Why be normal in your training? It's not going to do you a bit of good, do something crazy, something challenging and find creative ways to make your workouts interesting that doesn't involve getting yourself injured or doing something stupid that you could lose a body part (it has happened). 

What Is It That We Truly Need To Prove?

 Many people in this world have a need to prove something to either themselves, somebody else or both. We have this mentality that if we get in good graces with others or proven ourselves worthy, it aught to come with some kind of reward or sense of belonging. The truth is, what we try to prove, won't always work out in our favor and no matter how hard we try, it sometimes ends in tragedy not by death but by never getting the satisfaction that we have accomplished it.

I'm no exception to the rule of trying to prove myself to others or to myself entirely. There've been many times where no matter how hard I try, I don't feel something ever came out good but at other times, I have made a difference and it worked out amazingly. Many have this mentality whether from their background growing up or learning from mistakes along the way that proving you're beyond capable and forcibly working yourself to death in order to build a life for yourself or for someone else is both admirable but also has it's own set of tragedy. I do believe in hard work and doing the best to my abilities to create a life but also when kids come into the picture, I don't want to be so broken down that by the time they get married that I can't either walk a daughter down the aisle or stand up and be able to hug my son and congratulate him. 

In life, there are those moments that change your entire universe and you need to make a choice of developing a greater life for another and bust your ass so they can live better, I do understand that but trying to prove how much you bust your ass doesn't always mean you'll be a better person or even a good person. There are very hard working people out there who are complete assholes and never show an ounce of compassion or encouragement towards others, even their own and there are those who have compassion and understanding for others and work hard with a sense of balance and solidifying their level of being a good person beyond the work. 

In life, many don't give a damn about you whether you prove yourself worthy or not. Many try to prove to their boss, their spouse, their friends, their family that being somewhat of a superhuman will make you the king/queen of the circle, but it doesn't always end up that way. In reality, when we prove ourselves too much, it bites us in the ass. So how do we show people we are worthy of anything either as a hard worker or redeeming ourselves after fallen on hard times or just being in someone's good graces and hoping they would let us in somewhere? The truth is, not everyone will accept you no matter how much you want them to. It isn't a bad thing to prove something and at times not only do people accept us, they embrace it and we become to accept ourselves and made it work. 

I've had to prove myself over and over many times in my life from learning how to speak well at 5 years old, showing how strong I 'am in various formats and proving that I can come back from a stupid jump at 20 years old and rehab on my own. Some things didn't always pan out in my favor, some did but often I feel it's never enough and I have to keep proving myself either for me or to others when there are people out there I have no business whatsoever proving myself to and yet for some reason I do it.  I guess I'm one of those people like many who just wants to be accepted, understood and knowing I made a positive impact somehow but I know deep down, not many will accept me, understand me or see any positive influence. What good is it to prove yourself to others when in some cases there isn't a chance in hell you'll ever be worthy or accomplish anything? The only things in life that need to proven are the ones worth fighting for. 

Do you remember the line from the Blue Fairy in Pinocchio, "Prove yourself brave, truthful and unselfish and someday you'll be a real boy." Well, not all of us are brave, very few are truthful and there are a lot of selfish people out there but if we prove to ourselves that we can stick up for what's right, be honest about who we are and show a little more compassion, there's a chance we can show the true nature of our being by just being us. That's where the heart and soul of that line I feel has meaning.

What is there to truly prove? That we find a way to live and make the most of this life because once we are gone, proving something becomes non-existent and we can only carry on in the afterlife where you have absolutely nothing to prove and just be a part of the everlasting universe.