Black Widow: Rising Superhero For Women

I don't know the orgins of the Black Widow from the movies and comics or how she came to be an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D but I can tell you she is one of the toughest looking chicks on the plent. Her martial arts skills are second to none and has leverage of strength that many men cannot fathom plus she is smoking hot all at the same time. For real I wouldn't want to mess with a chick like that. She's good looking but there's the old expression "looks can be deceiving." In this case a beauty that can beat the living s*it out of you is a kick ass woman in my book.

There are more famous female superheroes then she is but I feel that the success of The Avengers and the already Box Office hit of Iron Man 2, this character will be apart of the new breed of influential superheroes. Probably the most famous female superhero is Wonder Woman. Whether you're a nerd or a fan I don't care it is what it is and there's no debate. However, Wonder Woman is a powerful woman, but at the same time she just can't live up to the "boots to asses" mentality of Black Widow. That may be the nerd in me talking but I know the difference between beauty and ass kicking and BW has it over WW any day of the week. Anyway...Widow has a unique personality as she uses her beauty to get where she wants to go in life but if you mess with her a broken arm would be more of a compliment then a total destruction of getting your ass kicked to the point when you have children they'll be born with a black eye.

I firmly believe if they market the character right, Black Widow will be a Major influence on younger women on how they can be beautiful but still have the ability to defend themselves if need be. Beauty however in this country is way overrated and our generation of beauty is a far cry then what beauty was back in the 50's and 60's. Back then women were more curvy and had a certain "pop" when they moved and people took notice, in my generation and for the last 20-25 years or so that curvy ideal became outdated and became the skinny, twiggy, drink diet coke and be bulimic/anorexic type body and its become a damn shame. For the me an influential woman of modeling and media should be strong, has some natural muscle and have awesome hips and upper body that is more natural and good looking.  Women were meant to be strong both in and out and be the focal point of what a powerful woman should be and not have this dumb f*cking idea that the skinnier you are the more attractive you'll be in a magazine or on camera or better yet real life. Trust me who would you rather be with, a bag of bones or a nice and well made steak with some flavor?

Don't get me wrong I love women and know a few who know the term "ass kicking" with a capital A. I just feel bad for women in the media who are suckered into this notion that if they slim down to outlandish proportions and have this much makeup on and have to eat that much less then the average woman they will get somewhere in life. They do for a while but it will be biting them in the ass down the road. Now Scarlett Johannson (Black Widow) busted her ass to become that character and do a hell of a job creating that body that is suited for some of her stunts and the martial arts she learned for the fight scenes. Is that how she is in real life, hell no but again I wouldn't know im being observant here.

Women are the mot precious beings on earth next to children but can improve their bodies in a natural nature (Redundant I know shut it) and make use of what they can do to make themselves stronger, healthier and more vibrant. I've said it before I believe women are pound for pound stronger then most men. Yes men are stronger because we have more testosterone and can build more muscle and lift heavier objects more then our own bodyweight but women however can do things none of us can do. For one carrying a kid for 9 months, hold groceries for long periods of time, shift things around and believe it or not with proper training can lift more weight ounce for ounce. I've seen a woman swing a kettlebell that weighed 106 lbs. Shes no more then 102. Thats pretty damn impressive. Now you may ask "106 isn't that heavy if you think about it." Ok smart ass you try swinging a weight that just a few pounds more then you are, say you're 200 pounds, I highly doubt you'll last a while swinging a 206lb KB. So I think its safe to say a small woman can be very strong when it comes to certain things.

Having the body of your dreams doesn't happen overnight, it takes time, patience and practice. Keep in MIND what you want. Here is a good place to start and believe in yourself tha you can get strong without weights, steroids or the feeling of getting too buff for your weight or size. You do the best you can to improve yourself and make it a habit to keep improving with a poitive attitude and the will succeed. You don't need to be a crimefighter to be the best damn woman you can be. A real woman is strong, vibrant, powerful in and out and makes the best of things no matter what life throws at them. Most of the women you see on TV these days aren't that healthy and most likely arent practicing what they preach on those infomercials and don't give a damn about other women. So if you some skinny little twat that thinks she so surperior ten anyone else be sure to be the exact opposite and become strong, healthy and happy the right way and help other women do the same thing.

Can You Become Your Own Avenger? Pt. 3!!!!

As children we fantasize about being something more then we already are. Something bigger, something stronger and something more meaningful. We use our imaginations to get through the day and play at the playground or in the front/back of the house. We want to see ourselves bigger then our regular size, we dream of having superpowers to conquer our enemies and save a damsel in distress. As a young boy from the 30's up until now, comic books were our savior of what was happening in our regular lives and wanted to get away from painful stresses at times as well. You read about your favorite superheroes like Superman, Batman, X-Men, Doc Savage and others, dreaming of being them and having great powers to brush through your enemies to save the day. Well look no further cause one comic book team is coming to the big screen big time in The Avengers. Its been a build up for a few years now and the timing couldn't be any better to bring four some of the best superheroes ever together and create a colossal adventure with action, drama, humor and the will to avenge those in need.

"With great power comes great responsibility." A famous superhero tag line for generation after generation and it doesn't make any exception if you develop strength and power in real life. Strength comes from driving over adversity and creating something more then yourself. Power is building a foundation for how you can be creating strength and speed over your obstacles. True Strength & Power together form the ultimate alliance for what goes with the rest of your life. In strength training this is no exception. You wish to become strong the best way possible or you rather do other things like stay in shape, lose weight, build muscle and get rid of unwanted fat. Either way when you learn to understand the true concept of real world-class strength and power, you will learn that the simplest things can make your training that much more complex and formal then using bits and pieces of smaller things that don't really matter.

Becoming an Avenger yourself can be a rewarding experience, whether its for daily life or the pursuit to show others what can be done to help themselves when their time comes. Whether you train to be a superhero or not there's no excuse as to how you can develop your body and mind beyond your own assumptions and limitations. The first rule to being strong is having the will to believe. Believing you can get strong is far more important then just thinking you can lift this or that and do great things and you'll just be strong, no. Belief is the key to all things that you want to achieve, without belief your mind wonders, your body won't do the things you ask it to do and you won't find something to look forward to when you put up a goal you want to reach.

Whether its weights, bodyweight exercise, Chi Training or training with different types of tools, you must believe in yourself that you can get strong at mastering them. Most people look to others to try to believe in them for what they want to do instead of learning to believe in themselves. I've fallen into that trap many times in my life and so have other people I know but once I learned to stop trying to prove to them and believe in myself and believing that I will accomplish something, I became stronger, more powerful, flexible, agile and all with the right tools to get me there but I first needed to believe in myself.

Now there are people out there that are very strong but take it for granted and feel they're more superior then anyone else. They put themselves first before others which in this case makes them look very foolish, stupid and down right ignorant. Now there are weaker people out there who use others that are strong to do what they can't do themselves and put them in the crossfires then themselves (Hence Hitler and look what happened to him). Ignorance is bliss but that shouldn't be an excuse to be something more then yourself. Being strong in reality has real values that almost anyone with a brain can learn from. Real World-Class Strength & Power doesn't always mean you lifted this or do that many reps in a handstand or performed great muscle control, it means that you are a unique individual that can use his strength to help others that are weak and help be better for themselves.

I believe the real superheroes in the world are the ones that help those in need and put themselves on the line then anything else (Firemen, real Uncorrupted cops and pure athletes). I mentioned athletes because there are some out there in pro sports that give back and help the young kids get better then the other pro athletes who like the spotlight and see that they're paid to do charity work. As a master of strength you have a responsibility whether you like it or not. You can help those that have potential to be strong and teach them to be stronger then you.

Now with everything that's meaningful it comes with a price (not always money you greedy bastards lol). Becoming strong in anything requires to go through things that are not in your comfort zone and need to build your strength from your weaknesses. Everybody is different so we all need to find our own to create a goal that we want to achieve. However the benefits of being strong outweigh the things that we're not always comfortable going through. I've been bruised, broken, twisted even was near death as a baby all to come to this moment where I'm still breathing, kicking and pushing through my own demons. We all have demons inside of us, some more powerful then others and there are some of us who control them and not let them affect our lives, others however have let their demons get the best of them and have either died or haven't made a brush with reality.

Being able to tap into your mind and create powerful strength takes effort, practice and the will to want it. Certain types of Chi Training can be less difficult then others but when you learn the best ways to achieve it, you will find yourself having more power surging through your veins all with the power of your mind. Chi Gong is the chinese version of whats called Life Force. Its the power inside you that gives the ability to generate great strength and create ultimate internal power. Some say that's adrenelin but that can only go so far as Chi is the energy that creates power all around you and once you learn to harness it, you are your own weapon of strength, power and might.

Having great tools to build strength does not always mean equipment or machines but tools to help you build your mind and be creative like books and exercises. Some equipment however is not a bad thing if you know how to use for functional strength training. For example, Thor's Hammer is a great tool to have to be creative and to learn to focus your mind on being something more then yourself. Yes it is possible to have this thing in your hands and make you feel like the God himself and believing you can get strong and you can tackle things that run your life. Not to say using it to strike people, no I don't want you doing that, its for tackling and finding that powerful being within you and training to be the strongest person you can be. Since I've had these hammers myself, I feel stronger and more powerful. I'm seeing muscles in a short period of time, my cardio goes up a litte each time and I feel more like Thor and having superhuman powers (grip strength, keen awareness, flexibility and endurance). You can be the same in your own way if you get your hands on them with practice. Use what you can and learn nothing more then the very best so in the words of Bernarr McFadden "Weakeness is a crime, don't be a criminal."

Captain America & The Ability To Overcome

I would think most of you would remember at a time in your life where you were weak, frail or overweight and could barely lift a bar or do a push-up. I've been there too and like many of you, hated the way I was. When you realized you had enough of being picked on, laughed at and wanted to stop others from calling you names you made a choice to get better, get stronger, grow muscles and be a powerful beast.

If you saw the movie, you noticed that Steve Rogers had a series of serum shots to help shoot up his muscles and make him stronger and taller. This really is a romantic version of what steroids can be and for all intents and purposes its a myth. In reality steroids can make you stronger and bigger but there's a price to pay and have to keep a surveillance on what you do otherwise if you cycle wrong well to be blunt you're s*it out of luck. Rogers' only side effects really of his powers is that he has 4x the capacity of the average man's metabolism and can't get drunk. Side effects of using real steroids can result in increased estrogen, acne, enlargement of chest that can look like a woman's breast and low testosterone if not used properly. That's just the basic things that can go wrong.

The real ways to increase strength and metabolism is to work multiple muscle groups from as many angles as possible whether its working out like a wild animal, lifting odd objects, basic weight lifting, using clubs, maces and hammers its apparent to train the muscles the best way possible without ever needing the use of steroids or P.E.Ds (Those playing the home game that stands for performance enhancing drugs). Real strength however is from using your mind and developing the mind/muscle connection. Practicing this is tougher then just doing exercise but its well worth the training because you can go even further in your training.

If you want fast results that are quicker then a hiccup then take the shortcuts but if you want real results in a fast amount of time then you have to think like a wo/man of strength and power. Example if you practice a Animal Exercise, you have to think like that animal, move the way it does, picture yourself in their environment, when you can do that the better you can make that exercise. In this factor of Captain America, picture as if you were him or picture him being there next to you and helping keep going. Having this type of mindset goes a long way then just going through the motions. You develop will power, perseverance and the thought of not being just an ordinary person, you are strong, powerful and mighty and you will do the best you can.

Like the Captain himself, he puts through others before he puts through himself and is a compassionate hero and makes himself a man amongst men. A bully however takes what strength he has for granted to tortures the weaker person for personal gain and doesn't know the concept of the consequences. A lot of trainees are like that, not all but quite a few and tell people that they should just give up and not go beyond what they're capable of and never encourage them to get better. Don't ever be one of those people cause you at one point were weak and helpless so instead of being an ass, show them a few things as encouragement not for correcting them and giving them crap about it.

Never underestimate the true powers that are inside you. You have the ability to create powerful and ferocious strength and speed and all it takes is a little imagination and a few simple techniques that can help the rest of your life and not just fitness. The Captain uses what he has to defend himself and others and thats one of your important keys to remember, the real thing is train for knowledge and defense, never for attacking or using for personal gain.

Turning Into The Incredible Hulk!!!!

Back in the late 70's, early 80's, a TV show opened up and took the world by storm and has become one of the most beloved TV series of its generation new and old and that was The Incredible Hulk. Starred Bill Bixby as the scientist David (Bruce) Banner. When he got angry he turned into a monstrous near 6'6 280 lb beast that had muscles every single inch of his body and green as you can get and the man of transformation was 2x Mr. Universe and the dark prince of Pumping Iron Lou Ferrigno. No one had ever seen that kind of towering presence and this was before Arnold Schwarzenegger was known as the Terminator. I still believe to this day if you mention the TV series, Ferrigno tops Bixby any day of the week.

Although Big Lou was a big hit as the muscle bound Hulk, you don't need to be a bodybuilder to become a powerful hulk yourself. Some of the old-time strongmen who weren't 6'5 and weighed 270-300 lbs were still some of the strongest men on the planet and I feel the original Hulk of the early 20th century was George Hackenshmidt. This guy was as pure of an athlete as you can get and was one of the toughest guys in Europe and the U.S. I don't think he was more then 220 and he was no more then 6' tall possibly shorter. He believed that if you were to become strong, you must value what you put into it and work with as many basic things as possible. The simpler the better.

If you want to be super strong, machines and basic weight equipment is not always going to be enough. They're good and basic implements should be used if you're into that but also you should learn to move certain objects that makes you use your stabilizing muscles which is centered around your core (abs, obliques and lower back) and have to position yourself differently in order to lift them. Things like Barrels, Logs, Stones and Rocks are great and even things like Sledgehammers, Maces, Clubs and others that make you work harder then usual. Whether you're big or you're small, becoming powerful takes time, patience and the will to push through when it starts to get tough.

To become even stronger outside the physical realm it is important to implement the mind/muscle connection because when you focus on a certain thing with your mind, you can be even stronger physically. Visualization helps, meditation does as well, even looking at a particular lift or a hard bodyweight exercise and seeing yourself performing it with ease and power can be a big factor on how much strength you can build. The possibilities are limitless and don't let anyone tell you different.

On a particular note, there are people who don't want to accept your way of training and about 90-95% of those people will push you down mentally and break your spirit because you're different then they are. Its like Kermit the Frog says "It ain't easy being green" and that can apply to you as a person on a quest for strength. Its never easy but if you learn to love what you do and find people who will give you all the encouragement in the world and block out those who smear you and want to shatter your goals and believe in who you are and believe you can be strong then you know what in a way it can be easy being green. Its all how you set your mind.

Real strength doesn't come from outside muscles, it comes from your mind and how you see yourself. Learn to find within what's really important to you and over time you will succeed. I believe in you and quite a few others do too, the more you believe in yourself, the stronger and powerful you will become. Unleash your inner Hulk and put aside those who stand in your way of achieving what you want.

Inspired Physique Of Indiana Jones

Whether you like it or not, The Indiana Jones movies are without question some of the best films in cinema period and no other actor could do it better then Harrison Ford did. George Lucas and Steven Spielberg did a hell of a job making the movies huge draws over many other great films but Ford brought a style of acting that was unique and different then from guys like Eastwood, Gable, Douglas (Kirk), Grant and arguably  the manliest of them all John Wayne. Ford is one of the very few of his time that had "It all", charm, charisma, a powerful presence and a physique not too similar to those of the 50's and 60's like Kirk Douglas & Johnny Walker.

In the 80's, a big boom of actors that brought a bodybuilding physique to the big screen that took notice the moment they stepped infront of the camera. Guys like Schwarzenegger, Stallone and Van Damme took over action films like a dictator takes over a country, these guys were the top of the food chain when it came to box office films but there were still guys that didn't have the bodybuilder type body that could bring action and fire to a movie like Bruce Willis and Harrison Ford. You don't always have to have big muscles and a bulky body to have presence on the big screen.

Ford is one of my favorite actors for a lot of reasons but even as a celebrity he is different then many actors young or old. In my opinion and never meeting the guy, I feel he doesn't sell out and finds himelf in a scandal and show off his lavish luxuries. Yes he's a high priced celeb and is one of the most famous men of our generation but he seems like the kind of guy that you would hang around with whether he's famous or not and he's in awesome shape for a man reaching 70 and looking like a man in his late 50's.

When he made the Temple Of Doom in the early-mid 80's, he was already over 40 and had one of the best physiques for a guy at any age. Most men at this age feels that they had their run in their younger years and feel they need to just let age take its toll. Not Ford man, he busted his ass building that body for those movies and did he get hurt doing a few scenes, believe it or not yes he did but unlike other actors who rather use a stuntman for 80-90% of their action scenes I feel that Ford went that extra mile and once he was recovered he took it even further. The best part is he didn't have 19-20 inch arms or have bloated looking muscles everywhere, he was lithe, strong and had a body that was similar to some of the actors who played tarzan in the 30's and 40's. Its that type of body I admire and would rather have because you look more functional and able to move in awkward ways.

Whether he lifted weights or not, you can build a lithe, strong and healthy body that doesn't take up a lot of time and can be done everyday for as long as 15-20 min. You do not need to have 30 min. cardio sessions or 3 hour workouts to get in shape when getting out of breath would take no more then a few minutes. You can either train like Wild Animal or do basic gymnastic exercises or better yet use a few tools here and there but you can train and have a body that you always dreamed of. All it takes is a little effort and work your way up an be patient, your strength and muscle will come and you will never have a boring workout ever again.

Like Indy whos only possessions other then clothes on his back is his hat, whip, pistol, canteen and a satchel, you only need basic things to train with and nothing more. Basically the more simple you make it, the easier your goals will be successful and you'll be happier then trying to do so many things at one time and working isolated muscles when you should be doing a few things that work the entire body.

Hammer Your Grip With Avengence

In strength training one of the most important fundamentals is building a solid base on the Grip. It is critical that your grip be strong because if it isn't you won't be able to pick up heavy objects let alone weights. Think about it, having strength in your hands and having powerful tendons can give you the ability to do things you never imagined before. If you're a football player, you need strong hands to throw, catch and knock the ball out. If you're a basketball player your hands need to be strong enough to hold a strong defense in the pocket. In baseball you need strong hands to hold the bat and make good throws with the ball. In wrestling, your hands need to be strong enough to take down the toughest of opponents and need a good grip to apply submissions. Now that you're paying attention lets see what else we can find.

One of the best methods for building a powerful grip is using thick bars or thick handle that taxes the grip more then a standard bar or handle. Say you do curls with a 1/4 inch thick bar and you do relatively well, now use that same weight but have the bar be at max 1-2 inches thick. I guarantee you that your reps will be cut in half possibly thirds. The reason why that is its because you're not working a particular muscle group, your tendons, your core and even at times your legs come into play so you're working multiple muscle groups all in one exercise. Just holding onto a bar alone at 2 inches thick is very tough to do. Now what about pull-ups? Those alone are tough for most and only an elite few know how to do them with a very thick bar. Again it all comes back to training the hands, tendons, wrists and fingers of the lower arm.

A lot of training is more of a mind game then physical. At times you're practically playing chess with yourself. Whats your next move (exercise) and how do you plan on beating your opponent (Bar, object, body weight exercise)? You can go through all the exercises you want but if your mind isn't in the right place you won't find the results you're looking for and you'll end up frustrated and hating exercise like the majority of people who join a gym or exercise program. You have to learn to unleash your inner power otherwise your workouts will be dull or boring as hell. You have to think differently in order to get what you want out of your training. In this case I'm writing its about using Thor's Hammer as a way of building your grip beyond what you have previously done.

In order to achieve great results using this type of hammer you can't just swing it around and do certain exercises, you almost need to think like the god himself and how he would use it or how a trainee would train with clubs and other types of hammers. Get into the mindset of a warrior in training and feel the need to create great strength. Get into the mind/muscle connectivity and you can achieve something far greater then just doing an exercise. It takes practice to train your mind/body as if they were one and the same.

This Hammer is one of the coolest things I've seen period and when you have something that is that cool and that tough to use it was well worth getting it. I tried it out and even for a guy who's done some crazy workouts with some kick ass looking tools I still need to learn how they work. That's the beauty of training something different, it makes you think and give you a different feel and use muscles you haven't used for that particular object. I will guarantee you this, once you get your hands on this hammer, your old ways of grip training will never be the same again. I learned that the moment I exercised that hammer and if you train your mind hard enough, you will have strength that the Marvel God would be impressed by.

Also, be on the lookout for more Avenger articles. Like the build up to the movie I'll be doing the same with writing. You have seen Part 1 & Part 2 but you haven't seen nothing yet. Keep your eye out for some killer articles that will keep you wanting to become your own Avenger.

Can You Become A Real Life Avenger? Pt. Two

"Another Avenger article? Are you kidding me? You're such a nerd man." Damn right I'am and proud of it. If you don't like the Avengers, good for you keep moving and let those who do read about them. Yes its a few months away for the premiere but I don't give a shit, I'm a fan, I'm into them (so are millions of people) and all I can say is....Avengers Assemble.

Lets get down to brass tacks here, none of us however we try can't have super powers like our favorite superheroes. However, inside all of us we have powers that scientists can't fathom. We literally have the power to generate super strength and speed that can just be so incredible to have we never really learn its full potential. The mind/muscle connection is one of your greatest weapons in your arsenal of training, daily life and whatever you want to accomplish in your life. Master this and you will create superhuman levels of strength that you never thought possible.

For a moment I want you to not think about your typical Barbells, Dumbbells, Kettlebells and Machine type training routines or programs. They're good in their own right but there's far more then your typical type equipment. Its about time you looked outside the box and look for whats been in front of your faces all along. You can lift nature's weights and get strong....Sorry I meant to you can get Hulk Strong lifting logs, rocks and you can even take on some man-made stuff that will build real world-class strength and power through kegs, barrels and tires. Cavemen didn't have hand-held peices of iron to get them alive and strong on survival. They moved logs, carried wild beasts, pushed builders of rock and stone. These men were the incredible hulk of Evolution and we should embrace what they did to build our own ways of functional strength and power.

When we think of the Hammer what pops in our minds? Construction, building, fighting through, domination? I think the word of one powerful tool that in one way or another can give you strength and conditioning unlike anything else. Here are some Hammers for you to look at and find which one suits you. Thor's hammer would be my recommendation. Think about it. What if you had the ability to train and move like the God himself and build powerful wrists and grip strength that would envy those around you. Wouldn't it be cool to swing and move that Hammer around have awesome physical strength that even Thor himself would be proud of. I'd say that be pretty damn sweet.

I love these superheroes because each one has a somewhat cocky but unbelievable personality that you can't help but love. Tony Stark (Iron Man) is another version of Bruce Wayne/Batman as in he uses his fortune to create the best weapons for him to take down the fiercest of enemies and underneath the metal suit he's a playboy, billionaire, philanthropist and good hearted guy that wants to make a difference.

Thor is the god of all the Avengers and has been one war hungry son of a bitch but needed to learn the hard way that just creating a war and celebrating with your friends while trying to prove yourself as a warrior isn't the real way of being a true hero. Like Hercules you must use your strength and power for whats really meaningful and build whats more important.

Bruce Banner (Incredible Hulk) has a fiery rage within inside of him that if provoked turns him into a over-powering, jaw dropping muscular Hulk. His anger fuels his strength and destroys anything in his path and doesn't always know whether its right or wrong. Controlling that anger and using it to Avenge those that are in need is more important then getting pissed off and going on a rampage.

Steve Rogers (Captain America) is a compassionate, selfless and enduring figure of inner strength and will power that not one of the other Avengers can fathom. He's a man integrity, character and stands up to bullies when others are knocked down and don't want to fight anymore. There's nothing really cocky about him but I'm sure someone who has read the comics or saw the film can find a way. He values the strength he has been given when some others take it for granted and use it in ways that just aren't right and don't have any real necessary meaning. When you value your strength, you understand its true meaning and use it to help others who are weaker and show where it comes from, not just your muscles but from your mind.

As a team The Avengers are the best of the best. Its arguable since there's the X-Men and the Justice League but I feel they're the very best because they bring something that's unique and gives you another prospective of what you can have when you have four guys that can take names and put boot to asses time and time again. The point I'm making here is when you create the best of the best in your arsenal you are unstoppable and there's nothing that can stand in your way.

When you train, train with fire, be mindful about what you do, don't let anyone tell you you can't achieve something great when I and others believe in you and will help you take it to the next level and beyond. Don't ever stop believing in yourself. Its tough to get through things in life but when you are challenged, take it and make it your bitch.

Bring the power inside you out and believe that whatever you face you will give it everything you have, even if you fail, there's still challenges to tackle and you will one way or another be sucessful. Be the Avenger you were meant to be.

No Time To Train During A Snow Storm? Think Again

It can be difficult to travel or just stay home during a wicked snow storm. Shoveling snow so you can get your car out of the driveway is no easy task and requires some strength and a lot of physical labor. I live in a state where this happens a lot in the winter time. I still consider it exercise as you're using more then just your body to shovel snow. After doing this for period of time make sure to stretch your body as this type of work stresses a lot on the body.

One of my favorite workouts to do warm or cold is moving around like a wild animal. Training like this in warm weather gets rid of toxins in your body and forces you to drink more water then you normally would because of the fluids that run through you and plus you're building natural Human Growth Hormone which helps burn off fat, build muscle and makes you grow younger. In the winter however where in some places around the country its cold as hell and training in the snow in this manner forces you to be fast and explosive just to stay warm and eventually just trying to stay warm burns more calories and burn off fat even faster. The breathing is also different in various weather climates.

Another way to train during winter time is to do some form of Rocky training like in Rocky IV when he ran, pushed, pulled, twist in the snow and used what he had to bust his ass in every way he can. You can do the same thing with what you have and if you don't have anything then just use your own body.Yet if you want some kick ass tools then don't look any further then here.

Whether you like it not if you're a gym goer and can't get to the gym during some bad snow weather you're shit out of luck. At least you think you are. I have a solution for you that will save you from not only trying to drive to the gym or walk but to give you a small workout that lasts only 4 minutes and brings you down quicker then Andre The Giant getting knocked by Hulk Hogan. What you do is do an animal exercise for 20 seconds and rest for 10 sec. Continue doing this until your 4 minutes are up. You don't need to move around that much in your own living room, do frog jumps, hop like a rabbit, move around like a bear in a circle whatever you want to do. Another thing you can do is do Squats and Push-ups and get those endorphins in your system so you will be in a blissful state instead of feeling like crap and bored.

I will say thi for sure, if there's too much snow, its best to just stay in, stay warm and you really need only a few spaces to train on and you're set. After you train, take a nice warm/cool shower or bath and let your body go. Feel blissful, be thankful for your accomplishment and just breathe naturally. After some time feeling incredible and happy, get out, dry off, put on some warm clothes and settle near the fire watching your favorite movie or tv show eating some good healthy food. Embrace the snow and never take for granted your own winter wonderland.

Women Can Be Superheroes Too

If you were a young girl in the late 70's or early 80's then chances are you wanted to be just like Linda Carter as Wonder Woman or were a comic book fan in general and wanted to be the superhero a lot of women wanted to be. To have the power of an invisible plane, whip the living hell out of your enemies and tie them up with the golden lariat and force them to tell the truth. Feeling the power as a woman with strength, character and charisma and best of all look gorgeous as hell doing it. Lets face it, Linda Carter was and always will be Wonder Woman of the small screen but can a woman in real life be strong and powerful? I like to think so.

Now another superhero (originally a villain) who was quick, fast, agile and stronger then the average woman that can overpower men with the crack of her whip and the charm of her beauty that is Catwoman. In all fairness, the best catwoman in my opinion was Michelle Phieffer from Batman Returns outweighs far better then Hallie Barry in the title name from '04. Although we're talking about a feline who's been both good and evil she still has the inspiration for other women to conquer their battles over being seen and seen for their true character. As a woman its a constant struggle to be beautiful and what to be like for this or that and if a man sees her for who she is and not for being used in the bedroom (sorry guys I broke the bro code but somebody had to). Not all guys do it but some.

Other then trying to be beautiful and be seen, women also fear of building too much muscle when they work out. Yes some women have lots of muscle and that's usually caused by steroids and not by natural training. Women look for that sleek, toned body that gives them confidence and nerves of steel that gives them the power to tackle anything they want in life but still are afraid of building too much muscle. I'm here to tell you I've seen both very muscular women and beautiful, sleek and lithe women and I'm here to tell if I had to choose one, I choose the latter. A woman's body produces far less testosterone then a man's period. On the other hand I have seen very beautiful and gorgeous women that have incredible natural strength and make me look weak some of the time and I like that better then a roided up chick who doesn't know real strength from her elbow to her feet.

To produce natural growth takes progression and patience just like any other training program. A good friend of mine helps women all over the world give them the body of a goddess and turn them from weak to strong and look incredible doing it. In Body Sculpting Exercises For Women you learn the real ways of achieving lithe, sculpted and beautiful looking musculature that coins with your body's strength to weight ratio and gives you the ability to train anywhere whenever you want and takes less time to do then it takes to go to gym, change and find a machine to use. All you great women out there, don't be afraid anymore because a new awesome body is right at your doorstep and all you have to do is answer the door and welcome it with open arms and the will to make it happen for you.

Its been proven that exercise helps relieve stress and with this program you will not only relieve emotional stress but will turn your joints and ligaments into iron cords that will help you stay flexible and pain-free plus build sleek and beautiful looking muscle that will have heads turn. If you can do this for yourself then put the word out for other women who were just as skeptical as you at one time and help them achieve the body they're always looking for. Be strong, be one with your sisters and be the strongest woman you can possible be both in and out. Being beautiful starts on the inside and it ends when you want it to end. So whats it going to be?

Having The Power Of John Henry In Your Hands

We've all heard stories of men with super strength and the ability to move mountains, rivers and show artificial things who's boss because real strength comes from man not machine. I've heard stories like this ever since I was little and one of my all-time favorites is that of the Legendary John Henry. The man born with a mighty hammer.

A poor african-american boy born into slavery wanted nothing more then to be free and stronger then his fellow man. That dream came true when he was set free by Honest Abe and the Emancipation Of Proclimation and grew to be a towering man of pure powerful muscle and strength that we still talk of today. After being married to a lovely and beautiful woman, they set out to find work with no more then a few things and the trust of John's powerful sledgehammer.

Working on the railroad back in those days was common for african-americans so building tracks was honest work but very hard labor and bosses tried to find the best they can get to build as many tracks for trains as possible. All were hard working men but none had the strength and might Big John Henry did and he pounded every nail and spike into those tracks until he couldn't stand anymore. As civilization started becoming more industrialized, machines started their trend of taking over the working man of the railroad and most of them just couldn't stand the speed and power that machines had. Machines were building tracks faster and in less time. One man couldn't help but stand and fight the machine and prove that man was better then machine.

Certain stories of John Henry said he couldn't beat the machine, some said he did but either way, the towering man of strength put every fiber in his being to conquer and out power that overloaded metalized machine and almost every story has said he died doing it. No matter what story you remember of old John you must remember its message. Focus on the very thing that gives your meaning and putting your heart and soul into it and everything else won't mean a damn thing. John gave us the inspiration to conquer our own machines in life and that you don't need so many things to live your life, all he had was his hammer, the clothes on his back and a bride that stood by his side till the very end. The point I'm making is never let something stand between you and your dream of success.

Now whether John Henry was real or a made up anecdote to inspire men of that era and from generation to generation onward there was and still is however a reincarnation of John Henry and his name is Lawrence Farman. In the strongman world he is known simply as Slim and in full Slim The Hammerman. A man who worked tirelessly in a rock quarry for over 50 years became the strongest man in hi specialty feat of leverage lifting using a heavy sledgehammer. He performed strongman shows showcasing his power of bending nails, driving through boards, mangle long bars of steel, break chains and of course lifting his mighty hammers. No one will ever beat Slim at what he did and if it does happen I want to see it. Now you too can become Hammer Strong and use Slim's and Henry's inspired strength to lever and beat tires with your own sledgehammer and if you're a Thor fan you can get a set and work hard that will make the go himself proud.

Never try to be a second rate somebody, be a first rate you and build your own legendary status just like John Henry before you has done as well as Slim. Trust the tools you have and let them be your guide to super strength, power and might.

Gymnastics For Super Bodyweight Power

There are athletes that are very strong at what they do. Wrestlers can take down the best of them, some basketball players are very strong down the line, football players are extremely strong when it comes to tackling and pushing past the defense in the running game, shot putters can throw with power but one breed of athlete stands out from the rest when it comes to Bodyweight. The Gymnasts. The way they move and the way they have to use their body is just incredible and its all in their own body.

Their abdominal strength is off the charts and that's because its a major factor and piece of the puzzle that not many people realize. When you have the abs of a gymnast, you are strong everywhere. Strength in the core requires focus, concentration and power.

Most acrobats are originally gymnasts and one of the requirements to be an acrobatic is to learn Hand Balancing. The reason why that is it's because Hand Balancing carries over to a lot of other gymnastic stunts. Being able to stand on your hands is quite an impressive feat because you're not just using your hands but you're whole body. You're in a different state of mind and your body needs laser-like focus to even hold a handstand let alone walking or doing stunts.

Now do you need to go to a gymnastic school to get the best for your buck? Not really because certain schools charge way too much money and if you're willing to pay for it you'd be lucky to even find a good coach and teach you the progressions you need. I went to gymnastics in college and I didn't progress that much especially in hand balancing because you had a coach that had to teach more then one person and it was hard to get real one-one training. You don't need to be a gymnast to get the great benefits of this kind of training. Using basic principles and learning the secrets of the handstand is really all you need to get in great shape for whatever you want to do.

This isn't just for men but women as well. Male gymnasts are strong as hell for what they do but ounce for ounce I feel women are the stronger and faster gymnasts. Yes their feats are different but I see it more impressive a woman holding a handstand then a guy. The cost for a couple courses in Gymnastic Conditioning is far lower then a school and you can have even better progress as they take you step-by-step and give you everything either as a beginner or advanced athlete. If you're a fan of gymnastics but are below the beginning phase and need something to work with don't look no further then here at Basic Bodyweight Building Blocks.

If you're a woman and want to get that beautiful toned figure and be stronger then most guys then get your hands on this Body Sculpting Bodyweight Exercise For Women as this takes the best of basic gymnastics and other methods and can mold you into the woman that's within you and take your fitness to levels that most women envy and without the fear of bulking up because it won't let that happen.  Never get bored with your workouts and learn fun, progressive and powerful ways to become strong, athletic, powerful and flexible. 

So it doesn't take a gymnast to become strong and flexible like one. No more spending thousands of dollars on gymnastic schools. Because of this type of training, you can take it anywhere you want. You can train in a hotel room, house, cabin, at the park, your backyard just about anywhere you want and can still have the workout of your life. Start off doing only 5 minutes a day of exercise. You can squeeze in 5 minutes of your day can you? When you get up in the morning or before bed. If you have kids that are taking a nap, use that time to train. There's no excuse so make an effort and not procrastinate. Training a few minutes a day saves you 2 hours of regular training getting to the gym, changing and trying to find an empty place to lift or use the treadmill. Plus it saves you time for the things you want to do during the day. At best if you have kids, get them to work out with you as this helps build bonds and to challenge each other.

Whats also great about this kind of training is that it doesn't take much time to do and it strengthens the joints and ligaments and doesn't compress the spine like heavy weight lifting does. Learn it and go through your own pace. Give yourself time to do them right and once it gets easy, move on. Progression is key and having fun is a must. If you're not having fun then you're not doing it right. You can do all the exercises you want but if you don't smile and just go through the motions you won't see the big picture. Keep track of what you do and find what works for you best.

Can YOU Become A Real Life Avenger?

In many ways, comic books help us stretch our imaginations to places we never thought of before. Read about superheroes that have powers beyond the strongest or smartest of men and takes us on a rollercoaster ride with their travels, adventures and triumphs over those who do harm. Now in the next year of 2012 heroes from those same comics are coming back onto the big screen with The Avengers. You will see your favorites, Thor, Captain America, Iron Man & the strongest of them The Incredible Hulk on the same team. What nerd and comic book fanatic can ever ask for?

I have a personal favorite but I don't want to give it away but who's your favorite? Are you into high tech technology and use it as a weapon for goo like Tony Stark? How about being a god and having the Hammer to destroy the evil that's in your path like Thor? Why not have superhuman speed and take out Nazis with your bare hands like Captain America? Or better yet use your anger in a positive manner and bring out the ferocious monster that gives you Optimum Super Strength like The Incredible Hulk? Well, my friend you can become one of the avengers in your own unique way. Not like the comics or the movies but you do have the ability to build your mind and body in ways that separates us from the animals.

When it comes to Tony Stark, he's a charmer that researches and develops weapons. When he becomes Iron Man he turns into a superhero with a suit that makes him fly and have super strength. Now I can't help you on how to fly but I can however tell you how you can find your own research and turn yourself into a super being yourself and become far stronger then the average human.

The Incredible Hulk is big, powerful and has strength 100x higher then 10 of the strongest men on the planet and when he gets angrier he gets stronger. How can this apply to you? Well simple really, you can use odd objects like the Hulk and toss, twist, push, pull and press overhead anything you get your hands on. Does the Hulk lift weights, put up machines, no he throws tanks, parts of a building, uses light poles like a sword and just uses his supreme power and strength over anything he picks up. You can learn to do the same thing in more of a practical manner like using Stones, Barrels, Kegs, Logs and Rocks for example. In Bud Jeffries' DVD course Odd Object Lifting Series you will learn the best of lifting some of the coolest things you can find and turn yourself into a Hulk yourself.

Thor is the God of all superheroes and his best weapon is his Hammer. Now back in the Golden Age of Wrestling in India and other middle eastern countries, wrestling was the king of sports and one of their primary tools was using thick looking clubs and whats called a mace where they use a stick with a ball on top. They would use these tools to help their upper strength & flexibility. They were used for hundreds of years. These clubs can help build strength in ways that weights and bodyweight exercise doesn't hit. Now because of Ryan Pitts at Strongergrip.com he has modified the clubs and the mace and turned them into a nearly perfect version of Thor's Hammer. With this you can train like the God himself and gain strength in your shoulders, wrists, lower arms and whole lot of the upper body in general and take your conditioning to levels even Thor himself will be impressed.

Captain America out of all the superheroes shows real compassion and value's the strength he has. Some guys are very strong and never respect the strength that they have an some take advantage of that strength and use it to bully people who are weaker then they are. Not Steve Rogers though, as a weakling himself he understood the value of strength and unlike other weaklings he never once felt of backing down from a fight. Once he became Captain America he used his new found strength the way it was meant to be used. He used his speed to run down his enemies and used his upper body strength in ways that can be only experienced. You can learn this as well by doing sprints either on a track or on a hill a couple times a week or no more then 3x a week.

Running sprints can build explosive power and amp your metabolism up far greater then you can imagine. For upper body strength one of Chris Evan's exercises when he was training for Captain America was doing Handstand Push-ups. This exercise builds strength like crazy and can turn you into a pressing machine. You can learn this from either Ultimate Guide To Handstand Push-ups or from Gymnastic Handstands and learn the secrets of upper body strength.

Whether we like it or not we all strive to be the hero that saves the day, some help those in need and others want to build strength even when we're weak. I was once weak too a long time ago but I learned the values of having strength now and helping those build it themselves. Learn to be your own Avenger and put your heart and soul into your training because you'll never know when the day comes when you'll need it.

Unleashing The Wild One

Every one of us has an animal spirit living within. Sometimes we don't even realize when it comes out. We all have some sort of power or desire to be the wild animal that gives us that power and strength.

No matter what someone says we all want to the person that's stronger, powerful and more agile then the next person. We have developed a sense of the beast that gives us great strength and great power and about 99% of the time we don't even know how to properly unleash it with vigor, mind power and overall physical strength. We want to move like a wild animal in the jungle and have the ability to climb like a gorilla or chase down our prey like a cheetah we all want that one way or another.

What if you had a favorite animal that you wanted to imitate and move with power and grace. When you move like a wild animal, you want to become that animal, be apart of that animal's psyche and learn its power and strength. Whether you're a bear, gorilla, tiger or whatever be that animal and don't think of anything else. Your results will come quicker and your body will change for the better both in and out.

When you get your hands on Animal Kingdom Conditioning 1 & Animal Kingdom Conditioning 2 you will say goodbye to dull cardio and say hello to real, old fashioned natural human growth hormones. For both courses you will have a total of 40+ animals to choose from. Training this way opens your body to a whole new light as your workouts will be shorter and much more complex as each animal works multiple muscle groups and with the right speed, you will be breathing hard in no time. When you're breathing hard you're turning on the fat burning furnace and building a body that's lean, mean and animalized. With this type of training, you can grow younger and become healthier. Moving this way helps build muscle, strengthen joints, builds stronger organs and best of all, keeps you young. If anyone doesn't any one of those attributes then you shouldn't be human.

When you get your hands on these kick ass courses don't be contend with just one animal, practice them all one at a time and find to frequent in your workouts. Most people contend with just one thing and one thing only and hey its better then nothing but they're missing the big picture. One thing doesn't mean great. Its like a salad, just lettuce won't make the salad look beautiful, it needs different ingredients like tomatoes, crutons, olives, peppers and at times dressing. When you get all that together, nothing looks so pretty. Thats the beauty of animal exercises, you have a varity to choose from and when putting them together you can build a beautiful, strong, lean and muscular natural body. So you going to stick with just lettuce or you going to build the coolest, kick ass salad on the planet? Its up to you.

Mastering Muscle Control At Legendary Strength

The art of muscle control has been a lost subject and its very rare seen today by top physical cultrists of the 21st century but Logan Christopher has brought back this dying art to life in a whole new realm at Legendary Strength. No matter how much you think this course won't give you strength then you haven't learned the true arts of Physical Culture.

Back in the early 20th century many of the old-time strongmen performed great feats of strength ranging from bending steel, tearing phonebooks, lifting odd objects, hand balancing and quite a few made challenges to all comers to see if they can lift they're signature lifts like the bent press, apollon's wheels, The Thomas Inch Lift and many more. All these feats were impressive but I feel nothing was more impressive then a real old school bodybuilder performing some staggering and incredible muscle control. These guys were able to move their muscles in ways that just seem impossible to the human eye and many wondered how the hell they can do that. Imagine being to relax and contract your muscles at will and and having one of the ultimate forms of the mind/muscle connection.

I have always believed the true masters of this art were of Maxick, Otto Arco, Matsyek & quite possibly the greatest bodybuilder of all-time John Grimek. These men took muscle control to levels that made them look not only superhuman but made them the very legends that they deserved to be. Just imagine what it would be like to move your stomach muscles in a variety of directions or the back muscles in ways that the average man just can't help be in awe of. The man who first coined the term Muscle Control was Alois P. Swoboda and he created one of the first mail-order courses on the subject before 1910 when Maxick brought out his version of the art. Although Swoboda was the first of his kind his popularity was overshadowed by guys like Maxick & Arco.

Muscle control can be used in a varity of ways but believe it or not it can generate some brutal strength that you never thought you can have. From learning this Maxick & Arco became the first athletes on record to lift double bodyweight in the overhead press in their respected weight classes of 150 pounds or lighter. So don't think for a second this won't help your lifts.

It wouldn't be possible to do muscle control if you don't use your mind. In order to generate individual contraction and relaxation you need to think into the muscles you're using. Without this you won't achieve high level muscle control. This is critical if you're a weightlifter or hand balancer or like Maxick & Arco bodybuilders. You have to think into the muscles you want to contract and relax otherwise you'll just be moving more then one muscle.

Now with all the ways to create strength and have the body of a greek god you can actually build your health through muscle control as well. Because of the contraction and relaxation of the muscles used it helps create blow flow to the organs of the body and helps create nerve impulses that keeps the functioning of the body strong and healthy from the inside out. Not only does your body work like a unit but your organs get stronger too, the stronger they are the stronger your body is overall. Using deep breathing and moving individual muscles you can even make a workout that is not only meditative but also controlling your awareness of the surrounding muscle groups.  This can help with your Yoga training or just old fashioned bodyweight exercise.

With great muscle control and with enough practice you can build a great body. Whether you focus on this exclusively or using other methods, your body will begin to take shape and you will have lithe, good hardened muscle and you can do this all without equipment if you choose to do so. Also I may add doing this form of training is fun to do. As you progress you will find ways to move your muscles that would impress your friends and family. Now this doesn't mean showing off and making yourself look like an ass but if you learned it well enough it can even help you generate momentum and possibly win bodybuilding competitions if you're into that kind of thing where muscle control is critical.

So whether you're into bodybuilding, gymnastics, wrestling, weightlifing, MMA or just want to be healthy and strong Muscle Control will help you get to where you want to go and beyond. If you go to Legendary Strength and go to the products page you will find a picture of Otto Arco in one of his most famous poses in physical culture. Click on the link and this will be your first step to finding a new way to build strength, health and build a newfound love for Physical Culture. Muscle Control has never been done in this type of fashion before and Logan Christopher is the one guy that can bring that rarity to life.

The Physical Culturists

Now back in the late 19th early 20th century, physical culturists knew the real ways to get in shape, they used deep breathing, muscle control, gymnastics and some form of weightlifting. These guys taught and trained using methods that seemed almost new to the public when they published courses and for sports. Some of the biggest names of the era were some of the most conditioned, well developed and certainly the most powerful men on the planet. Most of these men hardly used any weights to create the perfect body yet their strength was just phenomenal.

If I had to pick the best PC of the time and possibly the best at his sport is Martin "Farmer" Burns. This man was as healthy in every aspect of the word. He trained everyday in deep breathing, muscle tension, bridging, wrestling and diet. At the age of 50 he had a fight with one of the top boxers of the time and champions as well, Jim Jefferies. The fight lasted 4 seconds, the moment Jefferies shot in, the Farmer took him down and put him in a step-over toe hold and this champion of the boxing world was in his early thirties and was in awesome shape yet an old man beat him to the punch.

The Physical Culturist's of today are no where near superior as the men of yesteryear, these men trained their bodies as a whole not like bits and pieces of different muscle groups. They never isolated their muscles like the guys that do today. They took basic principles and made them the gold standard for pure unadulterated strength, conditioning and endurance. If you don't believe me look them up.