Monday, January 30, 2012

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when they moved and people took notice, in my generation and for the last 20-25 years or so that curvy ideal became outdated and became the skinny, twiggy, drink diet coke and be bulimic/anorexic type body and its become a damn shame.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."

Friday, January 27, 2012

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.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

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.

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