Monday, January 21, 2013
Add 100 lbs. to your Deadlift with One “Common” Isometric
Actually that’s a lie...
Doing this one exercise Noah found his deadlift go from 350 to 550 lbs.
Badass Isometric Training
It’s covered at the end of this great video on isometric training.
And it’s just one of the several isometric training ideas you’ll find here.
There’s another great one for the deadlift, and other moves, using a burst style of isometric.
Isometrics aren’t used all that often, and when they are, unfortunately they’re not being using to the beneficial effects they can be.
Bud Jeffries has probably experimented with isometrics more than anyone and you’ll catch a glimpse of his knowledge in this brand new video.
Check It Out
Ben Bergman
P.S. This stuff works for beginners and advanced trainees so be sure to check it out.
The Strongest Man You Never Knew...Till Now
150 lb. dumbbell side raises...WOW!
25 modified handstand pushups at a bodyweight of 320...CRAZY!
5 time IPL Raw Bench Press World Champion...
Do you know who this is?
Meet Dru Patrick.
In this video you’ll find all about this man and the training cycle he created which has led to massive size and strength while easily avoiding (and sometimes even rehabbing) injuries.
No sign up required (but if you want even more you can grab more at the bottom of the page).
Ben Bergman
P.S. I don’t know about you but watching this makes me want to lift more and get ridiculously strong!
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Let’s Go Clubbing
And you thought I was going to tell you to hit the bars, go
dancing and have a night on the town. Wrong again. Having fun can be one thing
and there’s nothing wrong with going out and having a good time but for right
now, health is the focus point here and I’m going to share with you some
history, training, ideas and things to try on to get you up to a higher level
of strength, flexibility and super power in the joints and muscles.
The club wasn't originally known as a group of people or a fitness place to go to or
even the name of some pampas ass rich people’s venue. This club or series of
clubs was the training tool for wrestlers in the middle east for their sport
called Kushti, similar in style to our Greco-Roman but still can use the legs
for take-downs and such. Each morning a typical coach or Guru would have his
athletes get up before dawn, run a couple miles, come back and do warm up
drills, wrestle, eat/drink and get back to training until the day was over. In
the middle of these sessions, the wrestlers would often swing what’s called the
Jori or the Gada/Mace in various weights and proportions. These tools would
help the wrestlers learn to move weight in various movements mostly circular.
When the
British colonized in various Middle Eastern countries such as India learned the
skills of club swinging and other exercises and took them back to the English
colonies in Europe and eventually to the Americas most notably in Northern
America and trained with these very same tools for battle during the American
Revolution and other wars soon after. It became a hit in the late 19th
and early 20th centuries as you had Physical Culturists from one
side of the earth to the next teaching the various movements of the Clubs.
Unless you were an advanced athlete, you had to get a weight heavy enough to
work but the majority of Clubs used were very light in weight no more than
10-20 pounds and even less than that. The less weighted clubs were used to aid
and strengthen flexibility in the arms, shoulders and elbow joints of the upper
body giving you that awkward but effective range of motion if you were an
athlete or just an average guy looking to be in shape.
The most
famous Wrestler of that era in India
was The Great Gama, if you ever read my articles you would know who he is by
now. He is considered by many to be the most feared wrestler of his generation,
not even the legendary grapplers Frank Gotch & George Hackenshmidt wanted
to face this beast of a man. At 5’7 and no more than 270, Gama was at his peak
the best conditioned athlete, although his numbers are exaggerated by any
stretch he like many other students at that time wrestled, swam, did hundreds
of calisthenics such as squats and push-ups and being on a diet that the
majority was vegetarian. At times during his 5000 undefeated winning streak,
Gama would receive a basket of tropical fruits and vegetables as a championship
trophy in his honor as a vegetarian. One of the most famous pictures of the
legendary grappler is of him standing with a massive club on his shoulders.
This club wasn’t used for training but was considered a Trophy for a big time
championship. The club is said to have weighed at 80 lb.
Club
swinging when done properly takes strength training to a whole new level. You
can lift as many weights as you want but if you tried to swing a 30 or 40 lb.
club you’d getting your ass kicked in the first minute. With lighter clubs
however these can help strengthen the joints in your upper body to peak
condition. Clubs have been used by top MMA athletes, Football players, baseball
players, strongmen, gymnasts, wrestlers, war vets as far back as the Civil War.
Some Clubs are made out of natural wood but you can also get them steel made or
with very hard rubber. Two guys I can think of that have really cool versions
of the Club are Ryan Pitts at Strongergrip.com and Scott Sonnon at
Clubbells.tv. Each of them have their own style of swinging and one of them
believe it or is used in Yoga to get that extra edge from doing free-handed postures.
Like with
everything else, it takes skill and practice different movements in precise dynamic
fashion but they’re a lot of fun to do. I can’t wait to get my own set of clubs
that I can play with but for now I’m settling with what is just as fun and even
cooler than the clubs and that’s a couple Thor Hammers that I have. The Thor
Hammer is just as effective as a regular club for swinging but the extra
benefits of hitting it with a tire and the fact that the handle is much thicker
than a regular hammer or club makes it that much more effective for grip
strength, hand/eye coordination, tendon and joint building and the ability to
just hold it for a period makes it a hell of an isometric exercise. Get your
hands on your own sets of clubs or hammers and jack up your strength and
conditioning faster than ever before. Keep it interesting and have fun, that
what it’s all about.
Friday, January 11, 2013
Warming Up Like A Warrior
You know those miracles that happen often in this world?
Some people come back after major injuries, horrific experiences and yet they
still find a way to fight to keep living. One of my dear friends has done just
that and beyond. In our group of friends he’s known as Duke but as of late he’s
gone by another nickname that has become a hit in the undergrounds of Physical
Culture known as the Garage Warrior, his name is Tyler Bramlett.
After
getting injured by getting hit by a car, Tyler
wanted to find out how to get back into shape in ways he never thought of
before. I've known Tyler
going on for well over a decade and when he sets his mind to something he’s
going to find the best strategy to make it work. He’s done the bodybuilding
thing at a time, lifting weights like the great builders of yesteryear and
buying the crazy supplements and doing workouts from the magazines, but
something wasn't working.
During his
recovery phase being in pain that was excruciating at times, he tried a few
different things like Kettlebells, Bodyweight, Gymnastics, Odd Object Lifting
and some of the oddest training methods you can think of, believe it or not
they worked. He began combining different elements of training instead of just
picking random exercises, plus testing out nutrition strategies. He gained some
muscle and came back stronger than ever. The lethal combinations of workouts he
devised became practically fool proof strategies that transformed him into a
near superhuman warrior.
We all have
the warrior spirit within us, it’s our nature but very few of us know how to
unlock it from within and release it for strength, health, power and wellness.
It doesn't matter if you’re a male or female the principles still apply while
learning our own styles of how to bring that spirit to life. He has created one
of the most unusual ways to train to help fight with that warrior spirit and no
name is more perfect than the Warrior Warmup. It combines different elements of
exercise that gives your muscles a run for their money whether it’s for
strength, endurance, flexibility or just to get in shape either way you’re
going to get them all in one complete package.
You know
they say you warm up before doing a really big workout, well it won’t be long
before you start noticing a few things from the Warrior Warmup, hitting muscles
you didn't know you had, progressing a little easier in some of your other
workouts and your body will change for the better because you’re giving the
muscles the fuel they need for the hard stuff later on. Another great thing
about this is you don’t need to use it as a warmup, you can use it for a
workout in and of itself. You can choose however you want to do it but with the
advice and legit expertise of the Duke here, you’re in for the ride of your
life and your body will love you for it. You will never look at a warmup the same
way again.
Last thing
before I make this Father to be blush is that he’s not one of those guys that
just takes programs and tries to rip them off as his own, he gives credit where
it’s due and he’s one of the coolest dudes on the planet and I have enjoyed
being friends with him. I’ve trained alongside him many times from doing hand
balancing to gymnastics, from lifting heavy weight to using some gnarly ways to
do Kettlebells and he’s the first guy that got me into this crazy world of
physical culture. Changing my life because of him would be an understatement.
He’s
practiced a numerous amounts of things and is literally one of the strongest
guys on planet earth. He embodies the warrior spirit and will do whatever he
can to help others achieve a level of potential they've never seen before. If
there’s one guy to that knows his stuff it’s my boy Tyler. Now that I've made
him blush, have fun and let him help you, it’s what he does best.
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Animalize Your Exercise
What do a tiger, a gorilla, a spider and a kangaroo all have
in common? Every one of them is super S-T-R-O-N-G. Do you see a gym anywhere in
the wild, no and so how do these animals stay fit and powerful? Simple answer
because they have to be for survival and to take down what their food is for
the next few days. They scratch, claw, climb, maneuver and have super strong
tendons to boot. If there’s anything we should imitate it’s the strength of a
wild animal.
Am I saying weights aren't worth it, of course not they have
their place but unless you have a truck, I highly doubt you’ll be able to
travel with heavy equipment. Animal training is the type of fitness that can be
done just about anywhere at any time. To get the best out your training, start
where you’re at even if it’s taking little steps, you learn to progress. Once
something becomes easier, challenge it at that level. People talk about doing
30 minutes of cardio and an hour of weights 3x a week and maybe throw in some
of that aerobics crap that has god awful club music in the background.
Want to know how many hours a week I train for the things I
do, it’s not 10 hours, not 6, def not 4, it’s less than 2 hours and this goes
on all week long. Training with this type of duration gives you rest, plenty of
time to recover and still be able to do things you love to do, isn't it fun to
gain than the average person?
Kids today have it worse than when I was a kid. Back in the
90’s, there were issues like heart disease and such but obesity wasn't at a
high level of concern, once I left high school, that’s when the obesity
generation blossomed, it’s not on adults anymore, more and more children and
teenagers develop bad habits. When I graduated high school almost a decade ago,
Ipods barely were getting off the ground, ipads didn't exist, Myspace was the
top social network and texting wasn't that big yet, today these kids have way
too many privileges and don’t have the right sense of earning those privileges.
One of my biggest concerns for these kids is the way they
socialize, half the time they’re texting friends but when their sitting next to
them, they get bullied on Facebook and deal with pressures of having the newest
cool gadget while trying to look cool for their peers. Damn sad if you ask me.
Teaching the kids how to exercise not for punishment but for fun and learning
how to push yourself productively and safely.
One of my mentors Matt Furey let his song Frank watch Winnie
The Pooh but Frank had to earn that privilege so Matt tells him “Do your
exercises first, pick ones you want to do an how many reps and when you’re done
you can watch your movie.” Frank was hesitant at first but he did it and was
proud of himself and was so excited to finally put on the movie. That to me is
wicked cool because you’re not punishing your kid or forcing him to do it but
if he/she wants something bad enough, sometimes they’ll have to earn it but encourage
them to choose what they can do. It teaches how to accomplish something, it
sets boundaries, rules and structure without making it look like you’re in
hell.
A child is already fit when it’s born, it’s very flexible
and is learning on it’s own to strengthen themselves. As we get older, we lose
sight of how we can stay fit and healthy; you start eating too much junk food,
not enough exercise, no play time and rarely socialize anything with a pulse. Teaching
the Way Of The Animal at a young age can set the tone for what they can
develop, better brain power, strengthen muscles, define motor skills,
productive competition, learning a sense of accomplishment, bring up self-esteem
if you’re depressed, more relaxed if you’re hyper and create a better physical,
emotional and spiritual state.
Another component of training like a wild is something we've all striven to find, freedom. You’re out in the open and free to move and have
fun while building your body to its natural state of muscular development and
breathing deeply for a higher form of super endorphins. There are many ways to
train like an animal, you can play tag, roll a dye, treat them as cartoons,
train for 5 minutes or 1 hour it’s up to you that are true freedom. A key to
freedom is to not analyze the workout hell don’t call it a workout call it
going out and play, pick the way you want to do it and run with it, don’t worry
how bad you are or if the other guy is better, just have fun and imagine
yourself in the wild.
One of the beauties of being human is that we have a certain
set of hormones. Men have Testosterone, Women have Estrogen and we learn how to
balance these hormones for optimal results. As we get older, our hormones begin
to go down by as much 5% a year by age 30, I still think its 25 but I could be
wrong. In order to keep a balanced hormone levels we train according to our
levels some people train hard and fast, others train mostly with for form and
endurance but the principles still applies and because of Animal Training, it
helps build those hormones we need to keep looking naturally young, have a
spring in their step, live with confidence and happiness and if you’re looking
to keep that spark with your significant other, it’s not a bad idea to train
like an animal and fool around like an animal.
A lot of people look at exercise as a punishment or
something they feel they have to or just don’t do it all. This type of thinking
is why people hate to exercise and feel they won’t get results. Instead of
thinking this way, shift gears a little just a little. Start with what you can
do, instead of going through the motions like a robot, think as if you were
that animal, you’re either running from a predator or catching your prey,
picture as if you’re a gorilla defending your community, an ibex climbing the
highest of mountains with ease, feeling graceful like a heron and one of my
favorites a Mandrill just looking it was carved from granite with powerful
washboard abs and the strength to break a man’s wrist if you grabbed it.
Imagination is a beautiful thing to practice and using it with animalized training makes it that much more fun and exciting.
Last but not least about the great benefits of moving like
an animal is that it’s very simple, just imitate as if you saw a wild animal at
the zoo or on TV. Granted there are moves far beyond our limits but the ones we
can use can give us strength that the average human can’t fathom. Never need to over analyze how you should move and which arm or leg goes where and if you can
only move either straight or sideways, just do go with it, you’re learning to
use muscles you normally don’t know that are there. Simple is better period.
Give it a chance. Train with kids if you have them because whether they know it
or not they crave structure and want to learn how to be better people and this
can help that in ways that I can never explain. Have fun, be yourself and get
your ass happy because nothing is more sacred than being happy.
Monday, January 7, 2013
A Great Workout Is like Writing A Great Song
Some of the greatest music in history is not even written by
the artists who sing them. I get that some Record labels have lyricists to help
certain groups or an individual who doesn't know good song writing but come on.
You’re in a band and you’re doing the best to your ability to make it big, a
key factor is to do well to great songwriting. It’s the same with exercise, if
you want to unlock your potential; you learn to create your own style.
What do Black Sabbath, Lady Gaga and Metallica have in
common? They write their own stuff and it’s made them legends. When you write a
song that works not only does it make you feel more alive inside but to share
it with the world is a phenomenal experience in itself. Sure you’ll get haters
and people trying to shoot you down but in the end if you can create something that
are worth it, nothing people can say that will make you feel less than larger
than life.
In the realm of fitness, people will try to sell you what’s
right with certain things and what is wrong, there’s good stuff to use but if
it doesn't work to you specifically than you need to change that. I've seen a
lot of people come and go and how they want results but expect too much of
themselves or the program that’s written for them is what they really want.
It’s not wrong whatsoever to learn the principles of how an exercise is used
but the order and structured way to do them should be up to you not the person
training you. Being trained is one thing; training for you is a very different
experience. Most of my adult training life has been on my own, looking at
exercises from different courses and DVDs and mixing them together for one
complete program, its never the same.
Like writing a song, you want that perfect sound, that
melody of each instrument working in harmony and raising the level of not just
the lyrics but the emotional content that goes into the lyrics. The tune that
just hits you and pulls you back in at the same time, it’s not just you making magic
it’s building inspiration for others. It’s the same thing with an exercise or a
series of exercises, you want to be able give your body that great shape, doesn't have to be perfect but you do want to build a foundation, play with the
basics, progress and use your imagination. The movement is great for your
structure, it’s fun, its exciting and gives you a reason to shoot for a certain
goal.
Granted in some cases in music there are terrible songs,
lyrics don’t go well with the riffs or beats and sure as hell there are some
bands you have no clue what the hell they’re saying. Exercise has it’s fair
share of some pretty horrific ways to train, bad routines, injuries occur, too
much too soon and the ultimate sin of all, using the no pain no gain bs. It’s important
to challenge yourself to progress to a higher level but you don’t have to be
better than everyone else, hell I can name at least 5-10 guys that are far
smaller than I’am in both height and size and I have no aspirations to do the
certain things they do, its out of my reach and I’m good at what I do. Learn to
use your imagination, build something for yourself that no one can match no
matter what size or shape, you created it and nobody can take it from you.
Music and Exercise have many similarities, they both share
creativity, they build foundations, they have harmony when everything flows and
they both have a sense of magic that can’t be explained, they have their flaws
sure but in that moment where everything comes together, there’s a twinkle in your
eye, your body feels invincible and you know right then and there it’s just
perfect. Moments like that don’t always happen, but its fun to practice finding
it and building up to it isn't easy but it’s worth every single second of what
you put into it.
Monday, December 17, 2012
A Tragedy That Brings Up Another Wake Up Call For All Of Us
The recent events of
the Conn. Shootings have become not just a tragedy for the families and loved
ones of those who were hurt and killed but another stepping stone to how our
country is devastated and what we can do as a nation to help prevent these
types of evil from ever happening again. I grew up in a daycare and have seen
many kids come through, some of them I’m still friends with to this very day.
Finding out about that many kids losing their life because some kid with very
disturbed issues decided to go and take those lives. It makes me feel sick to
my stomach to see people like this do something horrific. It did get to me
because I care about kids more than most would ever know.
Shaping
a country from this kind of horrific event changes a persons mindset to how and
why guns are apart of society anyway. It is without question that children
shape the very foundation for this country whether it’s good or bad and to have
someone take it away from them is just another way of saying “screw the world.”
Anybody who knows me knows that I love kids and would do anything to help out and
be there for them. Is this a rant on the shootings, no I do have a point coming
but I wanted to express my sympathies and wish for the families of this tragedy
to stay strong and find a way to give themselves peace. I’m not a parent but
after being around so many kids and taking care of a few in my lifetime, I don’t
want to imagine the type of pain of those who lost a child.
We as a nation have
dealt with evil for over 200 years and each year things become greater both
good and evil but we still stand and fight for the future for those who come
after us. This is the greatest country but we are not without flaws and trial
& errors. To shape a country of this magnitude needs constant change but
more importantly more self improvement from each and every one of us. Improve
on helping kids do better in life, improve our quality of health both mental
and physical and make compromises that people can understand and live with. It’s
terrible we have to deal with evil of this caliber but in essence we must be
prepared for it. I always believe its best to defend and not attack. Nobody was
prepared for the shootings I get that but that’s another lesson we all could
learn so we can prevent stuff like this again.
When I heard that our
leader Obama has gone to be there for the families takes real guts and
personally I hate politics but when a man of that caliber goes out of his way to
do that, make him a good man in my book. You can change the face of a whole
country with just a few words and within those few words it will never leave
your heart as a person. We all need to wake up and realize that our kids are
the most precious things we have in this world, people have possessions that
are precious to them but when a child’s life is on the line, none of that stuff
matters. Love your kids and help them grow, be there for them no matter how bad
or good a situation is. Show them how much you care and help them become
something than you ever were.
Bonding with your
kids is one of the coolest things you can do and working together as a unit
becomes brighter for both you and them. One of the things I learned in my 15
years of exercising and training different things is that when you have others
who train alongside you or want to help you reach your full potential, it helps
make this world a lot better. You help each other learn certain guidelines,
values of health, working together as a team, quality time with your loved ones
because you never know when they won’t be around again. I've spent much my
adult life training and learning certain things on my own and don’t always have
someone to help me or let me help them but when I’m around those who share that
passion and want to learn from one another, I get stronger, healthier and get
to bond with those that want the best for one another, family whether blood or
not can have the same way.
Whatever happened to
that kid that made him the way he is, it’s tragic and disturbing but let’s not forgets
he was once a little boy too. Do I sympathize to what he’s done; of course not if
he lived he should rot in jail and pay the price for his actions but that’s not
the case. It’s important to help those with severe problems and help them get
better but yet we can only go so far to help them and it’s sad. I wish for
everyone who’s been affected to be able to cope and find it in your heart to
keep on living and finding a way to make your lives better and for the lives
around you. In the words of the Beatles for this time of need “All you need is love.” Love each other; be there for one another and for the love of god, be kind
and loving to your kids. We all have someone we love and cherish, don’t take it
for granted otherwise you’ll wake up one day and they’re not there anymore.
This nation needs to
make changes; start small and build up, every little thing we change for the
better will have a greater impact later on. Make things happen for you and your
families. You have the power to create something great, do it and help pass it
on to a future generation. Thank you all for who have read this and to the
families of this horrific tragedy, you have my deepest and utmost sympathy and
I hope you and your family will be able to keep loving and living with the best
life you can make.
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Sunshine State Set For Another Superhuman Workshop
A lot of seminars and workshops in the strength training world are taught but people that aren’t all that strong.
What if instead you could learn from not just strong people, but the strongest in the world in their areas of expertise?
People like Scott Weech who put 423 lbs overhead…with an axle.
People like Whit Baskin who for many years has held the record for the longest hold car hold in strongman competition.
All these guys and many more are being brought together by Bud Jeffries and Logan Christopher in one place.
Just check out the video on this page to see them all in action.
Superhuman Workshop #3
And not only is this workshop bigger and longer then their previous workshop, but they’re offering it at a cheaper price than ever before.
It’s coming up soon and taking place in Tallahassee, Florida.
Get the full details here
Superhuman Workshop #3
Ben Bergman
Friday, November 30, 2012
A Day With A Legendary Strongman
Just before Thanksgiving, there was a strongman traveling to
a town to do a show, when I found out he was going to be heading only an hour
away from my city, I couldn't pass up telling him I was near there. After his
show we met up and trained outside in my backyard smashing tires with my Thor
Hammers along with his Stronger Grip Sledgehammer and after getting my ass
kicked while needing a few breaks this dude finishes with 1000 swings in 21
min. We ate dinner down the road and the first half was how awesome his son is
doing, the other half was about training, putting knowledge and wisdom into my
head and even talked some stories about Strongmen and even about his time with
Matt Furey. We said our goodbyes but the story doesn't end there, there’s more
to come.
After Thanksgiving has passed, the strongman came back
because he had some traveling to do shows and I caught up with him again, this
time it was more than just a few hours, it was for more than a day. He did a
show no more than a couple miles from where I lived, I got to help out with the
show and be apart of it by ripping a phonebook in front of 400 kids plus their
teachers. It was an experience I’ll never forget and being a performer from a
different era of my life it was nerve-racking but exciting at the same time. I
learned how he performed and spoke in his shows and how to get an audience’s
attention but getting his own message across in different types of situations.
I’m sorry you’re probably wondering who the hell I’m talking about, my
apologies. This is Professional Strongman and Motivational speaker Bud Jeffries.
After the show, Me and Bud packed up and were about to grab
some food when he needed to get his oil done for the truck so we stopped at a
shop and sat in the truck while we talked about wrestling, the old-timers and
even about a cousin that was legendary in his own right, it was the Boxing
Legend Jim Jeffries. He told me a story about him and Jack Johnson that was
pretty awesome. After the oil was done, just before we left, he rips up a deck
of cards just for kicks for the mechanics and one guy even said jokingly
“Thanks for making me feel afraid of you.” We get a bite to eat at Subway and
before we did this, this powerful and humble strongman tries to hook me up with
a pretty girl not once but twice. Messing with him calling an a-hole it was
pretty funny and I literally nearly turned purple from blushing really hard. We
get dinner than its back home for the evening.
Before I continue with this story I just need to point out
that being in his presence and admiring him for years it was like if a baseball
fan spent the day with just a Barry Bonds or a Albert Pujols, it was that
awesome. Training alongside him was an experience you can’t comprehend, not even
at a workshop and I’ll tell you why later on. I couldn't keep up with him at
times but how can I? I’m just learning the tip of the iceberg on conditioning
and here he is just pounding on those tires. For the most part despite needing
breaks quite frequently, he just about literally broke me down because I had
jut gotten my ass handed to me and although he never said it I kept thinking of
him saying “Come on man, keep going.”
This guy I felt took me under his wing and wanted to help me
put things in perspective and understand what you can do to help people even
more than what you’re doing now and make something happen. Learning from him
was surreal and it gave me something to use for the rest of my life and do
something nobody can do. I’m still young and I have far more to learn but for
one night, it has given me a lifetime to use.
Continue on with the story, we’re eating and decided to put
on the Expendables 2 and while watching this, we broke into little
conversations about the actors and than for a brief pause during the movie we
got to talking about each other’s obstacles and sharing funny stories and let
me tell you and I know he may not admit this but Bud had stories that made Jeff
Foxworthy sound dull and I just couldn't stop laughing at times because the way
he expressed them was just priceless. If you truly want to know Bud, making you
laugh is one of the best things he can put on you and it shows that we as
strongmen are not big, tough and demeaning guys; we’re just like everyone else
with different backgrounds and finding ways to make each other laugh.
After the movie was over we set everything back up, sat in
the lounge chairs and went over stuff about the old-timers, steroids, guys in
the upcoming Superhuman Workshop and helping me move more forward with my
passion for Physical Culture and although it lasted only a couple hours, it
felt like a lifetime in a good way just listening and sharing knowledge and
wisdom. He truly is one of the best guys in this business and I’m proud to call
him one of my brothers. He’s not just a mentor or a guy who helps you out a
little bit in time, he was like an older brother and passing on his words of
the business onto me. It was one of those things you just never forget.
Before I end this I want to tell you the difference between
being in an idol’s presence one on one vs. being at a Seminar or Workshop.
Being at a workshop, you connect with them and get to learn what they know so
you’ll get better but no matter how you slice it, there’s another person sitting
right next to you getting the same teachings and doesn't have that same feel if
it was just the two of you. One on one however is a whole different experience,
it’s not even the same league as being taught at a seminar, it’s just the two
of you and going into much deeper levels of knowledge, stories and getting to
know your idol on a very different level to the point where it’s not just a few
conversations, you literally feel compassion and hold a place in your heart for
them that you just can’t get anywhere else.
With Bud it wasn't just being with one of the strongest guys
in the world, it was like being with that older brother you wished you had
growing up and being apart of something that has a mystical feel to it and
feeling like you’re a part of a family that you’ll always be happy with.
Spending time with him was one of the greatest experiences of my life and I’m
already getting a bit emotional just looking back on it and it’s something I’ll
never forget until the day I die. I hope I get the chance to do it again in the
coming years and learn from him as much as I can stand and pass on to my kids
because he’s one of those people that you can’t help but like and get to be
apart of something that you love and cherish. Thank you Bud and I’ll always be
there if you ever need me, you truly are one of my dreariest friends and you’ll
always welcome. Stay strong brother and never stop what you’re doing, you are
an awesome friend, a loving husband and a damn good father to Noah, he is the
luckiest kid in the world.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Embrace Being Criticized
I use to think anyone who thought what you do was negative
than you don’t seem to be doing anything right and the positive notes come and
go. Realizing after knowing a few guys and what the represent, negativity is
like a block for them. Being criticized should help you, not wear you down.
There’s going to be people no matter even one’s you’d never expect will give
you a harsh time about what you want to do or already doing.
If you do something that’s going to get people riled up,
you’re still getting noticed. There’s an old saying, “it’s better to be hated
than ignored.” Sure you’ll get positive feedback and that’s awesome let them
come in but the negative feedback is very unique. You’ll get people talking
about your stuff and most of the time, not always you’ll get some dumb idiot
who has no clue what he’s talking about and at times has nothing to do with
what you say or do, they just run their mouth but you’re still getting noticed.
The only person you should really be a critic on is
yourself. Not saying you should think of yourself in a negative way but
embracing what your strengths and weaknesses are and keep improving yourself.
It’s kind of like shadow boxing, you’re fighting your most difficult opponent
and that’s you brother/sister. Be better for yourself and learn to block that
negative vibe but embrace what is happening with it. One of my favorite courses
I have is from Mattfurey.com which is called Psychic Self Defense. It teaches
you how to handle negative energy and using visualizations and feel on what you
can do to block that energy from a variety of ways, most teach offensive
strategies, this is one of extreme few to teach a defensive strategy and like
they say a great defense brings a great offense.
Being motivated isn't easy but look at from this angle like
on a coin, one person is motivated to get things done no matter what it is, the
other person just goes about his life not making progress and not making
himself what he wants to be. I realize motivation is hard, I go through it all
the time and plenty of other guys I know, some of them it’s pretty easy, for
others it’s a pain in the ass but it still keeps them going. Find ways to be
motivated, find a friend, listen to music for inspiration, watch a rugged action movie whatever it might be use it to motivate yourself just make sure it’s
illegal because I don’t want you to put yourself or someone else in harms way
for the sake of motivation. One other thing on that note, when you’re doing
something that gets you going, someone else is going to envy you because they
can’t do it themselves so they’ll be on you like white on rice at times.
Never try to change who you are, you can adapt and learn
different things to improve yourself but never change the type of person you
are because you are a good person deep down and you want to be something beyond
anything else, it’s up to you to make that choice and help improve yourself.
The more you improve yourself the more others will bitch at you because they
don’t know any better and they don’t want you to be happy, just be unhappy like
them, never do that. Let the criticism in and learn to take a punch every now
and then. In Rocky VI he says “It’s not how hard you hit, it’s how hard you get
hit and keep getting back up to fight.” Keep on working your goals and make
things happen; if someone gives you a hard time, so what, you’re doing
something they don’t know how to achieve. Have fun and until next time, keep
living the dream and achieve the things you want to happen.
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