Anything But That

            The way some people look at fitness or certain fitness methods is pretty funny sometimes. You ask someone who doesn’t like weights and you might hear this (especially from women) “Ugh, anything but weights, they’ll make you bulky and you will just get injured.” Weights aren’t always as bad as you think. Some people prefer other things which are awesome. But it’s not just weights but many methods that this type of thinking or similar thinking comes around. Some can say something similar to other methods like say bodyweight exercise “Shit, anything but bodyweight stuff, that’s just endurance work and strength isn’t much of a factor.” I’m sorry but I got to laugh at that shit that just tells you, they have no clue what they’re talking about.

            There are people who are so harsh about certain methods that most of the time, they don’t realize it’s most likely something they might enjoy. I have even read somewhere that someone was so harsh on Animal Training it just made me want to slap them. Just because you read a marketing ad and think it’s bullshit without ever stepping foot into the program, that just makes you dumb and ignorant. People can say whatever they want but until you actually have done it, don’t be so harsh. I have trashed some methods before but that was because just what it looked like it just didn’t seem appealing. People who can’t stand certain methods try to dismember and trash it to the point where it takes away what fun it could be for someone else. Granted there are programs that are a complete joke like the Shake Weight or Hip Hop Abs (its aerobics done in a different form) but if someone likes them and it works for them, cool I’m not going to take that away from you.

            There are plenty of people out there who try to advise you on what method works and what doesn’t and will tell more negative stuff than the positive. Granted certain people I’ve been around have told me to stop what I’m already doing and do this other thing so I can look even better and help me in other areas, these same people have no real clue what I do and only have seen a glimpse of it. People will tell you can do this but never do that because of whatever reasons; common injuries, death, it didn’t work for them so why should it work for you and a favorite of mine; that’s pretty dumb and you look like an idiot doing it, well thank you. You have a choice and no matter what you choose there are pros and cons in all of them, but if it works right for you, that’s all that matters, screw the others.

            Want to know something really funny; I’ve done methods that are fun but to others it’s ugly and gnarly because it’s different and they don’t understand it. Most people that don’t understand will turn it into something that it really isn’t. There are some people that a friend of mine likes to call Wile E Coyotes, they’re the type of people who are obsessed with those that have programs that work for them and try to tarnish and ridicule them because not only does it not work for that person they try to destroy others for it. Most of these types of people are just keyboard ego maniacs who don’t have a clue what real training is.

            If you love what you do, hold on to and guard it with your life. If you’re good at it, help people find out about it but don’t preach the negatives, teach them by suggesting it and helping them find out about it. There are a lot of people who have methods that work but also try to destroy other ones so they can keep getting the bucks. We all need to make a living I get that but being an asshole doesn’t always work out so well. You can brag that whatever works for you will work for the rest of the population and beat down other methods just so you can be the top dog but in the end, every method is a suggestion from the endless variety that you can choose from.

            I take different methods and find the best ones by taking little pieces of them and mold them into something awesome for myself, it’s like creating your own puzzle, and you find the pieces that go with the picture in your mind and putting those pieces together.

Be awesome my friends. 

Everybody Else Is Taken

           Whether in fitness or in life, we have certain people we look up to. In bodybuilding, many guys wanted to be like Arnold, in Baseball if you were a kid in the 90’s, Barry Bonds was an idol to many boys and upcoming Baseball stars. My favorite sport as a kid was Basketball and watching the greats like Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing, Hakeem Olajuwon, Scottie Pippen, Allen Iverson and John Stockton. I idolized many athletes in that time and had dreams of wanting to be like them. It wasn't meant to be.

            We like to compare ourselves to the idols we have whether athlete, physical culturists, celebrities and/or people in the corporate world. At times we mimic how they do things and the way they handle themselves. I fell for that kind of thing too and it got me injured sometimes and even broke my spirit because since I couldn’t do what they do why should I be any different. That’s just it, you are different; you have different shape, different body and a very different personality. There are people we admire but certainly should never be like them because they have their own ways of doing things; they have their own problems and their own way of making themselves happy. You on the other hand should focus on what makes you happy, finding what separates you from the rest of us and learning who you are.

            We have family that expects a lot of us sometimes, there have been times where people alienate themselves from others because either it’s not worth being around them or the people don’t want you around. It’s tough when something is expected of you, you are told to do this, do that, be polite to others, speak when spoken to, go to college, be a lawyer or doctor, play football because your dad did, be bold and upright in a beauty pageant, smile at the camera, rule a kingdom, there are so many things people expect from us and none are more tougher than your own family breathing down your neck.

            The only thing you ought to expect from is learning who you are but also understanding the unexpected outcomes that go with that. You are one person, one body, one soul. You cannot always be as strong or smart or sophisticated as the next guy so why should you try to compete or compare to others when the only person you should compete with is yourself. Learn what makes you happy, compassionate, what you love to do and where you want to go. You may not always see what lies ahead but you better damn sure know that there will be something unexpected that comes along and it happened for a reason

            Nobody can do what you do. We all think differently and way may have similar backgrounds and interests but how we shape what we do is very differently. Some of it is complex, other times it just comes natural. You are you and you can be great if you apply yourself to what you’re passionate about. Don’t let anyone tell you, you can’t do something because someone is better than you or you ought to be “like everybody else.” I’m very proud of what I do and I love what I’ve learned along the way. Like I always say, be awesome and don’t let anyone tell you different.

Celebrating Life

Happy Cinco De Mayo to all my Amigos in Mexico and around the world and wish you all a pleasant day of happiness, love, celebration and good old fun.

            Now on to brass tacks. A lot of people take life a little too seriously and don’t really look around to see that there’s more to life than being miserable. Some of you may not have the best looking house or drive the most bad ass car, hell you may not even had the best education but yet, it’s all about how you see the world in your mind. There are people who try to make themselves happy by dressing to look better, fill the house with nice things and think that because they’re hot shit they ought to be happy by everyone’s standards, hate to break it to you but that’s just making yourself look worse.

            To really celebrate life is to not only embrace yourself (not in an egotistical kind of way) but to embrace what you have. Building your body internally is a practice that takes time, patience and to practice finding peace within yourself. You can love and take care of people and have a blast with the people you love but if you don’t celebrate who you are both in body and spirit, the rest won’t come as easy. I’ve been practicing Chi Kung lately to enhance not only my body’s energy but enhance my inner strength and spirit into a blissful state.

            Getting the body moving not just by training but by learning various movements and methods that give you results, not just by building muscle or losing weight but moving your body that has you smiling and releasing those endorphins instead of looking like someone just murdered your ass. Move your body and it doesn’t matter how you do it, you can dance, lift heavy weights, do muscle control, restructure your physique or even practice various forms of Yoga & Chi Kung and even take a walk somewhere.

            Remember about embracing what you have? It’s not always physical objects that embrace what you have. Just because you have a certain artifact or piece of jewelry laying around doesn’t make you the most bad ass person. By embracing what you have, it’s what you don’t see. It’s the energy that surrounds you with love, compassion and beautiful inner smiles with that radiant glow that lights up the room. You can put things anywhere you want like a pumpkin on Halloween, a tree at Christmas or a Buddhist statue on your mantle but if your energy isn’t there, than these objects are just that, objects. Celebrate life with love and spirit and embrace the energy around you, if it becomes negative or dirty as it often does, change it and harness your inner power from within. 

Listen To Your Instincts

            For the most part in the fitness world, nobody really listens to their instincts because they buy into the latest fad or fitness gimmick on putting on 10 pounds of muscle in less than 10 days or going to an aerobics class and thinking it’s the Mecca of fitness. To really understand fitness and strength training is to learn how to trust yourself not just in the gym but be able to figure out how to do a workout anytime and anywhere. Learn to listen to that little voice.

            I have learned from a great deal of many people and have been to the gym, trained at home, at parks, oceans, lakes, even the grocery store but I never once felt like doing every single thing they teach. To trust your instincts is to listen to what matters. You can buy all the crap you want and get in awesome workouts but it all boils down to you and what works best for you. Learning from other people is great and that’s the way it should be but also it’s important to find what works best for you and it’s different for everyone.

            While I was cooped up on a hospital bed for nearly three months, I did do a little therapy but it became boring to me and not because I wanted to move along faster but my instincts were telling me that there are better ways to do this. After my third surgery and was cleared to do rehab, I shook off therapists, doctors and even my own family and friends that told me to work on rehabbing. I just had the desire to do it on my own and it took me a while but before I knew it, my legs were getting stronger, my body was shaping up and I got far better at my recovery than if I had listened to some quack with a piece of paper attached to his name. Did I get crap for it, of course I did but that didn’t matter to me and I learned to trust myself.

            Nobody has power over you but if you allow them that power, you’ll never find what works best for you and learning to find that desire to what gives you strength, health and power over everyone else. You have the power to create your own style, your own version of training and it doesn’t matter if you go to a gym or not. Learn from other people but find your own way, trust in yourself. 

Animal It Out

            As kids and teenagers we go through extreme changes and some of that is being full of energy and hyped up. As adults it doesn’t happen quite like back in the day but still we can full of energy and just have a tireless work ethic (not all but some). Animal exercises are a favorite of mine especially mixing things up to make it interesting. When you train like an animal, you’re getting your hormones balanced out, you’re learning how to coordinate and you have fun playing around with them.

            Like everyone else I also get frustrated and mad at times to the point where it’s hard to think, it happens. When you get mad, your body shifts and it can throw you off so you need to chill out. Believe it or not, a few minutes of Animal Training can wipe out that anger and bring you back down to a blissful state because of how much of your whole body needs to be congruent with the movements.

            One of the major keys to be successful in your Animal Training is to think like that animal or what I like to call your Animal Spirit or Animality. Sure there are plenty of movements to do but there’s only one that catches your eye and you do it more often than the others, it’s what calls to you and sometimes without thinking about it you just do it and why is that? Every one of us has an animal spirit within and how we obtain it is by looking inside ourselves and once you find it you’ll know.

            Another secret is to play and just have fun with the Animal Movements. When it stops feeling like a chore and more of a game, your results can be more efficient and more likely to happen. Kids love games, it gives them structure and they enjoy it. When you teach them to play a certain game with Animal Exercises, it helps get stronger and more brain efficient because they have to use it to coordinate, be aware and learn to control what they’re doing while building natural muscle and powerful tendons that can aid them in sports and other endeavors. Create something fun out of it whether you’re a kid or an adult, you can find a way to Animal it out. 

One Of The Best Workouts

           This workout can be done anytime, anywhere and you can do it lying down, sitting and standing. It is so powerful it brings a whole new meaning to the term High Intensity. It can hit you so hard it’s tough to breathe. It doesn't feel like you’re working out and you're having fun and it feels awesome.

            How do you find it and where can you get it? Some people look to watching something or using their imaginations. For me I can think of something and than it just goes from there. You can go to a certain place or it can be at home and getting the whole family involved. This workout brings families together and it just gives you a rush of endorphins.

            If you’re in a bad place in your life and you need something to lighten the mood and change things around, do this workout. It’s inspiring and nobody does it better than an awesome kid. If you want to learn from the best, learn it from kids, it comes automatically to them.

            There are at times where you just need to let it out in the best positive manner, whether it can be from Theater Of The Mind and just finding what brings it out or use it to balance out your emotions. Letting it out in the open or just by yourself either way it’s bound to happen. This is a workout you should be doing everyday because it releases bad toxins out of the body and it is the best euphoric high in the world. Who knows, you might get a set of abs from doing this and burning fat like crazy cause at times you need to catch your breath.

If you haven’t figured it out, it’s LAUGHTER!!!!

My Own Version Of A College Education

             When I was 19, I had a lot of dreams but I also wasn't in the happiest place in my life at the time. One of my best friends passed away 6 months before Graduating high school and it devastated me. I just didn't want to be around many people and I gave up doing a third year of Track & Field. Although I did go back to weight training and drama, it just didn't feel right anymore and half-assed most of the semester. I did dream of being broadcaster because I was adamant announcing for a major sports team like the San Francisco Giants or the San Jose Sharks. After a week in College I quit and it pissed off many people especially my dad. I just didn't have the desire anymore.

            After going through two and half years of going to the gym, doing a couple jobs and recovering from my broken legs, I went back to college on the encouragement of a girlfriend at the time and just took fitness classes. I really didn't have the dream of honing a degree someone else wanted me to have and just chose to take classes that seemed to make me happy. I took up gymnastics, swimming, Intro to Physical Education and Functional Fitness that including weights, cables, running and all sorts of stuff. I loved it.

            During that time between 25-26 years young, I got to teach during my Functional Fitness class. My coach saw me warm up with Animal Movements before class and asked me if I could teach those movements to the class once a week and I jumped on that like a bat out of hell. It taught me how to train not just a group of people but people of different shapes and sizes. My coach would jump in to help out beginners but for the most part that segment was mine. This drove me to find my own education.

            As of now I’m certified in Massage Therapy and a certificate of completion in Superhuman Training so to me that’s like getting a degree. The type of education I'm teaching myself goes beyond fitness and strength training; there’s History, Mythology, Film, Physiology, Massage Therapy, Chi Kung, Mental Techniques, Body Mechanics, Writing and other things. I believe what I’m doing works far better for me than sitting in a classroom filling my head with bad textbooks and boring teachers (not the fitness ones they were awesome). I get to learn from very knowledgeable people and some of the coolest cats in the strength world. I get to utilize my interests and expand my horizons that’s fun, exciting and always coming up with new ways to learn.

            Why the hell am I telling you all this? It’s because there’s more to education than a textbook, classroom, desk and some teacher. I don’t go to an Ivy League school or a highly academic academy but I get to be educated in ways these types of schools can’t teach. You want to be more educated, learn what you love to do and expand it to wherever you want to take it. You may love things that I can never understand but we both are reaching for the same goal and that’s finding what we love to do and create a future with it. Education is important in any endeavor and we aught to be educated that’s according to our interests.

            Learning should be fun, exciting, interesting, the way it gets you up for the day and you can’t wait to learn and have an adventure. Most college programs have none of that and that’s why I left for good and started educating myself and I've never looked back. When was the last time you got up in the morning and said “Time to learn some awesome stuff and have a blast”? Isn't it about time to have that feeling everyday? Have fun and learn what you can that makes you happy. That’s the best education of all.