Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Laughter Is A Treasure




    We have different types of humor we laugh on: some of it is witty, wicked, stupid, dark, sarcastic and just plain weird. I do have a few sides of humor and there many things that make me laugh out loud and hard to breathe. Laughter is something we all have in common, we end up laughing at something we find hilarious, some things are not funny like bullying a kid or poking fun at a traumatized individual but for the most part we find a way to laugh and feel alive. I have never had any major depression in my life, it's just not possible, sure I have shed a few tears and have been down but more sooner than later you'll find me laughing my ass off and just having a good time. It depends on what you're into but in the end, find a way to make yourself crack up. One of my ways to laugh is when something funny comes up in my head and I start laughing for like no reason, I have literally had people to tell me to stop laughing because they found it weird or they think it was about them or whatever. I can laugh practically at any time and at times for no reason but that's the beauty of life is when you can laugh just by your thoughts.

 

    Giggling, blasting, can't breathe, chuckling; these are all things when laughing happens, it changes moments, it makes dull moments disappear when you end up laughing. It relieves depression in that very moment and it perks people up when you do it in the right moments when you least expect it. Some people just don't have a sense of humor which is sad (talk about oxymoron) because there's no emotional balance there and very little of life within your personality. Sure there are things that aren't funny but what's to stop you from finding what is and having a great time in those moments where it becomes a true test of our most sacred treasure; it isn't gold, silver, war, greed, that picture of Snow White in a sexy outfit that's the same color as her dress (now you got that stuck in your head) or The Beattles rocking it to Hokey Pokey (no wait that's AC/DC ); it's pure unadulterated laughter.

 

    Now granted there are some places where laughing can be a bit rude and make you look like an ass say for a few examples:

 

A Dwarf couple getting married at Disneyland where Goofy marries them
During A Presidential Speech at the The Improv
At a police station where arrests are being made and the sirens sound like Lucile Ball
Daffy Ducks Funeral
Even at a Strongman event when a lifter is deadlifting 800 pounds of chocolate easter bunnies
Or when a family member has died in an area like at a hospital and his/her last words were "Did you fart?"

 

Sure these may sound funny but people expect you to be serious about that sort of thing because being on good behavior and controlling yourself is what we were taught to do as kids.

 

    Laughter makes the he heart strong and vital (except if you were Mr. Dawes sr. the owner of the bank in Mary Poppins). Certain things just want to make you burst out and turning redder than Donald Ducks temper tantrum for me it's usually from Stand-Up Comics like George Carlin (Airport Pre-Boarding and Pre Skit), Robin Williams (Scottish GPS), Eddie Murphy (Impersonating Bill Cosby) and a few others plus things like Family Guy, Adam Sandler movies, Married With Children "I have an egg and some M&M's, I can make an omelet" "No thanks Peg I'm still pleasantly nauseas after last night's feast of the three-legged chicken." Certain lines or characters that just have a way of pouring out laughter kind of like a favorite line of mine from Spaceballs "What's the matter Colonel Sandurz..Chicken." Hey I rather die laughing than getting murdered by some asshole who's a fan of Charles Manson. I really don't believe you can live a full life without having some form of laughter or doing something positively fun and making joy out of something. Laughter is a sacred treasure that opens up the chest of the soul, it's not money or possessions or hell it isn't Weird Al doing a song based on Metallica's Master Of Puppets (I'd actually would like to hear that), it is within your being to laugh and feel empowered with love and happiness.

Monday, February 16, 2015

Sprint Your Way Into Spring & Beyond





     It's important to get a head start on your goals because once you've begun, it becomes easier to focus on than half-assing it telling yourself "I'll do it tomorrow." Flowers are blooming, sun is getting warmer, day is shining brighter and everything begins new life. As a matter of fact, why not blossom into a fit and strong superhero since your favorite Marvel Movie is coming out just before Summer; Avengers: Age Of Ultron and dive into your own battles on shedding unwanted fat and build muscle like a madman. You don't need super powers to be a hero, but if you want the very best out of your body and want to get muscled up in a short amount of time without drugs, performance enhancers or any of the bad protein shakes than Sprints or better yet Superhero Sprints is one way to do it.

 

    Why wait to see Avengers 2 when you can possibly build a body like one and not just look incredible but have the speed, strength and crazy calorie burning to go along with it. I've done Sprinting in the past and it's kept weight off me longer than I expect it too. I've stopped because me and winter don't get along so I ditched the field for moving around the house, although I've kept up athletically but I have put on about 20 pounds which is now at 260, I was 242 when I stopped. Sprints practically murder unwanted fat and jump start your hormones like you were still a damn teenager. Starting at about 30 or so (and to think I'm that age now) our hormones begin to decline about 1-5% per year, that's not good especially for men who want to keep their masculinity and feel like a man ready to take charge, women too; there needs to be a balance that keeps your womanly hormones fresh as well as having a good level of testosterone that keeps fat from slipping up. Men need that balance too but yet we need far more testosterone. How would it feel to you to run like Captain America, have an appetite like Thor and have the hormones of an 18 year old kid and keep fat away and muscle reaching their natural peak? I'm a fan of Superheroes as you can tell and I realize in reality I can't fly, run like the Flash, have the muscle of Thor in the comics or have an appetite like the Incredible Hulk but yet with my imagination and a little boost of sprint training, I can build natural muscle, burn off fat, lose weight, eat nearly whatever I want and boost my metabolism faster than the average man my age.

 

    It's time to get cracking with sunshine and sweat. As you go through the Superhero Sprinting Program, you'll learn that in order to really blowtorch the fat you need to put in the effort but you won't need hours of training but the most you'll be training is 60 minutes a week. Getting that Vitamin D and drinking plenty of water can boost your results faster and don't need to count calories because even on the first day of Sprinting, you'll be burning an insane amount of calories even hours after your workout. If you live on the Coast of California, you have a greater advantage to train in this manner than those around other areas of the country where winter is still hitting cities and towns. However, if you're not ready to get that sunshine yet because it's so damn cold, you can do this program indoors which has an entire section dedicated to it so you don't really have an excuse. Nobody can work out or exercise (play) for you so if you want to get the best out of your body, get up and get moving. You don't need to do this program everyday (actually you'd be very dumb to do so), this system is meant to be done 3x a week maximum. Think about it, training for 20-25 min. and the majority of the time is spent resting because you need to reserve your oxygen; as you get better, do lesser rest periods but take it as long as you need to.

 

    Be prepared to get your ass kicked and have fun training with a side of awesome strength and hormones. Before you get into the exercises, take a few minutes to loosen up the joints especially the hamstrings, ankles, knees and hips, keeping them strong will get you less injured and more powered up for the tough exercises ahead. This isn't something I'm going drill seargent on I actually want you to have a great time and fill your imagination of being your favorite superhero and building the body of your dreams. Nothing comes easy but one of the simplest and pure forms of muscle building and fat burning is by doing Sprints period. This is most likely going to be my training program for the spring and summer because I want to be outside and getting that fresh air, I'm done being home with limited space, go swimming, lift some rocks, climb somewhere and be free. I'm tweaking this program a bit to my style which has a similar outlook to it but the principles stay the same. There's even a section that is made for beginners who haven't done much training or are very new to it. Go through it as thoroughly as possible and do your best to make it work for you.

Friday, February 13, 2015

You Can’t Train Indoors Forever


    I hate winter, ok maybe not hate it has it's perks up here in Pre-Canada Idaho but when it comes to training, I don't find it fun at all training in 20 degree weather or when it's snowing. I'm not bitching or anything when I train I'll do it however I want even if it means going out in Winter Wonderland but I'm a born and bred California kid ok, freezing to the general population is 32 degrees give or take more or less but on the California coast, to them freezing is like 50-55. I've kept myself stuck training indoors since late October and I'm already getting Cabin Fever and it sucks man lol. Before I moved up here, I exercised practically every freaking day outdoors, sprinted up hills, rolled around like an animal at parks, Handstands on the wharf (ok that one time back in early '06), Training with my boys in the rain and walking on my hands in the driveway, it was a blast. Don't get me wrong I still have fun moving around in my house doing Animal Flow, Handstands, Mace Swinging, MovNat and best of all Qi Gong but when I'm outside in the fresh air and the weather is sunny and warm; I'm a damn maniac. I'm telling you when Spring and Summer come in, stay out of my way or try to keep up cause I'll swimming, lifting rocks, sprinting like The Flash, listening to the birds chirp as I move with flowing energy in Qi Gong Styles and playfully moving my body doing all sorts of stuff that is fun and exciting.

 

    Training indoors can be fun if you're at home or in your favorite gym but nothing beats training out in the fresh air, being free of artificial appliances and planting your feet in nature and it teaches you something that doesn't involve your cell phone, iPad or that asshole next to the dumbbell rack texting his friend about the hot mamacita doing squats next to him. Time to blossom sweetheart, when that warm weather catches your eye and feeling the warmth of the sun it just feels good. Some people do like training in the snow and on occasion I'll mess around on the tire or do some bear crawls around the yard but for the most part those people are far tougher than I'am and I have a ton of respect for them. You have all this open space (even in places like New York or Chicago you can move around in many places), it's all about your creative imagination. My friend Bud Jeffries trains in the backyard of his house and even does sled pushes down the freaking street that is bad ass in my book. Do some cool stuff on the swing set, go run some sprints up your favorite hill, go swim in your favorite lake or the ocean, do some primal moving smacked in the middle of Central Park if you can, you have freedom and tons of things to practice and learn. When I'm down at the Lake even around a ton of people in this small area of a beach I play around with Handstands and dynamic stretches in between jumping in the water and doing different strokes (no pun intended). Make it your chance to shine even if you are terrible and just learning how to move just don't hurt anyone and don't feel bad about being embarrassed it's all apart of the process brother, in my handstand craze at the beach I have held for a short amount of time and I've also fallen on my ass looking like a complete idiot but I didn't care because I'm having fun.

 

    When people say there are ways to train anywhere and everywhere doesn't mean you do it indoors at every freaking place you go to, come on man live a little. While a couple family members are paying 20 bucks to hit the gym for an hour 20 minutes away, I'm at the beach lifting heavy rocks, swimming for meters on end, sprinting off the docks and climbing/crawling on the bigger rocks by the shore, that's the type of guy I choose to be, sure I would hit the gym a time or two but it's for one purpose only, to see how much weight I can muster to move within the time I'm there. I love being inside at times where I don't feel like going out and have plenty of options for that anyway but holy shit, you get me outside my imagination catches fire like a moth to a damn flame. There are places that are much better done outside than inside. I don't like being in just one spot to do exercise or play, I want the whole damn field, swim around the entire lake or move around a good stretch of grass just for the love of movement. Can you tell how excited I'am for the spring?

 

    The sun is not always your enemy, some people do have a condition where they're extremely low on Vitamin D and they burn up faster than usual in the sun but with that exception I think the general amount of the population can suck it up and get some sun. Sure it can get pretty damn hot in certain places so indoors is a good idea and it can also get ridiculously colder than Jack Frost's Gene Pool so, find the balance that works for you. Granted some people train in practically every type of weather, hell if acid rained from the sky some insane dude with a death wish will go train, I wondered if a guy ever got caught in a tornado while he was training for the bench press out next to his trailer park? Maybe some beautiful woman with a slim sexy body training for the Ironman get's blown into Hurricane Terrence in the middle of South Beach Miami (sounds like a slightly gay hurricane don't you think); you never know what type of weather people will train in, why not an athlete training in the middle of nowhere Siberia wearing 100 pairs of clothing in 100 below freezing winter just because he wanted to get a few minutes in before he kicks back in his cozy little house and possibly watch some Russian Stand-Up Comedy? All in all, get your Vitamin D in naturally and feel the love and warming touch of that perfectly crisp and lemonade chugging weather where you have the freedom to bask in nature's training arena and take on something you never done before and have a blast doing it.

 

    

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

The Evolution Of Fingertip Training Is Here



    We sometimes underestimate the power and strength our hands are. We need for a great deal of things like building, climbing, fixing things, folding papers, using specific tools and countless others so when we don't have the strength to use our hands for like a job or something you don't get paid. Yet when we don't realize the strength we need and have it's also sad that the tendons and ligaments aren't as strong as they should be. I've said it before, anybody can build a substantial amount of muscle no matter how small or big but it's the tendons that make the biggest difference and when they're not strong, the chances of an injury are greater. Our hands are more than meets the eye; the touch, the energy and electrical surge throughout our nerves is something most of us forget we have.

 

    I have read many courses in the near 18 years in the fitness field but nothing is as thorough and in your face as the brain child of Matti Marzel's Ferocious Fingertip Course. He's got this incredible and unique mind to tell you bit by bit about the fingers in a way that is so unique it ought to be just for pro athletes who want that competitive edge but yet he wants to share his style and secrets with anyone who wants to learn. I have corresponded with Matti off and on for nearly 4 years and in that time, I learned a ton from him. He's the type of guy that doesn't hold back on anything, he'll tell you off even if it isn't necessary but at the same time, once you see what he represents under the surface it takes a special person just to even understand him at times. However, he is one of the most eager athletes I know that truly has a heart for Physical Culture and wants to do as much as possible and make things happen. He is the spark plug of a new age in Physical Culture and without question he is pound for pound one of the strongest dudes on this planet bar none, I'm shocked Stan Lee's Superhumans didn't catch up with him because his character alone is just as crazy as his strength.

 

    He has some incredible energy and his intensity is just out there and I mean that in a positive way but all of that is just as insane as his course. This course is practically an encyclopedia of developing strength and conditioning using the fingers in more ways than you can imagine. From Push-ups to Levers, Handstands to Pull-ups, Tucks, Hanging, One-Arm Holds, Feats Of Strength and a whole mess more in this monstrous saga of Fingertip Training. He uses some awesome references in this bad boy that take on a life of it's own. Being influenced by many people and sources in Pop Culture like Bruce Lee, Jack Lalanne, Bud Jeffries, Dragonball Z, Rock Climbers, Shaolin Monks and much more. No one has taken on Fingertip Strength quite like Matti. In my opinion, if you want to get the best out of your fitness through the use of your fingers down to the very bone in the modern era, this course will do it guaranteed.

 

    If there is one thing I know for sure especially after learning about fingertip conditioning, you will never look at physical training the same way again. This course can be useful for many athletes and those who want to take it to another level in their training. If you're a baseball player, think of the strength in your swing you can have if you trained the tendons in your lower arm, pitching with hands that are nerves of steel and throwing with even more velocity to get the runner out. If you're a grappler, your fingers will be so freaking strong you'll be tossing guys just using your trigger finger. Into Strength Feats? Think of the power in your tendons to rip phonebooks easier, tear decks of cards in split seconds and bending steel as easy as a clothing hanger. What about being a Firefighter, you need strong hands to handle a hose, strong body to carry another person to safety and definitely need that grip agility to climb those long ladders. Rock Climbers have by far the strongest fingers of any athlete so if you added even remotely a fraction of this course to aid in your rock climbing you'll be even stronger and with that strength I'd be afraid to shake that person's hand man or woman. I encourage you to learn about this course when it's in full fruition and channel your energy into the very core of your hands as you will learn the value of hand strength like never before.

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Sprint Like A Madman


    When it comes down to fat burning, speed is the dominant factor next to strength and power. People believe that in order to get into that fat burning zone they need an hour of cardio and possibly another hour of weights when in fact one simple method makes nearly everything like a cakewalk and that's Sprinting. Imagine having a lean and strong muscular body that can burn off calories like a furnace, accelerate your metabolism like lightspeed and give unwanted fat a boot to the ass faster than you can say "A monkey's uncle." Think for a moment if one burst for 8-30 seconds and then rest for up to as much as 5 minutes and repeat that about 5-7 times up to no more than 10 and be able to burn off fat more than doing 1 hour of cardio would you want that? There's no magic pill for a quick fix but if anything came remotely close it's a Sprint Training
program.


 

    We have become an overweight and uneducated society and we have been fed lie after lie in infomercials, magazines, corporate fitness hacks and marketing gimmicks that promise you a greek body in an extremely short amount of time and don't get me started on that Biggest Loser crap it's complete bullshit and it's not what real fitness is. When it comes down to it, the best sculpted and athletically muscular athletes are Gymnasts and Sprinters because they have to utilize every single muscle in the things they do, sprinters utilize the arms just as hard as the legs and if you ever watched Usain Bolt or Michael Johnson you'll know why. Some people can put on muscle more than others and I get that, I'm no fitness model myself but when I'm on a sprinting binge for a several months things change rapidly and I notice way more definition in my musculature than when I do other forms of training. What would it be like to you if you can sleep better at night, engage more growth hormone without taking a single drug, have nearly the type of muscle you had in your younger years, less prone to injury and have a firing lung capacity that would make marathon runners blush? Look far younger and be able to eat nearly whatever you want, I may be younger than most of you guys but even at 30 coming into 31 this July; I still have people tell me I look younger than 21, it's fun to get carded at casinos nowadays. Want to know one of my secrets (besides having that baby face), it's being able to be on a program that takes even less time to get to the gym and hammer out that raw power and feeling like the Flash.

 

    With all forms of exercise, technique is just as important as the workout itself but yet if you're being chased down by a bear or having to run down a suspect hell even race to save someone's life, technique is the last thing on your mind. Your imagination however can speed up the process (pun intended) along with trained technique can make you unstoppable and putting those weak ass pizza loving bums at Planet Fitness or any gym of that caliber to shame. Picture yourself as your favorite superhero with blazing speed like Superman, the Flash, Quicksilver even someone as fast as Blade; when you open up your mind and focus on something that charges your body and brings everything into motion you can add your speeding power by three fold. I'm not going to lie it takes effort and it's tough training plus you're going to be huffing and puffing like the big bad wolf out of breath from trying to blow down the brick house. Never be tense as you sprint, to be as relaxed as you can but use the muscles needed for that burst.

 

    The best part about this type of training is that you can do it for up to 1 hour for the entire week and that's only doing up to 3 workouts in that week total, 20 minutes per workout and the majority of that time is resting. If you have hills, even better because of you fighting gravity and having to push even further and the most you need to go up is 60-70 yards. You can do it at a track or a field near your house. I do my sprints at a field which has two baseball diamonds and a long stretch of grass, before I moved from a few miles, I ran at this little park that stretched about 55 yards. Don't go at your maximum the first time around, I know it's exciting to do and believe me I've been there but you need to set a base of progressions. If you're totally new to sprinting or haven't done it in a while start with 4-5 bursts and build up to ten per workout so for maximum benefit 30 bursts a week is best. Look into it, make sure you keep your joints and muscles warmed up because sprints can be brutal if you don't have supple and flexible joints trust me it's happened to me a time or two but believe when I say this, sprinting is far safer than jogging 10 miles because over time taxing the joints in the ankles, shins and calves can lead to injuries as oppose to sprints that have a few bursts that can increase the strength in the joints because they need to jump start more than usual and it brings another element to tendon power.

Monday, February 9, 2015

Physical Spirituality


    We all seek something within us that brings us peacefulness, love and something to treasure in our lives. Some turn to religion, some hit rock bottom and have crawled back up to find what is truly strong within them and others have a way of making themselves feel alive in some form; for me it's physical training and moving through various planes of motion whether it's bodyweight, moving rocks, swinging the mace or going after a tough circuit. Most people exercise to look better, lose weight and gain strength but they forget what they're doing for themselves within. To truly find the power of your exercise, you can't have the same routine or fiddle some shmucks marketing gimmick; it's doing something a little different, thinking outside the box, following your intuition and enlighten yourself with your creative endeavor. How you get creative is up to you but the best you thing you can learn is to value and subdue yourself in your imagination.

 

    The facets of the Mind/Muscle connection is not just melting the two together but finding a powerful way to utilize the two as if they were the same thing even though one's physical and one's mental. Think into your body as your train and never force something that isn't going to work, find that flow that brings you to a higher level of strength without needing to add unwanted tension. There's a difference between relaxed and loose; being relaxed is when you flow through nearly effortlessly using the muscles needed when applied, loose is when you put no effort into the muscles and moving like the blob. When you think into your muscles and your tendons you're opening up a door you've never in before and it brings a new realm of possibilities. It's better to be relaxed as you exercise rather than being a complete noodle and bringing tension that can lead to injuries.

 

    I'm a spiritual person in the sense where I believe in having a higher sense of being and utilizing what works for me to gain strength both from the inside and outside. Some say spiritual means religious and they're totally different, I'm a free spirit and share my passion. Nobody is forced to read my stuff, I don't care what color your skin is and I certainly don't care whether Jesus is your lord and savior or not, I believe in others and helping them find their passion. I get high off physical activity not drugs or drinking or partying and when I do what makes me happy, I gain energy within myself and it makes me confident and spiritually powerful; I don't know how else to describe it. Most who exercise don't always feel enlightened because they're so distracted from watching TV on the treadmill or fiddling their ipads while they wait for their next set of the bench press and there is definitely no enlightenment when some chick tries to show off her ass while she squats so some jackass notices her. There is beauty in true enlightenment when you are focused on what's important in that moment as you train, you aren't there to gain a BFF or try to do the same type of workout the guy next to you does; you're there to build your body and play around with your favorite exercises that is going help you achieve your goals. When I'm in the gym on that extremely rare occasion, I do what I need to do and walk out of there strong and empowered, not to chit chat about the damn weather to some roided freak with a Narcissist complex or share thoughts about my long lost cousin that I found living in Sheboygan; if I feel the need to talk, I ask questions about training and get ideas on what I can do to be better. I find what it takes to feel great, have a blast and have fun as I train. That's what it really is about.

 

    Finding that connection through your training and your mental strength is to see it, embody it and use it to live your life with fondness, being happy and taking action for what you want to do while having a good level of discipline at the same time. There is a stronger version inside everyone one of us and it's up to you to find that stronger version of yourself. Sure we all have different types of responsibilities and having a hectic life especially if you got kids and a marriage and having to deal with jobs and making sure you got food to eat but with all that even, you can still find that spiritual connection within yourself and there is no excuse for that. Do what you can to make yourself happy, you can't please everyone and certainly can't say to every damn thing but at the end of the day whether it's 5 minutes or 1 hour, devote time to who you are and set your goals little by little even by the smallest fraction. Gain enlightenment in your own way, mine just happens to be through physical training hence the term Physical Spirituality.

Friday, February 6, 2015

Sometimes You Just Have To Back Off


    For a little over a week now I've practically dived into some crazy circuit workouts from Neila Rey and have smashed through most of them hitting their Level 3 objectives. As I'm going through the Batman Workout, I felt good but something didn't seem right, it wasn't pain or anything physically debilitating but around half way into my 4th round of the circuit I just felt the need to stop because in one simple moment I felt completely burned out and needed to stop. I rarely ever stop right in the middle of a workout when I'm nearly half way into it but yet intuitively and listening to my body I was just done. That's the thing with me, I have a strong intuition an extreme few really know about and know my true side to things. It has become my rock and my understanding of awareness within not just my surroundings but my internal instincts. I have used it more than just physical exercise but also used it to pick up on things, not like a psychic or anything like that just have a bit of universal instinct to get certain things right away or see something and know exactly where I've seen it before. When you have that particular thing about you, don't ever ignore it, it can be your greatest ally in your life.

 

    Since I had the need to back off and do something else like just moving and utilizing the Animal Flow type movements just to feel like I really accomplished something is my intuition guiding me and letting me know it's ok. I really wanted to do that workout and I felt like I let myself down but looking at it from how my instincts hit and telling me to let it go it felt really good. Sometimes you just need to back off, regroup and take in a deep breath. I'm not superhuman or have the speed of the flash or the strength of superman, I'm only human and my mind and body just needed to notify me. Make the best of things and when you're ready to come back, do it with a vengeance because you're coming in stronger and more focused than ever.

 

    It does get to me when I can't train the way I want to sometimes but I can't dwell on it because I know in my deepest level of my heart and soul there is a way to turn things around and move on. Some people just push so hard they don't realize what they're doing to themselves until it's too late. I have known strongmen who needed to back off even for just a day to regroup because like in the middle of a performance something just doesn't seem right but they do the best to their abilities to finish what they can; let's face it if you tear something in your arm or in your leg unless you're on adrenaline or have the understanding of blocking that "governor" you're not going to be at your best for your next feat, it happens. What you do is take a deep breath, realize you need to focus on something else and deal with it. You will be at your best the next time around and it will be better than you expected. Happens to me at times and plenty of people I know because if you slip up when you're not at your best there can be serious consequences.

 

    Take it in stride and understand that once you know you're ready to come back, things will feel differently and you'll do even greater than before. I knew if I kept going on fumes, eventually I might've ended up possibly passing out, get injured or worse end up in the hospital so I understood what my instincts were telling me. Right now I'm still feeling the effects of that workout, the workout wasn't even that difficult, I've belted through tougher workouts than that in my sleep (slight exaggeration) but if my body was shutting down that early in the game I needed to take notice and deal with it by stopping and taking care of myself; drinking water, breathing deeply and walk it off. Sure it sucked because I was really into it but I don't settle for less than being at my best, if I'm off by a mere percentage say 15% than it's not worth it to me to keep pushing that hard. When I push hard and I can still go as hard as when I started that's when it's worth it but not if I end up passing out or doing something I'll regret. I know I'll be ready next time around and make sure my recovery is at its priority. So when you train and you feel mad at yourself because you couldn't finish, wise up and know that you did what you could and focus getting back to being at your best. Many people quit for a long time because of that one moment where they just couldn't do it anymore; they push themselves so hard that once they run on fumes it's going to be just as strong when in fact if you're not as strong as you went in something's up and you need to deal with it and not act like that's it and be done forever, it's a little setback. Challenge yourself but at the same time, take care of yourself and do what you need to do to get back at it stronger and more enduring the last time. Be hungry but also be aware and listen.

Thursday, February 5, 2015

The Love Of Training


    There are two types of people who train; those who are out for impressing others to make themselves look better and those who want nothing more than to do what they love and spread it to help others find that passion. I happen to be the latter; I don't have six pack abs, or chiseled biceps, horseshoe triceps and I certainly don't have quads that would impress even the great Tom Platz but I damn sure love what I do and I make it a point to do the very best of my abilities and share my passion with the world. Just because you look impressive doesn't really mean much especially if you put your health at risk plus you act like a jackass to other people who don't look like you. I'm not going to lie there are some awesome looking men and women out there but there's a surface there too not many realize unless you're in their life or you've been around them so long you can practically hear the inside of their head (slight exaggeration). Training is really about passion and seeing through your goals no matter what people say to you about them.

 

    We idolize other people for a reason, actually more than a few reasons but the basic ones are; because they have something we wished we had, they're larger than life beyond our own blood, they have a sense of energy we crave and we want to live that life. When I was growing up, I was a huge basketball fan and was enthralled with Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls because he can do things no man on the court could do, he had charisma, energy and his skills were uncanny and I use to dream of playing in the NBA but yet the furthest I got in Height was 5'6 and I was a pudgy 200 pound teenager and had no real skills on the court and for a kid like that I couldn't possibly be able to do all that stuff plus it did shatter my dreams when someone told me I could never play in the NBA. Just so we're clear Jordan's real retirement was when I was at the end of my 7th grade year so I was still short and very stocky. The point I'm making here is we do so much to try to be our idols when we forget to be the very best of ourselves and wanting to live someone else's life. There are people out there who want to be the next Arnold Schwarzenegger, John Cena, Buster Posey, Tom Brady or Joe Thornton but the truth of the matter is, you don't need to be exactly like them because they're already taken and like everyone else they have skeletons behind their closets you don't want to be apart of, do your best to create the strongest version of you and pushing to find who you are and what you really want to be and live a life that is yours and not someone else's.

 

    Now i'm not big on showing off or making anyone look bad, it's not in my nature but I do like to show people what I'm capable of to give them a sense of who I'am and let them see a side of me I truly want to share. It feels awesome however when people say you can't do something and you end up shutting them up right in front of them. It's a feeling of being free from that negative bullshit and you can do awesome things that those same people said wasn't possible. You don't need to reel it in like a little 5 year shouting "nan a nana I told you" because that just makes you an ass and you're embarrassing yourself; some people are that naïve and have a narcissist fetish so don't be that person. Be the person that helps someone overcome that fear of insecurity and teach them how they can be stronger not just physically but emotionally as well. That's the type of love I have for training because I get to help a kid maybe an elder who thinks they don't have it in them anymore because they're over the hill, it makes me happy when I get to practice all these programs and exercises just to find what I can share with and be open to someone who wants to learn and me learning from others. What is even more awesome is when you set aside the crap being dumped on you and you fight back in a way that is positive and doing something you didn't know you were great at and you go even further just to see where it leads.

 

    I have done all kinds of shit in my training that ought to be in an encyclopedia but it's not what is on the outside that really makes a difference, it's what happens internally when you feel powerful, vital and you have that feeling within that is giving you the chance to do something awesome and amazing. I use to focus so much on the outside (still do at times but hey I'm human) that when I finally began to learn what the internal felt like, it made far more sense to me and it's helped me push beyond even more than I've done in the last ten years. You can do all the push-ups, lift the heaviest weight, the most extreme workout all you want but if it's not within deep in your soul and you have that passion to keep learning for the sake of learning than you haven't hit the basic form of internalizing yourself. Since I was 13 years old, I wanted to be the biggest and the strongest dude that people came across and as it turns out; I'm happy where I'm at, I'm in great shape, I have plenty of muscle that isn't useless and I'm the strongest I've ever been in the near 20 years since I've been in fitness. I can't complain but I'm sure as hell not done improving or learning, I got a very long journey ahead of me and it's going to be one hell of a ride. That's my true love for training that is the journey and the never ending quest to be the very best of myself.

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

The Best Of Neila Rey Workouts


    In the near 2 decades of being in fitness; I have seen and participated in some of the most basic, torturous, easy, defying and most hardcore training systems around. With my fair share from doing and observing there are those little moments that peak out at you and a light turns on. The light recently has been on Neila Rey Workouts made by an English fitness instructor with a touch of a geeky side that just brings a whole other meaning to the term Circuit Training. She and others work around the clock day and night to come up with workouts that range from beginner to super athlete and all of them have something that is useful, simple and worthy to be apart of the fitness community. It is free in every sense of the word and the only thing keeping it going is donations. These workouts aren't just another scheme to raddle people in but in fact have something for everyone and anybody has a chance to use these workouts how they see fit.

 

    Neila Rey is a beautiful and very fit woman with a passion for fitness. Not too many fit girls I know of have a real geeky side to them which makes her quest that much more awesome. We all have a bit of a geek in us, it's part of our personality and we all strive to feel accepted for that part of ourselves. I have seen many other sites put on workouts based on certain themes like Superheroes but this woman just towers over these guys with a vengeance and not only has workouts based on superheroes but based in movies, anime, fairy tales, Zombies, Martial Arts, Yoga, running, military and god knows what else and she does all of this just to share it for free which takes a lot of balls and a hell of a heart many don't have these days. When you can make a workout based on a cartoon or a dr. who show it has geek written all over it and I'm honored to be apart of it.

 

    With the Superhero Theme as a favorite I must say some of them are not that easy but doable once you get the hang of it but be prepared to sweat and get your ass kicked. So far my favorite Superhero Workout is between Batman & The Flash, tough and no curve balls thrown. Just nine exercises one after the other and take a load off for a couple minutes before repeating the circuit. Her way of understanding a level of fitness and the way she tests people is just that; certain levels that determine your condition the biggest tests being that if you can reach Level 1 that's 3 circuits you're at the first part of being in condition; the second level that's 5 circuits you have reached a difficult level but once you hit level 3 which is 7 circuits you're at the top of the food chain of that workout. Some workouts have reduced number of exercises like say at 4 you can go as high as 15 rounds. Others have you doing a maximum of ten circuits that don't go by levels but by your own challenge to reach that high. There are really cool workout themes in there like Superman, Black Widow, Spiderman, Thor, Hulk, Wonder Woman and even Deadpool (plan on taking that on in the not so distant future) so you're basically getting a great workout in that's challenging and fun that tests cardio, strength, flexibility, speed and balance. It is a great idea to have indeed.

 

    The exercises in these workouts are very basic and not too difficult to get right away but if you added an element that is challenging and a run for your money, she has turned these basic exercises into some of the most advanced workouts I've ever seen. I once went after the Batman Workout and started dying after 3 circuits and I'm a well-conditioned guy so never underestimate these things, it will bite you in the ass if you do. Want to get in great shape for everyday life, these are awesome to start with and beyond. Now I'm not saying these are the end-all-be-all you know me better than that; seriously if you have read any of these near 700 articles you know I never once said "This is the workout, everything else sucks" so with that in mind, these are great ideas you can use to aid in your current training or want to take a break and do something that doesn't take a lot of time, can help maintain your cardio and strength and maybe lose a little weight and put on some good muscle in the meantime. The majority of these workouts are bodyweight exercises so they can be done practically anywhere so you don't have an excuse for not being able to train somewhere. There are extreme few exercises that use weights but you can modify them to kettlebells, cables and others. Some of them do require a bar to do pull-ups or a place to do step ups but for the most part all you really need is the floor and that's it. This was my workout yesterday called the Ninja Workout; worked up a bit of a sweat and was doing exercises I don't normally do like planks, kicking and punching, made it to Level 3 relatively smoothly and felt awesome. Going after The Fireman Workout later today and substituting my 26 lbs. sledgehammer for boxes to lift and using my stairs as step ups. Check them out and see something to try on, there's a theme out there for just about everyone from the Star Wars fan to even Conan The Barbarian.

 

    

Monday, February 2, 2015

Basic Conditioning To Awesomeness


    Whenever people think of what conditioning is, in reality it's not just being in shape at that very moment; it is a lifelong journey. Sure certain athletes or someone with specific goals to get want to get in the best condition as possible for a period of time but the real aspects of it is not to just be in shape for a period but to keep a hold on it even as you age. Even at 70 or 80 a person can be in incredible and awesome condition it has been proven and it leaves a lasting mark on that person's will to keep going for so long. You may not be in the same shape when you were younger and why would you be? However, if you can stay consistent and making certain changes with a progressive system you can even be stronger at a later age. I'm on the verge of my early 30's which is not that old compared to some people but I have become far stronger and more conditioned now than I ever was in my 20's and I believe in that no matter what age I'll be at in the future, I'll be even stronger and in better shape.

 

    What defines a basic level of conditioning? Some say you have to able to run this many miles, do this many push-ups, that many pull-ups and be able to lift your bodyweight on specific lifts. Well let me put it to you this way, there's a number of ways that has you at a basic level but it is undetermined because there's no general outlook, a fighter isn't in the same condition as a firemen or a baseball player in the same realm of a bodybuilder. My way of looking at a basic level of conditioning is that if you can handle stress and exercise at a level that is above the average of a normal person that's pretty basic in most cases but I could be wrong so don't take my word for it; however, that doesn't mean you can do the same things as others. I'm in pretty good shape especially as a heavyweight more than the average man but even those who aren't in good as condition as me can do things I can't fathom because they have different leverages and structure than I do.

 

    Wrestling is the toughest sport known to man period. It takes conditioning to a level very few really know of and I'm not talking WWE stuff that's the entertaining side of it, the physical conditioning however is mere ballistic and inhuman once you really hit the surface. If you were to get in condition not exactly like a wrestler but the inspiration behind it because at its peak, it makes a normal person cringe with fear with the way conditioning is done. I'm not talking about wrestling specific workouts, I'm pointing out that with a mentality like a wrestler, you can reach levels of fitness that makes the average person run for the hills, that's the sign of true conditioning. Whether you do 500 push-ups or a 500 pound squat, both have insane strength. If you can generate a well-rounded program that you can use for yourself that has a progressive ideal, you are well on your way to being in incredible shape.

 

    There's no real way to look how high your conditioning goes but I will say this; whatever level you're at there's someone who will be a tad higher than you and there's nothing to be ashamed of, at the same time because we are different, there are elements of that person's condition that you are better at. If you want numbers of what top level conditioning is Here my take on it but this is not facts but opinion:

 

500 Push-ups
1000 Squats
9-10 exercises in a circuit for 10 rounds non stop
Carrying your bodyweight for 100 feet
Running 10 miles
10,000 punches in a boxing workout
300 Burpees
300 Kettlebell Snatches in 10 min.
1000 Strikes with a 20 lb. Sledgehammer in 25 min. or less.
Swim 5 miles

 

    All of these possess a very high level of conditioning but these are just things that I have read and observed so they are not my standards they are in the general area. How you level up in your conditioning is up to you. Any one of us can be in great shape within a reasonable level of health to have a high peak of condition that towers over the average person. There's no one way to be in condition, even at specific sports the conditioning is different and you can't master every single shred of standardized conditioning because it's not ethical or logical but you can be at a high level that is well rounded and it can carry over to the things you need to do for your life like being able to keep up with children, carry groceries, be able to push a heavy cart for quite a period of time, moving furniture, chase down a running suspect, run up flights of stairs to save someone's life, swim out to save a drowning person, not fatigue in a fight, climb a ladder and something like being able to pull yourself up. These are all the things you can do if you're in good condition. Being in condition has great perks and you'll know when to use it and it'll turn on when you don't expect it when it comes to a certain situation. These things are the essence of Awesome Conditioning.

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