You Must Choose Wisely

Remember that moment in Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade where if you chose the wrong chalice or cup something bad will happen? Of course you do. However it's tough to choose something where there is so much damn variety it becomes confusing. You never know what you'll end with, you can end up with something as glamorous and full of sparks and looking like an award winning Broadway but you may also choose something more simple and have the feeling of no more or less while you go for something with no hidden agendas or anything stabbing you in the back because it turns out to be something that just wasn't worth it. This happens pretty often in the world of fitness & exercise because although we have a great deal of options there's also that burden of picking the right things for you.

Picking certain things can be tough and can bring certain consequences like injuries, burn outs, soreness/tightness you don't want and doing something that could cost you your life; so in order to find the right type of training for you, you have to experiment with a few things. Sometimes you may not certain programs right away or something doesn't suit you so you move on to something else. Whatever makes you happy and gives you the greatest benefit in your journey, stick with those and you can't go wrong. If you like Hand Balancing; do cool stuff to learn about that and, if you like grip training you find ways to train that way, if you like lift heavy objects than who's stopping you from making that happen go lift heavy stuff. I'm more of training with an overall base where I pick and choose things that happen to be in my head and I run with it, if it's something i'm interested in than I go with it. Don't be so picky to the point where there's only these specific things but you can't get around to them very much, never put yourself through that.

The real aspect of finding the thing you are choosing to do is to make it a journey and utilize your will to learn and go with what's important to you. Choosing can be hard but it's not rocket science, you either like something or you don't it's that simple. Don't dread what you don't like, live within the things you do enjoy and it brings passion into your life because as you may have noticed, when we do things we don't like we tend to be slower a little unfocused and we resent the fact that what we don't like makes us feel worse than it should. Go with the journey, toss away what doesn't work and focus on the stuff that does. Nobody's perfect and things won't always turn out the way you thought they would but there's always something awesome to come along and the journey is just part of the fun if you lead yourself in that belief. How we think determines what our actions will so if you think excitement and fun, you're going to attract that; if you attract the opposite well you get the picture.

Make your own choices. What you choose to do something will always follow and it won't always be in your control. In the fitness world you have a million things to choose from but only the smallest fraction of that will end up working for you so be wise about what you're going to do and make it work for you, if you're not happy change it or do something else. Once it really hits you, you'll want that feeling all the time even if you do something different a little everyday because you never know what mood you'll be in or how long you'll want to do something. Be instinctive and be passionate about what you do. Don't focus on the hate, bring in the kick ass moments and shatter the goals you want to achieve because at the end of the day, we're just human finding and working towards the things that keep us living. So choose and choose wisely for as the true journey will bring you life but the false and hateful journey will take it from you.

Hitting Goals And Doing What You Love

Goals are like your own personal treasure, they're meant for you to have and have feeling that richness and have that feeling of taking the world by storm. You can share your treasure if you wish but it's important to realize it is yours and no one can take it away from you because you have an internal bond that just won't go away. You don't need to be greedy and brag about what you have achieved or won yet you can inspire others to go after their own treasure and seek out the adventures to get to them.

Achieving things is a very powerful entity. You don't always feel the need to lose weight or gain muscle or just be fit; it can be a business goal or working towards a certain amount of views that people have seen on your website where they can see your creativity and possibly buy stuff from you. My goal for this blog was really just to see if people would read it or have any inspiration to do something for themselves and just have fun with it. Turns out it became more than that, it spread throughout the world and has been seen in more than 30 countries on 5 contienents with a viewing total of 500,000+; that is insane and I'am so greatful that it made it that far, never expected it. Must be doing something right. Whatever goals you want to achieve, make it worth it to you and you only because nobody is going to set your goals for you, they're your adventures and your struggles. It creates a part of who you are and where you're willing to go.

Don't go after things you hate. Who the hell wants to achieve something that they didn't even want, it's not logical or ethical yet some people seem to do that on occasions. Go after things that are worth while, make a choice of what's important to go after and do everything in your power to achieve it that is productive, sustainable and it makes you happy. People will try to tear you down and tell you that what you're doing is stupid and you'll never do it; well they say that crap because they don't have the drive that you do and they'll only do things according to their standards. Don't be controlled on how you want to achieve a goal.

As I've said before, get the most out of what you want to do. If you don't achieve it the way you were meant to it's ok because the journey ends sometime and you never know where you'll end up. Some people have goals that last for years and as great as that is, there's no guarantees where you'll be at the end of it. It's the journey that comes into play far more than the outcome. Breathe and make your goal interesting and bringing new light to who you are because you could end up a totally dfferent person because you went through many different things, things that didn't have anything to do with your goal but they're apart of the journey. Live and go with the flow. Do what you love and use it in any way that works for you.

3 In 1 Exercise Tool For Everyone

There are three very awesome tools in the world of fitness that an be used for any sports training, conditioning, strength, endurance and many more. These three tools can take you to another level and bring you a world of power while burning fat, gaining muscle and jump up your growth hormone levels for a faster metabolism, recovery and cardio. The three tools are the kettlebell, the dumbbell & the medicine ball. However there are limitations to how you use the grip for these implements which I will get to in a second.

The grip is one of the most important aspects in the strength training world. If you can't grip your implement or a pull-up bar, it's going to be more dificult for you than it needs to be. With the three implements I just mentioned, the limitations are basically in the grip, it's the same grip every time even with the medicine ball; it's a great tool but it only had one standard grip so you can't really do what you would like to do. What if there was a way to do this and not spill out a bunch of money off your card and cash. Get something that gets you doing all the kinds of exercises you like to do and it implies all three implements in one tool that also makes you change your grip every time. I'm talking about the Sandbell; be able to snatch it like a kettlebell, row like a dumbbell, slam like a medicine ball and more with this bad boy.

When it comes down to it, there's got to be some things that are suitable to everyone, what I mean by that is not everything won't be equal because there are some things that are just too dangerous for some people and not everyone from a child's age should use a dumbbell or a kettlebell because they can hurt themselves from all the metal that can land on them, with the sandbell, its more padded and full of sand. It is a fun and effective way to exercise every muscle in the body and adults can get the heavier weights and the kids can have the much lighter weights. Toss it, flip it, play catch, slam it on your floor or on a mat, work your pinch grip by switching hands in the air, use it like a hammerthrow, kids can play catch the carrier; there are so many cool ways to use this. If you're an MMA fighter, you can use it for grip work, takedowns, suplexes for wrestling drills, squats for leg training, Core Work and other cool things. Whatever you feel you want to work on, a Sandbell can help you get there.

From the 8 year old hyper kid to the 65 year old prospect who wants to get in great shape and jump start their hormones for a longer life, strength building and cardio machine. These sandbells can be used by anyone and can be used in dozens upon dozens of ways. Make a game out of it, work on your conditioning for your specific sport, do one-legged movements, work on your snatch test (a 30lb. sandbell is tougher to snatch than a 53 lb. kettlebell), get a super powered grip for arm wrestling, a pinch grip people would fear and get a cardio workout in under 5 minutes. It is so useful and durable that you may even forget about metaled implements all together. Expand your horizons and grab the kind of weight you would like yo use, get one for your young one to play with; it has a strong leather that is very difficult to break so it won't snap on you so even if you slam it with tremendous force the odds of it tearing are in your favor. It is safe, protected padding and it doesn't make a mess or have the sound of metal echoing throughout your place. Take advantage of your fitness and own one or more of these bad boys. you won't regret it.

Your Legs Are Your Wheels

    Ever since my accident and learning to walk and train again, I have made a vow to go into deep research on training the legs and making them stronger not just in the muscles but more importantly the tendons and ligaments. As we age, one of the first things that starts to go physically is our legs, the bones become a little more brittle and the joints get a little weaker and muscles begin to go south. It becomes more and more difficult to even get a good move going and your body just aches like a bitch. It doesn't have to be that way though; you can make a choice to keep your body in incredible shape when you get older like into your 50's and beyond. It's a matter of modifying and building a foundation. Flexibility is your first priority, then you work on strength so you can value the useful of what is working in your body.

 
    Most people think as you age, muscles need to keep strengthened more than anything else; not necessarily true, strength is a factor and should be in on your to do list but for the most part muscles are secondary compared to the joints and ligaments in the body especially in your hips, ankles and feet. How can you really move at all when your joints are all screwed up? Why do you think so many older folks have bad hips and weak ankles? It's not always about aging, its about how you take care of yourself. Sure you're not going to be lifting extremely heavy poundages (but then again what's really stopping you if you wanted to do that) but make it your main focus is strengthen the tendons as much as possible, the muscles will follow when you do the right amount of training. Isometrics are extremely power tendon builders and utilizing Chi Kung methods help you internalize your energy and build strength from the inside. Flexibility is not always about stretching and toe touching, it's about finding that youthful vitality in your bones that is full of vigor and life. Do some joint loosening, stretch your hamstrings efficiently and power up on the hips because they give the lower body some of its greatest power in many areas. I train my legs consistently with plenty of dynamic stretching, joint loosening, isometric stretching, mobility drills and others and I'm in my 30's, I want to be nearly as mobile 50 years from now because of it.

 
    Sprints build powerful legs, period; some people don't always have the luxury of sprinting somewhere or they don't have the strength to move as such but there are always alternatives, sprinting doesn't always mean running, you can do exercises at a much faster pace to get that effect whether it's push-ups, squats, running in place anything that gets their heart rate up quick and with intensity. Circuit Training can be useful mixing exercises together and moving in a fast pace and go round to round with no rest, that alone burns up a lot of fat and puts on muscle. It's all about what works for you and making the best of what you have. I love sprints, however I don't always feel like running so hard I feel like my legs are going to pop off, I can sprint in place and still get the same benefits. Make it work for you and experiment the very best you want to learn and master.

 
    If you want to learn on how to build powerful, agile and enduring legs, talk to an old-time pro wrestler like from the 70's and before. It's not always about entertaining a crowd with theatrical exploits, you also need to keep up with your opponent and work a match to the very end whether it's 10 minutes or 60 minutes. These guys are the very embodiment of superior conditioning. If your legs aren't up to the task neither will the rest of your body. Guys like Ed Strangler Lewis, Lou Thesz, Verne Gagne, Ricky Steamboat, Ric Flair, Frank Gotch, Karl Gotch and even guys like Ben Sharman and Killer Kowalski were exceptional in the conditioning department and hardly broke a sweat within the first 10 minutes of a match (slight exaggeration). Being able to endure a lot and still have some fire burning in the tank is an awesome thing to have. Research on how wrestlers trained their legs, there is some cool stuff you can do and you don't need to do extremely high reps to reap the benefits, just enough to where it works for you and keeps you firing. Having enduring legs is also great for your testosterone and having a high sex drive. Strong legs can carry you in ways that can be useful when you need them too. These guys can teach you things about the legs most sports can't even fathom, why do you think wrestling is the most important sport? Keep your legs strong and agile no matter what your age and prove to yourself that age is just a number and not an ideal outlook of what you were and what you have been led to believe. Your legs are the wheels and your will is the engine and the rest are the various parts needed to keep going. Be awesome my friends.

The Circuits That Keep On Giving

   There are mixed reviews with circuit training as it is with of other methods. These days when you think of Circuits, you think of Crossfit and getting in as many rounds as possible in a certain amount of time. Although that's great for an advanced person but for someone starting out, it can put them in the hospital or in an unwanted grave. Circuits are done where you mesh a certain amount of exercises and do them without rest until you have completed 1 round. Most people can't handle that fast pace and high form of intensity because it takes far more than just strength & endurance, it becomes a mental game of chess and some are great for beginners but others are mostly for those in decent shape. Those long cardio sessions on the treadmill are practically useless unless you plan on training for a competition of some sorts. You'll gain endurance for sure but you'll also lose muscle mass and the ability to burn fat efficiently. If you want a quicker workout that has the same benefits circuits would be the way to go. You can get in a great workout in under 30 minutes with proper rest periods between sets.

 
    Although circuits are good in some order, some of the exercises they put people through most of the time are either boring/generic or far too much for someone to handle when they're not prepared for it. You can however mix your favorite exercises you do know and can use your imagination with to get awesome benefit out of. The key secret to circuit training is not always about speed and short rest periods (although they can be a great factor as you progress) but more on a steady pace with as good of form as possible. You want to have nearly as good form at the end just as much as crisp in the beginning. Once you start slouching and you're in need of an iron lung than you need to stop. If your form or pace is deteriorating as you go along, you can have some severe problems in your joints, muscles and tissue in the ligaments. I'm not a huge fan of plyometrics and I don't think you need to jump as high as possible 10-20 times per circuit so I personally believe especially for those who have had injuries and such ought to keep circuit training as low impact as possible and use very little to no equipment. Unless you're in a specific sport or in need to get in serious shape fast, some equipment would be good to use but really Bodyweight is best.

 
    One site I highly recommend that has circuit workouts for every level of fitness is Darebee where you can choose from well over 100 workouts and programs for your specific goals and needs. This is the next evolution from Neila Rey. These workouts even have themes that anyone can relate to; superheroes, movie characters, books, anime, military, Primal, Circuits For Swimming & Sports and way more than I can mention. These give you an idea on how to take a cool pop culture idea and turn it into a kick ass workout that will have you begging for mercy while having fun as well. Nobody really likes those boring and generic exercise systems that really have no value to the individual who's looking for something interesting to do. I'm all for using the imagination and utilizing basic and advanced exercises to build skills for your everyday life. I didn't like circuits very much until I came to Darebee and found a new realm of ideas to use. Plus it's all free and you can download and print out the workouts into little cards for you to travel with so you don't always have to get on the internet. These are truly some of the very best exercise programs around today and take less time to do than it is to get the gym, dress and getting on a machine (which you may need to wait for). They have programs for strength, weight loss, High Intensity, realistic cardio, fat burning, stamina, flexibility and speed. There are no excuses and you can switch exercises around to suit your needs and goals, modify them if you have to you have that option. They have levels of progression that are simple and straight forward; you can work out up to 3 levels of sets (or 10 sets total in some workouts) and learn how you can make your own progressions.

 
    I'm a hard working guy when it comes to training and have put myself through some of the most intense workouts imaginable so I can safely say if you want to be in great shape, you need to know what your fitness level is otherwise you can get injured or burned out; I was doing Level 3 type workouts for about a week or so and just didn't have it in me afterwards and ended up quitting for a while because I pushed it way too much and I was already in good shape. Build up and remember you don't need to go to the highest level every single workout and because of the limitless amount of circuits at Darebee not every workout is the same, so learn how to adapt and modify a bit so you can get to that high level on a consistent basis but not a frequent basis. If you only have enough in you for 2-3 rounds that day do so but don't push so hard you'll pass out or end up having some kind of lung problem from lack of pure deep breathing oxygen. Keep a close eye on what you do so you can make the very best of it. Circuits are great but if you're not careful, it can bite you in the ass and chew it with a vengeance. There are even custom type workouts in the forum section of the site where you'll find circuits not found in the cards such as the Tarzan Workout, Godzilla, Indiana Jones and others; I even came up with a circuit that professional wrestlers used when they trained and it takes even the most advanced people down for the count. Research on circuits and find what can be suitable for you and make it work for your needs, not for the sake of being able to do them. Have fun and keep going my friend.

Thick Bar For Killer Upper Body

    When it comes to functional strength and super muscle, there are many ways to achieve it but one of the most effective is the use of a Thick Bar or better yet (for a cheaper price) use Fat Gripz and attach them to your favorite barbell and dumbbell for better muscle activation, hell if you want to attach them to a cable machine like Rows, Chest Squeezes, Tricep Pressdowns and Curls. In the early years of Bodybuilding and Strongman, an athlete had to have some serious power in his hands to lift crazy weight or perform specific feats of strength. They needed to increase the strength in their tendons and ligaments of the lower arm in order to lift some of the heaviest weight in the world. Arthur Saxon most likely lifted with Thick Bars in order to help him lift and hold the world record 350+ lbs Bent Press or lift the 448lbs Two Handed Anyhow. John Grimek one of the greatest natural bodybuilders of his time was freakishly strong as well doing the Olympic lifts, presses, deadlifts, pulls and even performed nail bending and card tearing. Fat Gripz save the cost of regular thick bars and can be used for practically any upper body exercise you can use in the gym or in your home gym.

 
    Want to build crazy thickness in the lower arms, get yourself some Fat Gripz. With the amount of effort and activation it creates in the upper body, it will jumpstart those tendons and have the muscle fibers needing to use more power for growth. You won't be able to do the same poundages you normally would do because in order to even get the bar or bell up takes far more effort than normal and it fries you real quick. Say you bench around 315 with a regular bar, no way in hell you'll be able to lift that with 2inch thick (or more) fat grip; you'll most likely hit the 250 lb range at best if you got a good solid grip. Imagine building your upper body strength using these bad boys in pull-ups, talk about build gorilla size forearms or mighty pythons like Popeye. If you're into Arm Wrestling or other sports, having a solid grip is essential to your success and brings a whole new element to your game. Have more pulling power for arm takedowns, more pushing strength for football, better grip for batting and knocking balls into the field or out of the park and why not for Combat Sports like MMA and wrestling; you'll be a beast on the mat.

 
    One of the most effective ways to build natural strength and muscle is to do basic exercises whether bodyweight or weight lifting; presses, pulls and curls are a key to successful muscle building and when you put on the Fat Gripz, you've just jumped into the next evolution of muscle building. When you can do basic exercises with a greater thickness you're activating far more muscle fibers and your body will need to repair itself much greater. Less than a few times a week is best if you're at a good solid level of lifting but if you're a beginner don't even think about doing them yet but it is worth the challenge and you'll gain strength with flying colors. Doing the Basic lifts with Fat Gripz will turn you into a beast, guaranteed.

 
    When you activate multiple muscles in one shot, you're also turning on the growth hormone in your body that allows you for greater muscle growth and natural shaping of the muscles. This also works your strength factor as growth hormone generates more power in the nervous system which switches the muscle fibers to amp up the effort in what you do. When you do long cardio, it's great for endurance but doesn't activate much muscle per say unless you're doing crazy heavy stuff for your cardio like carrying a heavy rock several feet at a time, doing circuits with heavy weight and bodyweight movements. The best person to look into on this is Bud Jeffries who has developed a way to utilize strength and cardio at the same exact time in precise style of training. Natural testosterone is essential for keeping fat low, gaining strength quickly and recovering faster. You do not need steroids and PEDs to get serious muscle. It takes effort and dedication but with the right tools and the right education and physical example you can get some muscle that the old-timers got like Grimek, Reg Park, Bob Peoples, Bruno Sammartino, Saxon and many more.

Movement For Adventure

    Spring is blossoming and new life is rising and it's time to head outside and get some of that crisp air and natural vitamin D. It's time to bring out your inner Tarzan; hang from the "Ape" bars, crawl, swim, swinging, rolling, squatting and of course a sprint or 2. If there ever was an athlete any man should strive for it's the Ape Man himself. He's not full of bloated and overly useless muscles and doesn't pretend to be somebody else or live by someone else's rules. He's a man's man and takes care of business in ways men today can't even fathom. He's the pinnacle of real man's fitness; he doesn't lift barbells are dumbbells even though he probably could do them if given the chance but he moves the way a man should. He's the embodiment of the ultimate athlete. A hero in many ways and man can he move.

 
    Swimming is one of the fascinating and most powerful methods in the world. You work every muscle in your body, you lubricate the tendons and joints plus it feels incredible after being in the water for a while. Swimming makes you mellower and releases stress in ways most methods can't. I always feel like a new man after a good swim in the lake. Think what it would be like to swim and live with vigor and vitality; bringing more life to your nerves and feeling relaxed and at peace. You don't need to swim for miles or tread water for an hour but a few good laps and just diving down in the water feeling like a strong and vibrant fish or shark on the prowl. Bring that sensational endorphin feel into your veins and you can't go wrong.

 
    What of the best ways to take your movement to another level once you've mastered them enough to create a few combos; build scenarios around you, duck under a table, put little platforms around for jumping and imagine them as safety nets as you jump over lava or crocs or whatever it is you want to imagine jumping over. Crawl as if you're under part of a cave and you have only a short amount of time, do a few sprints and imagine you're being chased by a wild tiger or pitting yourself against The Flash in a race. Use your imagination, be creative and utilize your skills in different ways that are interesting to you and brings out a side of you that nobody has seen before, go nuts (just not in crowded area or the street). It's about being free and living out your comfort zone. Take a chance.

 
    For us men, our manhood is at stake in these troubled times of obesity, heart disease and very bad Viagra. Movement sends the body into overdrive and marking your territory in how you move and how open up the body with good solid stretching and utilize multiple muscles per movement. We have the ability to create our own testosterone and whether we're 20 or 100 we can produce high levels of natural growth hormone although it gets harder and harder after a certain age and beyond but there are possibilities and it's time we claimed it. Testosterone gives us vital points in our immune system, helps us recover from strenuous exercise and the sex drive for you my friend can be off the chain, it's really how you apply yourself and taking care of yourself from within and understanding how your body processes through various movement. Never say it's too late to have great testosterone, it's yours but in order to keep it from going low, step it up and find natural ways to keep feeling like an overgrown teenager that is full of vigor and life. Be a man and give your body the fuel it needs. Live with power my friends.

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Never Hate Your Movements

    When you hate something, a piece of your soul becomes tar in the very deepest levels of your being. When it comes to movement and the process of getting better, you should never hate what you put yourself through to make things happen. It can be frustrating and there are people that tell you if you don't hate what you do you're not putting in enough work, Bullshit. Movement is about life living in motion and being creative in how you form patterns and combos to make some kick ass stuff happen. It sucks at times because you haven't progressed the way you wanted but there's a fine line between hate and frustration. When I was learning to walk again and doing squats, push-ups and the bridge; it sucked and I'd get mad a time or two at myself but I never once hated what I was doing because I was determined to bust my ass and I loved what it was doing for me. If you hate training, there's something wrong there and it has nothing to do with your weight, your flexibility, strength or how you look; hating it means you're either doing something that you're uncomfortable doing, pushing so hard by some shmuck who thinks he's a drill sergeant or you're doing things that you're not meant to do. We all have different shapes, strengths and weaknesses but that doesn't mean when something you hate isn't working, something is there and you just have to look for it.

 
    You know the old phrase "no pain, no gain" that every trainer with an IQ of 50 says? It's crap, there's a difference between pain and discomfort, and if you're in pain you need some serious help. Discomfort means it may not always feel like rainbows and the warmth of the sun but you're doing something that pushes you past a certain zone. Do movements that bring you joy and excitement; even if you can only do 5 push-ups or 1 pull-up. Feel that surge in your body that gives you that adventurous sensation and finding something glorious within yourself to get past your obstacles. Feeling the freedom to do what you love and getting better each day, month or even years. I can barely do 10 Hindu Push-ups when I started and I felt like I was just wasting away because I felt that was it but I then I began using my imagination and using little tweaks and magical things were happening. I used this on every exercise I wanted to learn and now my brain is on fire just coming with cool stuff to do. I never do what brings me pain and suffering I've already been through that with a busted head, two broken legs, near broken ribs and getting punched a time or 2, pain is not the answer. I do what gives me something to be happy about, living in my own world where anything is possible and making an adventure out of it. Live within your own limits and your own sense of what works for you.

 
    There's a fine difference between hating your workouts and giving it your all for the love of it. We grunt, yell, curse and even make weird faces occasionally but if you love what you do, it makes everything else look obsolete. If you're miserable and you can't stand what you're doing, than you need to check your priorities and look within yourself to not feel that type of energy. Many people hate what they do and they go through life feeling like everything is not up to their standards, nothing ever works and they want to dump it on everyone. It's sad really and I sympathize with those people but in the end, it's not worth hating something that doesn't have a positive thing behind it. I love what I do and I never force myself to do something I don't feel that's right; I'm very intuitive and when the right hits, it's stuck with me. Sometimes though you may need to make room for hate so things can balance out because if you treat everything with optimism and think the world is full of pots of gold and love well stop daydreaming. I sometimes hate the fact that there's murder in the world or hating that Robin Williams died or why bad things happen to great people but at the same time I love what some people are trying to do to make the world a better place, people do things because there are no other options but I have to respect what needs to be done and when something awesome happens for a kick ass person it's really warming and beautiful. Find that balance and listen to your inner self.

 
    Think of the words from Stevie Ray Vaughn "She's my pride and joy, she's my sweet little baby, I'm her little lover boy." I love that song Pride & Joy, it's got a great riff, bad ass sound and a rhythm that is just incredible. We may not know what he was referring to by she, maybe it's his guitar, wife, dog, wine bottle who the hell really knows but its way cool how he puts it. When you love something, treat it as if it's a joy to you, something to be proud of and feel something worth your while because if you hate it why bother loving at all. I love exercise, I see it as my passion and love for what's behind it and it's been good to me. I treat it as a second language, a marriage and something I can always count on. If there's any hate in it I apparently don't see it because I don't feel the need to look for the negative crap behind it. Do you really want to take pride in what you hate? Is it really that horrible to you to enjoy something? I may not like certain things but I take pride in what I do and it makes my life interesting and insightful. What you do is none of my concern but I do want to show you that life has its perks and you can enjoy great things if you open up enough to let it in. When you enjoy what you do love it until the end of time and make it your sweet little thing.

Live In Your Imagination

The imagination truly is the greatest nation on earth when you apply yourself. Sometimes the real world can be scary and a tad boring depending on how you look at things. It can also be beautiful and wondrous. Living in the real world isn't always what it's cracked up to be; you have people murdering each other, living like slobs, taking others for granted and having a personal agenda. On the other hand there are those who you can trust, learn great things from, help you when you need, form a group of people of similar interests and share friendship in different ways. Living in your imagination doesn't mean daydreaming and losing sight of things but to create your own world from within and utilizing it in different facets of your life that brings attraction and fierce energy.

One method I love to do from time to time is what's called Theater Of The Mind, opening up your mind and watching yourself in your very own movie theater doing really amazing things and achieving incredible goals as if they were live and in living color. It's very powerful and lets you control what happens on screen and what you want to happen. Turn up the volume/sound system, zoom in, see yourself at your best whatever you want to make it. Picture yourself as if you lived in your own Disney movie full of animation, colors, sounds and characters of your own; hell throw in Mickey, Donald and other favorites if you want, it's your movie. Set a goal as if it already happened and you're replaying it on the big screen; taking notes and looking for ideas that can help you along your journey.

You can unlock aspects of your muscle fibers by using your mind and applying it into action. Some of the strongest men on the planet used mental techniques to help them do extraordinary feats of strength as if the vision was real and every muscle was firing in the snap of your fingers. Your power is in your breath and in your imagination, make certain sounds, move in certain positions and see as if you can move an imaginary ball using electrical currents, as you move the ball using your style of the Force, you can harness strength and speed in ways you couldn't do before. Only you control what is going on and you can open up doors to gaining crazy strength, endurance, flexibility and matrix-like power.

Living through movement and imagination can transfer into a greater reality than what it perceives to be. There's always room for practice and it's important to open up your mind as wide as you possibly can because the way you think and apply movement can have a profound effect on your brain capacity, your ability to coordinate and utilize your muscles you didn't know you had and with practice you can use it anytime you want. It's not just blasting through a workout or anything but whatever you choose to do in life, even write or pick up groceries, running to catch the bus, how you walk and talk and so much more. Reality may be what you see, but your imagination is what you feel and see from the inside.

Combinations Are Endless

    To get the very best out of you training, you need to brush out of the norm and dial up the inner power to go beyond most people's capabilities. In order to do this, you practice with as much accuracy and precision within your area of strength, flexibility, endurance and agility. You practice movement that creates a standstill of most who dare to reach. Even the most basic movements can become some of the toughest forms for the average person. I remember not being able to do 25 push-ups or 50 squats when I was learning to walk again; I needed to learn the basic principles first until they became natural to me in order to progress to the next stages; now I can do clapping push-ups, one-arm hindu push-ups and even do jumps like a grasshopper or cricket (I choose not to do a bunch of these), for squats I can do half one-legged, able to do lunges starting from the floor, jumping squats and other. I learned to develop my own way of training after learning the basic progressions. I wanted to do things most couldn't do even at a much heavier weight (I'm 260+ pounds). It's all about practice and what you're willing to get good at; if you practice terrible, you're going to end up doing something terrible so find what you can become good at.

 
    Everyone trains differently and we have certain body types that aren't always equal but if you can find a way to beat the odds, it makes everything that much more bad ass. One of my friends Bud Jeffries is one of the strongest people on the planet drug free yet at his size (close to 300 pounds) he is also one of the most agile men I've ever seen; doing handstands, rolling, cartwheels, the splits and more so how is that possible? He did what most don't think to do, he made it a habit to not let anything stand in his way of being the very best he can be. Another example of defining what people see as is Dennis Rogers; a complete opposite in size compared to Bud yet at 5'8 and 170 lbs. soak and wet he is pound for pound the world's strongest man for the feats he performs like wrench bending, holding back Harleys, break out of handcuffs, rip the thickest phonebooks and tear decks of cards like they were a piece of paper. It's amazing what some of these men can. You need to find your own style of how you do things and combine the very best that you have learned and take it to a level only you can reach. Whether it's strongman, various movements, athletics or whatever, learn to create your own style that is unique to anyone else.

 
    Given the fact that movement in itself is incredible and powerful, to truly test your abilities is how you live in the moment of your movement. What I mean by this is that no matter what you do, if you're good at it and are confident in it, live within what you do as if it was an adventure. Think differently and see yourself in a different light as if you're the only one who truly live it. Your imagination is the key and when you apply it into action, it becomes this glorious reality that inspires people to take a chance on. When I train, I live in those moments as if I was in another universe and basking in the strength and power of my very being into what I do. Right now I'm focused on Animal Movements and transforming myself in my mind as if I was a wild animal in the jungle like a bear, gorilla, alligator, a majestic bird soaring through the air, an underwater creature just watching to take on the danger that is coming or a mighty ape establishing his dominance; it's those moments that makes what I do interesting and exciting. Make your own moments and live them with passion and fierceness.

 
    At a young age, we don't know what the hell we're really doing but yet we become very expressive and very imaginative, making up games, playing pretend and living in our own world. We can't do that as we get older because we have to be serious, analytical, uptight and boring as hell because apparently being expressive and imaginative is for children not grown adults. Sure we need to be aware of things as we get older and it's important to know how the world works but that shouldn't stop you from having a high spirit and living with expression and imagination. When I write, I'm very much into what I type down and I love to express myself in what I'm comfortable doing and don't care what other people think of me. When I train, I'm very imaginative and live in moments where it becomes more like play and adventure. I do get looks from time to time from others and have had kids mimic what I was doing because they thought it was cool or funny to do. Being expressive opens up your personality, takes you to another level in your soul where freedom is your best friend and how you portray yourself towards others; some won't like it at all, some will love you for it and others will just find it plain weird because they don't understand your way of doing things. In these past few years, I've grown to love what I do, I'm confident in what I do and I express it very openly because I have learned that in life, you can't please everyone and not everyone is going to agree with what you do and it's their loss for not learning to open themselves up and live with passion. Be open to your true self and live in the moment because you never know how long it's going to last and nothing lasts forever. Be bold and move with power both internally and externally.

 
    

Animalistic Philosophy

    I once read somewhere that training (or moving) like a wild animal doesn't constitute as training like a man, if you're a man you exercise like a man. I started thinking what he meant by that, it wasn't exactly those words but the clear statement he wrote implied it. He was right, moving like a wild animal doesn't as training like a man, it goes beyond that; it takes the average person and making them stronger by challenging his body to new levels of fitness. It really pisses me off when people try to force others out of what could work for them just so they can fill their ego with a sales pitch. Now any one of you can correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't the word itself ANIMAL have the letters M-A-N somewhere in there? No please I'll wait…..So in other words moving like a wild animal does in a way make a point of being a man and training like one. Being a man is more about character and personality than the way of our obvious physical attributes and not always how you do an exercise system.

 
    The real power behind animal exercise & fitness is not just how you move and mimic the animals themselves, it's the imagination within you to live out your wild side and utilize it to help build muscle, burn off fat, gain flexibility, being mobile and just have stamina like the energizer bunny you just keep going and going and….you get the picture. Our thoughts are followed with action and when something begins to show light we have an idea of what to do about it (depending on what you're thinking). In our minds there's a whole vast universe that is a living fantasy; some of it is amazing, others can be nasty and some even are pretty damn ugly but still we can create anything within our minds. Some of the craziest ideas from top people in science, fitness, art and more became our most treasured liveliness and wonderful outlook on what has expanded over decades, centuries even millennia and the first thing people said about those ideas at first were that you were nuts and there wasn't a chance in hell they will ever come true and look what happened. Fitness today as compared to 100 years ago is astounding yet when it comes down to it, people end up going for the more simple things even though there are gadgets and equipment in millions of gyms across the world. Animal Exercise is no different because it's simple, doesn't require a shred of equipment (except maybe a pull-up bar or a resemblance to something to pull with) and it's simple enough for practically anyone to figure out plus once you get the hang of it you can make it as long/short you want and you can also do things with it that works for you. Live out your fantasy as you move like a wild animal (within reason).

 
    Most fitness programs don't last very long because there will come a time when people will get tired of it and it won't work for them because they're burnt out, got injured or because some dumbass told them it's the only workout and if you don't do it then you're a loser doing anything else. Fitness is more than just the physical side of getting in shape, it's also putting your mind into perspective and finding what's fit about your character, your individuality and your personality towards what you do. I love being fit and doing cool stuff physically but because I've learned so much, it's carried over through my mental concepts and helped me make the person I 'am today as a writer, building my brain to make ideas that will benefit other people and help others find their own path. It's really the journey that counts, not where you'll end up. It's what you go through in order to get where you want to be and you can't always control the outcome, you can't force your body to do something that it doesn't want to do and you never know what the real outcome is. Everything happens for a reason and things will turn out the way they're meant to. For me, training like an animal is adventurous to me and brings out a side of me I like and feel good about because at times in my life, it's not always pleasant or fun and games so Animal Fitness is like a sanctuary in my mind and body to help some of those rough patches even though those rough patches aren't very common like they use to be. Listen and learn what goes on in your journey, it's like a really good book; you don't skip to the ending, you read along and the best parts are always in the middle and the ending is just icing on the cake.

 
    Going wild in a fun and unique way builds up your spirit and you have a blast doing it. It's the true beauty behind the exercise and movement; you're honing your skills and building something very few people achieve and because it's different it makes it even more interesting because you're going outside the norm, rebelling against the mainstream crap and you're doing what works best for you. Nothing can truly stand in your way when you do something you love and cherish. So instead of training like a "man", be a Wildman/woman and just have fun with it, do it because you're passionate about it and who cares about certain people not liking it, they can think for themselves and put up their opinions but in the end, you're the happy one and you're doing what comes natural to you. That's my philosophy from an animalistic point of view. Take it as you will.

Spring Into Action With Animal Exercises

   The air is beginning to get warmer, the flowers are blooming and life is being reborn after the cold winter. You have been inside too long, not knowing if you should exercise or not and whether you're prepared to do awesome outdoor training. It can be cool, you may even join a gym which is cool if you want a place to go to but yet why choose the gym when you can be free to roam at your favorite park, the backyard, a nice little area near your house or the beach. You can always do both but it's very important to get that vitamin D and open up your lungs to fresh air and the feeling of a nice breeze coming down on you. Like a bear coming out of hibernation, it's time to get your spring legs going.

 
    Most people hate the words "workout", "intense training" and "hardcore" because they sound harsh, single minded and only have one goal in my mind and that's to take you down as hard as possible. Replace them with words like "fun", "play", "worldly", "happy" and "awesome". Get out and move, don't worry so much about your set and rep schemes; make up games, race, go swimming and be adventurous. That's the beauty of training the animal way, you get to have fun and train your body in a very unique way. Kids in particular love to use their imagination and make up cool stuff and make weird noises as they play their games, its fantasy used in motion. Imagine yourself being an animal, transform yourself in your imagination into a powerful wild beast like the Tiger, the Gorilla, The Bear, the Alligator, a fast moving Greyhound and many more to feel out and get fit by. Work in workout is no longer a part of your vocabulary, it's replaced with fun and awesome by doing what makes you happy, being silly and living your life with joy.

 
    Here is some playful training that both kids and adults can do and it only takes 5 minutes to start or do. It's based on your favorite characters from cartoons and movies you grew up watching. You can even do some of the funny gestures and singing from these cool dudes from your past and for the new generation…..

 
Baloo The Bear: 1 minute
King Kong: 1 minute
Tigger: 1 minute
Krusty Krab: 1 minute
Marlon The Gator: 1 minute
    Just these 5 animals alone will get you going on the path to great health and fitness. Kids love mimicking animals especially if they see them in their favorite tv shows and Disney movies. I loved watching Baloo as a kid doing the Bear Necessities or being in a dance craze like in Disney's Robin Hood. Too many people get all uptight and analytical about things; it's important to learn the movements but once you amp up that other in your head and living it out in your exercise your results will have a greater affect. Kids these days need to be helped on getting fit but not making them do push-ups as a punishment or making them feel worse about themselves because they didn't get what you want them to do. Kids do need to be disciplined in some form I agree but rather make some of it a disguise as play to help them learn lessons, value teamwork, being mindful and even chilling them out because as you know they can be very energetic and its hard keeping up with them. Be bold but also let them figure out who they are and keep them happy in ways they'll never know. Animal training for kids helps out many types like the underweight needing to build muscle, the overweight needing to lean out, hyper energetics needing to cool down and relax, those with low self-esteem to pick their spirits up and release those endorphins, even the lethargic turning them into robust energetic individuals. Do it with them and play together, get a family game going, have them exercise so they'll be hungry for dinner later, instead of making them sit for an hour on timeout; supervise them by having them move around like they're favorite animal until they give in. It's about compromise and doing something that isn't verbally/emotionally/physically abusive.

 
    It isn't fun when you hate what you're doing, training is supposed to be adventurous, specific, useful and understanding of what you want out of it. Forget the reps and sets schemes, go out for distance, see how many jumps it takes to get 100 feet or more, how fast can you go without losing your form, going backwards, picking certain species that are meant for either land or water whatever you choose to do go for it and make it as long as you need to and rest when you need to. Most work outs last less than 30 minutes because they are intense and full bodied but if you wish to go longer because you're up to it who's stopping you. Do it throughout the day, while your kid is sleeping, in the morning before work, at night before going to bed make it work for you and if you only have a small window of time use it. It is far better to do something you love then dread something you hate because if you hate what you do your energy will spread around and it wouldn't be pleasant to make others feel miserable just because you are; use it to make yourself happy, release those stress hormones and crack open a genuine smile because when you are glowing with happiness it will spread to others around you. For us men, Animal movements are essential to our manhood not just as we get older but also because in order for us to stay looking young & vibrant we need to keep our testosterone at optimum levels so we don't get our bodies to have that flabby gut or getting moobs on our chests. For women it's just as important because women have greater trouble putting on muscle and losing weight than men do so they need to train just as efficiently so they can keep an awesome figure. So get those bodies cruising on the grass or any natural place to move around and open up your mind to becoming animalized.

ST Patty Day Fit

   Top of the mornin' to ya laddie. It is the day of St. Patrick in one of the most celebrated Holidays of the year. A day of green-filled adventure of happiness, drunken shenanigans across every major bar in the country and possibly having the hopes of finding a little Irish gold under the rainbow. I'm not a drinker so I'm not in the habit getting wasted off my ass and having a hangover the size of Dagda's Cauldron but I'm somewhat a fan of the Irish culture and those awesome accents that you can't help but smile about (at least to me). I 'am however going to have my own fun filled day of playing with Animal Exercises, awesome food (not traditional Irish Cuisine like Cabbage & Corn Beef) and watching a little underrated Disney flick titled Darby O'Gill & The Little People, where a young Sean Connery burst on the scene years before he became the first and most bad ass James Bond in History.

 

    Since reading up on a little Irish History, I've also learned of a fitness course that turns little boobybuilding wanna-bes into full on powered men of muscle and strength called the Dagda Course. If you're a fan of Non-Traditional fitness than you'll love this my fitness junkie friend. It's not a trend that is used in everyday gyms or used by the latest meathead who is strapped for cash to model on but it is one of the most serious and fun muscle building courses out there that takes you back to the days of the Irish All-Father with a zest for food and drink and carrying his trusted Club where on one end, can destroy armies but on the end can heal lives. With that type of imagination using a club from the brain child of Scott Sonnon the Clubbell it will take on a whole new meaning to the stories of Dagda. On one path with the clubbell you'll burn fat, destroy flab and crush death destroying illnesses like Diabetes, Obesity and low testosterone but on the end of the spectrum, you'll gain muscle, mobility, flexibility, stamina, strength, coordination and dominate your workout like the Irish Myth himself dominating his enemies.

 

   I don't care if you're out at the club having a blast and I believe everyone is entitled to. Having fun and interacting with others, I went to places all the time when I lived in Santa Cruz, CA going to concerts, the Boardwalk, the beach anywhere where the fun was especially with my boys and whoever I was with at the time. I do however have more fun these days training and seeking out new adventures to go on and have a blast doing something most people won't do or think it's too weird for them to do. Go Clubbing in a different way where your liver can still be intact and go to sleep happy and energized and not passed out drunk and wake up next to a buck-tooth barmaid with a donkey in the living room and some dude pissing in a potted plant. You never know what really might've happened, so be smart on this green lit day.

 

    Be happy and merry on this wee day of St. Patty and have fun wherever you are. Be like King Louie who is tired of moping around and wanting to be like YOU!!! Dance, be wild and go animal on this incredible day, give some love to others and have a positive outlook on life. It's a day of joy and full of leaf clovers that could bring you the luck of the Irish. Never let a dull moment get in the way of being filled with heart and awesomeness; not Guinness and shots that will have you end in the hospital or end up in an alley somewhere with a homeless dude named Buck.

Jungle Fever

    Not it's not a disease infected virus or have a drug addict having a withdrawal in the bush; it's the love and good feeling you can have after doing a few animal exercises or adding them into your routine. Most "human" exercises today are terrible, you got your cardio machines, your weighted machines, little pink dumbbells and those god awful sweat induced prissy gyms that only care about your money and not your damn health. Do you really think machines are really going to help you in the real world? Do you really think that doing tricep kickbacks on a bosu ball is going to truly help your balance? Seriously people get some brains will you? A lot of those machine infested exercises take away the freedom of moving your own body; if you want to lift something, lift it or learn how to progress to a specific level of lifting. When you move like a wild animal, you're utilizing every muscle in your body that has some awkward movements because not everything is up and down or a straight line. There are curvatures and a few twists and turns. It can also be fun if you use a little imagination.

 
    Sure you may not want to eat bugs, chase after a gazelle or wrestle alligators but it is important to follow one of our basic components of the human entities; our animal instincts. Even as humans, we have urges and the need for movement and fight or flight. We are taught to control our urges by various aspects of society and it is a valuable tool to learn self-control but yet it is important to act on what is instinctive and utilize what makes us human in the first place. Living up to that with a sense of balance, not controlled strictness because let's face it, whenever we are very strict of something someone ends up breaking free sooner or later. It's like trying to fill a balloon full of water more than it can handle, it's going to eventually pop. When it comes to your fitness, be instinctive, act on what values you as an individual and do things geared towards your personality and interests. Be bold and challenge the norm but also have fun with it, not push yourself to the brink of death or punish yourself with a 2 hour workout and not sleep for 24 hours. Using a little of your instincts you can change the very course of how you live your life.

 
    With one animal movement at a time, we can change the landscape of the obesity epidemic (sounds like a plague) that is taking over our country and cities across the world. When I was a kid in the 90's and early 2000's, most of my P.E teachers didn't give us a chance to really have fun with our exercise. I learned a lot from them don't get me wrong but I was mostly taught "do this, do that and see what you can do." It isn't as vague as it may seem but looking back on it from 97'-03' it sucked quite a bit and I never really was taught any real technique because the teacher had to teach so many kids at times how could they keep up? It almost felt like torture on some days and it made me hate exercise at times. There were times where I loved going to lift weights or play basketball but others it felt like here you go and let's see how you run with it. Fitness is about structure, learning the value of teamwork and making it interesting, not this very bleak look at some basic stuff that a ten year old can learn and feel miserable. Kids crave activity whether they admit it or not or even understand the concept yet also they have an expanded imagination that is beautiful yet mysterious. Disguise exercise as play and I guarantee you it will be a little more interesting and favorable among the young ones. Get in the habit of utilizing Animal Movements for kids because it can help the in ways typical exercise can't like help their self-esteem, burn off fat, build natural lean muscle, gain stamina, wear out excess energy so they can relax while in other classes, form games to keep things interesting. There are so many ways to do it its mind boggling.

 
    Being able to benefit the way of the animal is a beautiful thing for both adults and kids. I love the idea of giving someone the chance to be themselves while they do something cool and exciting. It can be a bit goofy at times but who cares. They're getting fit while having a good time and they become accustomed to its concept of movement, imagination, playfulness and the ability to take their strength to another level. If I knew at 13 what I know now, my life would've been way more interesting to me and would be far fitter and probably developed a six pack in the process but things happen for a reason and I do the best to my abilities is to stay athletic as possible while being a bigger guy. I love Animal Movements, it's incredible to feel my body was worked in a very short amount of time and get amazing benefits in the process. Doing a 10-20 min. workout is like playing a game that is fun and get practice all this cool stuff. What would it be like to you and/or a child to have natural strength, high levels of happiness, incredible stamina, elf-esteem through the roof and sleep like a baby? That's just some of the benefits anyone can have if they apply themselves in animal fitness. Let's spread the word by learning, teaching and valuing a high level of getting anyone who wants to learn; young or old the awesome tool of moving like your favorite animal and get in awesome shape inside and out. Are you with me?

Movement Is Life

    It's not always just moving and doing regular exercise, it's how you move that makes the difference. There are simple movements, creative movements and just plain dumb movements. How you move dictates the efficiency and quality of what separates you from others. For me, I don't move quite like a gymnast or an acrobat but what I create in various movements helps me challenge what I can do and learn the value of moving really is. You don't have to show a spectacle or look like you belong in the circus but moving with efficiency and good technique that is suitable to your body type but then again it's not everyday you see a 260 pound man doing cartwheels or a bad ass husky ninja doing the splits or doing push-ups on a wine bottles so make the best in how you move and be alive.

 
    Creative movement breaks you away from "the pack"; you know those stuck up fitness people who would rather have you on a machine that does very little for your overall balance on the body than to use what your body is capable of and give you the tools to be free to make your own style. I like some gyms where you are challenged in the best way possible but most of the others are just plain (in my Danny McBride voice from Your Highness) tedious and boring, you literally have no room to really move unless you're walking and going to your next calf blaster machine or Smith Bench Press. I get it if its cold out and you don't want to work out in that type of environment it's ok I have that issue too but I don't act like a little whiny little 6 year old because "I don't have a way to work out without my gym." You don't need that crap, the world is your oyster, find the treasured value of moving with freedom and creativity. Practice different disciplines like Hand Balancing, Muscle Control, create different combinations, Animal
Exercises, Move like Tarzan (in the most efficient way of course) or take up swimming in a much warmer climate and do Self Resistance Training for indoors. Pick what you're interested in or do a combination of anything you want to do, you have options.

 
    Learn how to use your body's abilities, modify if you have to especially if you're a beginner. Like they say you learn to walk before you can run or built up to doing calculus in mathematics by doing arithmetic. We all START somewhere and we work up to certain things; no gymnast started out doing backflips and tumbles like a pro, nobody hits a homerun the first time using a bat and no one sure as hell deadlifts 1000 pounds if they never lifted before. It takes practice and skill to develop all of these things and if you want to be the very best you can be it will take time. Learning various movement is about challenging your brain, creating adventures and finding what to use next that hits the right spot. Your body is very powerful; I realize not everyone is a greek god or a sculpted bodybuilder (before 1960) I'm certainly not one, I don't have a six pack or looking like an Adonis and sure as hell don't look like a supermodel (although I do have that boyish face looking ten years younger than I'am) but I do the best I can and it's far from perfect but that doesn't matter because I enjoy the challenge and it makes me happy.

 
    It's hard out there for a pimp (sorry I had Hustle & Flow on the brain, damn you Terrence Howard) but seriously, it can be freighting out there in the unknown and it's scary to do things you normally don't do or have never done. I was always afraid of falling into a bridge on my head because I was scared I'd crack my skull open (already happened at a much younger age) but I didn't, I kept at it and learned to control my body to the point where it became natural to me and it felt amazing to go back and fall into the position and stretch every ounce of my body like my life depended on it. I was scared of learning to do Cartwheels (you read that right) but I learned to trust myself by pretending I'm playing and pretending I'm a cool ninja or something. I was even afraid of lifting heavy rocks because I felt it would drop on my head and kill me, but it has never happened otherwise I wouldn't have written this and it feels good to lift something that is natural and challenging in case I need that strength one to save someone's life or move heavy boulders out of the way if needed. Movement is an adventure, living with a sense of daring and unlocking your true potential.