Obsession Can Have Toxic Effects That Can Create Toxic People

The internet is massive (Thank you captain obvious) and has loads of info that can be overwhelming at times. You have everything you can possibly research on but in the midst of all of it, there are very toxic people out there and can have an overriding obsession with certain things, some to the great extreme.

For over a decade I have been off and on forums and a part of at least a few still with a name. Mainly just learning what I can about training and seeing what works and what doesn't. Some forums have very knowledgeable people and are unsung heroes of the fitness industry but yet some take that knowledge and push it down someone's throat and if you don't agree with them, you're a bastard and a monster and don't deserve to live. I will admit I fell into a trap or 2 debating with people and all that comes out of it is worthless BS that doesn't solve a damn thing.

One forum I'm a part of is to do the best within themselves to keep the methods of Charles Atlas alive. It's far from perfect and has a lot of flaws. All I really want to pay attention to is the training methods. The problem with it is, the religious views and political aspects tend to overshadow the fun and excitement of the training protocols. Some of the training protocols are flawed as well because the man who's the big operator tends to repeat over and over the same things without channeling different ideals that can be beneficial. I'm all for sticking to your guns but there are things beyond the world of Atlas and the far too simple bodyweight methods. I do like some of the things represented like being your own trainer and learning how to individually utilize your best capabilities without the need of comparing others. Is it the best forum for information? No, not a single one is and it's because many tend to stick to their own entities and live under the rock.

Another forum I look in on consistently and need to really drop out of my life is nothing more than a place where it bashes, ridicules and downright bully's the forum and it's head guy that I just described above called Aging Macho Men 2 (Great name for the internet's Village Idiots). All they really do is talk, some are fit guys but mainly a bunch of old geezers that can't find anything positive in their lives and just are so obsessed with burying people because they themselves couldn't move on after getting banned. Talk about toxic. They've even gone as far as to just trash me because I wear my heart on my sleeve and they couldn't handle the way I fought back. Now granted, I should've known better to engage with people like them, but it's not easy considering what I'm passionate about and what gives me purpose. I was even open with them and sharing a few personal things and that went south right away. Can't trust people and it's time to walk away because life is too damn short to have toxic people in your life.

Here's an example of what I mean by these dumb fucks......

Another forum I was on a couple times recently has some people who are pretty knowledgeable and have some awesome insight, especially the main guy who runs it...Former Marine and has his own equipment he sells that can help people get kick ass results. Here's the site. On the other side of the spectrum, there are some of those same assholes from AMM2 who do nothing but bust balls. It's one thing to bust someone, but to repeat it just because it's funny to you becomes a little annoying and sad. Some have even belittle others because they think what they represent sucks and are horrible people. That's the place I had to leave twice because it just became a little too much for my taste and left me wanting to strangle someone. There are a couple guys on there that were cool with me and I was honored to share some knowledge with them and learn a thing or 2 myself but they are so obsessed with that other forum I previously mentioned (the "resurrection" of Charles Atlas) that they went as far as to actually come up with some stupid ass things like I was a spy and that I was this guy's bitch and all that stuff. This isn't the CIA dumbass and the only real thing wrong that was felt was me being friends with this guy.

The point i'm trying to make here is be careful where you go to research and befriend people. It's important to learn who you can trust because the net is full of whackos, psychopaths and grown people acting like teenage bullies. I'm not going to be remotely surprised some of these forums post this article onto their feed and start ranting about it and come up with even more negative bullshit. It just goes to show how low people will go to boost their ego or their "village" and ridicule any outsider. There are forums that people will go to to just to get shit off their chests, others will look for a fight and will either be ignored or get engaged into some of the most idiotic conversations and than there are ones where because they were let go somewhere else, they talk and want to burn the other place into the ground all or the sake of a pity party that only they will celebrate.

I know what it's like to bullied both in life and on the internet. It's a constant learning process and it's important to protect yourself. Celebs have the worst of it and I get that not all people who are famous are the sweetest people but people jump to conclusions all the time and firmly believe they have figured people out. The world is a mighty big place; full of wonders, good people, bad people and downright messed up places but there is good there somewhere. Find what excites you, gives you something to be happy about and treat people well.

Some will see this as a rant, some may see it as dumb and others may ignore it completely. I see it as a means of a warning to those who want to research and join places that might benefit them. Be careful and be amazingly awesome today.

Isometric Equipment That Develops Strength From Many Angles And Used For Suspension

A friend of mine sent me a couple of Isometric Belts that is more of a prototype but still holds awesome benefits. He put out a belt years ago one can use for developing strength from a lot of different angles and positions. The belt then was 14 ft long, this belt now is twice the length.

This belt gives you a greater variety of Isometric Exercises as you can adjust to make 2 loops instead of handles so you can do positions in the curls, deadlift, overhead press, upright rows, Shoulder Raises, resistance for the neck and a lots of other muscles that you can work. If you have a door anchor attachment; you can even use the belt for suspension training such as dips, push-ups, pull-ups, ring work, bodyweight curls, flys and a ton more. Karl Gotch once said "Always work your muscles, from every possible angle" and this piece of equipment can hit the little muscles from angles that bodyweight exercises or weights alone can't hit. This is more of an addition to your training or you can do Isometrics on your off days.

Always eager to learn and see what can benefit me, I've already locked in a number of isometrics for various muscle groups and love the feeling of them after a workout. Done right and they can even work the kinks out of muscles that might be stressful on you. I've had knee problems in the past, an on and off tense lower back and building core strength isn't easy for me but even in the short time of using this belt, I'm moving pretty fast in various movements and feeling lighter on my feet. My back feels less tense, my knees feel strong and my core is getting stronger. Now Isometrics alone won't help you in your athletic endeavors or overall health but they're a phenomenal add on and should be a part of everyone's training program. The belt makes it easier on the joints, it's no impact and you an take it anywhere. Great for traveling and makes a good piece of equipment for stretching.

Check out the pics below to get an idea of this thing. This is more of a review than anything and wanted to share my experience with it.

When it does completely come out, should be a fun use for a lot of people. You never know when it'll happen.

It Is Not Easy Being Strong When There's A World Full Of Bitterness

Everyone cannot always be brave, strong and full of enthusiasm 100% of the time, it just doesn't happen that way. Having my fair share of ups and downs, being physically weak and being beaten up physically and mentally, I understand bitterness at times. I have lashed out in a few places and even lashed out towards people I care about but in the end, it's all just being human. 

Everyone at one point in their lives were weak whether physically, mentally, emotionally or all three at the same time. When we become strong, it's because in many ways, we had to fight hard in order to achieve it. After accomplishing it, what do you plan to do with it? Some people attack weaker individuals because they know they can't fight back or defend themselves by trying to speak up. Some have even had the audacity to make a headline such as Suicide For Weaker Males Might Be The Better Option. What kind of human being does that? You're basically telling someone to kill themselves because they're not strong according to your ways of life. 

Some people do choose to be weak and helpless, that does happen but there's always a story there and whether we think it's boring or moronic or even pitiful it doesn't matter, there's a reason why that is. Others are weak and helpless because nobody helped them and just brushed them off and that's all they know, it is sad yes and we can't always fix everyone but we can do our damndest to try and help someone become strong. The world can be a shitty place, we have forgotten how to take care of one another even with the little things. I'm always learning how to look at things from certain perspectives. Kids today don't know a damn thing but they go on social media, bullying and thinking that they know how a person should live, how they should dress, how they should eat, sleep and be like this or that. They are already trying to figure out who they are but want to turn their confusion and frustration onto somebody else. It is a vicious cycle.

We live in a world where voicing your outrage has become the norm and it overshadows a lot of what is truly positive especially around politics, race, religion, education, social groups, fitness, sports, fashion, body types and a bunch of other things. Sometimes just breathing is hard enough for some people, why do you feel the need to attack? Many people have become so damn bitter and ruthless because of who knows what. Words can break or make a person and it hasn't been this generation that has lost it's element because of a few words. History has shown that words have either ended wars or started them, words that brought people together or have broken them a part, words that manipulated and deceived have also been words that built trust and compassion for others. Words are very powerful, sometimes far more than a deadly weapon and it's because with a deadly weapon, that could easily end a life right then and there, a few words can kill someone slowly over a period of time and suffer for it, that is worse than an easy death. 

 I do the best to my abilities to be a positive person, be encouraging and help someone who wants to set goals but have trouble reaching them. I'm no different or better than anybody. Bitterness brings nothing but pain and suffering. I'm not saying we should be all lovey dovey all the time but the more negative stress you put on yourself, the more of a black hole you won't be able to climb out of. Being positive can impact a person's life more than you can imagine. Sometimes all it takes is one word, one sentence, one speech, one freaking look to change a person's entire being. It isn't easy being strong in a bitter world, so show someone how to be strong, help them find that genius in them and give them a reason to be helpful to others who were once like you. Weakness can mean a lot of things, but everyone has an opportunity to be strong whether physically, mentally, emotionally or all three at the same time. 

The Disneyland Workout System

If you're planning a vacation but want to still stay true to your workouts and your eating habits, there might be a way to do that and make it fun in the process. Disneyland is more than a park where families, friends, couples and kids share the fun atmosphere and go on some cool rides and meet awesome characters, it is a place to stretch your imagination and be more observant to how you apply yourself while having a blast. The most obvious way to workout at the Magic Kingdom is just by doing A LOT of walking. When you're on your feet to get to a ride or in line for food and getting an autograph, there's a few things you can do without looking like a weirdo.

One of my favorite exercises to do while waiting in line is the Wall Sit, if you access to a wall while waiting for let's say Roger Rabbit's Cab Ride, lean up against the wall, keep the back as straight as possible and sit there for as long as you can. It is a great exercise to stretch your knees and working the muscles along the low back, quads and calves. Just breathe deeply and whether you can hold it for 2 seconds or more than a minute it doesn't matter. As you move throughout the line and stop, go back to the wall sit.

You can do a great deal of exercise at your hotel before heading down to the park. The most ideal thing to do if you can help it, is to keep your workouts short so no more than maybe 20 minutes or go swimming in the pool for a while. You want to be fresh for walking around the parks and drink plenty of water. The last time I was at Disneyland was back in 2016 with my girl and we were averaging a good 8-10 miles a day just walking. For her that was plenty plus some good stretching but for me, I like a little more zass to it by doing Isometrics, a little deck of cards workouts and even hold a handstand at a place in California Adventure near Soaring Over California (Now Soarin Over The World). Just moving around the park can be tiring so you want to keep that energy up. Sometimes I walk over to a place to rest and just sit in a catcher's squat and stretch the legs a bit, other times I'll do a min-workout of VRT doing maybe 3 exercises for the upper body to get the blood pumping, it's a refresher for me.

Some rides provide you a way to work your body in order to make it a little more interesting. The Tea Cups has you steering and that can really work your arms. The shoulders, triceps, biceps and forearms all get a great workout and gives you a hell of a pump. Work those arms and try not to get dizzy. Staying stable can also be a challenge on some rides so to get the most out of your core, on some rides such as Indiana Jones, Thunder Mountain Railroad and Space Mountain, do your best to not ram yourself into the sides, keep your core muscles tight and hang on because there are times where you'll rock or be steered hard to the side.

What would be the best workout for your legs other than walking? Go up and down Tarzan's Treehouse. Hell of a cardio booster and you will work practically everything and to make it more interesting, go up two steps at at time instead of one at a time. If there's a ride that has stairs, use them to your advantage. You can burn a hell of a lot of calories at the parks.

Now granted Disneyland doesn't have the greatest quality of healthy foods, you can still find some if you're willing to look for it. Near the Jungle Cruise there's a stand where it provides fruit to help with solid nutrition and hydration. Awesome Fish Tacos at a restaurant near the Golden Horseshoe, great salad options at Pizza Port and some cool healthy sandwiches to find. If staying healthy is important, make it work for you. If you need to kickback a little and have a fun meal, I love to grab a burger near Splash Mountain or get some meaty skewers at the Bengal BBQ. Can't go wrong with a good sandwich on Main Street man.

Make your workouts fun while visiting the parks and have a blast, don't take things too serious and be yourself. Eat the best to your ability and if you happen to grab a pizza or a burger some place, don't worry so much, you'll have plenty of exercise to burn it off by the walking.

Better Than A Free Book

I wanted to let you know about a sweet deal that I just found out about.

My friend, Logan Christopher, just released his newest book titled, Powered By Nature: How Nature Improves Our Happiness, Health and Performance.

The book shows you all kinds of aspects of nature and how these can be used to help make you a better you.

Just buying the book alone would be worth it, but he’s put together an offer that is better than free.

You see, when you order the book at a discounted price of $19.99 you’re going to get a $30 gift card at his company Lost Empire Herbs, good for any and all of the amazing herbs they offer.

I’m always talking about how great these herbs are for your health, your hormones, your energy and more.

So grab this book and you can get some of the best quality herbs to get started with for free.

Pretty good deal, right?

What’s more is that since the call to write this book came out of Logan’s journey to the Amazon rainforest, for every book sold not one, but two acres of rainforest get protected.

It’s a win-win-win deal.

Here’s one review for it:

“A must read! I just got my copy and started reading it 3 day's ago. I have a hard time putting it down. If you are the slightest bit concerned about the health of the earth and yourself then this is a must read. Logan's insight and knowledge is spot on. Thank You Logan for writing this book. It came into my life at the right time!”- Hal Irvine

There’s lots more information about the book and what’s inside it on this page.