What Makes Suspension Training One Of The Most Versatile Tools In Fitness?

 When it comes to minimal equipment, it's important to see what can give the greatest benefit for putting the most in your training. Things like Resistance Bands can be very versatile because they weigh practically nothing and can fit into a travel bag easily. That's one of the reasons why I like Suspension Training from the WorldFit Iso Trainer, you can take it anywhere and it easily fits in your pocket basically. When you can have a whole gym that you can take anywhere, there's not a whole lot of excuses to not train and I'm being modest here.

Being able to switch from one exercise to another in the blink of an eye makes training not only interesting but doesn't take a lot of time to get shit done. When you have that at your disposal and courses like Suspension Calisthenics, your entire world is your playground. It may not turn you into Mr. Olympia or some Acrobatic but it can do wonders for your body and mind that you didn't think were possible. Think about it....Being able to channel your creativity into a device that stretches the imagination beyond the core of a typical gym rat. A device that gives you opportunities to better your well-being as well as teaching you how to be your own coach. Not only that, it's AFFORDABLE as hell.

Yes bodyweight exercises are completely free and can be done anywhere and at anytime. You can learn a ton on Youtube and other Social Media that you can't learn in a book, however; it is important to realize that as great as those places are at times, having a knowledgeable course with someone who knows the grind and is fitter than many people his/her age, it isn't hard to find what you may be looking for and that's where I love recommending and teaching you to be aware of who is pretty damn good and who's a POS snake oil numbnuts who's only after your money. 

I understand people need to make a living and it's understandable in many cases to charge people services that cost an arm and a leg because they believe that's what they're worth, even when they look like bean poles or looking like they got inspired by Karen Carpenter's look of Anorexia. There's literally a guy who charges a "collectors" edition for a BOOK for 250 bucks. Paperbacks & Digital Downloads for 400 bucks or 200 for two books. I'm sorry but that's ridiculous as shit and quite frankly, I've seen better quality that was cheaper. This dude is also one of the crudest and sexist guys I've ever come across and doesn't have the balls to see what he's doing to people's hard earned money. Treats people like dirt and hates anyone who isn't fit because at one time he wasn't fit himself, it's Psychology 101, you put out what is a reflection of your own insecurities and shoving people's inadequacies down their throats. The only way that crazy haired and poor excuse of a man stays in business is because people are gullible enough to buy into his bullshit. There are better options folks and you don't have to feel like a loser for it either. 

I'd rather put my faith in a fitness master or knowledgeable trainer that treats people like human beings, gives encouragement and make you feel like hanging with him is one of the most fun things ever. He doesn't treat you like you're worthless, he gives you options and respect along the way without the need to rant on how bad things are and you are a POS. That's what I see in Matt Schifferle of the Red Delta Project. He's one of those guys that makes you feel good about yourself when you think you don't and he doesn't have some kind of agenda to make you feel like his way is the highway and sure as hell doesn't have some kind of ego that makes him hot shit. What he brings to the table is hope, opportunistic in a positive way and makes training interesting and fun to do. Remember the cost of a book in the previous paragraph? Matt's Grind Style Calisthenics Paperback is less than 30 Dollars and has higher quality and knowledge than the other guy's two books combined. With the cost of the WorldFit Iso Trainer, it's still way less than 100 bucks together and you have far more options in terms of exercises than ever and exercises that regular bodyweight styles can't match but can be a great addition to. The cost of the kindle version? Less than 10 bucks. Here's another kicker that really makes me love his work...His Youtube Channel has free workouts and tips that go beyond the books but still have the wherewithal to give you the option and encouragement to get the books. The other guy's channel, doesn't even have the option to comment let alone have the way of learning things from a fitness perspective. Awkward angles, long rants and shoves his ego down people's throats more than a Scientologist Cultist trying to recruit some poor guy. 

What makes Suspension Training one of the most versatile tools in fitness? It gives you the ability to train anywhere, anytime and makes you learn how to control your body from another outlook of bodyweight conditioning. Being serious about getting fit is never a bad thing but it's also important to have fun with it too and you get to play and experiment in ways that make you feel like a kid again. Matt's style of Suspension Training gives you all that and more and is one of the fittest men around today and at 46, he's still getting stronger and fitter. He teaches control and how to apply tension while also being a little quirky and often times nerdy about it but that's what makes him unique and a great asset to the Fitness Industry, he's one of the guys and makes you feel like you can accomplish anything with a little extra. I really cannot say anything bad about the guy, he's likeable and is one strong motherfucker for a bodyweight guy. 

In the wise words of Matt Schifferle....Be fit, live free. Keep being amazingly awesome everyone. 

Isometrics And How It Has Continued To Help My Training

 Being consistent with Isometrics isn't easy but it can make things interesting, especially if it helps with your other training adventures and keeping injuries at bay. One of the things that I will credit Isometrics with is my journey with Pull-Ups. I'm sure you've seen some of the videos by now and yeah there's still some improvement needed but I'm getting better than I was before. That's the beauty of Isometrics, it helps your weak points and strengthens areas needed or to get more strength in the tendons and ligaments so you can do certain things like Pull-Ups and such.

A good portion of my Isometric Routine is pretty basic by sticking with exercises in 1-3 positions doing 7-12 second contractions at a time. In most workouts, I keep it around 20-30 total contractions, sometimes more, other times less but work into the exercises I'm doing and hammer them out. Exercises are mainly, Bicep Curl, 3 Variations of the Wall Sit, Chest Press, Deadlift, Zercher Squat, Shoulder Raises, Overhead Shoulder Press, Hybrid Push-Up and Core Exercises like Hybrid Plank, Side Bends, Hollow Body Flex, Arch Body Flex, Dead Bug Crunch and Side Planks. I switch some exercises around depending on what I'm feeling that day and do them in a various order to go from one to the other. Some exercises I take a breather on but others, I just hit one and then adjust and keep that going until I feel like I need a breather. Not complicated and doesn't take a lot of time but gets a lot done.

When I go to the gym at times with the wife, I'll test myself on some stuff and slap on the Fat Gripz like Pull-Downs, Farmer's Walks, Bench Press or Rows. I'll throw in bodyweight exercises like Dips doing 5x5 and Pull-ups doing sets up to 3-5 and keep it there or do a countdown method. Suspension Training as well like Rows, Amosov Squats, Curl, Push-Ups or whatever I can come up with. Most of the time, I have no plan at all and just run with whatever pops into my head. Keep the reps at a minimum depending on what I want to do. Never to failure and try to keep gas in the tank. Take rest periods as long as needed, plus it helps to pass the time so when the girlie is ready to head out, it pans itself out. 

Because of methods like Isometrics, it has helped maintain my strength and even increased it in some things like being able to pull nearly the whole stack in pulldowns with the Fat Gripz on, Smith Bench up to about 280 with FG's on and so on and so forth. Never feeling sore or even feel like my joints are wearing down at all. They've helped me be in better control when I do movements and harness that mind/muscle connection. At the gym, it feels more like a day off than anything but it's fun and I do get questions from time to time with the FG's but for the most part, I keep to myself, nobody bothers me and every now and then, I'll let someone know they're killing it in their routine. That's really the thing is to cheer each other on and let others know what they're doing is awesome. 

I kind of look at Isometrics as not only the Cheat Code to training but also (in a fun way) like the way the Sith's powers in Star Wars. Paraphrasing a quote from Emperor Palpatine in Episode 3: Revenge Of The Sith "Isometrics is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural." It's very true from a certain point of view (again channeling my Star Wars nerdom) that Isometrics develops strength that still continues to be studied and learning the concept of what it means to be strong and resilient. It formulates power that can turn your weakest links into something that could be considered superhuman or become so strong that you wonder why you didn't learn this in the first place. In my own training, it is giving me abilities at 40 that I didn't think could keep going from my 20s and 30s along with being leaner since losing the weight. 

Keep at it guy and make Isometrics a part of your training, it does wonders for your body that will help things in later years and give you levels of strength that will give you a quality of life that seems like an impossible dream but can be very much real. Get the course Overcoming Isometrics from Red Delta Project and get yourself a WorldFit Iso Trainer that you can take anywhere and get some awesome training in. Great quality, AFFORDABLE and building a foundation to the type of training that will have you soaring into the stratosphere. 

Getting A Little Stronger And More With The Pulls

 Experimenting has been one of my favorite things to do when it comes to training. Finding ways to get better, get stronger in areas I wasn't strong in and putting on muscle that works in my favor instead of against me. Isometrics is one of the go to methods I've used for years that has been more and more these days helped some weak points in things I've been working on like Pull-Ups and other things. Maybe it's a phase, maybe it isn't even I don't freaking know lol. 

Ever since I hit those 5 Pull-Ups at that Marine booth at the Fairgrounds earlier this summer, something clicked and wanted to see if I can get better. 5 Reps seems to be my plateau but I know I can get stronger. It may be my max reps at the moment but not my total in a workout. As of right now, my best total with the regular pull-ups is 15 which I'm happy with. With Chin-Ups its a total of 32 because in the same workout I did a total of 17 Chin-Ups when I went to the gym that one day which you can see below doing a set of 5 each of the 2 Variations. Not perfect, sure as hell nowhere as good as Jack Lalanne or Matt Schifferle (These are true masters BTW) but got to keep improving right? Isn't that what fitness is truly about, improving little by little?

Pull-Ups were never my strong suit and when it comes to muscle building, they're not the end-all-be-all move to build thick muscles in the back. Some guys can pull it off (pun intended) but other guys can look like a "get that guy a sandwich" type and be "good" at them. If you've ever seen my results, you know that there are other alternatives to building muscle for the back that is still functional and useful. I don't however want to be dogmatic about it because if I did, I would be lying to myself and I'm telling people to work on other things and experiment for themselves what can work. This is more of, what can get me going at this moment in time. 

With The weight loss, the muscle building and the adjustments I've made in my own training, it's something to pursue and see where it leads. Not doing it because it's a Litmus test for the military or something that is required of me, just want to see what I'm capable of. Trying other variations like using the Worldfit Iso Trainer or a Towel to test my grip strength. The towel can be a bitch and it has been some time, like years since I've done Pull-Ups that way but in the video below, I manage a couple that are pretty damn intense but I'm in control and getting my chin over the fists. If I really credit anything that has kept me strong in order to do that it's Isometrics. All those sessions doing 7-12 seconds of intense contractions and muscle control is paying off. I'm not expecting gymnast type results later on, that's not my intention. As a matter of fact, if there's the cream of a crop of an athlete that has dominated the Pull-Up exercise it's either a Gymnast or a Rock Climber hands down. The technique and the muscle control is what makes the Pull-Up great, not just the pull itself. 

It's fun to try certain things even at certain places like at a Park or the gym or wherever. Be serious about what you're getting into but don't be so rigid about it that you can't enjoy the experience. That's what I do my best to preach is that you want to make your training a great experience. You may not always have the motivation to go after it, fuck sometimes my motivation isn't always there but I do what I can and get the most out of what is happening to me in the moment. I may have various emotions going on and I don't want to train for hours at a time but still make the effort to get something done even if its a few minutes. 

If I really had to pick the best methods that have built my back it's Isometrics, the Chest Expander, Sandbags & working with my Fat Gripz. Pull-ups is just another link in the chain and one of the best in training that exercise comes from the Red Delta Project through the Grind Style Calisthenics System. It is by far, one of the top training practices around today and teaches how to utilize alternative equipment that you can take anywhere and work on your exercises. This is something I highly recommend. If anything, this system has been one of my biggest influences on Bodyweight Training and Isometrics.

If you want the most out of your training that is affordable and not some cheap knockoff that is priced higher than Willie Mays' career Batting Average for quite a few of the products "sold" than GSC is right up your ally man. Training should be affordable that has quality standards. Don't get a con artist who sells a 300 dollar book that's easily worth more like 30 or 40 with cheap shit that barely makes anything look believable. That's what I love about Red Delta Project, it sells courses that are reasonable in price, makes others feel inspired to train because of the enthusiasm and positive affirmations along with methods that people can understand down to the smallest detail and channel their own pace. It has expectations for sure but doesn't act like an asshole about it and gives you the feeling of "man I want to hang with this guy" kind of vibe. No ego, no narcissism and sure as hell doesn't rant about how much of a loser people are. It's like a coach that will kick your ass but cheer you on and make you feel good about yourself in the process. It makes the journey an experience you want to have. 

Keep getting stronger everyone and keep being amazingly awesome. 

Why Pulling Movements Are Important

 I'm not talking just pull-ups as if they're the Zeus of Pulling Mount Olympus, it goes beyond that. It's pulling from an overall perspective that is the key thing here. It's not merely a method of training to help with muscle imbalances, it's more on the likes of building grip strength, working with various objects and having the strength to help yourself up or others. Machines, Deadlifts, Pull-ups, Chin-Ups all work to a degree within each other. No one move is superior to the other and no one movement is going to solve all your needs in that area.

When you learn to get better at pulling, you're getting strength that is essential in ways you may not even realize. From my own experiences, I may not be the best at pull-ups but I've done a lot of pulling in my time, more than I lead on. It truly started when I was laid up after my accident and being in a hospital bed was very discouraging. If you've had major injuries or have/are wheelchair bound, you have an idea of what I mean. It wasn't easy for people to lift me in order for me to do what I needed to do so I made it a priority to use what strength I had in my upper body to get myself around which turned to more pulling and dipping. In the hospital, they have those hangers where you pull yourself up to get into a wheelchair or to pull yourself up in order to sit up. I did a lot of those and when I had to get into a car without using my legs, I had to pull and grip on the Car Handle basically with one arm in order to get myself in. One time, I had to get in the passenger seat this way and I said to myself out loud "Come on motherfucker" in order to muster the strength to get in. 

Pulling isn't as big of a priority as pushing is but it is important to understand that Pushing and Pulling is the Yin and Yang to the Upper body and be able to work with both in a synergetic fashion. I like to do Pull-downs, Rows, Pull-ups & Chin-Ups when I train especially when I use my Fat Gripz to really utilize the muscle groups as best as possible to their maximum potential. I love to use the WorldFit Iso Trainer and make it work as a Suspension Trainer, you can do so much with it, the list is only limited to your imagination. From Isometrics to Partials to Full Range as good as can be, this thing can do wonders for your pulling strength. One of the best authors on Suspension Training is Matt Schifferle with his Grind Style Calisthenics Training System. It teaches the true fundamentals of Pulling along with the other chain of muscles so you can build muscle and strength. 

An idea of doing various pulls is a video demo I did where there are exercises such as the Hybrid Iso Pull-Up by strapping a loop on each side of a rack or in this case Monkey Bars and pull yourself up until the strap has you at a stopping point and hold it. This is essentially a 2 For 1 Exercise as pull with with as much strength from an Overcoming POV and you're fighting against Gravity at the same time. Another exercise is a beginner's version of Pull-Up where you squat down and hold onto the handles and then pull yourself up using your legs as assistance but also do your best to focus and use tension on the muscles of the back, arms and core. This version is a great strength builder and puts on muscle in the upper back. The last one is the Hybrid Iso Row where you create a stopping point and then row until you hit that mark and hold it. Hell of a grip and core exercise. 

Work with what's possible and make little bits of progress at a time. Even the tiniest form of progress builds into a monumental goal. I do believe in building strength in pull-ups but it's great to work with the other things together to create really insane pull strength. Pull-ups are a key move but they're not the only ones, do some work with the other exercises and you'll see some awesome results. 

Be amazingly awesome and build strength so when it's needed the most, you can not only lift yourself up but lift up others in need. 

The Toxicity Of The Fitness Industry

 You learn in the world of fitness that many methods work for a lot of people but some things aren't meant for everyone and that's ok. The problem is, there are people out there that prey on others' insecurities and often times trauma in order to make a buck and that's just plain dirty man, it's right up there with some corrupt cops. This is especially hard on women which quite frankly is fucking sad. When you toy with people's emotions, it becomes a toxic situation and that's not what fitness and helping others get in shape is about. 

I may have my opinions on things but at the end of the day, I don't wish anyone harm or do such crazy stuff that it'll affect their life negatively down the road whether it's injuries, brain damage or thinking exercise should be avoided like the plague. Some people are like that and some may be too far gone but that doesn't mean we give up on the rest of the world. Personally, everyone should be able to enjoy their exercise routines or be fitter and healthier little by little each day. The world would be very different but alas, it can be a pain in the ass to try to save or get EVERYONE to do some kind of training.

There are people out there that treat others like shit yet they try to make exercise seem like it's the greatest thing on earth and if you don't do it, you're a loser and a piece of shit. That's what a lot of cultists do, they manipulate a person's psyche and use them as pawns of some scheme in order to "sell their product" to the masses. There are fitness authors that literally have misogynistic views on women and claim to love them while also calling them idiots. It's sick and degrading. They boost their ego by saying because of how fit they are, they sleep with a lot of women and brag that women fall for him like they're god. Hell, one guy calls himself a Habib Porn star, I don't know about you but that's not a great nickname to have and most people shouldn't brag about being a possibly walking VD. That's just my take on it.

Now, there are those out there who do seek attention and put content out that are a bit racy (I'm being modest here) and yeah it doesn't send the greatest message to get people going, maybe some but all you're truly doing is just showing off your T & A, your abs and whatever makes you look shredded. One of the greatest things I learned in almost 20 years of training every single day is that you can look like a million bucks and let's face it, sex sells, has been for decades or longer but like I'm saying, looking like a million bucks may get you going in some areas but if you don't have the strength or the conditioning that is functional and matters most when it's needed, looks will go out the window in the long run. 

If you want to look and feel better, that's awesome and I want you to accomplish those goals, I only ask is that you also learn to be strong and conditioned when the time comes cause looks don't save somebody from a burning building or help others move furniture and sure as hell looks don't always mean you're going to be a stud in the bedroom. People like Tyler Bramlett, Logan Christopher, Matt Schifferle, Melody Schoenfeld, Kirsten Tulloch, Brooks Kubik and others are some of the true masters of what make fitness enjoyable while also taking your health seriously. They don't belittle others like they're so unfit their lives don't mean jack shit or treat their system as their way or the highway, they show what is possible, take methods that have stood the test of time and make it a priority to help others be fit, strong, healthy and help others be better people. 

Some people are so freakishly toxic, you wonder how the hell people follow them? The truth is, people feel the need to belong somewhere, they have become accustomed to certain things like making people feel like crap or were treated like crap in their lives and the volume has turned up as they get older. It's that mentality to lure people into a cult like atmosphere and shower them with hate while increasing their ego and act like they got the bigger dick. Kind of like Hitler or Jim Jones. Trump anyone? 

Another outlook of the toxic areas of the fitness world is the dogmatic approach to a certain method where if you don't believe in a trainer's method or someone's system, then you're the loser and have no business living practically. That's fucked up and not a good image for healthy exercise. Someone's method can work for a lot of people, hell change their way of life completely for the better but it's not the end-all-be-all. No one method is. It's the preying on gullible people to brainwash them into believing that a method of training is the ultimate thing to the point where they will argue and fight you (at times literally) in order to show that their way of training is best. Crossfit is right up there, I'm not saying it's the worst of the worst, many people benefitted from it but it has more cons than it does pros and it's not sustainable for long term health. HIIT is another one. This is where it can be a conflict because I practice the method myself, however; I treat it like it is an option and not some method to put up on a pedestal, trainers take that style of training way too far and not give people enough time to recover and teach people to go more than 4 days a week depending on the type of exercises, timing and rest periods.

It is difficult to find trust in a method or series of methods that doesn't come off as some guy acting like an asshole and treating others like dirt or put them in some negative category. I've called guys out on it and they have trouble fighting back at me and have written articles about me saying some crazy shit. Some of it is creative, often dull as hell. Hell, one guy tried to tell people about something about fitness and what protocols to use in order to be a real man or some shit; I went on to tell him the real deal and all he did was say I look like I couldn't do 5 Push-ups. I showed him a video of me doing 5 Push-ups but on six fingers and after that...Crickets, couldn't make one single comeback but he was cool about it and thought "ok, he got me on that one". 

It happens but when it comes down to it, don't be a toxic dick. Do what you can and help others as best as you can. There's going to be trash talkers and those that try to call you out every now and then, just don't get so caught up it becomes of web that you can't get out of. Trust me, I've been there and it's not pretty. Learned some lessons and they're part of the journey. Make training an adventure, look at methods from another perspective and use your imagination. Be amazingly awesome.   

Pushing, Pulling, Squatting, Sandbags, Bands And More

 Keeping things basic is the way to go but don't always look to them as a generic boring thing. Make the basics interesting, make games out of them and have fun while kicking your ass. Daily training and being smart about what you do will make all the difference. If you're more keen on doing things 3-4 times a week, that's great too, just don't fall for bullshit that'll get you hurt or worse. 

Building muscle at 40 these days isn't surprising or as shocking as it was back in the day but it's still incredible that people can still accomplish it and continue their journey. For me, it's becoming more and more of a realization that the more you can make it happen and without TRT, HGH, HRT and other things that many even as young as their 20's are doing, is something to celebrate and be proud of. 

Old school methods are what keeps the world going around when it comes to Fitness in the long run. Been doing it for ages but there's always been fluctuations in terms of what my physique has gone through over the years and I blame no one but myself on what some of those fluctuations entailed. The best thing to do is to keep improving, making better decisions on the type of training you do and getting the most out of it. Some may say Daily Hard Workouts will get you better results but some of those same guys look like Bean Poles and have less muscle than Karen Carpenter (bad joke I know). I say, do what you can and go hard when needed, go hard for too long, too frequently, it can bite you in the ass.

There was a reason I fell in love with training and it went beyond my accident and all that, you already know the story by now so you don't need me to repeat it like a broken fucking record. It's the love of doing things that mean something, that are valued and making adjustments. Doing 500 Push-ups and Squats are great for some but there are plenty of things that don't require hundreds or thousands of reps in one shot. Play it over time and spread them out. If anything I do 500 these days is Step Ups or a total of 500 doing 5 exercises for 10 reps each for 10 rounds doing Circuits with my Dopamineo Band. The rest of the time, I'll do lifts with the sandbags, work on isometrics, consistent deep breathing training with the O2 Trainer and play with the hammers, chest expander and other kick ass equipment I got laying around. 

Working on bodyweight training is always fun to do especially when you learn from people like Matt Schifferle of the Red Delta Project. Guy's knowledge and applications of movements are so freaking awesome, it's shameful he's not ranked up there with being one of the very best in Physical Culture today. His method of Grind Style Calisthenics and Isometrics brings that old school mentality with a humble notion of encouragement in the modern age is refreshing. 

Keeping the grind going and putting up content of Push-ups, Pull-Ups (Suspension), Sandbag Work, Bands just keep getting better and better man. My physique is changing for the better as well and losing weight has been a great blessing. When I turned 40 back in late July, I was already down 17-18 lbs within the last several months since my recovery from that fucked up Sciatica injury which I will aways take responsibility for. This time around, I'm down to roughly 230 lbs and the muscle just keeps packing on little by little. Often these days I take a longer time to eat during the day, only eating when I'm hungry and consistently eating Meats, Eggs, Rice, using the Air Fryer and other things. Still have my vices like pizza, fries, burgers (not always fast food), Burritos, Pasta and sandwiches from Subway or this little place here called Local Deli where even half a sandwich looks huge yet still losing weight and dropping bodyfat. Haven't had Burger King in months and been more than a year that I can remember having McDonalds.

 

When you put in the work but keeping the stress to a minimum, things will pop up for you and being consistent with your eating habits and training smart and not like a maniac frequently. It's good to go crazy a couple to a few times a week but don't push to where you're so sore, your muscles are screaming at you "You are a fucking asshole for doing this to me." Have gas in the tank, make little progressions and keep your mind sharp when you train, even on those days when things around you suck. Don't go overboard with the junk stuff but don't have to 100% cut them out of your life either unless it's dire and need to clean things up. 

Training at this age and beyond is crucial and valuable but don't make it so that you're going to act like a dick and tell people how much of a loser they are if they don't train. Be more encouraging, share your progress and utilize what gives you the greatest benefit in your journey. Calling people derogatory names because they don't do pull-ups or some shit like that makes you more of the loser than anything else. Do many these days need a tune up in their health, absolutely, but preying on their insecurities and mocking them with such vengeance is such a copout and just downright mean bro. Being a goody too shoes isn't ideal either so it's important to find a balance of being encouraging and giving people a reason to train and giving tough love when needed. It's hard enough when the biggest critics is ourselves. 

Stick to the basics as much as possible. There will be days where things aren't always there and the chaos of life just throws you curve ball after curve ball, don't give up and do a little something even a few push-ups or holding a few postures during commercials while watching your favorite show and if you got a streaming service, pause the movie for a little bit and do a quick mini workout that can be as short as a few minutes like this Core Workout, it's not easy but it'll do some good in a span of 4 minutes. You got this and keep your journey alive. Be amazingly awesome.

Dopamineo Playlist To Help Get You Started

 

When you get an idea in your head and have something good going on, you might as well share it and see where it leads. For a while now in addition to my Dopa Band Workouts, I wanted to create a playlist on my YouTube to show some basic moves you can do with the Band. Some are a little more advanced and others are the basics with the volume turned up so do speak. 

These bands are insanely fun to use and the creativity you can get from them are limitless. It doesn't matter if you're a wrestler, MMA Fighter, Fitness Nut or a bad ass Olympic Champion; Dopa Bands create a unique way to build strength and conditioning that not only lasts but enhances your energy levels, the way you move and the way you can have a better quality of life. That's why I created the playlist to showcase what you can do at least on a simpler level. Exercises you can start with and build a foundation on. 

They're not just for building athleticism and fitness, they can be great for rehab/prehab, mobility training, flexibility, rotational work, loosening up muscles and a hell of a lot more. From time to time, I'll use them to loosen up my back and legs. My joints always feel amazing after training with them and because they're not time constricted, you can get in something great in as little as 5-10 minutes. If you wish to go longer, that's awesome, you get to decide what could work for you and take the amount of steps needed to get better and better. 

Now, one of the perks of getting a band is that once you learn some of the exercises that can get you started, you can access even more tutorials from the DopamineO company themselves that will send your fitness into the stratosphere. Get your hands on workouts and exercises from World & Olympic Champions, MMA Tournament Winners, College Wrestlers and other Pro Athletes that will showcase their explosiveness, strength, power, speed, reactions and more that made them some of the very best on the planet. I can give you samples of things that can get you going and have some fun with, but when you learn from the cream of the crop, you'll find out what you're capable of and harnessing a new level of cardio that is just unbelievable. 

One of my favorite exercises is the Squat & Row Combo which is very simple, take the band, Squat down, come back up and pull towards the rib cage. Nothing too complicated and works multiple muscle groups which can aid in conditioning training along with agility. I do this often in my own training doing either circuits or HIIT Workouts where I would do this for up to a minute or so with other exercises for a total of 15-30 minutes of a full workout. It's great as it can be used to train for wrestling working on the duck under and pulling your opponent in for the kill or it can be done to work on knee mobility and working the upper back muscles to build strength for rehabbing. There are so many things this exercise can do it's nuts yet it's so simple to do. 

With practice, a good work ethic and utilizing your imagination, these bands will benefit you in ways that I can't even fathom and who knows what you'll be able to do. You can take them anywhere, even to the gym to use for rest periods, warm ups, cooldowns, finishers or part of your routine. You can bring them to the park like you'll see with some of the exercises in this playlist. Take them down to the Lake and work on some stuff before going swimming like the Propeller for example. It is a great companion for at home training or to travel with. 

In this playlist there are more than a Dozen exercises at your disposal to get you started that range from working specific muscles to explosive training and combo moves. Grab a band today and start on the path to a new you and have a kick ass time. Don't forget to use my Discount Code POWERANDMIGHT to get 10% OFF your order. You got this and keep being amazingly awesome. 

Why Dopamineo Bands Are Great For Those Over 40

 Getting older can suck at times depending on how you live but it doesn't mean you can't build a better quality of life after a certain age. Some people believe they peaked in high school, others in their 20's and 30's but very few (more than past generations at least) believe you stop at 40 and just live it out the rest of your life. One of the greatest legends and one of the last of the oldtime strongmen Slim The Hammerman once said he didn't even peak at 40. He said between his years of 40-50, he felt like he was invincible and dangerous. That's a bold statement considering what he put himself through day after day working as a back breaking stone cutter with a 16 lb hammer and on top of performing the heaviest sledgehammers that to this day almost nobody can match.

Athletes as they age do tend to wind down after years of hard training in certain sports but it doesn't mean they should stop living. We keep driving to be better, make adjustments if we have to but train to keep our quality of life going. We won't always be able to do the same things when we were younger but we can create new possibilities and keeping our joints healthy is one of those steps to making that happen.

I knew going into being 40 that there are things that won't value my style of training but I can create new possibilities and keep testing things out and as it turns out, I'm doing things I wasn't doing in my 30's. Never imagined training hard with a heavy 100+ lb sandbag at 40 or carrying a kettlebell for hundreds or even 1000 yards or more without putting it down. One of the best pieces of equipment I love using and have been using it off and on for a year now is the Dopamineo Band. At first it was to help heal a sciatica injury, than it became something to do for conditioning and now it's basically to not only condition my body but to help keep my joints and muscles healthy. You've seen some of the workouts I do with that thing and it hasn't slowed me down. 

The band is more than just a tool, it's a saver for those who are working around injuries, do drills in some format to keep up with what they did for wrestling or fighting back in the day or to maintain health and stamina after years on the field, the mat or whatever. It gives off that youthful feeling of having great energy, natural dopamine levels, better breathing and being more mobile. You can take it anywhere with you and use it as warm up, a finisher or as a stand alone in addition to your regular routine. It doesn't take long to do, you can get a killer workout in within 15-30 minutes and be spanked but in a good way. The cardio you get alone is often times better than just running on a treadmill, you can switch up exercises on a dime and never be bored. You can make it as tough or as easy as you want it and build a foundation for a better healthy body.

One of my favorite exercises is what's called the Chest Pull Wave or Creating Waves With A Pull In that works the arms, shoulders and back along with working the stability muscles in your core. It's a hell of an arm conditioner and with the intensity and pace to create waves consistently, it builds incredible stamina and lung power. Wrestlers do this as a finisher to keep up their conditioning or use as part of a post practice workout to make sure they have that extra boost for matches later on. From a fitness standpoint, it's a great way to build long term strength in the arms and build muscle in the core and back. 

Being active in your later years is essential to maintain healthy levels of hormones, heart & lungs, serotonin and brain function. Intense exercise adds a great element to being in that active state but it doesn't mean you go so hard that you're dying at the end. Always have gas in the tank and progress little by little. I love Circuit Training and working with 5 exercises or so for 10 rounds with little to no rest so I don't waste time. I want to be done with a workout as soon as possible and on some days I'll do DDP Yoga for longer periods of time so I can maintain flexibility but with Circuits, it is intense, hard and there's no safety zone or net to save you. 

One workout I did with the Dopa Band just a couple days ago or so, I did a HIIT type workout where I took 5 exercises for 1 minute on, 15 seconds off each and did that 4 times for a total of approx 25 min for the whole workout. It was brutal, sweating like crazy and felt a high that was amazing. Never did that level of intense training before and there were times where I wanted to quit but kept going. It's not an everyday thing but going that hard and still having some energy left is just beautiful man. That's one of the very best things about this style of Band Training, you can mimic just about any machine in the gym or work on drills for sparring to keep your stamina up or even use it in addition to your current routine and use it for rest periods between sets for your gym exercises. 

The sky is the limit, be creative and utilize simple techniques so you can get the most out of a workout. When you get a band, you can gain access to a variety of videos and tutorials to give you insights on how you can use the band to your advantage. The band is made for those in certain weight classes like in MMA so you can get the benefit of training with something meant just for you and your goals. Become more mobile, build strength that lasts and have the stamina of someone in their 20's. Workout at home, the park, in a hotel room, at the beach, on break at work, on vacation or wherever. Make it work for you.

As a token of my gratitude as you took the time to read this, if you're interested in purchasing a band or a bundle, I have a discount code you can use that saves you a few bucks or more off the regular price for them. At the checkout punch in the code POWERANDMIGHT to get 10% OFF. There's bands made for kids, there's bundles you can find for Group Classes, MMA Programs, High School/Youth/College Wrestling Programs, A Family Bundle for you, the wife and kids so you can all get fit together and more. Keep the quality of life alive and get the most out of your training so you can still do amazing things for many years to come. 

Have an amazingly awesome day and keep killing it. 

Real Painkillers You Don't Need To Shove Down Your Throat

 Pain can be a great teacher but it also can be a ferocious and intense demon if you let it happen. At times we can't control the pain but we can do our best to avoid it as much as possible. For all intents and purposes, the no pain, no gain thing is a bullshit myth. Being in pain is not fun and when it hits hard, it can be debilitating. Been there, done that and not very fond of it.

I understand the need to be on painkillers, I did it while I had my sciatica and was so bad I couldn't walk. I hated taking them and made a conscience decision to stop. The real painkillers that are worth taking is to train doing mobility, flexibility and old fashioned strength training. It's not easy and you won't always have the best day but even a bad day is better than getting addicted to pills to numb anything. Trust me, I feel you and I sympathize but it's important to be as level headed as you can. Some people turn to CBD gummies which more power to them if there are severe cases but if you can find a way to put drugs or even alcohol aside, do what's possible to utilize exercise.

One of the best painkillers, is DDP Yoga. Modify your level and work around things if you can and build that flexibility and strength little by little. With consistent effort, it potentially can get you out of pain and make you feel like you can take on the world again. It did for me and made me strong again that I'm doing stuff I never thought I'd be doing at 40 like hoisting up 100+ lb sandbags, being more mobile than before and even getting stronger in certain lifts I haven't done in years. Hell, at a fair here earlier this summer, walked around with the family and there was the Marine Recruitment tent that had their pullup bar to test people. I hadn't touched a pull-up bar in roughly 2 years or so and weighing 240 lbs. I knocked off 5 chin over bar pull-ups. That felt great to do and apparently I did the bare minimum they gave a little lanyard. I'd say that's a win for not doing almost any pullups at all in a while.

Another set of painkillers is using various tools that utilize many muscle groups at once like Sandbags, Kettlebells, Mace & Sledgehammers. Sure it's best to use lighter weight to work technique and you don't need to go super heavy to get something going. Train for real world application, don't push yourself to the point of pain, do enough to satisfy a good workout and challenge yourself, progress little by little and keep yourself healthy.  

Be active and keep a solid level of it each day. Beating yourself up will only lead to misery and it's important to stay as healthy as possible for as long as possible. Exercise is more than just getting to the gym and doing some things and then head home. Yes, it's better than nothing and many thrive on it but also there's a whole other world of possibilities that you can learn to work with instead of fighting against it. The only fight you should really be concerned with is fighting aging and gravity. It's sad to see people my age, older or younger either letting themselves go or not giving themselves opportunities to get better and beat the notion later on of "when I was your age, I could do this" blah blah blah. Be able to do things now and get a little stronger and mobile even down to the smallest fraction. It still gets 10-1000 steps ahead of the majority in the world. 

Have the ability to adapt and adjust what you're able to do and expand on it. That's the greatest painkiller of all, training as you adapt to be out of pain as much as you can. Can we 100% avoid it? No, but we must take a stand to minimize it anyway we can without resorting to pharmaceuticals. Take notes, pay attention to your weak links and strengthen them. Be mindful and go at your own pace, it's not a sprint, it's a marathon. 

Be amazingly awesome and continue to kick ass in your journey. Another great Painkiller that reaps many benefits is Isometrics. Some of the best training in existence comes from training Isometrics as they can help heal joints and strengthen tendons and muscles that other methods can't reach. Ask the legendary Brooks Kubik who's still going strong at 67 doing Isometrics to keep his body sharp for workouts that had him set records in his age group in AAU Olympic Weightlifting. The man is still a monster and has a physique that people in their 20's would be impressed by.  

   

Big Bertha Has Lost Some Weight

 Certain times in my life, I wanted to see what I can handle with some very heavy weight. I still do today but only in smaller capacities. Weight Training wise, I'll hit the gym every now and then and test myself and come back and see the progress like I do with my Fat Gripz. It's fun for a while but at some point, you've got to cut back a bit and focus on strength that matters in the long term, not what your max is. 

In this case, I decided to reduce the weight of my Epic Sledgehammer that's happily named Big Bertha. For years I've had her, she went up in weight starting at 26 lbs empty and went up to 35, 45, 54, 59 and eventually 75 lbs. This was at first upping weight to work on my deck of cards and whenever I was able to complete the deck, I would up the weight. It stayed at 59 lbs for the longest time because I stopped doing the cards and just repping it. Eventually I wanted to see how heavy I can handle it and was repping it at 75 lbs. Very few people on this planet are able to do it and one of the only people I know of who can rep a hammer at 100 lbs is the Mad Scientist Nick Nilsson. For a time, I wanted to match him but in the end, if anybody who should own the 100 lb club title it's him, that dude takes strength into another universe. 

It stayed stagnant for a period of time and only worked that hammer a handful of times at that heavy of a weight. I didn't want it to just be on display so I made the decision to cut her down to a weight where it's still heavy but it's not difficult for me to kill myself over trying to pick it up and rep it only a few times. I scooped out the lead shot and ended up going down to just under 46 lbs which was comfortable for me to work with. That hammer regardless of weight, is not to be messed with. 

Sledgehammers are a whole other animal when it comes to lifting and moving weight. The strength you build is different, the type of grip you develop is on a whole other level. It's strength that builds legends like Slim Farman or John Henry. It should be fun playing with this thing again and using it for strength and using my Giants hammer for conditioning. You can get fit with hammers without breaking your back to do it and it doesn't take long to feel it once you get into it. Hammers are old school, making boys into men and building strength outside the normal gym culture. Work with a weight that is comfortable for you and take advantage of the benefits. The best hammers are made by Ryan Pitts at strongergrip.com. Be amazingly awesome and have fun. 

More On Fat Gripz

 Training With A Fat Grip is more than just building muscle size and strength, it creates a new level of control and focus that you can't duplicate with typical gym equipment. You won't be able to rely on style, form, technique or even timing because it's really just sheer strength and power to make a lift. It has a far greater burden on the tendons, ligaments and musculature than a regular barbell, dumbbell or even pull machine ever will.

In reality, very few athletes will go near fat grip training, although today it is making a comeback, there is still a wide range of men or women that have that fear factor. Working with Fat Gripz is not meant to be easy, matter of fact, much of it separates the men from the boys because in order to get better, you have to push through that barrier and challenge your capabilities. You won't work the same amount of weight with a typical bar but that's ok, not many even attempt it. I've taken my FG's to the gym and I do get looks every now and then cause I don't work with regular equipment or at least work with what they got so I need to create that extra inch if you will of training that makes it unique yet old school. 

I'm not about the bodybuilding culture or toning down to look like an athlete. At 40, the main thing is to not just maintain muscle but to still have strength that means something. Sculpting was never my thing and quite frankly, most sculpting methods of weight training require levels upon levels of steroid use, overuse of isolation exercise and a diet that most likely will make me miserable as hell. Besides, having a good look is fine but if your strength is shit, what good is the look going to do?

I prefer to use my FG's for my TNT Cables which has greater ability to build healthier joints plus having the hand strength to go along with it. When I do use them for the gym, they go on the bar, dumbbells and bars for pulldowns and such. That's it. I still manage to build some decent strength and I only do a few sets of 10 or less with every exercise I do, it makes things interesting that way. As they say, strong hands equals a strong body.

Be careful in how you do them. They're not meant for toning or putting on a little muscle, if you consistently train with them, you're building muscle that is meant for raw power and strength. They build muscle that is rugged, thick, functional and outside the parameters of a regular gym goer. Want to take them out for a spin? Grab a set and see/feel the difference and humbling experience it provides. If you really want to another level, go for the Extreme set and really dig into the realm of the old time strongmen.   

Fat Gripz And The Gym

 Every now and then, I'll go to the gym with the wife and do a few things while she does her own training. It's almost like a day off for me and just seeing what's possible. Sure there are more machines than free weights but I'll go with what I can get. Usually do a quick warm up doing DDP Yoga and then get to it. Normally when I go, I take my Fat Gripz with me to make the exercises harder and engage more muscles than the machine has you doing. 

Most of the exercises I do with the FGs is Dumbbell Curls, Lat Pulldowns, Close Grip Pulldowns, Rows and Bench Press on the Smith Machine. I'm sure I'll get hounded one way or another for not using a real barbell, which is fine because like I said, it's just another exercise that I can make more difficult. When it comes to reps, I really don't do more than 10 with a weight and increase little by little until I can only do a few reps as opposed to the beginning. Sets are typically 3-4 or so per exercise. With the FGs, I don't use as much weight as I normally would since it's supposed to make the exercise harder and the muscles are working at a greater capacity. 

I do take rest periods but only long enough to get going for the next set and then move on. With the SMBP, I wanted to test my strength and see where that went. When I go after this exercise, most of the time, I'll go until I can barely do a few reps but the last couple times, I've done quite a few sets until I start hitting singles and increase weight from there. The bar weighs 20 lbs so when I add on plates, I do count the bar when I lift. So far with the Gripz, I've gone up to 280 for a single which to me is the heaviest I've ever done having those things attached. I would say even with a machine, that's pretty decent strength. 

Fat Gripz create an interesting element to Strength Training and teaches you more about control than anything else. It forces you not just to engage muscles but target the ligaments and tendons as well and you can build some crazy upper body strength from doing that. Utilizing the old school method of working with a Fat Bar, it adds another level of Strength Training that has helped many lifters reach new PRs and harness power from another perspective. You won't use nearly the same weight without them which isn't a bad thing, it's just another look at what you can do to build strength. 

I'm the type of guy who doesn't really get into the whole isolation movement thing so if I'm going to work with machines or weights, I'm going to make it interesting and focus as many muscles at once in whatever movement with the upper body in this case. This way, I'm getting more out of the movement. Grab a set yourself and see what you can do with them. Remember, these are not to be taken lightly, work with a weight you are able to control and focus on the mind/muscle connection as you push or through the exercise. Turn an isolated movement into a multi joint strength builder. 

Be amazingly awesome and build insane hand and wrist power. 

Laborers & Gym Bros

 Laborers have been around since the dawn of man from surviving in the caveman times to slavery throughout ancient civilization to constructing the biggest buildings in modern society. It's a balancing act to how laborers view themselves and people in other walks of life view them. Blue Collar work is tough, there's way around that and many pride themselves in being able to live that lifestyle or were thrusted into at an early age. They may not be the biggest looking guys or the most stable in some cases but they have strength that is different in comparison to people who go to the gym. 

When it comes to work ethic, I always have respect for laborers, done it myself at certain points in my life from moving furniture to hauling heavy pieces of wood, chopping wood while camping, carrying up heavy ass boxes and carrying buckets of concrete. Some guys in that line of work know how to conduct themselves and are quite the characters when it comes to just having fun poking at each other to pass the time but there are others who are complete assholes who act like their superior to others. You can be the hardest working guy in the field and still be respected for that but if you're going to be a dick especially to people you're supposed to "provide" and "protect", that just leads to bitterness and fragile egos. 

When it comes to "Gym Bros", some are strong as shit and can go to a certain extent but many especially in the Fitness Influencer Era will only go so far as to tell people or throw certain things at people to only understand the concept of not being as strong outside the gym. Don't get me wrong, there are some guys that can handle themselves outside of the gym and do amazing things in their life but that's few and far between. There are plenty of steroid users out there that only work in the capacity to go after the look more than being able to go while being healthy. Bodybuilding today compared to 1930's to the 50's is about as night and day as you can get because back then, they had a good look but they also had greater health next to the unhealthy comic book muscled guys. 

As much as gym guys have their egos in a rollercoaster or act like they got a stick up their ass at times, not many of them bad mouth a laborer. However, quite a few laborers have such an ego trip that they not only talk down to people who work out in the gym but have this Napoleon Complex that they're superior to those who work out cause they go all day moving stuff or whatever and the gym guy just lifts weights or use machines and that's all and have no real world strength. The strength of a laborer and a gym person is very different with different circumstances and different concepts of strength. If your ego is that fragile that you have to be an asshole to people you don't know and think you know their life by judging them being in the gym, you need some serious therapy man. 

There are people who try to better themselves in the gym or outside of it and do what they can in their regular lives to be healthy. At the end of the day, a laborer does his job, goes home and just be with his family or himself and repeat that for as long as his body is able to. People in the gym are really just people who do different things to either make their lives outside of it better or go because that's a form of therapy for them, you don't 100% know what people are really like and most likely, those people train, go home or go to work or whatever but did what they could to put the effort in and that should be respected. 

Whether you're a laborer or a gym guy, be a little more humble and live your own lives and do what you can for yourself and/or your family while being as peaceful as possible. Don't be an asshole with such an ego that it tears others apart or makes you so bitter you turn into that "Get the fuck off my lawn" mentality. It's really pathetic when you act like a bully behind people's back and mock what they are trying to do with their lives. Be amazingly awesome and keep on kicking ass.    

Putting In The Work Yet Making It Adventurous

 So many influencers today try to tell you this or that and whatever else to get you to buy into their shit. It can be hard for many out there to trust what's being given and how to apply their methods to your goals and daily life. Not saying all are bad, a few out there are top notch, legit and have realistic outlooks on how you can be in better shape when you make the choices to do so or continue in your journey. 

With me, I sure as hell wouldn't call myself an influencer. I do what I can to help others and give them resources to look into from people I've either personally had experienced with or worked with their methods and molded it into my own from their inspiration. The ability to create your own style to suit your life is one of the best things you can ever do. Learn from the very best. You may make mistakes along the way and adjust to what benefits you but as long as you put the work in and make it adventurous, you can make things happen that would never expect.

It can be overwhelming to find the absolute best from one single trainer or author that has the ultimate end all-be all training system. The truth is, that doesn't actually exist. If anyone says differently, it's a sales pitch or it's only for a specific demographic. My style is a smorgasbord of different people and systems that I've taken bits and pieces of and created something that is entirely me. If you're more of the one author/system approach and it works for you, that's awesome and I hope it benefits you greatly. We all have different bodies and work on things that aren't going to always work for the same person so we adjust accordingly. Take control of what is possible for you and expand on it. 

With my training with the sandbag lately, it has taken me to new heights of what hardcore strength and conditioning can be. Hell a few days ago I took three exercises including the Sandbag and did a circuit workout that went more than 30 minutes with the only rest being to check off a set and keep going. That workout made my heart want to explode out of my chest and test my strength & cardio in ways that were different and so intense that I don't know if I want to even top it. My strength has gone up to where I made PRs at the gym I didn't think were possible but they were and proud to have done them but it doesn't change how I keep training. 

When you bust your ass and you're making gains whether in muscle building or strength building regardless of age, things will come to light when you thought it would stay dark. Do what benefits you and help others find their opportunity to create something for themselves. Don't be an asshole and tear them down because they're overweight or wear a man bun or they're weaker than you are, everybody has a journey. Some have let themselves go and need help, others could use a tip or two that can tweak their program and some are just starting out. Make training an experience that people want to continue on and help them find opportunities to make themselves better, this world has enough dipshits and asshats. Be amazingly awesome and keep on kicking ass.   

Training With 100+ LB Sandbag

Love my Sandbells but I wanted to up the ante a bit and go even heavier and with only a few workouts, it feels awesome. Got some sand at a Ace Hardware store down the road and poured it into my 100 lb bag I've had for a while. Weighed it at 104.6 lbs. Just getting used to it and feeling it out was tough at first but knew I was strong enough to play with it. 

From carries to squats to overhead presses and more, this thing is making me work my ass off pretty well. Don't get sore all that much but I'm not killing myself with it either. With the carries, I marked 15 yards on the grass from the side of the house and would do a full revolution (30 yards) for however many times. One workout was 300 yards Bear Hug Style and another was 600 Yards doing shoulder to shoulder. Those exercises alone with a bag that heavy can make you rugged. 

Love going old school with this type of training and just sticking with one to a few exercises per workout and just hammer them. The last workout was 300 Total Yards & Over 1000 total pounds carried, 5x5 Deadlifts and 5x5 Overhead Presses. Might go for 100 Bear Hug Squats in sets of 10-12 reps but haven't decided yet or maybe I haven't reached that type of training yet but you'll never know. The idea is to see what's possible and work from there. 

Will I got even more say 150-200 lb? Someday but not anytime soon. Just working with this weight is still a great way to keep myself in shape. Sandbags are no joke and they can be brutal especially since they force you to work the stabilizer muscles and have the closest to training against a human. The transfer to regular weights is enormous and if you can easily work a 100 lb bag, you can work plenty of good weight with a barbell or dumbbell. One of the grips I use when I hold it in the bear hug position is the Gable Grip like in Grappling as I pull to keep the bag steady against my torso and work my back, shoulders and arms all at the same time as I Squat or Carry. It's a full body workout regardless of what you do. Just make it work for you.

I mostly use it for Strength Training and when it's needed, I rest long enough to go tackle the next set. These workouts can make you breathe harder than usual and quite hungry afterwards. If you want greater power in your training, a sandbag will do the trick plus if you're in wrestling or BJJ, you can do bag training by mimicking certain moves and throws as if you're going against an opponent, one of the oldest types of workouts around. Imagine building explosiveness in your throws, having insane grip strength, handle opponents like rag dolls or if you're a firefighter and able to carry a human being with ease out of the flames of a burning building. Strength Training with a Bag can be life saving.

This type of training is suited to the real world and being able to handle your own when it's called upon. Strength is more than just a look, it's having the ability to be strong enough to help others and not everyone picks on the rugged looking guy who can probably take your ass to the cleaners 6 ways to Sunday. Train to handle yourself but also be humble. You don't get strong to become an asshole bully, you become strong to have a greater quality of life and to make others feel safe. Get a Sandbag and see what you're capable of. Have an amazingly awesome day and check out the video below for some samples of exercises you can do. There are all sorts of exercises you can do but these few would get you started.