The Deck Doesn't Care About Your Feelings: Only If You Got The Guts

A great workout should never be complicated. When it comes to your conditioning, it is one of the best assets you can ever have and it's important to know that you don't need some manual telling you to use 12 pieces of equipment or get lost in the shuffle because some dude decided you're better off making it harder than it needs to be. 

One of my personal favorite workouts to stay in solid condition is using the Dopa Band and a Deck Of Cards. That's really it. The cards are your coach and unlike a typical training partner, that deck doesn't negotiate. 

Here's the setup I use:

Hearts = Chest Flys

Diamonds = Wave Pulls

Spades = Squats (Underhook is my go to)

Clubs = Dopa Skis

Jokers = Propellers

Now for the numbers game:

2-10 = Whatever that card is

K/Q/J = 10 reps

Aces = 16 reps

Jokers = 50 Propellers

One full deck is 500 total reps in this capacity.

Can't have a crazed workout without a joker. There's a reason behind that. The propeller is the king of the conditioning exercises in the Dopamineo Arsenal. 

Start shuffling and be ready to pull the cards. You may start with 5 Chest Flys, seems easy enough right? A 9 of clubs comes up and you got Squats to do. 10 Diamond and you've got your Wave Pulls. All of a sudden, the Joker appears. The deck has decided that if you thought you had it easy, it doesn't care, it will kick your ass whether you like it or not. 

What is the Outlook on this kind of Conditioning???

It's not always about the reps. It's the constant change that truly makes the difference. Moving from exercise to exercise which can start out hard or easy. It doesn't settle something predictable throughout, so you have to constantly adapt. The randomization isn't some gimmick, it's more philosophical or a different view point of how life can be. Things aren't always planned out. You have unexpected challenges and things can change in the blink of an eye. Just when you thought you were comfortable, a joker will laugh and say "you're shit out of luck, get to work or quit." That happens in life often. 

You're not always in control of the cards you're dealt with. You can however, learn to control how you react to them and be prepared to deal with it. This lesson is more than just a workout, it's expecting the unexpected. You never know what what will come up so you adapt to what will be in front of you. A carryover beyond the aspects of conditioning. 

Care to attempt this twice???

Going through this monstrous workout a couple times in a row creates a unique amount of work that forces you to maintain pace and technique as the fatigue builds up. Trust me, I've done it and although I enjoy a challenge, this will test your sanity. Getting through the first deck consistently may seem comfortable but doing a second time may have you questioning your life choices. Can you keep up with yourself? Maintain form with precision? Be able to follow through the work volume without falling apart? This is where your conditioning is truly tested. 

It's not about survival. It's the development that builds the ability to withstand a workload that is unpredictable and having the guts to keep performing. That in turn is useful more than you may want to believe. The real world won't always warn you what will come next which makes the deck no less different. 

Get to shuffling....

The band is the resistance and the cards provide the randomness. A joker will sooner or later be a reminder that you should have read the fine print. You provide the effort. Can't control what comes next, the only thing you can control is the reaction. That's real conditioning with a bit of philosophy thrown in. Shuffle the cards, start flipping, do the work and repeat until you can do a full deck. 

Be amazingly awesome and hope you succeed in your endeavors. Go to Dopamineo.com, pick your band, get familiar with the exercises and see what you're made of with the Deck Of Cards workout (Use Code POWERANDMIGHT at checkout). One of my favorite decks to use is the Dark Knight Deck from Theory 11.    

Lighten Up Will Ya?

In my last post, I talked about (in not so many words) what happens with either ego lifting or understanding that we are all human and we mess up sometimes. That was based on me handling a 45+ lb mace getting both solid reps in and making mistakes. 

This time around, I lightened the load and brought the weight down to just under 27 lbs. (26.7 to be exact) and that was a comfortable weight for me to swing with and build back up again. Eventually if I stayed consistent, I probably won't go higher than maybe 35 lbs. because in reality, I'm not about one rep maxes, I want to be able to rep it out well and have greater control than to just haul it and try to set some kind of crazy record. 

Here's doing the 10-2 exercise and it actually felt great. Filming wise, there aren't any BTS stuff where I hurt myself again because that never happened with that weight. Smooth, crisp and in far better control.

Although the Mace isn't something I swing often, I do like messing around with it and being able to get some good training in. Might show some other stuff sometime like Gravediggers and one of the exercises back in the day I learned from Strongman Kevin Wikse called Thor Catches Loki. 

Doing 360's is the most basic exercise to learn with the Mace and building some good grip strength along with honoring those who came before me. One guy I had a conversation with recently who's known as Mr. Maceman Rik Brown and knows that with those little progressions, I'll be spinning a mace like a propeller LOL. His words, not mine. This guy is incredible and is one of the most highly decorated teachers in the U.S on teaching how to use Maces and Clubs. From complete beginners to world class athletes, he teaches it all and has trained alongside wrestlers in India and has taught Mace swinging all over the world. A valuable part of modern day Physical Culture. Shit his training with a 7 foot Mace is bad ass. Here's my set of 360's below...

Training is part of the journey and learning what's possible and what to correct so you can get better. There are those who would rather steal your money than to see you succeed and believe they're the only ones that you should learn from. That's pure ego and not someone that's worthy of being trusted. Hell, they contradict themselves a lot and don't even realize it. Calling themselves the best at this or that when even someone like me who can name 10 guys at the top of my head who are not only far better than guys like that, but are actually more successful, don't act like Controversial dickheads who are desperate for attention and con people into buying things that are just copy and pasted bullshit LOL Nothing original and plagiarize others' work including mine. 

Let's lighten up shall we? Be real and learn things that carry over to other aspects of life. Real winning is inspiring others and making a difference that leaves you being remembered for things that matter. Losing is thinking you're above everyone else, acting like you got some high IQ for fitness and anyone who disagrees with you is coping or a loser. Losing is telling others you need to be skinny in order to look good and drink more water than an ultra marathon runner on a daily basis. Not to mention the fact that some of these guys are heavy smokers and look anorexic, that's pretty bad if you ask me.

Make the effort to get a little better, even by the smallest fraction because it will lead to a bigger picture. Swing the mace with pride, swing with power and swing to honor those of the past. Have fun and keep being amazingly awesome. 

What's The Worst That Could Happen?

 Training isn't always pretty and sometimes shit happens. Earlier this past week, I wanted to go out to the park and play around with the Stronger Grip Monster Mace which I filled to 45+ lbs. Wanted to film a some stuff and even go shirtless which I rarely ever do and I know I need to work on my physique a little better (being modest here). The strength and condition is there but the look could use some improvement. 

Moving this son of a bitch wasn't fun and I did end up hitting myself a few times which you can view below.....

I originally didn't want to show these bloopers cause I've always been a guy who would just do the exercises the best way I could and go with it. This time, I figured what the hell and show that I can be vulnerable and it was scary as hell. In many cases, you're expected to have the perfect physique, picture perfect form and put on a little facade that you're above others because if you're even a tad normal compared to those who don't work out or show more vulnerability, you're not portraying what some people think you need to be. 

We make mistakes, we have our own struggles, even from doing this for decades. In my years of filming, training and putting myself out there, I have failed more times than what was the end result you end up seeing on social media and on this blog. I wanted to give people a glimpse that I do screw up sometimes. I didn't purposely hurt myself and reveal that it's ok to hurt yourself. Never want someone to hurt themselves but to give insights that even what we do to inspire others is that, accidents do happen and it's important to learn and correct our mistakes. 

I did eventually was able to rep the mace with that weight, even if it was just a few. See that below...

If I hadn't shown the bloopers, you may have thought that yeah, I am able to do this and it was on the first try. The truth is, like many times BTS, I've had to do several takes of things which in some aspects are a workout in and of themselves LOL. 

I don't have the perfect body, quite frankly there's no such thing but I also know I would like my physique to be better than what it is right now. I don't care much about being an IG model or be on some magazine cover, that's not part of my journey. I know I can do better, it just takes time and patience which the latter wasn't always my strong suit. I have ideas in, certain training styles and better eating to get me there and I may not show anything shirtless again for a while. I'm still grateful that I weigh far less than I was at my heaviest at 275. I'm now in the 230-235 range mostly these days and have stayed in that range for years now. 

Can still handle certain stuff well and I have no problem in the cardio department, it's now really a matter of just looking a little healthier and gaining better habits. It's all part of the journey right? 

Change is hard and I know for a fact there are some people out there who want to see me fail and will do almost anything and say anything to make sure I do, but I'm still standing and I won't stop fighting. I've got better things to do than to listen to some jealous shmuck with a grudge (not to mention a very disturbing obsession) that sends me sick and sexualized notes on a daily basis using aliases that show the same behavioral patterns and moronic high school trash talk. 

Anyways, the world isn't perfect and too many people chase perfection which in some aspects isn't a bad thing but if you're going to beat yourself up because you're not perfect to others, things will never happen the way you want them to. It's more important to get better at things little by little and do them with solid technique. Chasing perfection can become an addiction and addictions can bite you in the ass if you're not careful. Chase becoming better than you were before. You may fail at times but you don't give up and don't stop becoming a better version of yourself, even by the smallest fraction. Every tiny percentage of becoming better, leads to the bigger picture. 

Weights And Bodyweight Are The Only Methods That Matter?

Brace yourselves today everyone because we are going into territory today of why Dopamineo bands are so god awful. I mean just terrible as shit. At least that's what some people want you to believe when it comes to resistance bands. I mean after all, there's only 2 methods of training that are the only ones that matter and are REAL!!! Weights & Bodyweight Exercise.

Dumbbells are the ultimate in free weights.

Barbells make you a real man.

Kettlebells because of their versatility and to make you functionally strong.

Things like Pull-Ups, Push-Ups, Squats are the GOAT when it comes to bodyweight and turn you into superman.

When it comes to resistance bands like Dopa on the other hand, apparently somebody crossed some kind of line in the fitness industry that is straight out of fantasyland. I mean obviously our muscles can tell the difference right?

"This sucks, we're contracting against tension but it comes from rubber/silicone. Only a Barbell or doing heavy weighted push-ups use REAL tension."

That's just some people's logic I guess. Then again, there's another issue with that's even bigger than that when it comes to the Bands. They're not going to turn you into the next Mr. Olympia Contender. How tragic? Well, neither will bodyweight training or picking up a dumbbell and sure as hell won't be lifting crazy weight with a barbell. 

If you plan on building some kind of physique that puts you on notice for the IFBB, it takes years of specialized training, discipline, nutrition, some luck in the genetics department and not to mention the most likely candidate of steroid use that is carefully dosed and consistent. Let's throw in Recovery while we're at it.

Aside from not being able to look like a cartoon character from the 80's and 90's, here's where things get interesting....

There are some numbnuts out there trying to convince people that if you don't take up weight training, bodyweight or both, anything else is as useless as putting out a fire with gasoline. Why do they choose to be this unintelligent and moronic? According to their ideology (or just to listen to the sound of their own voice), there can be no middle ground. No experimentation, different styles of resistance or adaptation and no need to learn how to make a different tool work. Just throw around heavy shit like an exaggerated claim with no proof for example of swinging a 40kg club with one hand and repping it like a lightweight. Hell, just do basic push-ups and squats but god forbid a band is the devil and creates losers and cucks. 

Here's the real truth you guys, Dopa Bands aren't meant for everybody and here's what I mean by that from a realistic and direct point of view:

They're not meant for the type of people that automatically hate them and decided they have no value before ever putting their hands on one. 

They're in no shape or form for the people who are desperate to have every single exercise be familiar before accepting the fact that it provides resistance that is as real as any other method. 

Last but not least, they're not for the online "Gurus" or "Experts" who's entire personality from a training stand point is summarized by "Weights work, bodyweight is better. Therefore, anything else is wrong." That's not science, logic or even a form of competence, that's a cop out and narrow minded way of thinking. 

Seriously, Dopamineo Bands doesn't replace weights or bodyweight and can't guarantee they'll make you look like a superhero. They're just another tool in the arsenal that is another form of resistance training. Controversial concept I know. Hit the iron, go hard with push-ups, pull-ups and squats. Nobody is actually taking you away from any of them, but if you want to be an ass and run your mouth making a lame illegitimate argument that training with resistance bands are useless because they're not your ideal method, it isn't the bands that are the problem. It may be that little tiny speck of a bubble you live in.

The goal everyone isn't to win an argument which method is real and which is useless. It's about building strength, mobility, being active and to live a long quality life. So if you would like a tool that can be an addition to your current regimen or use on off days, Get yourself a band or set of bands. go to Dopamineo.com and use my discount code POWERANDMIGHT. The best training tools are the ones that keep you doing the work. Be amazingly awesome 

A Strong Neck To Keep Head Banging To Bad Ass Rock & Metal

 Every now and then, I think about some of the concerts I've been to in my life. Seen plenty of groups including Black Sabbath, Rob Zombie, Joan Jett and others. One of my favorites to go see was my friends Archer who consisted of three members (Dylan Rose, Tyler Bramlett and Isaiah May) and would play covers of 80's metal bands and their original songs. They did battle of the bands type gigs and played a lot on the main stage and atrium at this place in Santa Cruz called the Catalyst which I think isn't going to be in that area much longer. 

Going to those concerts were a lot of fun and got to be in mosh pits, head bang with other friends and even hung around a guy once or twice who was an American Idol contestant back in the day who had the legendary guitar icon Zakk Wylde on stage. Isaiah was the bass player for Archer at the time, one concert, I got too close to the stage and was head banging and all that. All of a sudden, I got hit by the bass like it uppercut me and it was hard enough that it could've knocked me out but with all those bridges I was doing at the time, my chin and my neck was strong enough to withstand the blow and just laughed it off. I told him about it later on at a gathering for a BBQ or something and he apologized to me about it and just shrugged it off, it was my fault and he was doing his thing.

I love rocking out man and having a strong neck that doesn't cause pain later on, even when the adrenaline wears off is a key to keep having fun. Having a neck that can handle more than just rocking out is an aspect of health that is really neglected. It's having that possible whiplash and may even get hurt getting out of bed. Doing bridges are awesome and if you're healthy, practice them using the methods from Logan Christopher's Advanced Bridging Course. 

The next best thing in addition to bridges or even self resistance is using the Neck Flex. Working your neck in various positions using the resistance band that comes with it can develop muscle and even utilize injury prevention as much as possible. Do you need to do a ton of reps? Not really, especially in the beginning where you're learning to control the movements and not flopping that thing around like its a fish out of water. It's about feeling the muscles, controlling the resistance and understanding the mechanics. I worked up to high volume because that works for me and I enjoy training that way. 

If you're going to train with weights, be sure to get going using weight that gives you the opportunity to work the neck with control. In the wise words of Yoda, "Control, control, you must learn control." Now, that doesn't mean your neck is going to grow two inches in less than a couple weeks that some people have claimed while looking like they have a pencil neck that looks exactly the same after using a cheap knock off for 5 minutes. Growth takes time like anything else and it's not always about size either. Shit, I love having a thick and strong neck but in reality, what I love more is the fact that I can turn in all sorts of directions and not feel pain or feel like there are kinks that need work. Each exercise is focused and as precise as I can make it. That's the true way to do it whether it's for high volume or whatever.

Even as a Rock/Metal Artist, having a healthy and strong neck goes a long way to keep rocking out as you perform to the crowd. Neck work is mainly neglected because it's out of fear that if you do things and work the wrong way, it can lead to some kind of disaster. That can be said for practically any exercise but when it comes to the Neck, it can potentially be fatal. It sounds scary, I understand but working those muscles whether you're an athlete, a head banging spectator or whatever can help generate nerve force and strengthen the spinal cord along with the muscles of the neck. 

Having a healthy and strong neck can potentially limit headaches and migraines at an alarming rate. This doesn't mean they cure them and I wouldn't test the theory while having either one but with consistent training, it potentially takes things down a notch and be able to have greater clarity and neurological function. 

Take care of your neck, it's one of the things that keeps you alive LOL. I really hope you enjoyed this post and got a little kick out of it. It's fun playing off the little things in life and giving people an outlook that makes strength training worthwhile for the things that matter to you. Go to https://www.theneckflex.com/ and get your hands on the cream of the crop when it comes to Neck Harnesses. Learn the valuable info of training using the band and chain from The Emperor of Neck Training Mike The Machine Bruce at his Youtube Channel HERE!!! Want to shave off some money on your order? Use my code POWERANDMIGHT and tell them I sent you. They're good guys. Also check out for info from Neck Flex themselves by going HERE to their Youtube Channel. 

I got to tell you man, Mike Bruce's neck is so thick and powerful, if he was at the plate in Oracle Park, he could use his head as the bat and hit one out to McCovey Cove and it be just another walk in the park for him. 

Little Neck-Ism just for kicks since it has been a minute. 

Be amazingly awesome and don't stop having a blast. Rock on everyone. 

Here is a little old school metal to rock out to....One of my personal favorites from Black Label Society