The Sapate: An Ancient Bodyweight Exercise Showcasing The Near Mythic Origins Of The Burpee

 In the modern times of the Fitness Industry, people are just dying to package agony as something innovative. Micro Splits that hit fanatical gym bros with glee, some format of HIIT styles bending the rules of realistic approaches in CrossFit and those cheesy-ass infomercials that sell waistline gadgets like it's the best thing since the fucking wheel. Here in reality land, if you want to really dig into the type of training that made men practically immortal athletes and dominate a sport in their native land, walk away from the fluorescent lights of a chrome & Fern Gym (great saying from the legendary Brooks Kubik) and get into the red clay pits of India.

Pehlwans or otherwise known as practictioners of the art of Kushti, which is a very old discipline of traditional wrestling where athletes perform in the dirt. One of the major exercises that is arguably the heart and soul of the art is a grueling move named the Sapate. From today's point of view, the Sapate looks like the caveman's version of the Burpee. Now, if we tried to compare this exercise to what we know of the Burpee today, it's like comparing Wolverine's Claws to a damn Butterknife. The Burpee was first in the game by Royal H Burpee who was an American Physiologist that tested people's cardiovascular fitness that didn't include the push-up or the jump. The Sapate on the other side of the coin is the bridge gap that blends the Hindu Push-Up (Dand) and the Hindu Saquat (baithak) into one superpower.

Performing this bad ass exercise has a somewhat meditative focus to it but with great intensity. Squat down as if doing the Hindu Squat, place the hands on the ground and explosively thrust the feet back diving the chest near the ground, arching your spine toward the heavens like a Viper striking before driving the hips (if possible). A solid rhythm is in place each rep and to be in as good of form as you can. Many wrestlers in this sport of wrestling don't do something 30-50 reps; They'll do insane numbers like in the triple and quadruple digits almost daily to develop a gas tank that would even test Captain America. 

However; it cannot be understood enough that the raw and ferocious power of the Sapate is first and foremost, an entity in the sacred environment of the Akhara. Kushti, as an art is more than just sport and competition, it is a discipline that is considered Holy. In Akharas around the region, before he even takes a step into the dirt ring, a wrestler or group of wrestlers bow before an alter that is dedicated to the Monkey God Lord Hanuman. The God that is the poster child of Strength, Humility and believe it or not Celibacy. 

The dirt pit or ring is filled of soft earth. It is treated with respect and holy devotion. Wrestlers will ritually rub the dirt and mud to their skin that supposedly protects their gripping ability, abrasions from the constant hand to hand techniques and in a way submerging themselves into the earth. 

When it comes to the Sapate itself, it is a key ingredient to this act of athletic endeavor that it takes on the form of of superior conditioning so a competitor can go sometimes for hours in matches. It's one of the grandaddy's of Physical Culture that blends traditional sport and combat which strips it down to the roots of what we can understand the essence of being an athlete. 

Give this move a go. You don't need to do as many as a wrestler but you can test what you're capable of in various ways. You can do a max set and increase little by little, or you can do it HIIT Style doing as many reps as you can for 30 Seconds, Rest for 90 Seconds and repeat that for a total of 8 rounds. Learn to get used to the movement itself, go a bit slow and find the rhythm, as you can get stronger and more durable, add some speed to it but don't lose your form. Remember to treat moves like these with Respect and it will reward you later. Be amazingly awesome and hope you enjoyed a little history.        

Does Working Out Mean It Has To Be Your Whole Personality?

 I see this question sometimes on Social Media and people have different answers for it. Some treat exercise or fitness as nothing but that and the rest of the world is just a blur, others make it just another part of their day and do whatever after that. For me, I don't know if I would put it as part of my personality or as if its the only thing that matters but more of the lines of it being my passion and using it as an outlet or an entity that utilizes aspects of life outside of it.

Don't get me wrong, fitness is a part of who I 'am, has been for decades and I wouldn't give up on it for anything, but there are separate forces that blends itself together with my daily life. I train for all sorts of reasons and it varies to what I want to do. I'll experiment with things, do a routine here and there a while, push past bouts of emotions, quick moments before going off to do something, mix and match things, have a little fun and sometimes just tackle it with a vengeance because I need to get shit out of my system. 

Yesterday alone, I did 3 workouts because certain things just drove me to do them. Worked on my neck using the Neck Flex Harness with the Resistance Band doing 400 Total Reps. Later in the day did a 500 Rep Dopa Band Circuit, would've wanted to go longer but mentally, things were weighing heavily on me and in those moments, it was the best I got. Before going to bed, I did Joint Loosening Exercises and a HIIT Workout of doing the Sapate for 30 on, 90 off for 8 Rounds. Pretty damn good workout.

This morning, I woke up stupid early and just decided to get something in. Started with my Neck Mobility Routine, Joint Loosening Exercises and Isometrics. A couple of the Isometric Exercises was doing a unilateral Curl and Overhead Press which together alone was 12 contractions, throw in 3 Wall Sits, 3 Upright Row Positions, Hybrid Push-Up & Squat and 9 Positions for the Core (Dead Bug Crunch, Hollow Body, Arch Body & Side Bends) which all together comes out to 29 contractions at 7-12 seconds each at 75-85% Intensity. That's a hell of a workout. 

If I don't do any other workouts today, cool. That kicked my ass and I love it. It is part of my personality, maybe the majority of it but there are things outside of working out that show that I'm more than just some fitness nutball. 

After my gram's passing and finally getting back into my element, certain aspects of it has changed me in some format. Talking with my family a bit more than I have in a very long time, has been comforting, laughing together and not just shooting the breeze or throwing random memories of the crazy shit we did growing up that made our grandma question certain things yet put up with us and still made us feel loved and appreciated. I've thrown some of her lessons around in my own life now that makes me understand some things better. Looking back on my childhood, we had our ups and downs but I'm glad I had her in my life and it is funny that I use to freak her out even as I got older and getting into steel bending and all that. I gave her a few shocks when I would fall back into a bridge and kick over and back or rip a phonebook in half, bend a 6 inch spike or just show her some of the videos I did back in the day. She got a kick out of those really because she saw something in me and encouraged me to do what I love. I miss her very much.

So, does working out mean it has to be your whole personality? I guess it depends on the individual and what they do to make things in their life better. Some take it to extremes and need to be put in the nuthouse with the ridiculous claims they make or rant on stupid shit that make no sense and blends reality with fantasy and delusional obsessions & overwhelming jealousy. Others use it to give people hope, opportunities to better themselves and have something to hold onto along with building knowledge & application. Sometimes, they just workout because it's just another thing to get through the day with, that happens. 

Have a great day today, make it amazingly awesome for you and those around you. Train hard, train smart and have a fucking blast. 

If you're looking for some awesome workouts that will last you a lifetime and enjoy, go and Pre-Order Matt Schifferle's New Book Strength Training For Longevity. Using practical and realistic programming that keep you active, capable and independent for decades onward. This won't be like other courses that some will claim you need to be extreme and train to exhaustion. That's just unrealistic and dangerous marketing hype and bullshit. You don't need workouts that go for long periods of time or train until you're completely drained, that's just going to cause more heartache and take way more time to recover than needed. With STFL, this relies heavily on actual function and putting things together that gives you energy and well being to carry groceries, climb stairs, move better and keep yourself balanced beyond your 40's, 50's and longer. Don't kill yourself to get results, be smart and train for real strength & health. 

The Farmer Vs. The Machine

 

If there was ever a competition to determine certain aspects on what it means to have a strong neck, it be two powerhouse wrestlers that defied the meaning of Neck Strength. Farmer Burns and Marine Mike "The Machine" Bruce come to mind and I want to break down why.

First off, although they come from completely different backgrounds and training style, there's no question both men have a higher IQ on Submission Grappling than many today and out of the two, Mike is very underrated. He came from beginnings that would put a lot of average guys in therapy but he persevered and became one of the strongest guys for his size pound for pound and a great athlete overall in his prime.

Martin Burns was born during the most important war in American History and busted his ass to take care of his family even at an early age. He made wrestling an artform but knew what it took to cripple somebody if he wanted to. Arguably the greatest hooker of any generation but was also most likely the GOAT when it came to being a coach. If you ever understood the dominance of Frank Gotch, you can thank the Farmer for that and many other champions he developed. 

When it comes to training the neck, these two alone are in many aspects without equal. Both devoted time and training to make their neck as strong as possible while also maintaining health. Mike trained in an era during the early UFC years and became a hell of a grappler and fighter training under coaches like Tim Gillett. In a time where steroids and other drugs were growing in sports, this bad ass marine never went that route and relied heavily on good old fashioned conditioning, crazy heavy strength training and old time strongmen principles by bending steel such as spikes and horseshoes. He was trained in the old time strongman feats by Bud Jeffries and because of Bud's guidance and wisdom, Mike developed a level of performing strongman very few if any can comprehend. 

Burns was not only a man of principle, he was heavily into systems that weren't considered the norm at the time and utilized the idea that although conditioning was a priority for wrestling, the ability to practice precision and timing made the biggest difference and reading an opponent with such accuracy that getting them into practically any position he wanted, made him one of the most dangerous wrestlers of all time. The man rarely ever lost a bout and this was in a time where contests were mostly legit and had scientific entities along with tactics that broke bones, shattered tendons and destroyed the spirit of any man that tested him. 

Both men made an impact in their time and although the Farmer is more famous of the two, there's no question that Mike had an impact on others in the shadows. Now the purpose of this post is to look at their styles when it came to training the neck. They knew the ins and outs of neck training for their sport but took things to a level most are baffled to this day when you dig into what they did. 

Burns' biggest known feat of Neck Strength was the Hangman's Noose Feat where he trained his neck to the degree of not only developing a 20 incher on a 165 lb frame but can hang from the noose itself for a solid of period of time and not get injured or for that matter die. If you could choke out the Farmer, you might as well be celebrated as royalty because the man's neck was so freakishly strong, it was damn near impossible. In his book Lessons In Wrestling & Physical Culture, he puts quite a stint of neck training where you do self resistance exercises and bridges to create a powerful entity and even threw in rocking in the front bridge until fatigue. How can you go wrong with that?

For Mike? If it came to the science and hardcore truth about training the neck next to Ted Williams teaching you how to hit a baseball, it ranks right at that level of greatness. There wasn't a method The Machine didn't do that made his neck a force of nature. From heavy weights, to high rep training, band work, bridges and more, it is above and beyond what others before or since have accumulated. When it came to feats of strength, even the Farmer would question Mike's sanity because he made almost the hangman's noose look like a joke. Mike had steel bars bent across his throat. Even Horseshoes didn't stand a chance, Mike had them bent and it is incredible the way it is done. It's hard enough bending horseshoes with your bare hands but to have them bent across the throat where it could easily crush the windpipe of a normal human being is just nuts.

Who would win in a contest of this context? I would put my money on Mike and this isn't about being biased, when you look into the feats and the training methods, Mike took it steps further than Burns did. Wrestling wise, even Mike might say Burns was the better wrestler because with Catch in Burns' time, you had to learn how to cripple someone and get dirty when it was called upon because back then, there weren't big payoffs let alone medical modalities. Mike could still go if he wanted to and knows how to break a limb but he also has that marine mentality. Not taking away anything from either man, they both could fight in ways that question a lot of other guys' manhood with the way they handle themselves. 

If you want to have the strongest neck possible, check out Mike's Channel on YouTube on Building A Thick Neck . Want to train without weights or doing bridges, check out the Neck Flex that also uses a resistance band. Train myself with these little fuckers and will do a total of 300 or more reps hitting 25-50 in different directions. Keeps my neck at around 18 inches in my 40's. Be amazingly awesome and keep things going. A strong neck could save your life one day. 

The Legend Of Danny Hodge: Toughness That Shattered Steel And Forged Iron Through Physical Dominance

In today's world of Social Media where you'll find so called "Tough Guys", you'll find many would actually tap out when the pressure gets real. You want to talk about toughness, it could be argued very few can be tougher than the Superman from Oklahoma. A man that was raw and stood on a mountain of incredible strength that very few if any can even comprehend.

Born in the midst of the great depression in 1932 in the town of Perry, Hodge wasn't the type of guy that chased fame and sure as hell didn't care about gimmicks. Danny was a man among men that was forged in the fire of a hardscrabble life. On the mat, in the ring and the incredible feats of strength he performed, it almost sounded like tall tales of American Myth. When you realize that it was real, it just makes things all the more jaw dropping. He wasn't some polished athlete, he was what the words "hard work" stood for; built himself on farm work, working in oil fields and had the spirit of a fucking lion that roared in the faces of broken bones, car crashes and whatever opponent wanted to test him.

His resume in amateur wrestling seems like a myth in a and of itself. At Oklahoma University, nobody could take him down and this isn't a metaphor, this is literal. In his insane 46 victories, 36 of them alone were pins. Not one, not two, but three NCAA Titles at 177 lbs. Was awarded Outstanding Wrestling honors and in a 10 Day Stretch, won the NCAA Title, AAU Greco Title & AAU Freestyle Title. All pins. Won silver in the 56' Olympics but there was some controversy due to political crap and questionable calls that robbed him of the Gold. 

Although not his particular style of grappling, Hodge was efficient in hooking and had such bad ass grip strength that he can turn pliers into scrap and crush apples into pieces with his bare hands. Even by his 80's, he was still able to accomplish these feats. Nature gave him the tools and life gave him the opportunity to weaponize them. 

In Pro Wrestling, he dominated in a time where it had more colorful characters than legit shooters who could perform. They were a dying breed and Hodge was one of the last men to step in the ring without some crazy gimmick or character. He was his own man and people still ate it up. A multi-time Junior Heavyweight champ in the NWA and wasn't the typical performer that would dance around or cut promos. He just got in the ring, stretched you if you didn't follow the script and made sure you were there to do a job and not go off the rails around the boys or the promoters. There's even a story where he taught a wanna-be a lesson in humility that was giving Jim Ross a hard time. The guy never stood a chance against Danny. 

He was also a Golden Gloves Boxer with an undefeated streak as well, going 17-0. There are great wrestlers and great boxers but very few if any had the honor of being a champion in both sports. He wasn't just tough, he was as resilient as they come with the way he was brought up and how he had to get himself out of situations that would make most men bury themselves in various dark entities. It was pure hell if there ever was one. Growing up with an alcoholic father and a mother that had severe depression, home burning down before he was 10 years old that left his mother burned around 70% of her body, it was these things that made him learn lessons beyond what a normal body should've. He pushed himself hard through it all, enlisting in the Navy and wrestled bears while building a body that was compact but packed a punch more than anybody can dream of. 

You want to talk about a test? Back in 1976, he drove home after a match and fell asleep at the wheel, crashed his car and going into a lake. He broke his neck and while most men would've been dead and gone, he survived and recovered. Although miraculous, it was also time for him to leave the boots in the ring. He still showed up in some capacity, inspiring other wrestlers and performing his strength feats to crowds and lived in in his hometown until death finally took him on Xmas in 2020 at 88 years old. Despite having dementia in his later years, he still had a presence, an aura that was uncanny and powerful. You weren't meeting just an old time wrestler, you were looking into the eyes of a man told death to fuck off for a long time. 

What made this man special went beyond his grip strength, accomplishments on the mat or in the ring, it was his attitude. Coming from a time of the Dust Bowl poverty stricken era, he kept fighting and made himself into a legendary figure that some of the best shooters of the modern era admired. He never used steroids or needed media attention; just pure power, determination and a grip that was astoundingly epic. He was a reminder of what real men were and built: Legacies that overshadowed the record books.

Today, the Dan Hodge Trophy is awarded to the best wrestler in NCAA Wrestling. What the Heisman Trophy is to College Football, Danny's award is to College Wrestling and it wasn't by accident. It was to showcase what dominance looks like. He set the standard, leaving a trail of crushed apples screaming opponents and an inspiration to athletes everywhere. Real power isn't loud, it's relentless and unbreakable. 

Train hard, be a force of nature and honor the legends that came before you. Be amazingly awesome. 

Deceptive Strength: Developing Freak-Like Power Without Looking Like A Oversized Cartoon Character

 

Many gym goers will not only chase the mirror muscles but will sprint towards it with extreme determination without considering the consequences and hidden aspects of what it means to have those "muscles". A great book obliterates one of the greatest lies in Fitness Culture, that you need to be huge in order to be strong. 

The author; Logan Christopher, was once as weak as a little puppy and went on to become pound for pound one of the strongest men I've ever witnessed and one of the most gifted strongmen the world needs to know more of. From steel bending to deadlifting over 500 lbs, making handstand push-ups look effortless and juggling 40kg Kettlebells (this isn't a typo, its real as it gets). Even with all these accomplishments, he stayed very lean and incredibly compact. He wasn't nor ever will be a bloated bodybuilder. It is just raw and awesome strength & power that turns heads for all the right reasons. 

His inspiration was drawn from the old time strongmen of yesteryear: Mighty Atom, Alexander Zass and Arthur Saxon whom didn't look all that menacing in street clothes but DE-STROYED various feats of strength that to the naked eye seemed impossible. This particular guide not 1 or 2 but 5 factors that show the importance of strength beyond muscular size. You'll be getting 25 key concepts to how you can apply this, 50 exercises that showcase classic moves that built men and 20 workouts that embeds into your brain on the aspects of skill-strength, the power in your tendons, harnessing leverage and intelligible progressions over nonsensical hypertrophy.   

Train to learn how to use your genetics and not against you. Master how to signal your body, timing your nutrition and thinking outside the box that gives you the true key ingredients of the methods the old timers used. This book is over 140 pages of no bullshit wisdom that blends the old school secrets of the strongest men of their time and modern day scientific research.

Don't just look strong, become it with a fucking vengeance without having to take steroids or hgh or any of that crap. Get your hands on Deceptive Strength and forge the kind of super powers that last. Be amazingly awesome and keep killing it.