It's Not A Chore...It's An Adventure

Exercise was never meant to be easy because if it was, we wouldn't understand the meaning of the words Progression, Strength, Perseverance & Physical/Mental Conditioning. That doesn't mean it can't be fun or made interesting. Have we lost our sense of imagination to get the most out of our training? I don't think so, many have really just suppressed it and locked it up whether they knew it or not and don't know where the key is. When we do find it and use it to as much of its potential as we can do, it becomes in a sense "effortless" to reach for as high as we want to go. 

Take into consideration what gives us the greatest benefits and proceed to make it the most kick ass thing we can do. Training, in a realistic sense, teaches us to hone skills and build strength within ourselves to be the best we can be. Sure we go through phases and follow certain programs or protocols but in the end, it's up to us to make the most of it. Yeah we do stupid stuff sometimes but going through the stupid stuff helps us grow and understand what not to do yet for some, doing stupid stuff is all they know and don't know any better and that's a damn shame.

The adventure part is when we don't know what's out there on the horizon, but there is something out there for us to find. There's a buried treasure hidden and when you find it, utilize its contents to your desires or you can hang onto it for dear life and find a way to make the most out of that treasure. We all have a chest of precious gold and jewels hidden away somewhere (e.g, the best programs in our arsenal) but we can't always use them the same exact way as everyone else, there's spending and trading which is common but in this sense, it's about investing in what gives us great benefit to thrive and get back more in our investment. 

We may make mistakes on our adventure but we also learn what makes us work hard and play harder to have the time of our lives. Exercise really is an adventure but we must find it in ourselves, no one is going to do it for us. Be adventurous and be on the lookout as the sun sets and/or rises because you never what's out there in them open waters. 

Sprint 8 Protocol

Grind Style Calisthenics

Thor's Hammer Herbal Package

Overcoming Isometrics

Time For A Fresh Start

            Hope everyone had a great Christmas and had tons of fun, food and love from relatives and friends. To me this was one of the best holidays yet; got to spend time with the people I love and spend time with the most kick ass friends. The holidays is not always about finding gifts for the kids or getting something you've been wanting all year, it’s about connecting and giving back to the people in your life that gives a beautiful meaning. Now that it’s over and the New Year is just a couple days away, it’s time to reflect and build new chapters, learn different things.

            A common thread of the New Year is what people call Resolutions or better yet, change or create something huge that will only last you less than 2 weeks. To me, Resolutions is complete bullshit. In the fitness world, most really put it out there and believe just because they can jump into something it’s going to stick with them like going to Crossfit when you haven’t even done any technique yet nor do Insanity/P90X workouts instead of building up and progressing. I like to look at it as New Years Goals. Start small, if you’re new to exercise for example, do little things here and there. Start at 1 min. of exercise and build up to it, find exercises you’re interested in and have fun with them. Too many people want to jump in and try to lose 20 pounds like it was that easy.

            It’s about progressing and building a mindset where it’s not a punishment, it’s an adventure and exciting with knowing how to set your limits and challenges. When people jump into advanced type training, it’s exciting that they get to do all these cool things but when they actually do them, it will hit them like a strike of lightning and they’ll realize how crazy it is and that it can cause pain or even worse an injury. Think of it this way, in math would you jump from arithmetic to calculus just like that? No, you need to go through certain steps, like climbing a ladder; you don’t just climb 4-5 steps at once, its one thing at a time. It’s the little things that create the biggest gains. Sure it’s fun to be hardcore but you got to earn it and experience a small struggle to get to where you want to go.

            For some, exercise may not always be a priority, you might want to add something to your business as a goal, make little changes in your household and find what you can improve on as a family. I have a few goals but it’s important for me to not jinx them, I’ll tell you this though; A goal of mine is to save money and buy an Epic Sledgehammer because as an athlete and a Physical Culturist, I’m always looking for ways to improve my body by conditioning it in different ways using something heavy or light or even just my own bodyweight. I find things that interest me and create new ways to have fun with those interests, it keeps my mind sharp and it helps me focus on what I want. Another would be to increase my intuitive powers through meditation and being aware of what’s around me by feel and more.

            You may not get any of my goals and nor will I mostly get yours but one thing is for certain and that we strive to be better at certain things in our lives and it could mean anything. Make this New Year your bitch, take it one day at a time and before you know, you will have accomplished something you've never one before. Find things that interest you, experiment, have fun and don’t be afraid to challenge yourself. 

Build A Connection Outside

            Training out in the open has a special feeling to it, out in the open air, building that connection to the earth and gaining a perspective of what it was like to do things from a long time ago. It’s fun to go run, jump, play and do all kinds of things with the right imagination and having a bit of that inner child in you.

            Unlike a closed in space of a gym, you have total freedom out in the open, go running on the grass or on a field at a park, move around like an animal out in the wild and give your body that Vitamin D it needs to help the skin. Being free gives you opportunities you can’t get from other places. Imagine being at a park, running around, having a good time, do a few exercises here and there or if you’re like my good friend Bud Jeffries, try to find some heavy ass stones to lift.

            The ability to go anywhere and do all sorts of things is our birthright, exploring, trying different things, being in beautiful places and making the best of it. Training outside is more natural, getting out in the sun or maybe even in the snow a bit. Being in the snow builds a level of toughness and you burn more calories I believe in the snow because your body is like an automatic heater, it has to keep warm and your body’s nervous system kicks into a different gear. In the sun like in the summer, your body’s cooling system is shifted and you have to hydrate more.

            The best time I believe to train outside is in the morning, the air is fresher and the connection is better between you and the earth. When it comes to weather however I prefer the summertime when the sun’s out, its warm, bringing something to drink to keep you hydrated and just have a grand old time, if you live by the ocean or a lake, go jump in and go swimming, got a pool, use it and have fun. The snow can be fun too but you might not last as long and you want to wear what you can to keep you warm but being in the snow has it’s benefits. In the snow it builds a different type of mental toughness and it builds character in a certain way, sometimes you have to walk somewhere and it’s less than 20 degrees out, that’s just insane and I wouldn't do it in shorts trust me.

            Get your ass outside as much as you can, there’s a whole world to see and you can train in ways you never have before, it’s like being a kid again and you’re playing on the playground. Have fun, be adventurous and explore. You never know what you’ll find.

Why Do We Do It?

 We all have our own way of exercising; we have trainers, do it for a number of reasons but why really do it? What comes out of it for you? A lot of people workout because they don't have a choice, use it relieve stress from a bad day, force themselves to do it because if they don't they'll hate themselves or they just go through the motions and have no real emotion like a zombie.

 There are two types of trainees, one has passion and the other does it but not in it and I'll tell you the difference. The passion is a desire to make something of yourself, you make an effort that’s real and emotional, you don’t go on the treadmill and watch TV, you don't wait around for someone to be done, and you find a way to make things happen and with fire and vigor. The other exercises but isn't in it for the long-run, they do it because its there and don't put any real effort. They get done too early or get hurt because they didn't bother to learn proper form or didn't care what happens, just show up and do a few things and that’s it it.

 I'll tell you why I do it, it’s because it gives me a sense of hope, a form of responsibility to myself and make things the way I want them, I have sweated, bled and ate, slept and breathed exercising because its not just fun, its an adventure and it brings me life that you can’t get just by showing up. I remember an interview with WWE wrestler Triple H back in 1999 when he just came out of shell as a character and became one of the biggest heels (bad guys) of the time, one of the things that made me realize now about what he said was about being a student of the game, like him in the wrestling business I’ve done the same with exercise. I dedicated my life to being in great shape, take in knowledge like a sponge, make goals instead of excuses and put in hard and tough workouts to make what I’ am today.

 What do the Old-Timers and Modern Warriors of fitness today have in common? They created results; they found ways to build themselves with no excuses and made an effort to get what they wanted. It’s not everyday we wake up and want to do it but yet it’s second nature and we sometimes don't go as hardcore but the heart and passion is still there. Most don't realize what they're missing out on, I do sound like a prick and you might think it’s all hardcore and a punishment but in reality its not. Working out is not just doing an exercise and pray you'll turn into a beautiful god/goddess, you know what, let’s take out the words working out and put in fun and adventure, its not all blood and going to failure, its getting you get off your ass and have some fun and excitement in your life. Whether you're a weightlifter, bodyweight enthusiast or have a zest for animals, training is a matter of creating something and building it with emotion, effort and love.

 One of my favorite movies Peaceful Warrior has a lot of insights into what is unique and what you can learn to make something of yourself. Nick Nolte who plays a philosopher once said to his student Dan Millman “You practice gymnastics, I practice everything.” The real Dan Millman is a former gymnast and now an author of many books and one of the coolest guys I’ve had the pleasure of meeting and learning from. Back to the subject, Dan practiced only one thing but has left everything else out including things he should pay attention to but Nolte’s character Socrates practiced everything else meaning he didn't set his eyes on one thing; he absorbed knowledge and wisdom from many different elements and gave insight to each of what he learned. Most people only do less than a handful of things that makes them who they are but miss out on the real important things and forget how they got there in the first place. Learn as much as you can with an open mind and be open about your passions and instead of making excuses, make an approach to get better.

 Knowing certain things is only half the battle, sure you can squeeze by on knowing but it’s the doing that yields the benefits. Don't just do something, do it with heart and emotion because there’s a huge difference in that area and I'll let you figure it out for yourself. Why do we (Exercise enthusiasts) do it? Because it makes us who we are, we learn, we teach and help others find that same passion maybe even help them become better than we are. One of my good friends Bud Jeffries has trained his son into becoming quite possibly the World’s Strongest Teenager, Noah has learned a number of things on his own but the one thing he figured out and still has many years to learn is how to give back what he’s learned, in some cases he’s surpassed his dad in many elements of strength and I don't believe Bud could anymore proud of his son. That’s what I want to give back to my child and do it with a smile on my face.

 What are you getting out of it? Finding your place in training and learning where you want to go and what you want achieve is all within your grasp, learn how you have that passion and fire to become the best you want to be. Get something out of it, don't just throw yourself into a workout and hope for the best, make the best of it and know that sooner or later you will have results and it’s not just from busting your ass, you busted your ass with a smile and the desire to improve and make things happen. At your next training session, ask yourself “Why am I doing this?” You'll be surprised what you might find and if it’s a negative thing turn it into a positive, if its positive make an improvement to get better. I'm sure you'll find a way.

Train With Love, Not A Necessity

Feeling forced to workout is a sure sign you aren’t getting your mindset in the right place. Training by making it an adventure is a whole different experience and it’s never the same after every workout. Loving what you do instead of making it a necessity is a better understanding of what makes you get the results you truly desire.

 A lot of people who exercise feel obligated to train because they feel they have to instead of want to. They feel if they don’t something bad will happen and they’ll never get the results they want. In a way that’s true but the real truth is that, if you make it an experience that makes you happy and you bust your ass the way you want to do it than there should be no problem for you then.

 There is a difference between training for no apparent reason vs. just going through the motions, the difference between the two is that training without reason can be a good or bad thing by that I mean, training because you just feel like doing it is a better idea than training just for the hell of it and not really give a damn yet just going through the motions just makes you weak minded and not have all the right tools in place. Exercise is not about doing stuff and working different muscles it’s much more than that. It’s about freedom and learning to go beyond just the exercises, it’s learning to use all your potential attributes in your exercise physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

 Any one of us with half a brain can use a machine at the gym and although there are some pros to those things it doesn’t seem like the same as to actually go out and run your ass off or sprint like a cheetah catching its prey. Back when machines didn’t exist, you had to really work to get the results you wanted, if you wanted to run, you sprint, if you wanted to lift heavier, you lifted barbells and dumbbells, you wanted cardio, you either boxed or wrestled or played a specific sport and if you wanted beautiful looking muscles, you didn’t take pills or protein shakes you did Muscle Control and ate with a purpose. If you want the body you always dreamed of, don’t always look to modern high tech crap that can only do a fraction of real functional training can do. Look to basic exercises that are rich in history and that’s presses, pulls, squats and grip work which consist of barbells, dumbbells, medicine balls, muscle control, push-ups, pull-ups and the squat either with or without weight.

 Some of us want to forget the past and move on towards the future but what if we took that from a different perspective? In exercise, the past was proven time and time again that basic elements gave you the most result producing methods that still stand to this day but lost in time. Some of the things today are good but if you added just a bit of old fashioned with its own modern day twist, you can make your workouts a very entertaining experience with real results and real functional muscle.

 Equipment has become a billion dollar industry and it’s usually the wrong equipment that is sold, not the ones that give you superior results. In reality, you don’t have to pay for a damn thing; training using just your body is really all you’ll ever need. If you truly want to get something that’s your choice but don’t buy a certain gadget that’ll cost you thousands of dollars and have it be in your closet the rest of your life. Certain equipment is good because there are methods that bodyweight, barbells and dumbbells can’t touch like the Indian clubs, the mace, Rocks, logs and sledgehammers all have qualities that will get you in shape much faster than a treadmill or a machine that only hits isolated muscles.

 Love what you do and make it fun, it takes one change in your mindset and your whole thinking will go into the stratosphere. Make it an adventure, never an obligation because if it’s not adventurous, it’s not worth doing.

Fitness Russian Roulette

Ever heard of that ultimate and ruthless gamble? You have one bullet in a gun and you never know which part of the barrel it’s in. It’s a matter of life and death and you never know how long you’ll live until BANG!!! You’re dead.

 In the fitness world this type of gamble happens more often then you might think. You have that one chance to find the results you want, you keep trying this or that but in the end, that one bullet will come up on you and because of your stressful efforts you failed and bit that bullet. People gamble so much for their bodies that the odds of them succeeding are 100-1 in my opinion. Very rarely that bullet of failure falls out of that metaphorical gun and you just happen to accomplish a goal and you felt awesome about it.

 What about the game of Chicken? You know that gamble like in jousting where one guy lives and the other might not and one chickens out and turns the other way? Throughout the years this game has had cars to “toy with” and it doesn’t turn into a game anymore, again it becomes a matter of who might live or might die. This is where exercise and the person training can become very dangerous either physically or mentally. You’re scared that you’re not going to beat that exercise whether its weights or not and there is that piece of you that just gets so frustrated that instead of confronting it, you turn around to save your own ass.

 If you want to beat the game of chicken and Russian Roulette then the one thing you must develop to stop having that one bullet come up and hit you right through that thick skull of yours is to learn the love of enthusiasm. Learning this trait can bring you beyond the peak of turning dead end results into a consistent state of not only making your results possible but learning to keep them. It’s very important that you love and believe what you do and use your love for finding what works and keeping it a challenge.

 There are two sides to every coin like ying and yang. One cannot coexist without the other. In order to build a solid foundation of both positive and negative sides to the coin you keep flipping over and over, you have to watch how your enthusiasm takes hold. If you have trouble finding what works and don’t know if anything is going to work, that’s the negative side of the coin. Now if you’re successful and know what works for you how do you kill two birds with one stone? Simple really, learn to smile when things don’t always go your way but one way or another you will be successful.

 One of my key successes in having a solid foundation in a fitness program is to learn what you’re getting into without knowing what you’ll get out of it. What I mean by that is you learn certain exercises or many of them and you know which one’s work and which don’t so you challenge yourself to see what results you will get from them. Many people fill out the sets and reps schemes and work the same reps in the same set. You do this for strength and that for endurance. For me, I gamble my exercises. In almost every workout, I never know what numbers are going to come up and when they do sometimes I’ll keep them as they are or double even triple them but I can always change course at the blink of an eye and make it an adventure instead of it being generic and dull. That’s what you want to make your exercise program, an adventure. You never know what’s going to happen but you damn sure want to find out. It’s like walking into the jungle, you never know what’s in it but you’re going to have the ride of your life whether you like it or not.

 There’s also another metaphorical gun you should avoid that has not just one bullet but beyond the loaded rounds and that’s the verbal gun. The majority of people will tell you that you can’t achieve something great and you won’t make something happen because you’re no good. This type of Russian Roulette is far more dangerous then being scared of being a failure. To avoid that stress and anxiety picture all those people that tell you that you can’t be successful. Picture them as if they were bullets in a loaded gun and if you even attempt one shot, most likely it will hit you hard. What you do is in your mind is think of taking that gun out into the ocean where no one will find it. Take it as far out as you can where no one can hear them or see them. Take out all the bullets and throw that bitch in the ocean and let it sleep with the fishes. You are a wonderful person who should succeed and if you want it bad enough you’ll go get it and not let one negative person stand in your way. Don’t pull the trigger.