Another Look At High Rep Work And Heavy Lifting

Doing high rep training does have its benefits but it's not worth training for it daily. It's not a requirement, for most people, it's a choice and if it works for them cool, keep at if it's important to you. Where in the real world are you planning to do a pull-up somewhere that you'll be doing it more than once? The military? That's really the only place where you'll be doing that or if you're training for a sport. Pull-Ups are essential and have solid benefits but in reality, you don't need to do a ton of them in a row unless that's part of your training regimen. Now if you did them using tension and can only do a few, that may be more beneficial than just banging them out half assing it. 

Don't get me wrong, I'll do a few in sets myself but that's really about it, I get just as strong and I'm content with doing a few at a time. Telling people you can do as many as 25 perfect ones or something in a row and not actually have footage, you're lying you ass off and you're proving doing that many may be impressive but to who really? Same with Push-ups, shit I'd rather do a push-up that lasts a minute or longer on one rep than bang out whatever number trying to be a part of a group of those who do hundreds a day, that's awesome you can do that but what situation would you be doing hundreds of them for? See where I'm going with this.

The most common people who do any form of high rep training is either a person in prison, a pro athlete, a maniacal fitness fanatic or a movie star preparing for a role, the majority aren't required to do it. The prisoner does it because it's needed for survival because what else is he going to do during the day? He's locked up and has a small window of time to go outside in the yard and have a couple quick meals (unless he's in Solitary Confinement and he's in there 24/7) and that's it, not that big of a life and has be on his toes cause his life may depend on it. 

These are opinions more than anything but in my experience, it's not always pretty when you push yourself so hard it can lead to an injury and you don't let the body adapt and let things heal up. I've gone so hard at times that I needed to just heal and focus on Joint Loosening or Isometrics the next day and that's more than enough. Too many fall for this notion that if you do countless reps daily it's going to put you in elite classes, sure for a while but when you're starting to hurt more than feeling good like with bad knees, elbow problems, shoulder imbalances, ankle issues and your back has just been taking a beating, is it really worth all that effort? 

As of right now, when it comes to high rep training it's either with Bands, Step Ups or Hammer work and neither of these occur all the time, otherwise I'm doing Isometrics, One Arm Carries, Slams, Animal Movements, Chest Expander and the PUGS where I often don't do more than 50-60 in a workout cause they're that intense, did 100 once and haven't done that many since. Fuck I've done Isometric Holds on those and that's brutal. Physically, I don't have knee pain, no elbow problems, shoulders feel great and my back is just as strong and durable as ever, None of which came from doing high reps all the time, I've tried that and had to back off cause it burned me out and had to switch things up. 

When it comes to heavy weights, going hard on them too often or not understanding the mechanics can lead to tragedy more than triumph. Unless you're training for competition or whatever, it's not worth your health for things outside the gym or your garage. Can lift 500 lbs? Cool, so have other people, it's impressive from a weight training point of view and shows incredible strength but it's only temporary strength. People may not like me saying this and that's ok. Where other than the gym are you lifting 500 lbs? In most places, you'd either be crushed or need a forklift cause not every place has things that are the same as a barbell. My best bench is 305, there are plenty of guys who can do far more than that but overall, is it really that important to be praised for? I don't train bench much at all anymore and can still go into a gym and press up close to 300, last time I hit about 290. Great, how about them Giants?

The point is, if you're goal oriented to do high rep work frequently or do heavy weights to get stronger, that's all well and great and hope you're successful and have less chances of getting injured but from a realistic point of view, it's better to focus on things that not only make you durable and have solid conditioning but to be strong for a long period of time instead of only seconds in comparison. There's also less chances of needing surgery later down the road. I've only been in the hospital for something needed done once in the the last 14 years, unless I was getting test done or getting a physical (which I've only done once or twice since I was in my 20's), I haven't been checked into a hospital for anything severe and haven't had to be cut open to have something repaired since 2005. The closest thing I've come to checking in myself for was a chiropractor to fix some stuff in my neck and my back, that's it LOL. When I was laid up with my sciatica injuries, I never went to the hospital, not once, I took some painkillers, slept on a mattress on a floor space, gave my body time to heal, do Isometrics and eventually DDP Yoga and I made it through. 

Train according to your needs and goals, you don't have to listen to me either, if you want to do all that stuff, awesome and make the best of it and make it worth it for you. Just giving you an idea of what things can occur and what you can do to prevent certain things. You got the power to do something great for yourself, just don't sacrifice your well being for it otherwise it'll just lead to misery and pain. Doing high rep work too frequently can have consequences that you don't want later in life, same thing can be said about heavy weights; it can bite you in the ass if you don't do things properly and understand that very few things outside of that have benefits in real life situations. Do what's possible and be aware.

Here's an idea of what I mean.....

Be amazingly awesome and take care of your body. Strengthen those bones like they were Vibranium, make those tendons like steel cords and develop muscle that is functional and lasts. 

Mastering Movement and Owning Your Self-Awareness

Listen up, this ain’t just another post about throwing weights around or grinding through bodyweight exercises like a savage. You're going to learn that this is about owning every damn inch of your movement, commanding your body like a warlord, and tapping into the primal self-awareness that makes you unstoppable. This is about control—not just of your muscles, but of your mind, your focus, your entire fucking existence in and out of the the gym. Get your ass ready because we’re going deep into the art of mastering your movement and waking up to the beast you were always meant to be. Let’s get this thing rolling.

The Power of Controlled Movement: You Are the Master, Not the Machine

Imagine For A Moment: You’re doing Hindu Squats, feet are in place, you're focused like a predator on the hunt. Most people? They’d just drop, bounce, and pray they don’t fall over from raising the heels. Not you bro. You’re different. You control the descent, every muscle firing with intention and pace. Your legs are working in unison with the arms, core and back are aligned like a dominate tag team, and your mind? Razor-sharp, feeling every inch of the movement. That’s power. That’s you in the driver’s seat.

Controlled movement isn’t just about looking pretty under the bar—it’s about owning the process. Every rep, every set, every step you take in your workout is a chance to dominate. When you move with precision, you’re not just training your body; you’re forging a connection between your mind and your muscles that’s stronger than steel, remember the wise words of Thulsa Doom "Steel isn't strong boy, flesh is stronger.". You’re telling the universe, “I’m running the show here.”

Take the Spike Push-Ups. Almost anyone can do a regular push-up. But with the Spikes (also known as Neuro-Grips)? You feel EVERYTHING, the engagement is so intense it becomes a level of strength that the majority of the population could possibly fathom . You go down and come back up with purpose, every muscle screaming in harmony, because you’ve trained yourself to know your body. That’s not just strength—that’s mastery. That’s control with incredible power. Feel every fiber. Own every inch. Watch your strength skyrocket when you stop rushing and start controlling.

A Major Key to Unlocking Your Inner Olympian

Now let’s talk about a real game-changer: self-awareness. This ain’t some fluffy meditation bullshit. This is about knowing exactly what’s going on in your body and mind when you’re in the arena. It’s about hearing the signals, reading the feedback, and adjusting like a general on the battlefield.

You ever see someone grinding through a workout, face twisted, form crumbling, ego screaming louder than their muscles? That’s a lack of self-awareness. They’re not listening to their body—they’re just chasing numbers, numbers have their place but this isn't what it's about. You’re different. From a weight training perspective, you feel when your knees cave on a squat. You know when your lower back rounds on a deadlift. You sense when your mind’s drifting and your focus is slipping. And you fix it. Right then, right there.

Self-awareness is your superpower. It’s the voice that says, “Yo, tighten that core,” or “Ease up, you’re not warmed up yet.” It’s the instinct that tells you to drop the weight and drill form instead of chasing a PR that’ll wreck you. It’s the clarity to know when you’re dog-tired and need rest, not another Red Bull and a death march of a workout.

How do you build this? Start simple: check in. Before every set, take a breath and scan your body. Feet planted? Core tight? Shoulders back? Mind locked in? That 10-second ritual will transform your lifts and your life. You’re not just moving weights or your own bodyweight—you’re commanding your entire being.

The Mind-Muscle Connection: Where Control Meets Awareness

Here’s where it all comes together and the cream of the crop of what's truly important: The mind-muscle connection. This is the holy grail of training, the point where control and self-awareness fuse into something unstoppable. When you’re dialed in, you don’t just “do” a bicep curl or a push-up—you feel the muscles contract, stretch, and explode with every rep. You’re not just pushing through a bench press or getting that chin over the bar in a pull-up—you’re commanding those muscles to fire in perfect sync.

This connection doesn’t happen by accident. It’s built through focus, intention, and relentless practice. Next time you’re in the gym or out at the park, don’t just count reps like a robot. Feel them. Visualize the muscle working. Picture the fibers tearing and rebuilding stronger. Make every rep a masterpiece, not a chore or punishment.

This level of control and awareness doesn’t just make you a beast in and out of the gym. It spills over into life. When you can master say a 400-pound deadlift with perfect form, you start walking taller, thinking clearer, and tackling challenges like a freaking Spartan. You’re not just building muscle—you’re building a legacy.

Own It, Every Damn Day

So here’s the deal, everyone. You’re not here to half-ass your workouts or sleepwalk through life. You’re here to dominate, to move with purpose, to know your body and mind like a Jedi knows his lightsaber. Controlled movement and self-awareness aren’t just exercise tricks—they’re the keys to unlocking your true nature within.

Next time you step into the gym or wherever you train, don’t just show up. Arrive. Feel every step, every breath, every rep. Be present. Be powerful. Be aware. Because when you control your movement and master your self-awareness, you’re not just training—you’re forging a legacy of strength, discipline, and unrelenting might.

Now go out there and crush it. Be amazingly awesome, and conquer your destiny.

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It Is Quite A Habit

 Making the DDP Yoga workouts my primary training program has been a godsend, more than just recovering and rebuilding my body again. It has enhanced the flexibility in my back and staying strong in positions I haven't done in years. If I start to have even a slight flare up in the morning, a warm-up and a main workout really makes it fade and I can go about my day. 

It has become quite the habit and I love. I would do a different workout almost everyday and every few days or so I would do a really hard one or go for more than 45 min to an hour and still able to keep up. Modify from time to time in every workout but I manage to stay in solid positions pretty well. The beauty of it is that Dallas wants you to make it your own and you don't have to exactly like he does or the others, just do what you can with what's possible at the time. Some moves I'm not very flexible in, some I can go into easily but regardless, my flexibility gets better each time.

I've added a few things throughout the day after my initial morning workout. I've added some Neck Mobility doing various directions and on the 10th rep of each exercise I would Isometrically hold it for a count of 10 to really sink into it. Keeping that neck strong and elastic man. I've also now done a couple Dopa Band Workouts and did a circuit on the second one where I did 10 Rounds of 5 Exercises for a total of 500 Reps with little to no rest. I felt excited as hell on that one and kept them basic, nothing super fast or explosive, just enough to where I can keep going and be able to focus on my breathing as well. Conditioning is definitely back.

One of my next steps or ideas for getting back into great shape is rucking with the 40 lb Weight Vest again. Start around the neighborhood and work up to hiking up the mountain next to the house. Always loved going for walks with that thing on and would sometimes end up going 3-4 miles door to door. Going up the mountain and back home would take an hour door to door when I was doing things like that. The other night, I even managed 250 Step Ups for the first time since my recovery, wasn't easy and I paced myself but I was determined to get at least 200 in. Was thrilled about that too and little by little I want to hit 500 Step Ups again. 

It's getting a little easier day by day to be at my complete best again but I'm still pacing myself, not going as hardcore as I normally would and just do what I can in the moment. Not looking at what happens at the end of a workout, only looking at what's possible in the moment of time. Breathing deeply and being a bit more active. Putting in the work to be healthier and being more aware of what I can do hasn't been easy but it's not impossible either. Not pushing to be better than anyone, it's not worth the effort, the only thing that matters is that I'm a little bit better than I was the day before and the only person I compete with is me. There will always be someone better than me, I may do certain things that others don't do or haven't achieved yet but it's not my place to be superior to them. I have my own journey, they have theirs.  

Build habits that help you climb the ladder to your success. Be mindful of what is possible and set aside the ego trip. Be a little stronger, stretch a little longer and be in a bit better condition each day. Before you know it, you'll be doing things that seemed impossible at first and they become your greatest victories. There is the importance of discipline and making the effort but at the same time, be in control of the things you can do right now and expand on it little by little. The more you can expand even by the smallest fraction, the more you'll see what can truly be possible. Thank you for taking the time out of your day to read this, I really appreciate you and I hope you have an amazingly awesome day.  

Getting Stronger & Limber

 At a good point to where I'm close to 100% healed up. Been doing the DDP Yoga Workouts for 24 days straight now and just feeling better and better each time. Some days I'll do beginner to intermediate, every few days or so I'll do one or two of the brutal ones and repeat that. None of them are easy and some are just so damn nasty it works me like a motherfucker but I love it. 

Starting to get my itch back with Isometrics as well and even did some Step Ups last night. Managed a total of 100 in sets of 25 per leg. Don't want to jump into my normal stuff just yet, keep a level head of the DDP Yoga and focus on building my flexibility and mobility. My strength & endurance is back at full force as well because of the continuous holds and movements of DDP Yoga.

Even tested myself with a 5 min Micro Workout of just picking up my 20 lb Sandbell to my chest, drop and repeat as many times as possible. Just working things back up and strengthening those areas and hitting many muscle groups at once. Hit 74 reps in 5 minutes lifting a total of nearly 1500 lbs. Felt some discomfort but that was to be expected because I haven't done that kind of workout in over a month. No pain though and didn't go Speedy Gonzales on it either, just steady pacing and technique intention. 

The walking has become much easier and limping almost not at all now. Went shopping at grocery stores with the wife and was pretty much cruising without a hitch. Even had an afternoon lunch and movie the same day, even walked around a park area. Happy to get things going again and our 5th anniversary is only a few days away so I'm definitely happy I'm in the shape for it. 5 years Married, Together for 9 years and couldn't be more excited for it. I can be a sappy bastard but hey, it's my nature.

Being strong and limber again is teaching me how precious and important it is to have those attributes and not take anything for granted. Being mindful and taking better care by doing things more methodically and better intent. I'll still do some things fast but not to the point where I lose my sense of awareness. Maybe that was one of the contributing factors to getting hurt again was not being aware of what was going on and just being this crazy guy doing crazy workouts. I'm still that guy but need to be more present and utilize technique and what my body is telling me. Not be so gung ho and paying more attention to what my body can do at the beginning, during and after a workout. If I need to take a break from time to time I'll take it. Not going to try to keep up the same pace, back off when I need to and go hard when it calls for it. 

Injuries are not to be fucked with. They happen and we can't 100% avoid them but we can be more intentional about listening to our bodies, especially as we get older. Some guys will just go hard until they're in the ground, others are trying to prove how manly they are by doing things that probably aren't good for their body in the long run. I'm learning daily myself this and learning more and more that I have nothing to prove to anyone but myself. I love to share demos and things like that but I'm not going to inflate my ego just to prove how tough I 'am and try to outwork anyone. It's not worth it anymore.

Health and progressing little by little is more important than how far I can go with a 70 lb Sandbell or try to do 1000 Reps with a Hammer in 25 minutes or less. Train for function and making strides without breaking down. I still want to do carries, swing a hammer, do bodyweight stuff and work the Dopa Band, it's just a matter of what is possible without risking highly for injuries again. 

Will this ever happen again? I sure as hell am going to do my damndest to make sure it doesn't and take things one day at a time. Pain in one sense tells you that you're still alive but it also brings misery and heartache to yourself and to those around you. I felt so guilty and ashamed of what I put the people I love through was just horrifying and made me hate myself. This is the lesson I'm learning right now and making little changes, do things a little differently and being more aware, not to the point where I'm cautious all the time or whatever but to more in the present and listening to my body because the very thought of doing this again after just healing would shatter my very soul. 

As for my weight, I'm right at around 235-236 right now and plan on losing a bit more weight, already looking slimmer and I have my appetite back with a vengeance. I also don't want lose so much weight I start to look older than my age lol. Maybe that's partially an ego thing but I like having my good genes and stay looking as young as I can. Just got to keep things in stride.