Like Being In A Hypnotic State

            I like the idea of hypnotism, where you can be transferred to a state of mind in which it’s full of relaxed, calm and powerful entities. There aren’t good ways to be hypnotized at least from certain people who know how to do it but from the people I know it can be very helpful and aid you into becoming stronger. What if you learned to hypnotize yourself? Consciously drive into your own mind and put yourself in a state where you channel your focus on what you want and everything else is blocked off. Gather your focus and energy into being so in tuned; you get more results from your training.

            It’s not easy being able to hypnotize yourself because it takes concentration, an intense level of focus and blocking out what you don’t want within your mind. Meditation can help, going into your own Movie Theater, thinking of various colors that relax you whatever you find useful. The reason why I feel being hypnotized and going into a state of mind as you train is because there can be too many distractions around you and you want to put the effort into what you want in terms of results. This happens a lot at the gym. You go in, some douche is talking on his cell phone or the energy is so great it just makes it difficult for you. This is one of the reasons why I like training at home or at a park where it is just you and your thoughts. I get so fired up sometimes I don’t see, hear or look at anything else other than the training I’m putting myself through.

            Look at it this way, this your time to do what you want to do, be free. The next time you’re alone, do this before you work out, sit, stand or lie down whatever is comfortable, close your eyes or keep them open whatever works, let yourself relax, ease out of your tension one body part at a time starting with your neck and slowly drip downward, learn to listen to that inner voice or spirit within you helping you take all the junk out. Breathe deeply; think to yourself Calm Mind/Calm Body. Picture what you want to accomplish in your workout, focus into the muscles you’re working on. See the intensity as if it was on a big screen TV, you are calm and focused but you’re slowly building your adrenaline, now listen to that inner voice saying “You’re coming out focused, strong and ready. Snap your fingers three times and you’ll awaken ready for action.” This should take no less than a few minutes, at first you may struggle to think like this but let it happen, be like water on a smooth river bank, its flowing but also can grow in strength.

            No matter if you’re at the gym, at home or wherever, you’re not competing against others, it’s you against yourself. We all have that one opponent and it’s our inner selves. He/she can be your best friend or your greatest enemy; you must choose which one to take. When you’re competing against yourself it’s like a chess match, which moves will be your best chances of winning. When you compete against others it’s not as bad winning or losing cause another person will always come along but when you keep losing against yourself, it’s far more severe because you’re hurting what matters most.

            Going into another state of mind and learning how to win is a challenge but if you keep persevering, telling that bad side of you it’s either with you or against you, you’re creating a powerful way to unlock your true personality. It’s finding who you are from within and how to use those positive vibrations we all have. Some have more negative than others because of certain experiences and how we react from a mental perspective but if you go inside yourself and learn to find those positive parts of yourself, find a way to increase their strength, grow bigger and more powerful so they outweigh and can crush the larger number of the negatives. On the other hand if you have more positives than negatives, it’s a little bit easier but can still be a challenge, again go inside that state of mind and grow and outweigh those bad boys and crush those negatives even more.

            We’re all different and we sometimes find it easy to go into another state of mind but also it’s not so easy and can be a struggle because we of our experiences, the energy we surround ourselves with and how we react to these things. It’s like being in a hypnotic state, the way you control it is up to you and how you converse in your mind of creating what you want and listening from within. 

Celebrating Life

Happy Cinco De Mayo to all my Amigos in Mexico and around the world and wish you all a pleasant day of happiness, love, celebration and good old fun.

            Now on to brass tacks. A lot of people take life a little too seriously and don’t really look around to see that there’s more to life than being miserable. Some of you may not have the best looking house or drive the most bad ass car, hell you may not even had the best education but yet, it’s all about how you see the world in your mind. There are people who try to make themselves happy by dressing to look better, fill the house with nice things and think that because they’re hot shit they ought to be happy by everyone’s standards, hate to break it to you but that’s just making yourself look worse.

            To really celebrate life is to not only embrace yourself (not in an egotistical kind of way) but to embrace what you have. Building your body internally is a practice that takes time, patience and to practice finding peace within yourself. You can love and take care of people and have a blast with the people you love but if you don’t celebrate who you are both in body and spirit, the rest won’t come as easy. I’ve been practicing Chi Kung lately to enhance not only my body’s energy but enhance my inner strength and spirit into a blissful state.

            Getting the body moving not just by training but by learning various movements and methods that give you results, not just by building muscle or losing weight but moving your body that has you smiling and releasing those endorphins instead of looking like someone just murdered your ass. Move your body and it doesn’t matter how you do it, you can dance, lift heavy weights, do muscle control, restructure your physique or even practice various forms of Yoga & Chi Kung and even take a walk somewhere.

            Remember about embracing what you have? It’s not always physical objects that embrace what you have. Just because you have a certain artifact or piece of jewelry laying around doesn’t make you the most bad ass person. By embracing what you have, it’s what you don’t see. It’s the energy that surrounds you with love, compassion and beautiful inner smiles with that radiant glow that lights up the room. You can put things anywhere you want like a pumpkin on Halloween, a tree at Christmas or a Buddhist statue on your mantle but if your energy isn’t there, than these objects are just that, objects. Celebrate life with love and spirit and embrace the energy around you, if it becomes negative or dirty as it often does, change it and harness your inner power from within. 

Unleash Your Creative Potential

           As long as I've been training since I learned to walk again in 2005, I always believed in finding a creative way to train. It’s been my mission to find certain exercises that are unique and out there because when you do the same old boring crappy workouts that these magazines or infomercials are telling you do, it’s diminishing your right to find what works best for you. I have no problem doing basic movements but I also wanted to add an element of fun to them.

            The best way to use your creativity is to use your imagination. The way you think into your exercises will define how you believe the workout to be. One of my favorite exercises as of late has been what I call being a Thorsmith; what that is just basically taking a heavy Thor Hammer and hitting a tire with one hand. Now to most that just seems pretty boring but not if you think differently. The way I look at it as, I’m not hitting a tire and my hands are bigger in my mind than they normally are, plus I'm imagining I’m in an awesome place where strength is instant, I’m building my body from within and I don't imagine a tire being there but something that I'm building from scratch and it’s not a sword or a wrench but my muscles and my tendons. This is one example of how to turn a simple exercise into a super charged workout with just your thinking.

            Although the word workout may have a different meaning to some people but to me whenever I hear the word work-out two things cross my mind; one being if you don't have a positive thinking process and are too serious you’re just working and not getting anywhere. On the other hand if you feel alive and just effortlessly train without thinking harshly you're really playing and having a blast and getting results out of it. That’s where your imagination comes in and the way you apply yourself to your training.

            There are a number of dumbasses out there that tell you that they're way is the best and whoever is different doesn't know any better and being different makes you weak. Screw them. You are one person, you train however you want and if it’s different than everybody else so be it. I'm encouraging you to be unique and different because you can’t do the same things everyone does. You will always be stronger in something that someone else isn't; it’s not yours or anybody’s fault and being different is a gift not a curse. Don't let anyone tell you that you can’t do something great. If you have a vivid imagination, use it it’s yours and you have the power to make yourself successful. Whoever tells you different and gives you crap about it, they're jealous of what you have and they don’t look at you when they say it, they look at themselves and hating that they can’t do what you’re capable of. Show who you truly are and share it. 

By The Beard Of Zeus

            

             Sorry I had Anchorman man on the brain this morning. If you’re a fan of Will Ferrell or Awesomely Stupid Comedy watch Anchorman & it’s sequel. Whenever Ferrell (who’s character is Ron Burgundy) is in shock or whatever he says a random set of words instead of holy shit it’s like “Sweet Odin’s Raven” or whatever comes up. I find it funny but I still like the god himself.

            Funny things aside, you can harness the power of Zeus if you apply the thought, your action and your imagination of super strength and speed by using simple techniques that can create strength by three fold. It’s teaching you to harness your strength that you already possess within you that just needs a key to unlock the door. Believe me I was skeptical at first too and I've been learning all kinds of stuff for years but I decided to put my skepticism aside and just test it, see if the guy who was teaching it was bluffing and full of shit, I was dead wrong and was in for a whirlwind.

            I was shocked when I incorporated the sounds, the imagination and the target points to what I want to do and my strength shot up like a damn cannon. I've literally done hundreds of exercises in my lifetime and even with the most difficult ones felt at ease. It’s called CoreForce Energy; a system proven to combine different elements to surge your strength in less than a few minutes if not seconds. Imagine if you’re an athlete being able to run a little faster down the field, knock the ball out of the park, have laser eye coordination while shooting a basketball have a faster and more accurate slap shot, have a better golf swing and do it all without steroids and/or PEDs, would you want that kind of power and speed?

            This isn't just for athletes but for people from all walks of life from the business man to the martial arts, to the entertainer and opera performer, to the awe strength of Circ Du Soleil to the motivational speaker who wants project a greater voice. When you get your hands on CoreForce Energy you’ll learn in small chunks how to peak your performance at the maximum level with step by step simple but effective elements of training, philosophy and the internal arts.

            Zeus is a fundamental component of the course and you’ll find out why when you hear the sounds of power and music, to feel the surge course through you with breathing patterns that give you strength instead of draining it and you’ll find the deepest secrets of Einstein’s vision of standing on the tip of the light traveling at the speed of light at 186,000 miles per second and how this one technique can increase your speed within an instant. Unlock the power that’s already within you and harness your strength like you've never seen it before. No matter how big or small you are, there’s something there for everyone and my friend Garin Bader will show you the deepest secrets of unlocking your power, your undeniable speed and the strength that is just edging to be unleashed. You have the power my friend, make it happen and perform at a level that you have been dying to have.

Taking It One Day At A Time

            For most in life it’s easy to jump in and make big changes but yet it can bite you in the ass if you’re not careful. In the world of fitness, many want results fast and they want them NOW!!! Sure it seems like a great thing to do at the time but yet it’s about control and bringing little things together that actually take up the big picture.

            What most don’t have is patience and don’t put in the little efforts that create something huge later on. A jet cannot fly without an engine, a deal in a business meeting can’t go down without those little tweeks to get the job done and in fitness/strength training you have to have a relationship between your goals, what you would like to have done and bring it all together in harmony. Granted some like myself aren’t always into routines but I do however believe that if you want the best quality training, you got to align yourself with the right mindset.

            It’s about harmony and building up certain challenges and taking them down a notch. It’s like a beautiful relationship with your significant other, there will be times where it’s all loving and ditsy but yet there will come a time where you face some fights and need to make for them; balance it. Put together what you want to accomplish and be prepared to be thrown a curve every now and then. Be bold and daring but at the same time, let things work for you otherwise some things will just walk all over you.

            A very important thing to remember; everything happens for a reason. There’s just that spark that hits you like Zeus’s’ thunderbolt but there are things that may not always be in your favor, be aware of that, things will work the way they’re supposed to. Be aware of how you do things and find your way to accomplishing your goals and making things happen for you. Training is all about practice, finding who you are and learning what you’re capable of. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that when things go right, it feels like magic but if it doesn’t then you either modify it or switch to something else. Either way you will find something that hits and it’ll be noticeable once you see it.

Giving Thanks

            It’s that time of year again where we give thanks to what we have and what we have been given. As much as I love this powerful attitude, we don’t need a single day where we give our thanks to others. However I do believe it’s a powerful thought and a great attitude to have to be able to bring joy and happiness to others and being thankful for doing so.

            Within the universe, we are given strength inside and outside our physical bodies and our spirit within. I’m very thankful for the strength I've been given and the power to keep driving to be better and build my strength physically, emotionally and mentally one day at a time. Each one of us should not only be thankful for what our strength creates but to keep progressing not just from a fitness standpoint but also as a person and be open to give others a chance to learn.

            One of the greatest things you can do is to pass on your knowledge to a new generation. Some people keep their secrets hidden because it could fall into certain hands or believe their secret is just not worthy for others no matter who it is to see. I personally believe that there’s always one person to pass down your knowledge and wisdom but not for them to be like you but to become more of themselves. I’m thankful for what I've learned and I love passing that down to those who are willing to learn. Learning is a gift and giving that gift is a treasure. I do believe however you don’t have to pass on every single secret because the real secret is finding out for yourself and being thankful that you have done it.

            I want to thank those who have come before me and those that have used what I have to offer because I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for them. You guys are awesome and are wonderful people. You give me a reason to do what I do and you've helped me grow in ways I can never describe. I salute you and I’m thankful for what you've given me. Have an awesome Thanksgiving everyone and Happy Holidays J. Have fun and be safe and for my sake, don’t trample each other on Friday.

Absorbing Power To Increase Strength

            We all have a power within us in some form or another that can give us the strength we need for everyday life. To harness it takes practice but eventually it becomes second nature and no matter what goes on in your life, you can channel your energy to create the strength you want. Scientists say we use no more than 5% of our strength capacity, what if we can upload that to even 1%, would you like to know how?

            Everything we do starts with a thought. We think about stuff all the time but what if we took the time to use our thinking to increase our energy, to increase our movement and to create super strength in the snap of your fingers. How we think creates different actions, different energies and different processes. If you have a thought of happiness, your body’s energy tends to have you move with better breathing, you’re smiling, you’re focused and using less tension. Got a thought about being stressed out and needing to do a bunch of things, your body tenses up, you scrunch your shoulders, your focus is off balance. These are examples of how we think and how our bodies react to that thought. A different thought creates a different action. You can create strength and power just by using your thought with focused intent and trajectory and having certain points that will allow you to move any way you want.

            Think of a kid. As kids we had great imaginations, we made stuff up and created sounds for them, seeing things that aren't there except in our minds. Our breathing was congruent with the way we move and it was fluid and fun. We've lost the ability to use our imaginations and become more analytical. We think too much and don’t really just let things be. Be like a kid, picture what you want to happen, move the way you want to, your breath will be congruent with the way you move.

            Unleashing our chi is simple but it works with our focus and intent with our breathing. It doesn't matter if you’re a strength athlete, a business man/woman, trainer, entertainer or whatever, you can increase your power no matter what you are. If we can increase our power just by a small percentage and have it be consistent, it would help your life in ways nothing else could. Take your strength into the stratosphere and never look back. Take your imagination to places no one can take and be fluid and cunning. Shoot for the stars and beyond the planets and expand your universe. 

Real Reasons To Be Super Strong

           So you lifted a heavy weight and/or bent some steel & can do pretty gnarly bodyweight exercises, big freaking deal. Sure it’s cool to do those things but what do they really mean? Becoming strong isn't always about how much you can handle, it’s about building the strength that you can use in certain situations when troubled or being needed is called for. Have you ever been in a situation where you might need to save someone’s life or help your friends & family when they move? I’m sure the latter is more common for you but the first one is a real eye opener. Let me give you a prime example of this….

I went to a concert once with a girlfriend back in the day, it was fun even though everyone around us was having a bit too much weed and the room was hot as hell. All of a sudden out of nowhere she just passes out right in the middle of the crowd and I panicked like any guy would but I had to do something, with little to no help I picked her up off the floor and this is dead weight I mind you. She was fine after catching her breath and I helped her out the concert doors so she can call her mom somewhere.

            It’s those things where being a strong person is most crucial. Am I saying this to scare any of you or give you a big wake up call? In some ways yes, sure I can be all fun, have a kick ass time but I can also tell you how scary life can be when someone’s is at risk and you have to be prepared for the unexpected.

            Be prepared to have unexpected times being called upon you and one of the best ways is build a foundation that will have you stay functionally strong and aware of certain things. Helping someone move or working your body in different environments such as construction, carpentry, mining, being a blacksmith, military, law enforcement or whatever is important to keep a good strong body intact.

            One thing I've learned for nearly a decade is one of the things you hear like in Captain America from Dr. Erskine “A strongman, who has known power all his life, may lose respect for that power, but a weak man, knows the value of strength and that’s compassion.” There are a lot of strong guys out there but very few know their strength’s true value but there are also the average Joes who have a power that can express extraordinary abilities when you or they least expect them. Don’t go looking to save someone just for the spotlight that just makes you an asshole in the end; learn to use your strength when you need it the most, that’s one of things training is all about.

            The next time you train, sure have fun with it, use your imagination and have a kick ass time but at the same time, in your mind you’re doing these crazy things for a good cause because you never know when the time comes to use what you have built. In your life you may never have to use your strength but you never know don’t you? Train hard, help each other and be safe.

Having Fun With Your Brothers/Sisters In Physical Culture

            

           When you’re apart of a group that has great admiration for fitness and willing to help you in any way possible, they become more like a family sort of speaks. It’s that camaraderie that just has that special bond that you don’t get from other people in your life. It’s when some of us get together and you never know what’s going to happen. One of my best friends in this type of world is Logan Christopher and he’s one of the first guys that helped me shape up what I’ am today. Whenever I hang out with him, he always ends up putting me in some weird workout situation, one time he pretty much threw me into a kettlebell contest, he even got me on the rock climbing walls after kicking my ass in warm ups, even pushed me to get better at bridging. It’s all about making someone better and the right people will talk to you.

            Helping each other out is one of the coolest things in the world. Sometimes we struggle to make a goal or at times you doubt yourself, that’s when they give you that big slap in the face (figuratively and literally at times) to wake your ass up and make things happen. I had one of those experiences when I spent time with Bud Jeffries when he came around my town in Idaho. He helped me out by putting things in another perspective and from his knowledge and wisdom I learned a lot from him in a very short period of time. When you have someone or some people like that, it’s very rare to find and it be wise to be around those types of people. Even when they might try to hook you up with a couple girls at Wal-Mart (thanks Bud).

            There are people in your life that want to bring you down but they do what they can to hide about it and some are right in your face. When those people don’t believe in you, there will be people that will and they’ll go out of their way at times to tell you so and show you why they do. Being around positive people that share similar goals and want to help you in any way they can, those are the people you want in your life. There are plenty of men and women I've met and even more that I've chatted with more than being in person with but the principles are still the same. I love helping others because I had the opportunity to be helped out by those same people and want to pass that on. Doesn't matter what color your skin is, your background, religion, creed, passion you’re another human being like me who’s doing their best to make it in this world.

            In the world of Physical Culture, just like everybody else sometimes there’s a bit of chaos but in a good way, when you have a group of guys who train their asses off and then get together at a restaurant, its bound to get loud at times, telling stories, cracking jokes and even learn a few tips. Other times when you hang out with each other, they’ll push you like no one else will and at times there’s no remorse. You hear stories go around that are just plain strange and others are just funny as hell (Bud told me a story about Dennis Rogers that just made crack up). Even with all that shit going on, you’ll know when they have your back and give you that love and respect for one another even when one of them is a bit nuts but then again we’re all nuts in our special way.

            You are never alone and you’ll learn sooner or later who your brothers/sisters are in this wacky world because there comes a time when everything is in its place and you share things with other people that even your own family will never understand. It goes back to that bond you don’t see much in this day and age. Find them, learn from them and help each other out because eventually, success will be well in reach and you’ll soon find out how you got there.

Developing Meditative Power

           

               Exercising doesn't always have to be physical or moving. A lot of people firmly believe if you go hardcore, that’s all you need but in reality the opposite is true. In meditation practices, the most powerful ways to gain inner strength is just by not moving and by relaxing (not loose and lazy) and strengthening the power of your mind and strengthening your organs. Shaolin Monks are one of the prime examples of developing super power in a meditative state. We've all seen how great they are with jumping abilities, breaking bricks and they’re crazy endurance but where do you think all that power comes from? Sure from practicing those things but it’s the power of chi or life force that brings all of those things together.

            A great meditation practice especially if you’re going after a goal or want to be better at something is to think, see, and feel as if you’re in a movie theater, just you watching a movie on the big screen. You’re watching your accomplishments unfold in front of your eyes, your past and future goals come alive and with love and celebration you’re starting to see it as if it was your favorite movie. You’re the hero vanquishing the villains (aka negative and dark energies) that want you to fail but you don’t give in. Each time you watch that movie, it becomes more powerful, clearer, more alive and before you know it, it jumps right out of the screen and that movie becomes your reality. You’re excited, invigorated and far stronger than you ever were before. Something within you becomes something Superhuman and there’s nothing anybody can do about it.

            Powerful meditation usually pits you in an offensive strategy but not so much in a defensive position. Ever heard the expression a great defense is a great offense? That’s like teaching people to swing the bat and hit a homerun but where’s the pitcher, the catcher and the outfield? That batter might be your dark energy and you don’t want him on base or having him soar that ball over the fence. Your team is on the defense and you can’t let the other team score. Sometimes you throw a fastball or a curve ball and they might get on base but they haven’t scored yet. If you learn to feel and know it, you realize you still have the best defensive team on that field, picture having the greatest players at their position on your team like a bunch of all-stars working together. See guys like Satchel Paige as your pitcher, Josh Gibson at Catcher, Lou Gehrig at First, Rogers Hornsby at Second, Cal Ripken Jr. at Shortstop, Brooks Robinson at Third and your Outfielders are second to none with names like Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente and Rickey Henderson. Its one hell of a strategy don’t you think?

            This is just an example and you can name other players of your choice but the principle stays the same and there are other ways to use defensive strategies in meditation. It’s like building a giant bubble over you and no one can get to it, or in this case using Baseball analogy you cover the wall of the field as one massive bubble so there’s no way they can hit it out of the park and your players get an out more than a good number of times, hell you can make the batter strike out cause the moment you throw that ball, it’s so fast he can’t see it and it’s right in the catcher’s glove before he knows what hit him. Make it work for you.

            The physical side to meditation is a useful tool more than you think. In Qi Gong; you learn to harness your energy through movements that flow with energy and smooth harmony. Tai Chi is the same thing just in a different format of energy flow but yet it’s still there and the more you harness that energy, the more powerful you become. Another look at physical meditation is through the use of CoreForce Energy; the ability to harness strength and speed using sound, torquing points and cutting edge power with the mind and body working together. It is used in any situation whether it’s through exercise, talking, writing, playing an instrument or whatever it is you want to do, it’s harnessing that inner power that generates strength in all its aspects.

            There are more ways to develop meditative powers so learn and find what works best for you, make it a habit to meditate the best way possible and be less resistant as possible. This world does have it’s beautiful side but it’s up to us how we see things and how we can our lives richer in health and well being. See what you can find, it’s a great way to make life that much sweeter.

Being Sore Doesn’t Mean You Get A Day Off

           Training is apart of life no matter what. It takes guts to keep going day after day, week after week, and year after year but in the end its all how you make it be. People assume because you’re sore you overdid it and you need a break when in reality that’s where the fun begins. You've worked out hard and you wake up the next day and you’re aching what do you do? You can either rest or not do any type of training or you can adjust and focus on something else to train on till you’re fully recovered.

            The late Karl Gotch once said “you must adapt and improvise” and what does he mean by this? From my point of view and personal experiences, you learn to adjust your training by how you feel and how you can switch things around. In this case of being sore, you don’t have to go hardcore but you can change things up like for example…Say you exercised with a deck of cards and all you did was push-ups and squats, you’re very sore the next day from going through that whole deck, instead of moaning and bitching just do a little bit of stretching and work on little exercises throughout the day to keep your blood flowing and keeping the body loose while you recover.

            You can always do something. I've seen a lot of guys in the gym who go all out one day and the next they don’t show up because they’re sore, give me a break. I've also seen other guys who have pushed to their limits and the next day came back looking to do something else to help them recover. Taking a break from your regular routine is a good thing but it doesn't mean you’re out of the woods. Focus on something that keeps you active, ride your bike if you have one, take a nice walk around the neighborhood, do some deep breathing to open up the lungs and work on other muscles and tendons that didn't get worked. Have a little fun with it. Go out and move like a wild animal even if it’s a few steps, juggle kettlebells who knows, make something work for you till you’re ready to go full blast again.

            Recovery is very important, there’s no question about that. Sure you get it that muscles get torn down and need some down time but its also important to stay active, keep on your toes, keep your blood flowing, your body is like a machine and can go more than you can expect. Your body will heal itself and the better shape you’re in; the more you can keep active without being so sore. Keep that in mind and rest if you need to but don’t just lay around like a chump, do something that makes you happy, have fun and get in the habit of improvising your exercise. Be smart, train hard and keep at it. 

The Deck Of Destiny

              One of my favorite workouts is simply using a deck of cards and going as far as I can go. He didn't create it but he certainly gave it greater purpose especially if you’re a combat athlete and that was Karl Gotch. If you were to get in superior condition it was important to stick with the fundamentals and that was squats, push-ups and bridging. With the deck, you just shuffle them however you want and when you flip one card you do that many push-ups or squats, face value is up to 15, Aces are 20 and Jokers are 25-50.

Numbered As Is

Aces- 20

Face Cards- 15

Jokers-25/50

            Once you have it down and you can finish the deck in a reasonable amount of time (keep it under 45 min.), you can switch things around, make certain parts of the cards different types of push-up and/or squats along with an abdominal exercise or maybe add in pull-ups that’ll be an ass kicker. It’s good to switch things up, keep the body working in different directions and ways that’ll keep your heart rate up and challenging your body to a different degree. My shortest time with the cards ever was just over 21 min. and that’s cruising, that’s just on various push-ups and squats, however with only 4 exercises it takes me just under 45 min. at a time.

            Gotch always found that conditioning was the base for every combat sport and in general all sports for that matter. You can do all the techniques in your sport all you want but if you can’t last very long on the mat or on the field even on the court you might as well walk out the door. Another legendary sports figure whose conditioning training helped bring a series of championships was the late John Wooden of NCAA Basketball lore at UCLA. If his guys weren't up to par to stay in the game efficiently, they didn't get to play much, it was this golden rule that put his teams in the best of the best during the 60’s and 70’s that had Hall Of Famers such as Kareem Abdul Jabarr and Bill Walton. This type of training gives your workouts a twist because it’s never the same every time so there’s no guess work it’s just there.

            When it comes to timing, you should attempt to finish the deck with as little rest as possible to the point where you’re just zooming like lightning. In the beginning, you might need to rest after a few cards to catch your breath and let the tension out because of the lactic acid build up. Each workout should have a little less rest than the last time so you can build that endurance and your mental strength. A key component to learn is that after a while, your form might be a little off, this happens often so do your best to keep your form as best as possible because if you start to get sloppy, it’s going to bite you in the ass.

            If you want to jump up to a level of conditioning that is different and a bit more hardcore than doing reps, do the deck in an Isometric format. You’re probably wondering “how the hell do you do that?” Instead of doing reps, you hold a certain position for time either for a few seconds or a few breaths for example, you got a 5 and it’s a squat, you can hold a horse stance or wall sit and hold for 5 seconds or take in 5 breaths. Jokers are a killer and you’d be in great shape if you can hold a position for up to 50 breaths but 50 seconds is still ok. This takes your body to a level most never dare go to. At best this kind of workout can take as long as an hour or more, that’s a lot of trying to hold still.

            The deck can work in many ways and no matter how you do it, if you can do the whole deck you’re in reasonably good shape. Gotch took to a level only a small group has ever achieved and that’s doubling the number of squats and kept the push-ups as is. I once read he did the deck twice in a row, no wonder he was a beast on the mat. It’s a lot of fun to work on and you can do it just about anywhere at anytime. See how you do it and how it can work for you. 

To Bridge Or Not To Bridge??? That Is The Question

            Is it not wise to build a mighty neck & back? For he that is weak in the electric embodiment of one’s core shall deteriorate with fierce consequence. A neck that holds the head up high with great confidence and soaring charisma must be strong that he must practice to save his body from a hunch and painful muscle.

            Fear is a piercing for those that not practice. It is this fear that thee doesn't take one step closer to his true potential with the ability to become not just strong but agile and fearlessness that brings forth his soul’s purpose to achieve inner strength. To practice is to be within the deepest reaches of one’s heart and purpose to leap with both feet and making thyself more wanted to be strong.

            The power of one’s spine is to a soul’s strength. The strength of man’s back is a source of great admiration, the might of his bones and muscle is a leap to perhaps a superhuman entity for which very few men can accomplish. It is within man’s birthright to be strong in many facets of life and only that crossing is from being weak to being powerful.

            Is it in the interest of thee that can fall with grace? Most fear because of their lonesome, they will be hurt and not tackle that darkness. Are there not angels that are there for guidance? There are angels but there’s also a blessing of a friend that can guide you and help you fall back with confidence and inner power. To fall back, one must reach down into his very soul to build the power to take another leap into becoming a being of no fear and not dwelling on putting his body at risk, with great practice, greater energy becomes.

            One must tell thyself to make way of crossing past the darkness and kicking over to the other side with will and the ability to fight. The more practice, the less you need to fight. An agile body doesn't happen overnight just like the cities of the Roman, Greek and Persian empires of the remote past. Your body is a temple of Great Power. Not everyone can enjoy this power but for most it is within your grasp to take whole of which is yours to keep. To Bridge takes patience, with great patience comes confidence, confidence becomes power.  

Let The Hammer Fall

As of late because of the influence from Super Strongman Bud Jeffries, Sledgehammer Training has been going like hot cakes and why is that? We all realize a hammer is just a hammer or is it, what’s the significance of having this monstrous looking object? It is actually one of the most important tools that can be used to jack up your conditioning like burgers to a grill. You don’t need to look like pretty boy Chris Hemsworth of Thor fame or the folk legend John Henry, hell you don’t need massive muscles to be able to handle it but yet if you want to take a hold of that Hammer, you need a slice of mind power to even take a few exercises on.

            When you bring that powerful hammer down and hit a good solid tire, picture that tire as if it was someone trying to kill you or you have to dig the biggest hole or better yet, picture in your mind, that you’re taking down a building or structure say a pyramid or knocking holes as if you were in the Temple Of Doom alongside Indiana Jones, he’ got the whip, you got the hammer. Training with a different mindset can change your body’s movement within the snap of your fingers, if you just picture hitting a tire that’s cool and all but where the passion in that is, it’s pretty dull. Your tire is your enemy, make it your bitch.

            One of the coolest hammers there is, is Thor’s Hammer. Just being able to hold that thing has something special, something that gives you power and strength the moment you use it. When you train with it, it’s almost like you’re striking fear into those who can’t do it or handle it. For having that Thor mindset, you want to make that Hammer feel worthy only to you, nobody else and picture as if someone else tried to use your hammer but can’t move it like you, swing it like you or even strike terror into a tire like. It’s a feeling like in the movie; nobody can move the Hammer except Thor, in the Legend of King Arthur pulling the Sword From The Stone only one is worthy to take hold of the sword. I love shit like that, kind of reminds me of another reference, in Highlander there can be only one. Might as well be you.

            The sound of striking a hammer is powerful, thunderous even mystical that even the great God himself can be proud of and hearing the sound of Odin cheering your way to victory. Victory isn't always a winning title but victory is the inner power within that fights even when he’s struck down in the face of battle and keeps going until his dying breath. Thunder & Lightning are at your feet; just waiting for you to take what’s yours and pass that knowledge onto those who deserve its power and its secrets. You are powerful, strong and cunning and within you is a soul that is waiting to unleash hell and give everything you have to make everything worth while. Let the hammer fall and make that hammer apart of you as the sword is to the Samurai. Feel it, see it and hear the power of the gods giving you the power you deserve. 

Opening Your Own Pandora’s Box

          

What are you really afraid of? Are you scared of finding your true potential, something holding you back or do you have something to hide and you don’t know how to come out of your shell? Many people have some of these and some have all of them but in the end it’s all about what you want out of it. Your true potential is within yourself and whatever influence got you to open up it gets you into a world you didn't realize was out there.

            In your mind there’s a million things going on but what happens to the most important thing that you forget to use, your ability to use your mind as if it will give you opportunities you didn't think had. It’s really all in the mind, we all have it, some of us overuse it, some hardly use it and some just know how to use it and make it work for them. If you stay in the same spot, you won’t move forward. It takes practice and progression, it’s not like you go from a weak runner to a marathoner overnight or go from someone who’s afraid of heights to climbing Mount Everest. Open up gradually.

            To really unlock your true potential, you have to go outside of your comfort zone but again be gradual, give yourself time and push it and give yourself a chance to go a little further each time and before you know it you're doing things you didn't realize you didn't know you could do. I know what it’s like to be afraid. When I broke my legs, for a period I never thought I'd walk again, I was scared and felt depressed for a bit but I went out of comfort zone and slowly changed my thinking and built myself up without having a thought or care in the world, I fought my way back even when I didn't want to because if I stopped completely, I would be like most people who didn't care anymore. The true secrets are within your soul and not from a book/cd/dvd or always a seminar.

            The real secrets to unlocking your own Pandora’s Box are found within all of us. We have levels of potential that even ourselves can’t grasp but how we choose to use it is up to us and if you want it bad enough, you'll find a way to make it work for you and have it work for the rest of your life. It’s a box full of things you've never thought were there and if you knew what was in it, you most likely kept it hidden and tossed the key somewhere and never wanted to come back. It could be anything, your past, your development to becoming strong, your style of writing or ability to handle stress whatever is in there, you can use it in a positive manner and learn from your mistakes and take control of your life on your own terms.

            Give yourself a chance to become the person you want to be, nobody knows your body, your soul, your livelihood and the way you think more than you do and when you have a hold on it, nobody can take it away from you and you have more power and fierce strength than you've ever had before or since. See what’s inside or keep it locked up, up to you but you always have a choice.

Your Biggest Critic

 We learn as we get older who we are and what we become, sometimes it’s early sometimes late and very rarely at the right place at the right time. The bad thing about that is people will tell you what you can and can't do to be successful but in the end it’s up to you how your life is made.

There will be people who want to bring you down yet those same people should be your biggest motivators. You have dreams and goals and you either don't accomplish them or you do, one way or another the one person who’s going to criticize you the most is the one you're looking at in the mirror. Those same people who want you to fail not only got you to fail but made you fall for the things they said about you. They didn't really make you fail; it was you who failed yourself.

It’s not easy being motivated to go after something you want to accomplish. No matter how many excuses you come up with or how many people tell you can't do something the one person holding you back is you. If you want something bad enough, you'll find a way to get there with or without someone’s encouragement. In fitness there are as many critics as there is in Art, Sports, Business and Politics, when you want to accomplish something, there will be some people who will hate you for it not because of your ambitions but because they're too damn scared or can’t understand so they radiate negative energy towards you. Never let this happen to you.

 I've had many setbacks in my life, I've cheated death a few times, didn't understand how my body worked when I was recovering from meningitis and I was told I wouldn't be able to very athletic and strong. It happens to all of us but the point I'm making it is if you want to go after something, you do it period. I can tell you stories about some of the guys who have overcome major obstacles in their life but it’s all just words, actions speak louder than words and it’s up to you who you want to become. Are you going to sit there and let people give you all the crap and let you fail, or you going to make things happen and show them that if you're going to fail or succeed, you're going to do it on your own terms?

 You've been told either your whole life or at some point in your life that you're either going to be successful or you'll fail so when is it enough for you? You are your biggest critique, not them not anything else, you are the one who will take a stand or just plummet like the others who just let themselves go and not get anywhere. Criticizing yourself can make you or break you which one is it?

 Look to where you want to go, feel that power of accomplishment before it even happens then set it to action, listen and learn how to make yourself better little by little. Build a foundation for what goals you want to accomplish, don't forget that 2 sided coin of those who encourage you and those that want you to fail, believe it or not they're both important because when you do accomplish something the ones who did encourage you will help you even more, the ones that wanted you to fail are the ones kicking themselves and feel even more crappier then they did before and might even give you a bit of a clap because you triumphed over your obstacles and did something they didn’t believe you could do. Get in the habit of making yourself successful no matter what the challenge is, I believe in you, there are others that believe in you, don’t let your goals and dreams die, they’re a key to making your life the way you always wanted.