Exercises Throughout The Day To Stay Energized

 Spreading a few exercises here and there throughout the day is never a bad thing. Matter of fact, it's probably better for many than getting one big workout in that takes up some time. Some do like getting in that hour long or so workout either before or after work which is awesome and I applaud you for making that effort, if you enjoy it and it's meaningful to you, keep at it. There are other options though if you need it to save yourself some time.

 Doing a few moves or holds over the course of the day can help you stay strong and fresh for what is thrown at you and getting the most out of it in little bits of time. Even certain exercises that seem basic can be very challenging when done right. One of my favorite exercises believe it or not I like to do for a couple minutes a day along with the other things I do is doing Push-ups either on my fists, palms or using my handles and I would hold at the top for as long as 30 seconds, then go down to about mid point and hold that for 30 seconds, come back up and hold for 15 seconds, mid point for 15 and repeat that 15/15 one more time for a total of 2 minutes without a rest. It's tough as hell but it gets the job done. Picked up that version of push-ups on youtube but do different variations instead of just one (variety you know). 

 Combining dynamic and isometrics is a great way to keep your strength and condition up and keep things flowing. Do a wall sit for a minute or go bear crawl for 30 seconds to a minute, these will add up as the day progresses and it'll feel like you're getting more done than you thought. Micro Workouts are a key ingredient to successful training and it pits you into a style that can be creative using simple moves and holds. Got a way to do Suspension Training? You can do some assisted pull-ups to build strength and muscle in your back or do rows as you advance. Washing dishes? Every few plates cleaned or so, press down on the countertop for 10-12 seconds and tighten the core muscles. Want to work the legs a bit, if you're going up a couple stairs or so, take a step and press hard with the front leg for 5-10 seconds each leg to build strength in the quads and knees. Sometimes the littlest things can create the biggest impact.

 A great exercise for the lower body is the Amosov Squats which I picked up from Steve Maxwell in the case of doing assisted type squats using a counter space, a door or using a Suspension Strap. Go down as low as you feel comfortable and come back up within control. As you get better, get down a little further and slowly build up speed. This builds great strength in the legs and conditions the entire lower body. Some do this to get the blood flowing as a warm up, others for conditioning purposes and to help with building strength in the knees if they can't do squats unassisted yet.

 Build a foundation and utilize your exercises the best way you can. Don't be afraid to experiment with something and don't think for a second that simple exercises are too easy, when you utilize the right tension and timing, they can be crazy tough to do but yet be as effective if you were doing a long workout. A few seconds can feel like an eternity at times. Making even 5 reps feel like 50-100 is a killer way to train. Have fun with them and keep being amazingly awesome. 

Shoulder Health & Mobility

 It can be hard to adjust the way we do things as we get older. We can still do amazing things when we are consistent and listen to our bodies. The trouble is at times, we can get very cocky and become overzealous and anxious so we push ourselves and get hurt. It takes time to recover and it won't be easy getting back to what we are capable of or working around it. 

We pull muscles, put strain on the joints and lose our mobility in the process. It's great to be strong, it's another to be mobile and durable. When we learn to strengthen our joints and ligaments, it becomes a whole new ball game in the realm of living a quality life. That's one of the reasons why I enjoy swinging the Indian Clubs from time to time. Some light work but a huge emphasis on conditioning the areas that keep the body in tact and healthy. It's not a matter of strength, it's a matter of flow and control for a period of time. Some start out with 1/2 pound clubs and others work up to 2-3 pounders. The weight is not meant to be taken lightly (pun intended), it's meant to keep your body healthy and build resilience so less chances of getting injured becomes a priority.

Clubs have been around for many centuries from the time of ancient warriors to the modern day fitness enthusiast who shows classic exercises for health and durability in the shoulders, wrists, elbows, hands and even the core. Clubs can be done with full body workouts and it wakes up the brain as you flow through the patterns with smooth intention and focus. Some do them for time, others for a certain amount of reps, either way if you can control the club and utilize the patterns with efficiency, you can have a hell of a session. Some days I've done 500-1000 total reps with my clubs, other times just a couple hundred or less, it just depends on what I want to do and how I feel that day. It feels really good, gives off an endorphin high and it puts you into a different state of being. It's moving meditation. 

Injuries can be a bitch, some are worse than others and some are mild but we don't want to injured too often or at all because every injury can make or break a person no matter how big or little it is. That's the great thing about clubs as well, to utilize them for prehab or rehab to train those muscles and joints back to a good state of harmony and health. It's a superweapon for mobility conditioning. 

People like Zenkahuna are perfect examples of applying old school methods to keep your quality of life alive with positive affirmations, harmony through physical movement and playful creativity. Look him up, one of the most influential people with an amazing soul. 

Play around with Clubs, learn the movements and patterns, customize your own workouts and have fun. Be old school with a smile. Be amazingly awesome.   

Sometimes Not Knowing Is Just Part Of The Fun

This morning, I wanted to get in my animal workout so I played my dice game and wrote down each set of reps per roll. Continued this until I felt like I had my fill. Came out to a total of 326 Reps of Animal Movement and felt high as a kite. Although I know the animals on the dice by heart for the last 15+ Years, it's still really cool to have that mystery as well when you never know what will pop up and it could be super easy or crazy hard but you never expect it. 

A good portion of the time when I train, I do set a set/rep scheme whether its with step ups, the dopamineo bands (10% OFF code POWERANDMIGHT), hammer workouts or even swinging the clubs but it's that traveling into the unknown that at times just feels right. That's the true beauty of Animal Exercise Training in my opinion, you can have the movement down to a T but not knowing what comes up makes you work your brain differently. It can be very invigorating and making something fun to start the day. As kids, we make up stuff and just run with whatever comes into our heads. It adds excitement and the feeling of being alive. That's what the Animal Dice Game is all about.

I love the feeling of getting up and just play. I get to move around, crawl, hop, jump, balance and all sorts of other things until you've had enough. Kids have that natural energy and as we get older, that natural energy begins to fade and become analytical along with "am I doing this right?" mentality. We overthink and let out that inner kid that yearns for having fun and discovering things. Sure it's important to understand the basics and move effectively but it's also revitalizing how we use our brains and how we apply certain things to everyday life. Now that doesn't mean a Bear Crawl has the same effect of knowing what groceries to get, that's just weird but being able to move and creating or developing strength so you can do everyday things like being able to carry loads of groceries in one shot or being strong enough to help someone move furniture from time to time is a valuable asset.

When I would play this game for stretches of time, I would end up doing a total of thousands upon thousands of repetitions and never end up doing the same workout or at least in the same order twice in a row. It's just so fun that it can be addicting. It's not really about knowing if you got enough conditioning or you're developing enough strength and mobility, it's just a game and you get to play as often as you want. It becomes something you don't have to think about much and just go out there and be a kid. Yeah the adult part is writing down stuff and see where you end up but the kid gets to move and use their imagination. The attributes come naturally and you're doing what the majority won't even attempt. After that workout this morning, I naturally felt happy, awake, relaxed and joyful; not that I feel those things anyway but life hits you at certain points and having those things helps balance things out. 

Playing a game like this makes the world feel right, not worrying about a bunch of shit, not getting over anxious about stuff but to just play and for mere moments feel like you're invincible and living out the animal kingdom in your living room or out at the park. Reality does hit many hard and sometimes harder than others but getting the opportunity to play and live out millions of years of evolution for a few minutes just hits differently and reality isn't all that bad. It's the unexpectedness, the mystery of not knowing and being prepared for things you're not always ready for. Yeah in that workout in reality 326 reps isn't a whole hell of a lot, but the continuation that leads to those 326 reps and that each step is one step closer to being in better shape and being in great health is the cherry on top of a bad ass cake. It is a journey and traveling to new places, you never know where you'll end up but at the end, you were meant to be there. 

To get an idea of building the basics of animal movement, get Animal Workouts, to progress so you can do flows and combos with more advanced variations, snatch up Movement 20XX (One of the very best courses on the planet for developing awesome strength and conditioning through Animal Movement). Be amazingly awesome and don't be afraid to be a kid during your training.   

Training & Update

 Been a tough road for the past month or so as my sciatica came back and with a vengeance. It started up again slowly while I was in Lake Tahoe visiting family. Was able to walk around and swim and all that but the moment we left, I was in various amounts of pain and when we got home, it hit me like an aluminum bat over and over on the right side of my body. The pain got so bad that often times, standing upright felt impossible and it took a toll on my physical and mental faculties. Bathing was excruciating and getting food to eat was unbearable to the point where I had little to no appetite. 

Mentally, it made me irritable, frustrated, angry and even depressed. I got no one to blame but myself for this and have been beating myself up over it. I'm not saying to make anyone feel sorry for me and not using it to throw a pity party, I'm saying this because this can happen to anybody; young or old even to world class athletes and we aren't 100% immune to it. It has been so painful that it nearly takes the cake over my broken leg injuries all those years ago. Am I showing my age? Maybe, but I'm certainly not dead and would never want anyone experiencing this, even those who've talked shit about me. I have a lot to make up for once I'm better and have made a vow to double my efforts to make up for lost time recovering.

Despite the pain and the emotional toll, I still train everyday no matter what, even if its for a couple minutes just stretching and/or do beginner level animal moves. Is it getting better? Slowly, yes and my flexibility, strength and agility is coming back in micro steps. I've done nothing but stretching, casually walking until I need to squat down and doing increments of the animal exercises from Vahva Fitness. Sometimes I do push through the pain but anybody can only tolerate so much. I know it has taken a toll on my wife and I'm just so grateful for her and what she has done to take care of me, she's strong and pushes me to get better everyday. She truly is my best friend and not just a companion but the ying to my yang, the crazy that matches my crazy and the far better half. I tell her everyday since this happened that the moment this thing is over, she'll be treated beyond the level of a goddess than I already do and going to make up for all things I was meant to do for her, even the little things. My mom has always seen us as the Bobbsey Twins and is quick to remind us of that often. We take care of each other and always have each other's back, I couldn't ask for such an amazingly awesome woman.

Although the workouts are brief, I know I'm getting stronger. I'm standing upright longer now, lasting better in my walking and have taken measures to stretch using my Isometric Belt to generate greater flexibility and even doing certain stretches Isometrically targeting my hips, hamstrings and glutes. I'm definitely feeling it but it's no where near as painful as it was in the beginning. I've only talked about this closely online with the Facebook Group Vim Vigor & Vitality that consists of those who practice Isometrics and other alternative forms of exercise and fitness. These guys are so supportive and have made awesome suggestions. One guy in particular, Batman O'Brien told me that because of what I was going through, he wrote up a series of exercises for me personally to keep up on and that he couldn't let this thing with me go on and insisted on helping me. It was such a powerful gesture and most of what he sent me I was already doing except a few things here and there. He even called me a legend in the Physical Culture world, the guy is twice the author and fitness advocate than I'll ever be and he calls some dude from Santa Cruz a legend. That was so profound and humbling to me that I told him that as much as I appreciate the gesture, I would never refer myself as that because to me, I don't feel worthy of that word. 

It may not be over yet, but soon, I'll be back doing what I love and making it more of a habit to keep up the maintenance so I can be at the type of strength and conditioning I know I can be in. This has been the worst I've felt in years but I can't give up nor can I allow this to go on. Pain may tell you you're not dead but pain can change your brain chemistry and turn you into something you don't want to be. It can be depression, full of negative emotions and it can make you mean at times and it's not right, it's not natural and sure as hell isn't someone I want to become. We're all human and we all have lived with some sort of pain in our lives but it's not natural to feel pain especially heavy sciatica pain 24/7 for the rest of your life. Take care of yourself and be amazingly awesome.    

The Historical Significance Of Movement Training

 Today is going to be a history lesson (sounds boring but I'll do my best to make it as fun as I can). We're going back in time to look at the origins of Movement Training. Some good info here along with learning the benefits, positives and even the negatives. Sit back, put pedal to the medal and let's jump time at 88 miles per hour.

The time? About 10,000 years ago. As you may know (but just in case you didn't), animals don't actually need to do any form of exercise, our ancestors before the age of Crop Circles or the Agriculture Revolution didn't need to do any form of exercise either. Based on the harsh and cruel realities of life as it was, the environment of that time forced the man to be strong, incredible agile and about as athletic as it could get. Now we can even go back to the future into the 20th century (A century of our modern times) and you'll find that the most common person was in pretty good shape from the physical labor they put themselves through. The greats like Farmer Burns, Bob Peoples and others were laborers that went on to become legends in their chosen endeavor. For back then, it was part of people's lives.

Even before the 1900's, there wasn't a need to do movement type training or exercise unless you specifically wanted to obtain a physique or be fit for war, dance or even sports for that matter. From a human race perspective, we've always been interested in the potential of what the human body can do and what it could develop into in terms of building a mighty physique. When the first Olympics were going on many thousands of years ago and the rise of martial arts throughout the centuries, the ability and capability of the human body was tested in every way you can imagine. Rituals are still practiced to this day in various formats. Innovations in our modern world today have made life a bit easier and had us feel a little laidback so to speak but also stressed as hell in many cases. The quality of life has skyrocketed but in terms of the physique, it could use a tune up big time. When that vitality and vigor starts to dwindle, the mind will soon follow suit.

Many people today do lack mental toughness which could use a tune up as well and our emotional resilience does need some tough love but not so brutalized it drives a person to insanity so it's more of an individual thing. Physically moving and doing things like carrying, lifting or similarities to labor were a natural part of life and has gone by the wayside. It can create issues but we can do the best we can to move daily and as often as possible. Go for walks, lift rocks, carry sandbags, sprint on a hill or some grass, climb, hike, ride a bike, swim; whatever you can do to keep yourself from turning into the Vampire Blob from Blade. 

What else can be a solution to this? Learn from the masters of the early 1900's that took these problems head on and formed the era of Physical Culture. The precursor to MovNat was started by George Hebert whom developed the method of Natural Movement where he utilized patterns that many needed for optimal health. These included running, walking, stretching, throwing, lifting, climbing and many other things that consisted of what a human is capable or "relearn" what it means to move like a human. Bodybuilding was right alongside this with the likes of Eugene Sandow, Bobby Pandour, Maxick, Fred Rollon and others due to performing strongmen who displayed incredible muscularity. This wasn't just about muscle building either, this was more on the emphasis of function. Before the steroid era, guys like John Grimek experimented with so many things and even invented a few things as well to build an incredible body that helped many around the world. He was even an awesome gymnast, talk about training everything even though he was considered at the time a Heavyweight. 

Bodybuilders of that time were geniuses at finding what was possible to train with real intentions and not turn to drugs. If anyone really connected bodybuilding and mental power was the great Maxick. The guy could make any muscle be on their own and move with ease. Another thing was the use of light weights instead of going heavy to reduce the wear and tear on the joints. From the heart of Germany, another Physical Culturists emerged by the name of Joe Pilates. He was originally a gymnast and bodybuilder who went to become a boxer, circus act, a wrestler and a self-defense teacher. His study of Yoga and the movement of wild animals was intense. This level of experimentation was incredibly high to the degree where his method of training that now bares his name taught you how to focus the mind and control your body with such effectiveness that it was insanely efficient.

In the Eastern part of the world, many martial arts masters were so far ahead of their time that it's mind blowing like the ways of Qi Gong. From the east as well, yoga masters taught incredible aspects of flexibility and breathing techniques. Before it became a run of the mill McDonalds level of franchising, Yoga was a pinnacle practice of keeping the body healthy and strong long into old age. The real practices still go on today but few and far between.   

In the era of PED's and marketing, we've become so sidetracked it's not even funny. The days of old have seem to become more of a "lost art" and a way of saying like Indiana Jones "It belongs in a museum" type of mentality. However; in the last 25+ years or so, the style of Natural Training has brought on a second wind of popularity due to people like Rickson Gracie who learned his conditioning techniques from Brazilian Yoga teacher Orlando Cani. Gracie learned the aspects of animal crawling combing the elements of Pilates and Yoga. In Russia, Systema was a hit after the fall of the Soviet Union which is now considered to be a Martial Art. It's more than just a self defense system; it puts a high emphasis on Strength Training and Breathing Techniques. 

As the years go on, we keep developing and re-introducing the old style with modern twists and progressively bringing back that heart and soul of what the old-timers did so long ago. With the help of people of Mike Fitch, Eero Westerburg, Erwan Le Corre, Matt Schifferle and others, we can make a difference in how we bring back not only that quality of life but the practice of movement and play/experimentation to stay strong and healthy until the day we die. 

Hope this was a good learning experience and it shows you what we can do to keep the ball rolling. Be amazingly awesome and get moving.  

The Wild Never Stops

 Animal moves have an endless variety but only a few are needed to get in a really good workout. What you choose to master or utilize in your training is up to you but never forget to respect the movements as you practice them. You can go hard, you can go slow, you can even do them in Isometric fashion (maybe not the jumping ones for obvious reasons). It's about building a foundation and finding what gives you the best benefit.

The wild never stops. You keep finding ways to condition your body and put yourself in awkward positions to strengthen areas that conventional or "traditional" training methods can't reach. One of the reasons why I love doing my Animal Deck Of Cards Workout (The Four Animals Of The Apocalypse). It never goes the same way every time and when a Joker comes into play, you get to pick which animal to tackle for reps or distance. The total reps I've done most of the time is around 500 but have done a 1000 total on a few occasions and feels awesome afterwards. With the 500 I would finish around 15-16 min for a full deck which is still quite a workout in itself. These days the main four are....

Bear Crawls

Crab Walks

Bigfoot Walk

Duck Walks

Why did I choose these specific animals? At least 3 are the most basic you see in sports such as wrestling and football since they can be so intense that only a few seconds of them can get you out of breath. The bigfoot walk was what I learned from Vahva Fitness and it's based on movement utilized mainly by wrestlers being in that stance and shifting for balance like in Shadow Wrestling or a match. They get the body in rugged shape pretty fast and when you go hard on even one of them, you're building that explosive conditioning. 

One of my other favorite workouts is a 5 min Tabata Workout of just the Bear Crawl. You go as fast as you can for 10 seconds, rest for 20 and repeat until you've done 5 minutes. That may not sound hard but it's not as easy as it looks on paper. When you have to explode at a moments notice and you're practically sprinting on all fours, it becomes quite the exercise. The first couple rounds you might be breathing hard but the more rounds you go, the more it's going to feel like your heart will rip out of your chest. If you're in good health, this might actually be good for you to do (not every single day though).  It's quick, fast and can be done practically anywhere. I do it in my living space and it kicks my ass every time.

There are so many ways to do Animal Workouts it's not even funny. When you get the idea of moving like a beast in the wild, it doesn't seem like a workout, it becomes a game you can play and being like a kid again. An ancient style of this type of training can be traced back to the art of qi gong and the Shaolin Monks who mimic animals in their Martial Arts practice. In today's style which can has been seen like with Animal Flow and Ginastica Natural, it's been used to target MMA style training and conditioning for certain aspects of Health. It can be fun especially if you combine them but when it comes down to it, you can do all of that and then some with the Movement 20XX fitness course that shows you how to not just work individual exercises but combine the elements of all of them together to form your own style and goals. 

These forms of exercise create an exciting aspect of fitness you don't get with conventional training methods. Yes some exercises may be too advanced for some people but as long as you stick to the basics, you're golden. Just the deck of cards workout I've given you would be a great warm up or a conditioning workout on its own and you can pick your own animal moves to work on. I picked those because they're fun to do. It can be challenging but I find it more interesting to do than hundreds of squats or push-ups. Regular calisthenics are great and should be mastered and practiced whenever possible but at the same time, very few replaces killer exercises like Bear Crawls, Crab Walks & Duck Walks. If wrestlers use them for conditioning, that should tell you how important and brutal they can be. Whether for a few minutes or close to a half hour, animal exercises can be a great asset to your health, your overall strength and conditioning along with building balance, flexibility and durability. Did I forget to mention they're calorie burners as well? 

Get moving by training like a wild beast and have fun. The more fun you have, the better your results will be. Keep being amazingly awesome.  

Lost Empire Herb Of The Day: Seabuckthorn Berry

Do Gorillas Carry Strength Secrets?

Have you heard of the story of the Gorilla at Animal Kingdom in Kissimmee, Florida? Many, many years ago, the foreman that was in charge of the habitat there was keeping an eye on the walls to make sure there weren't small cracks. Why would he do that? There's a simple explanation really and that's because if you gave an idea of how strong a Gorilla is, you'll learn that within a crack of a wall, if it gets even a singer finger within it, that's all it needs for leverage to scale the wall and get up and over. For real man, that's some stupid strength and if its in a rage, you're going to need to call on Godzilla or something.

The foreman knew it was possible for a Gorilla to do this. The real reason he knows, it's not because of the study of primates or anything like that, it's because it has happened before. How incredible is that? Think of the power you can possess if you had that kind of strength. Now, we know in reality, we can't literally have that kind of strength, however; we can have strength that the average human (especially in today's age) couldn't even fathom. Would you enjoy your training more? Feel stronger as a result of it? I would bet you would. Moving like an animal in the wild takes on a whole different feel of exercise than the conventional or even traditional way. 

Strengthening the tendons and ligaments by moving like a primate is actually one of the coolest things you can do. At Vahva Fitness, there are so many movements you can practice on but the movements that are inspired by Primates such as the Gorilla and various Monkey Patterns like the Baboon are on a completely different level. The conditioning aspect alone is worth the price of Movement 20XX. 

When you start to learn the patterns, the flows and the fundamental aspects of these movement exercises, boredom not only goes out the window, it shoots off into space to never be seen again. You can learn sample routines or come up with your own and format workouts that will shape you in ways many methods today can't. You'll be moving freely like a beast, gaining flexibility, strength, agility and endurance. That's only the physical part, the mental part is much more gratifying because you'll be finding ways to channel your brain and send your nervous system into a state of possible relaxation and a meditative aspect that can be only seen to believe. 

To give you an example of how powerful this type of training is: Rickson Gracie who's one of the greatest fighters of his generation practiced a lot of animalistic type exercises and breathing patterns that he mastered so well that one point, he was in such a meditative type state from moving this way that he couldn't even hear his coach Orlando Cani call him out for roughly 45 minutes and the man was within feet of him inside this little studio. Rickson was so in tuned with his body and mind that he became animalistic himself and was forming patterns and movements that were unbelievable to witness even for Cani himself.  Think about that, to be able to go into such a state that you're not even yourself anymore and just being primal. Being inside yourself and flowing on the outside as if it was effortless. That's a hell of an achievement and if the great Rickson Gracie can do it, why can't you?

If we can even do 1/10th of what Rickson accomplished, that would be an achievement that would satisfy us for a lifetime. Being animalistic is not about going crazy or so primal you'll hurt somebody, it's about being in touch with nature both internally and externally. The ability to unlock that animal within all of us. That's the true secret. We can become super strong and be able to move with ease if we let ourselves go and let certain aspects of our natural instincts take over. Move, Play and be Amazingly Awesome. 

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In The Words Of Karl Gotch Regarding Bodyweight Training And The Evolution Of Animal Movement Training

"Go back to nature and you'll find that animals in the wild are in the greatest of shape because they use their own bodyweight and stretching." That's what the old man said in Conditioning For Combat Sports as he narrates while his student Tom Puckett demonstrates the squats, jumpers and rope skipping. Although he preferred conditioning exercises from the wrestlers in the Middle East, it still doesn't take away how profound his words were to how animals are as strong, conditioned and powerful as they are. 

The profound impact knowing that the greatest teacher when it comes to natural exercise is nature itself. After studying and training on the teachings of Gotch and those that came after, it become an evolutionary transition from the pushups, squats, bridges, handstands and pulling exercises to the animal movements that have shaped my philosophy on fitness and it's history through physical application. It wasn't about moving away 100% from those exercises I learned at first but to generate interest and going down a path that led me to my all time favorite form of training. 

Sometimes words in a complete sentence are more than just letters put together or phrasing something that is simple. What I took from Gotch's words after really hearing them and interpretating them to my own goals and journey, it became clear that this is what I was meant to learn. I didn't really get into the animal stuff till I was 23-24 which was around 2008 and getting Ed Baran's Animal Kingdom Conditioning course at the time. This gave me the foundation for what these last 14 years of doing this specific style of training. Sure I did other things along the way and always experimenting but animal movement always pulls me back in and I can't help but do it. 

The more I got sucked into the physicality of animal moves, the more I wanted to learn from other places and how they interpret this style of fitness. Some of it is weird and some seemed like a rip off or taking one thing and morphing it into something else but the one place that takes those exercises and shaped them into an all-around athletic endeavor was Vahva Fitness. Eero Westerberg & Samuli T. Jyrkinen have taken bits and pieces of some of the very best teachings and molded them into their style that just keeps evolving. When you learn the true aspects of the course Movement 20XX there are similarities with the style of Animal Flow, Gold Medal Bodies, Primal Movement, MovNat but Vahva took them and shaped them to create something beautiful and incredible to watch and learn. 

Eero is a Finnish Trainer that's roughly in his 30's I believe. Although young and has a model type look, his enthusiasm and incredible athleticism is just unbelievable and can move with such power yet limberness. He's a poster boy for the current ideas on animal movement training but I say that with great sincerity. He can do some incredible things and have learned quite a bit from him by observing and testing out his style of training. Some of it is way to advanced for me and can't jump even 20% of what he can do (100% chance knowing that we're about 60-80 lbs apart and our way of moving is different) but I take in what he teaches and experiment with my knowledge and physicality. He utilizes old school methods in a modern setting that blends the two worlds together. 

Like him, I've taken bits and pieces of things and shaped them to my goals and have done pretty well with them. Is he the end-all-be-all? Hell no, nobody is but I love his passion for this stuff and continues to work hard on making the most of what the human body is capable of doing. Of course not everyone is able to move like him or be able to do everything he's capable of, fuck I wish I had half of his ability and I'd be happy but we all come in different shapes and sizes, move and train differently and go at different speeds of progression. As we age, we may not even move 65-70% of what we use to do but we can make a difference in how we shape ourselves physically and mentally. Train in ways that aren't the norm and explore our capabilities without risking our health. 

The quote in the first sentence of this article for me has evolved to exploring my body in ways I wasn't doing even in my teens and my 20's. At 38, I'm finding more and more ways to move like a beast in the wild or even format my own flexibility and agility. I'm losing weight, gaining strength through awkward movements, progressing little by little with my coordination and everyday is a chance to have fun and play. From a fitness stand point, there's no way of knowing what will happen and what will come next. All I know is, there's a whole universe to explore and the road just keeps going on.  

Be strong, get wild and be amazingly awesome. 

The Benefits Of Animal Movement Strength Training

Fitness methods come and go and we never know what the next trend will come next. For some, a method is not a trend or something just discovered, it's a lifestyle or better yet, a style they take beyond the norm because it's part of their life and they want to master it. That's what Animal Style Training is like for me, I always go back to it no matter what I try and the path takes me back to a place where I can be my true self from a fitness stand point. There's always something to try and take on with the challenge and the ideals but moving like a beast in the wild just feels different than anything else.

Practicing it for so long, it always fascinates me on its origins and why it has stood the test of time. If you do enough research, you'll find that Animal Movement Training has its roots in Martial Arts & Wrestling. On the eastern side of the world, the mighty Shaolin Monks use animals as a testament to their success in Kung Fu and other arts by mimicking animals in their unique form. In the west, animal moves are a traditional conditioning method in Wrestling. Anybody who's been on the mat can still feel in their memory the pain and lactic acid build up from crawling like a bear or going backwards like a crab, walking like a duck or moving like a seal. 

In recent decades, Animal Moves are used more as a warmup in MMA schools and football teams use this method for conditioning. The Bear Crawl is the most common animal used because it's so damn simple yet can turn a weak kid into a rugged machine within less than a few months if not weeks. As good as that sounds, the benefits alone are far beyond just warmups and conditioning style exercises. The warmup version is just a beginning to what really comes into play. 

Believe it or not, moving like an animal in the wild takes on shapes and forms beyond what we could normally understand or what we've been taught. It's more of an untapped resource more than we realize and when you start to get into it, there's a boost of strength, agility and challenging aspects you may have never experienced before. Here are some benefits to help you understand this:

1. The Expansion Of Your Performance & Function

Our bodies are far more capable of doing amazing things than other traditional or conventional methods call upon. When we focus on something one dimensionally, the body will reflect on this and we wouldn't be using our full potential in the aspects of sports or in life in general. Nothing wrong with using other forms of exercises, matter of fact, some are pretty damn essential to do but yet, the demand for more versatile movements needs to be utilized. Practicing Animal Style Movements can do phenomenal things for our functionality and perform at a greater level. We are challenging the norm by moving in ways that are more in the 3D variety more than just focusing from a single point in training.

2. Quality Of The Movements & Mobility Training

As we practice moving like a wild beast, we form patterns that are in 3D which has a high potential of developing great mobility and joint lubrication. The muscles can be shortened or elongated but also with many cases, the activity in these positions build an incredible reservoir in the range of motion of the joints. Learning the aspects of the Lizard Crawl for example shows how the Core is in constant motion of twisting and rotating throughout the movement. This in turn will train the spine very well. The hips are getting mobilized and the shoulders are getting worked as well because of the support they provide while also rotating as you take each step. This exercise alone is a full body movement that develops incredible strength and movement quality in the body.

3. Restoration & Rejuvenation Of The Body

Our bodies and our brains were developed with similar movements to the animals. Think about it, as a baby, we learned to crawl, progressed to walking and than to sprint like there's no tomorrow. As we age, it becomes more and more important to maintain our quality of life by moving and keeping our strength, mobility and efficiency for as long as we can. For a lot of us, Animal style training can be seen as a fountain of youth that will revitalize the body. Animal moves also has great potential to target injury prevention and possibly getting rid of aches and pains. This method makes you feel like a kid again. 

These are just a small portion of the benefits you'll find when you practice Animal Movements. Be strong, get wild and be amazingly awesome.    

Movement Flow & Stretching

Yesterday, I wrote about using movement or sequences of primal type movements as a creative outlet to get in some good workouts but what about stretching? How do you "warm up" for that particular method? You can always utilize certain aspects of joint loosening and stretches like we typically do or take it from aspects like qi gong, gymnastics or from Ginastica Natural. Flexibility and Elasticity is part of the flows used in movement style training. 

Some of the animal movements I do can be used as both stretching and strength training; take for example an Alligator Walk or Hold: Arms wide in a pushup style position and legs as wide as you can and start to walk. This opens up the hips, the shoulders, the chest and the groin muscles. You don't have to go so wide you turn into a contortionist but enough to feel the muscles as you move through the motion. You can also use it as an Isometric where you stop at a certain point in the movement and press the feet and arms into the ground as hard as you can for a few seconds. This can strengthen the joints and help control your body in an awkward position. 

That's just an idea but Eero at Vahva Fitness tackles anything that can be useful when it comes to conditioning, flexibility and flow work to help harness that creativity. From Martial Arts to Gymnastics to Animal Work, Weights, Bodyweight and Flexibility Training, he goes after it all and he's one lean son of a bitch and can back up some pretty cool stuff. Flexibility is a key to all that awesome stuff and being able to work out the kinks is a great way to get you into the things that will challenge your body in ways you didn't think were possible.

The flows in what I call Playful Movement can also be used as stretching routines. You slow them way down to the point where it's not about speed or jumping from one move to the other but practicing changing the moves into a stretch like the Scorpion, Over Reach in a Crab position, some of the crawls like a Tiger or Bear. They can be used to focus on opening channels in the spine, core, hamstrings, shoulders and hips. This is the beauty of this style of training, you can break them down anyway you want and progress at your own pace. Once you feel stretched out, start doing the flows in regular fashion or practice certain exercises so they're smooth in order to transition into the flows. 

Training is meant to be adventurous and getting into the habit of unleashing that primal and creative side within all of us. Get the blood pumping and get wild. Here's a recent video of some of the things you may see in Movement 20XX. For the explosive movements, you can just hold and focus on the areas in the legs to stretch them out instead of jumping. Be Free, go crazy and be amazingly awesome.  

Turning Imagination Into Reality

Throughout history, creativity has been a cornerstone for what has become civilization and the people that have made things happen, from the pyramids to Mickey Mouse, creativity and vision became a reality. As humans we have built monolithic structures, ruled and conquered civilizations, made sportsmen warriors, became heroes in battle and we used our minds and our imagination to create theme parks that started with a cartoon character. 

Throughout all of this, we have also tackled areas of physical fitness that have stood the test of time. From weightlifting to yoga, bodyweight conditioning, sports training and bodybuilding. All of these have turned men and women into athletic specimens. Now granted some areas of fitness have been lost or have changed gears due to decades of practice, trial and error and the formation of scientific inquiries and studies, we still use creativity to utilize what has been done and make it greater or more interesting.

Primal Training isn't a new concept, it's been around a while but in recent years, we have taken movements based on Animals & Gymnastics to create formulas of incredible athleticism and conditioning programming. From MMA Fighters to everyday Joe's, doing Primal Movements is a powerful idea that shows amazing creativity. The Flow, the Sequences, the coordination and the strength & agility is just phenomenal to watch. Once you understand the movements and practice the transitions, you can come up with some crazy athletic moves that are just phenomenal. Sticking to the basics is key, but never underestimate the power of imagination and creating your own style to create your reality.

Some movements are not for everyone especially those who have severe injuries but the majority can do some awesome stuff with the right tools to cater to their individual needs. It's that evolutionary need to move the way we were meant to and conquer our own selves in order to become the best version of our selves. Move like you were a young kid, become Athletic using building blocks that help reduce injuries and develop that Warrior from within to become the best YOU. Training can be fun and exciting the way it should be and learn things about yourself through physical movement that showcases what the human body is capable of. 

Turn your imagination into reality and get creative in your fitness endeavors. Don't ever let yourself get bored and do kick ass workouts that keeps you strong and healthy well into your golden years. Feel the fire in your veins whether you're 25 or 75 and bring something to life that makes you feel like you can do anything. Be strong, move with vim and vigor and be amazingly awesome.

The Animal Deck Of Madness

A great workout is when you can play with certain exercises and make a little game out of them and making training more enjoyable while also getting the most out of your conditioning in a short period of time. Animal Exercises is one of those methods that really throws boredom out the window and into a world of imagination, playful movement and being free. 

When it comes to Deck Of Cards workouts; over the years I've done various types from doing Combat Conditioning Exercises, totaling 500 Hindu Squats, 1000 Step Ups, Ab Wheel/Step Ups duets and doing hundreds to a thousand reps or more with sledgehammer training. Some of these workouts go from 20 minutes to over an hour depending on what I'm doing. The 1000 Step Up Card workout lasted 50 minutes at my fastest. Some workouts are about speed but others were more precise and keeping form as best as possible and letting the speed come naturally. Some workouts required rest periods and others were straight through the deck where flipping the card was your only rest. You do what you like and make progress little by little.

When I came up with the animal movements for the cards, it naturally became a favorite. It was fast, quick and didn't require almost any rest and just go straight through. It consisted of 4 Animals: The Bear, The Crab, The Duck & The Chimp. At a good clip, it should take about 15 minutes or less to complete but don't forget, the faster you go, the more you need to be aware of your balance because if you move too quickly and the body doesn't line up, you can trip and fall on your face or ass. So although this workout requires speed and agility, it also requires a solid amount of balance and awareness. This was my morning workout today and finished the deck in 13:28. Got a great sweat going and feeling energetic plus the endorphin high just fucking rocks man. 

Here's how you number out the reps/steps to reach 500 (in this case for the animals)....

Hearts: Bear Crawls

Diamonds: Crab Walks

Spades: Duck Waddle

Clubs: Chimp Walk

2-10 Cards are as is.

Kings/Queens/Jacks Are 10

Aces Are 16

Jokers Are 50 Steps Of The Bear Crawl

All cards should lead up to 500 Reps/Steps. I learned this specific numbers game from an article that legendary catch wrestler Billy Robinson had said that he would do this with wrestlers from time to time on Hindu Squats because you can do 500 in various ways but with the cards, it's never the same order twice. 

This is an awesome workout that hits practically every muscle in the body and has awesome benefits for conditioning, continuous strength, balance, agility and cardio. Requires no equipment and if you're short on space, just move back and forth with the space you do have (for this particular workout, it's a lot more fun to do it out at a park or on a grassy area. Be wild, free and amazingly awesome.  

Moving With Freedom

           In most exercise programs, you usually see someone in one spot doing a plethora of moves and routines whether it’s running on a treadmill, riding the elliptical, moving weight up and down or whatever it happens in one particular spot. As much as I admire that type of thing for certain programs I feel one should move around in more than one spot. Why stay in one place when you have more room than what you have?

            I get it, not many people want to move around in more than one spot and if you're in prison, being in different places is more of privilege and you have no choice but to be in one spot or the other but on the other hand; if you have a place to move around and the weather is decent you have the freedom to move wherever you want. It’s like playing as if you were a little kid again. Kids run around all over the place, their energy is boundless and can do all sorts of things. As adults we “grow out” of this phase of our lives and become more analytical and focus on not getting hurt rather than just have fun. Stop that and when you exercise, have some fun with it.

            Playing and moving your body is essential to fitness success. Sure if you’re passionate about it and are serious about what you want to do that’s ok too but at the same time it’s important to not take most things so serious. It’s about taking it one step at a time. If you're new to training yes it’s important to start out slowly but also don’t be so serious it becomes stressful, smile and be open to things. I have a mother who is serious about line-dancing and rarely ever really exercises but she makes the line-dancing fun with moves and music that are just crazy to dance to but brings joy to them.

            A personal favorite type of training is moving like a wild animal or mimicking an animal. The reason why is because it gives me freedom to move however I want and it teaches you how to be aware of how you move and which direction you want the body to go to. You can’t stay in one spot with this type of training unless you imagined you’re an animal in a cage. Unleash your Animality, hone the animal that is within you and have fun with it. My Animality is the Ape because for some reason in my mind moving like an Ape is just fun, exciting and deeper as a being than any other animal. I’ll bet you big time that if you practice moving like an animal in the jungle, there will be one that you’ll find the most exciting, the one that just has your mind on more than anything else, that’s the animal you want to bring out and have fun with.

            Be free and put in the effort to move different ways in not feel like you’re in a cage, move around damn it.

Train To Move

           The power of movement is essential to everyday life. In fitness when people think of movement, they think roaming on elipticals, moving weights around, aerobic exercise and other types of stuff. That’s all good in some cases but what I’m talking about by movement is using different functions of the body that keeps you healthy, free and open to channel the body by squatting, running, jumping, climbing, lifting and carrying weight and making the habit to be practical and utilizing every inch of your body to it’s potential. Functional Movement is precise in what brings the body as a whole as you move through various patterns, using as many muscles as possible in any given time.

            When it comes to sitting, we usually bring ourselves to sitting in chairs or our beds sometimes but never take the time to actually squat and sit that way or move in the squat. This exercise can help build the tendons and ligaments in the knees and build strength in those muscles. Jumping has become a meaning to use in sports or in other endeavors but never for any real fun anymore, when was the last time you felt like jumping and playing hopscotch or something? Lifting doesn’t always mean heavy but it means picking up an object of certain weight, moving with the weight by carrying it is pretty fun to do, think of carrying a heavy backpack or picking a 50 pound rock and carrying it a certain distance then tossing it. We all know how running goes, personally I’m not a fan of running but I like to sprint and amp up my body’s metabolism so that’s a form of running.

            Some movements are in awkward positions like moving in an animal type fashion like Bear Crawls, hanging and swinging like an ape or climbing like a gecko, your body was meant to move in all sorts of directions granted how you’re structured and the way your body can operate in a certain movement. Even walking in an awkward terrain or non-flatted areas is moving in an awkward position and changing directions as you go along. When you can move in an awkward position, you’re utilizing other muscles you normally don’t use.

            When you move, you have a greater chance of having a longer, healthier life if you practice enough to where you’re using practical movements, progressing and utilizing your mind at the same time. I love moving around even when I’m out in the snow hitting a tire with my Sledgehammer; I’m giving my body strength and heading towards specific goals of movement. I even love to just move around in the living room, stretching my body out and jumping & crawling just for the fun of it. 

          To understand the fun of movement, look to what Mary Poppins says by “in every job that must be done there’s an element of fun. You find the fun and snap the job’s a game.” This applies the same way as moving in your training, you learn to imagine having fun with what you’re doing and making it more enjoyable instead of feeling like you have to punish yourself. This helps having a longer life by using your imagination and building a happy attitude to what you do and incorporate it to other things in your life.

Discovering What You Love

            

             Fitness is about discovery, finding what drives you to be in shape and live a better life physically, emotionally and spiritually. Some find it and learn to keep it going with changes, new ways to challenge and again learn, others take years and don’t get anywhere because they don’t know what really works and drag themselves along and then there are those that just hate it and let’s leave it at that.

            Being in shape is great don’t get me wrong, you look awesome and can do cool things but it’s important to explore new possibilities. What can you do to challenge yourself and create different goals and setting them? There are people who get in shape just to look like a hot shot and impress others, more power to them for that but that can only go so far, if you look awesome but you’re an asshole what good are you? Find ways to not only stay in shape but have the strength and endurance to back it up. Explore what is out there, moving in different directions, being out of the gym and having to find a way to train. In the gym it’s automatic; there’s weights, machines, mats, cardio stuff all there for you but it’s a closed in space. Now go outside and find how to adapt and move freely with the environment around you, very different huh?

            One of the things I believe in is using your instincts, valuing intuition and sensing how you do things, feel and understand. It’s like the Force in Star Wars; you sense things around you, how you think and using your intuitive powers to find different meanings. If you trust your instincts and follow your energy and understanding it you’ll discover things you never thought before but there’s a dark side to it (just like Star Wars) you have to pay attention or your instincts can betray you. Learn and pay attention to how your body and mind respond to certain things, just because you think them doesn't always make them true. Follow how you respond to things, the more positive they are, the more likely you’ll love doing it but also pay attention to the negative things, if you are in pain or just don’t feel that something’s right, then you need to adjust and find something different.

            Have fun with what you do, keep it interesting and learn to get better at it. Learn to flow with things and do what you can to resist pushing too hard too fast (I've done it and I've paid for it). Have patience and make it a habit to be strong and believe that things will go the way they’re suppose to. The universe works in odd ways but there’s always a way to make it work for you. Learn the attitude, trust in yourself and be joyful to make things in your life happen. 

Born To Be Wild

            

           Ever since I was little I loved that song. It was one of my first rock songs at a very early age. Rock in the late 60’s was a cultural change in the system throughout the Vietnam War and people wanted to be able to live and be free from the political crap Nixon was throwing and having the country behave like civilized people (yeah sure the hippies loved that and the Black Panthers). Songs like this gave you a reason to be alive and because of it, it became timeless.

            We were born as a race of beings to be strong and fit, conquer our own destiny and live the world the way we choose to. Over the last few decades, that’s become a daydream as people today because of the obesity “epidemic” just throw themselves away, eating terribly, partying like it’s the end of 1999 and just take advantage of the things that are giving to them. It doesn't matter if you’re black, white, yellow, brown, green or blue you are still a human being and there’s still a chance to become healthy again.

            One of the keys to becoming super strong and fit as a fiddle is the ability to open your mind. Have a mindset that you can live forever and feel as if you’re invincible. Now I’m not saying you should test this theory with stupid ideals but when I say feeling invincible, I mean in the sense where you learn to channel your energy. Reality is we can’t live forever like Conner or Duncan McLeod of the Clan McLeod but we can learn to live a lot longer than we are told to be. Hell I don’t care what anyone says I want to be 100 and still walking and talking and moving as best as I can without being in pain as much as possible. Most people who get older feel like it’s going down from there and just living the life of an older person and this starts right around 40-50. What a load of crock.

            To be strong and fit, it takes guts to go out and do something. Want to lift weights at 85, why not? You’re in your 60’s and retired, why not have fun and embrace what you have and do something that will get you over those dumb plateaus. Love what you have achieved in your life but never be satisfied of what you can do more of. I’m nearly 30 years old, some say that I’m still young and vibrant; others say it’s the trend of going downhill and even there are others who just have nothing better to do than be bitter than turning a certain decade starting at 30, for me I haven’t nearly peaked yet and I still have a lot more to achieve that I haven’t begun to touch yet so bring it on.

            Being wild isn't about getting drunk with your buddies or doing stupid shit that you’ll regret later on sooner or later but it’s about adventure, going to different places, finding new people to meet, taking a chance on finding that spark in your life and living it to the fullest that is positive and wholesome to you. Embrace it and live with great vitality and vigor, move freely and believe that there’s more to life than dwelling on past failures, things that you hate and the people you don’t need in your life. Everything happens for a reason and however you choose to do it is your choice. Find something that you love and make it work for you because when we finally reach that time of death, how do you want to go out?

What Is My Fascination With Tarzan????

             Ever since I was little watching guys like Arnold, Stallone, Ford, Van Damme, Jet Li, Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and others, I always wondered what a picture perfect athlete would be like. Yes I even got a kick out of Brendan Fraser in George Of The Jungle being a Tarzan wanna-be. As I got older and transitioned from a weightlifter to a bodyweight guy I loved the way certain athletes moved through the air like a gymnast or an acrobat in the circus and how they’re built not like a bodybuilder but like a real and graceful athlete. In reality (contradiction I know) Tarzan to me is the picture perfect athlete.

            The beauty of Tarzan’s development is that he is forced to adapt to his environment in the jungle, swinging, climbing, moving in awkward positions and being free out in the open. There have been a lot of Tarzans in films over the years from Johnny Weissmuller to George Scott to even the original Highlander Christopher Lambert. To train is to think and very rarely you see that today in your commercial gyms and health spas because too many people just go through the motions, hop on the treadmill reading a book or watching TV, even blasting their ipods while lifting weights not even paying attention at times to what they're doing.  

            When it comes down to it, they say the lion is the king of the jungle but I believe when it comes to sheer power, size, forced to adapt and having the most powerful grip strength pound for pound are the primates like Apes and Monkeys. You won't see a lion swing through trees jumping from place to place, he'll run, chase and wrestle you to the floor but an Ape can crush your bones just by squeezing them and have tendon strength that most animals don't have. The Wrestlers of the Jungle are the Gorillas and Chimps, the acrobats are the Gibbons and smaller primates. They move with power yet with grace at the same time. Yes they're structure is a little different but yet we can adapt to what can work for us.

            Training shouldn't be a hassle or something you need to punish yourself with but what it can be is an adventure. Think about it, being out in the open, having fun, putting yourself in different situations with practical application and having the time of your life. If you can't get outside due to bad weather or there’s trouble out or whatever, you can still have fun inside and maybe not move so much like a wild animal but adapt to what you have and the space you have to do what you can. Karl Gotch once said “adapt and improvise” this meant that you can do things anywhere at anytime but yet improvise with what you have to make use of what you can do. Be open to ideas and have some fun.

            As some of you know, one of my favorite styles of training is moving like an animal in the jungle, stalking its prey, jumping and speeding up on an object, using my imagination to make things more exciting. As of late I've been trying different things and one of them is a system called MovNat which is using only your body and the environment to create different situations which are used in crawling, jumping, running, lifting, climbing and carrying different things to build your body from adaptation. Erwan Le Corre is the founder of this type of training and is one of the fittest guys in the world today. It’s pretty interesting considering some of the things he does is almost a spitting image of Tarzan. Check out some of his Youtube stuff. It gives you a different perspective to how you move and put yourself in different ways to adapt and improvise in a practical and safe way.

Animal Fitness For Kids

In this day and age obesity is at a high rate and most of it is blamed on food habits, not enough exercise and pressures to be fit. Its no surprise that kids don't have the will to want to get fit. No matter how you look at it, certain fitness methods not only turn kids away but it just flat out looks dumb to them. For the most part Fitness should be fun and not have pressure to do the sets/reps scheme just go out and do it. Thats what I love about animal exercises. You just move around like a wild animal that you have a favorite of and just doing it for a couple minutes is all thats needed to start. I've worked on Animal movements and I get out of breath quick and I love that, the challenge and the motive to do better. For kids it needs to fun and wonderful experience because it can help them not get better physically but mentally and emotionally as well. When they learned how to structure a way to make it fun it can carry over to their studies and homework. Parents should be involved with them and help them. Working out as a family can create a strong bond and teach the kids how they can be happy and sociable. Check out Wild Animal Fitness For Kids and help them get on the path to being strong, healthy and very importantly happy.


Wild Animal Fitness For Kids