Healthy Abs

            When it comes Abdominal Training what many people think it is, is that you’re doing sit-ups, crunches and using crazy gadgets to get six pack abs. They believe if you do good ab work, you’re strong and healthy plus you look like a million bucks. Not so true. Just because you have a great waistline, ripping muscle all over the core area doesn’t mean you’re strong and healthy, some crack addicts have six pack abs.

            The real thing about having healthy abs doesn’t always concern on what’s on the outside but what is inside that counts (sorry had to use a intro line from Aladdin). A powerful core is not just muscle but the strength within the internal organs and the core isn’t just the abdominals  but the obliques, lower back and the transverse muscles all working in unison. When you isolate the abs you’re missing out on the other important muscles that tie together. Back in the early 20^th century, men like Eugene Sandow, Maxick, Otto Arco, Alexander Zass and others didn’t rely on sit-ups, crunches, machines and gadgets because they didn’t exist back then, they relied on what they were training in certain lifts, isometric contractions and Muscle Control. These men were the pinnicle of Physical Perfection and they are still admired to this day.

            Although some of the old-timers had great musculature, it wasn’t about looking great. It was about achieving strength and health from both inside and outside. You can have the most muscular abs on the planet but if you can’t move and your organs are shot than what’s the point? Some people believe if you have a 29 inch waist and weigh less than 185 lbs and are around 6’ than you’re awesome looking and have a triangular torso with mighty abs to show off, it doesn’t happen for everyone. Sit-ups and Crunches can give you some muscle but if your neck and back are weak than you’re not going to get anywhere. Believe it or not, some of the strongest and healthiest people in the world don’t have six pack abs but are still agile, flexible and supple. To get the most benefit for strong and healthy Core Strength and power it’s important to tie in as many muscles as possible throughout your training.

            To build a powerful core, you play around with exercises that target that but the whole body comes into play. Lifting odd objects, strengthening the neck and back with Bridging, doing basic Gymnastic Movements, moving like a wild animal takes a lot of core strength, contracting the abs during plyometrics to protect your back from injury and even Sprints develop powerful abs because your whole body is fired up and you need to stabilize the core as you run because if you don’t you’re wobbling and could hurt yourself. Powerful abs is not always about the look, however, like the old-timers you can have great abs and still be extremely strong. One of my friends Logan Christopher is around 6’2 and about 190 lbs. or less, that’s pretty skinny for a guy that tall but yet is one of the strongest athletes pound for pound and has an extremely powerful core with great musculature. It’s true to build a powerful body, you need a powerful Core because the muscles there give a protective shield, helping you make the most out of your training.

            I’m 5’10 and around 255 lbs. I don’t have six pack abs and quite frankly don’t really care but at the same time my core is very strong and mobile, flexible and supple. Without a strong Core I can’t fall back into a bridge, I wouldn’t be able to bear crawl efficiently, my stretching wouldn’t be that good and most of all without a strong core I couldn’t hold a bridge or do the TNT Cables/Chest Expander very well because I would collapse and my body wouldn’t be able to handle it. So you see even for a big man like myself, it’s still possible to have strong abs and still have strength to keep going. Cardio and crunches won’t help your cause, it takes real training to get what you want and it’s very basic. Start out slow and build up, believe me it feels like a dead end at first but as you get better, you’re getting closer to being strongest you can be.

            If you want six pack abs than go for it but look to old school methods to help get you there and have fun with it, if you don’t desire to have muscled up abs but still want strength you can do that too. Be awesome and kick ass on your journey wherever it is.

The Machine Interview

Afternoon guys, hope you all had a fantastic and fun Easter Weekend full love, food, Egg hunts and more. As a token of my gratitude for all your love and support of the Power & Might Site, I have a very special treat for you. This weekend I had a secret interview with one of the strongest men on the planet and he gave me some powerful insights into his training, philosophy and his future as a coach. I give you the man with arguably the World's Strongest Neck Mike "The Machine" Bruce......

1. What influenced to become a performing Strongman?

MB: Bud Jeffries is the man that got me started as a Performing Strongman. I have been friends with Bud since 2001 and had ordered some of his courses. When I told him some of my lifts and feats of bodyweight strength he asked if I had any on video. I then sent him video of some of my training footage. The next thing I know I'm on a plane to Lakeland Florida to start filming what would become my first DVD Phenomenal Power for Mixed Martial Arts. At that time in Bud asked me if I had ever tried to bend a Spike or twist open a Horseshoe? When I said no, my journey to becoming an Oldtime Strongman Practitioner began.

2. What styles of Wrestling did you practice and which style was your strongest?

MB: I wrestled amateur in high school, taking 6th in the state as an alternate. This was strictly Folkstyle wrestling, I never trained in Greco or Freestyle. Then I started learning Catch Wrestling from my coach Tim Gillett. Tim was trained by Pancrase veteran Jason Delucia. I honestly believe that Catch wrestling is the strongest style for the way that I used to compete. It suits my style.

3. As a coach what are the key principles on disciplining clients?

MB: When it comes to disciplining clients I believe the best way is to 'LEAD FROM THE FRONT' represent and actually practice what you preach. Today, there are so many trainers who don't practice what they preach. They have knowledge from books yet many can't nor ever have performed much of the training methods that they are teaching. I walk the walk and can prove it anywhere, anytime and any day. To me that is very important.

4. Did you have any favorite (real) wrestlers and if so who were they?

MB: My favorite real WRESTLERS growing up were (in no particular order) Lou Thesz, Bob Backlund, Mark Fleming, Les Thornton, Masakatsu Funaki, Kurt Angle, Danny Hodge.

5. Has being a former Marine helped you shape your life being a strength coach?

MB: Yes being a Marine has helped me immensely in being a strength coach. More than anything it taught me to be patient and to keep my bearing under the most trying situations. It is important to understand that everyone is different and unique to themselves. One person might grasp something I teach that is very difficult, while another person might find a simpler exercise challenging. As a coach you have to be able to explain and teach to a variety of people who all have different skill levels.

6. What were your favorite and least favorite feats as a performing strongman?

MB: My favorite feats as a performing strongman is a loaded question. The feats performed by other Strongmen that impress me are: Anything Dennis Rogers does. Slim The Hammer man sledgehammer levering ability, Bud Jeffries human carousel & Squatting strength, Mighty Mac Mackenzie Card tearing ability, John Mcgrath long bar bending, Erik Vining scrolling ability, Noah Jeffries all around strength, Greg Matonick bending a quarter in his teeth, Pat Povalitiis short bending strength, Dave Whitley kettle bell feats. My personal feats I enjoyed having 5/8 steel bars bent across the front of my throat, Picking a grown man up by my neck and lifting him up and down and then swinging him, hanging myself with a noose and I enjoy twisting open horseshoes.

7. Where do you want to be down the road as a coach, do you also want to train wrestlers specifically as well?

MB: I have no interest in training Wrestlers or fighters. My experience in the past training that type of client was enough for me to know that I have no interest in going back down that road. I'd rather work with ladies and gents that want to lose weight and feel better about themselves. I also enjoy working with youngsters teaching them the importance of manners, discipline and respect. I will strive to keep our gym as the only PRIVATE gym here in Somerset KY. I have a strict admissions policy where I do not accept just anyone, no matter who they are or how much money they offer. I'm only looking for a very select few to join our club. I can only pray that my business continues to grow as it has each year and that I can continue to live my dream as I do each day. Life is beautiful.

8. One of my favorite strength exercises is the bridge, can you give me an idea as to why the neck is crucial in sports, strength and conditioning?

MB: Building the Neck is one of the most important muscles to work but also one of the most neglected. The neck acts as our "shock absorber" to prevent injury and even possible concussions. A strong neck can help alleviate neck pain, helping get rid of the double chin syndrome, help in bodybuilding contests, Powerlifting in addition to combat sports such as mma, boxing and grappling. The neck is worked in 3 ranges of motion curling the head/chin forward, raising the head backward and moving the head side to side. These 3 angles are generally worked using a 4 way neck machine, manual resistance from a training partner, placing weight on the head or with the use of a Head harness. All of these methods are good for working the neck. I have found that the best way to work my neck today is with an innovative Neck Harness called The Neck Flex. The Neck flex is the most versatile neck harness on the market today. No extra equipment is needed, all you need is the drive to put the work in and the neck flex is ready to go. The Neck Flex was developed my Thomas Hunt and Zachary Elam. They saw there was a need for a versatile, safe cost effective solution for training the neck for both strength and rehabilitation needs. To learn more about the Neck flex go to www.theneckflexmachine.com and tell them The Machine sent you.

9. You are one of the most conditioned men on the planet, what are your ideals to stay consistent and what do you work on that keeps you in top condition?

MB: I really appreciate your kind words. My whole thing is this: I'M NOT DONE! Coming from a wrestling background I have always trained to be in top shape. In my opinion a Wrestler is the best conditioned athlete around. We must be strong, have great endurance, be fast and be able to have that strength/.endurance in our tank towards the end of the match. I was not the most gifted wrestler technically, but my toughness and conditioning allowed me to do quite well for myself and even defeat wrestlers much better technically and more talented. At 40 years old I have been blessed to be able to go to different schools, prisons and churches state wide and speak/perform. I feel it would be a disservice to these people to show up not in shape. "I have an image to uphold" LOL One of the ways I like to stay in shape is to keep my body guessing. One week I may feel like training for strictly power, then I may feel like training with more of a cardio base. When I train with weights I often keep my rest periods down to a minute and I also will often super set my exercises. This keeps my pace high, my heart rate up and gives me a great workout. I enjoy doing interval sprint work for cardio, such as Tabata'a on the airdyne bike, jump rope sprints at 30 seconds each, ploy metric jumps, wrestling/boxing simulations for time and also kickboxing work on the heavy bag. I weigh 210# with a 32" waist, a 19" neck and am just as lean as when I was 20 years old. I eat clean during the week and cheat on the weekends. Over 27 years of constant training has given me the ability to know how to dial in my body through proper eating habits. I still have things to accomplish, I'm not done. Once we settle and decide to throw in the towel it is my belief that my life would be pretty boring and unsatisfied.

10. My final question: Have you ever thought getting in the ring and wrestling one last match or is wrestling out for you now?

MB: Yes I have thought many times about competing again. I'm really never out of shape, and realistically would only need a month to get myself prepared to get on the mat again. I have looked into it and learned that I would be in the Masters division for 35 year olds and up. I have not made my mind up completely on if I will or won't compete. I love to roll and I often wonder if and/or how I would perform now, some 14 years later since my last legit contest. I'm much more seasoned and have a lot more wisdom. It would be really interesting to see the difference in myself now compared to when I was competing regularly. Thank you for having me, it has been my pleasure speaking with you. Keep the Faith and I salute you. Mike The Machine Bruce

The Dying Art Lives Again At Coney Island

           Strongmen have been apart of American Culture since the early 20^th century and have performed countless feats in various cities across the country. One of these areas however holds a special place in the heart in some of the modern strongmen today and that’s the infamous Coney Island Strongman show in Coney Island, NY where legends like Warren Lincoln Travis, Joe Greenstein aka The Mighty Atom and others performed some of the most awesome feats in history. For many decades after the vaudeville shows were diminishing and slowly dying out, there have been a small group of people to help bring back the one show that got people’s attention way back as far as the 1920’s or earlier.

                       

            Imagine being able to perform or even witness a strongman show that just has so much history it hurts to think about at times. Your best feats performed at the very same spot where a little man stood out more than men twice his size and opened up his heart by performing feats that gave people hope and love for an awesome show. Ever thought of performing at your best with the best by your side?

            Think of what you can create to put on a show that makes people’s jaw drop, cheer loud and see your passion at hand right in front of their very own eyes. Perform at a level unlike anything you’ve done before and learn the very secrets of how to hone your creativity to perform better than at any other time. You have a passion to do wicked awesome feats like Bar Bending, Tearing Decks Of Cards, Rolling Frying Pans, Tear Phone Books like a piece of paper and other feats that will be shared.

            The man that will teach you these very same skills, techniques, crowd control and other facets of the Strongman game is Chris Rider; a world-renowned strongman has performed some of the craziest feats and not just bending steel and tearing phone books but doing feats with his hair and has coached some of the strongest performers today. He is hosting a seminar that will teach you various feats that you can perform in a show and will give you insights on what materials to use, technique, develop showmanship, how to train for your feats and much more in one 8-hour workshop. Here at the Coney Island Strongman Spectacular Seminar you will find out more details on where this awesome seminar will be and perform at a whole other level.

            Will you rise up and become a better performer? Chris and his friend Adam Realman will show you key ingredients to take your strength and your mind to the next level in a way that only Rider & Realman can do. It is your opportunity and your chance to shine and amp your potential even higher. They’re looking for up-incoming strongmen to go even further not just in strength but as a performer and show the real deal in a show. Better hurry up because this will go out fast so jump on the bandwagon and hone your skills to greater heights.

The Fun Of Doing Feats Of Strength

          Back in the vaudeville days of the early 20^th century and even today in some areas, there were men and women performing various feats of strength that would get the crowd roaring and make their jaws drop in amazement. In the fitness world today, almost nobody does even a few feats because it’s not up to their standards and don’t want to go to that other level but I believe you’re a little different. You can learn various feats because the human body is capable of doing things we still haven't discovered yet.

            When you train in certain feats whether it’s nail bending, card tearing, ripping phone books in half, scrolling steel or even pick up an awkward heavy object; make it interesting, find what makes them fun to do and perform in a way that’s geared towards who you are and what you represent. I've seen guys who try to copy another’s performance or try to be something they're not but I've also seen guys who have a unique way of performing or even just training to where yes it’s a little odd but it’s cool at the same time. Being unique is never a bad thing, you are one person and you have the right to become anything you want to be if you set your mind to it.

            Even if you don't aspire to be a performing strongman you can still make the most out of your strength feats by just playing around and build your body a little differently. Some people take aerobics classes, run on the treadmill, lift weights, do complicated programs (Insanity anyone?) but then there are those who do things a little out of the ordinary, they use their bodies in ways most would run away from. Imagine steel that’s not meant to bend just melt in your very own hands or tearing up decks of cards like a piece of paper or lever heavy sledgehammers to your face without smashing into it. It is beautiful when you get it down to a “T”. One of my favorite feats which I have performed in front of more than 600 kids and adults is where I bend a 6 inch spike into a U while holding the wrestler’s bridge with my nose touching the floor. Most people can't even hold a bridge like that let alone bend a spike that big so it’s an awesome feeling to be able to do that. Work on different feats and find ones that you find exciting to you and want to perform the most of, this helps you find your niche and find your creative side.

            Taking certain feats to a new level is the fascinating thing in the world of Physical Culture. On video I've seen a guy rip a deck of cards while being hung by his neck, another in person where he had a plate on his stomach and someone from 8-10ft up drops a bowling ball on top of it, why not rip a phonebook while hanging upside down; there are many unique ways to do a feat but I advise you to not go so crazy like a WWE show but you can do things that nobody else can do and that’s where taking it to another level is just that much sweeter. You have more power in you than you would believe and you have gifts that people would envy but never think you’re not good enough. You want to be different and you are different so do what makes you happy. Don’t be someone else, they’re already taken, be who you are and have fun with it. 

The Scrolls Of A Dying Art

              What is a dying art? It is a system of something that once thrived long ago and in the modern day has started fading away into a memory or became a joke even to the point where it’s not taken serious anymore. In the fitness world, lost arts from 100+ years ago have begun to fade into the memories of those who done them in the past and/or very few still do them for example: Muscle Control was an old-time art of the bodybuilders from the 1890’s to about 1950’s/60’s. This art thrived as it was a way to learn how to control your body from within to create muscular definition and/or mass naturally with the body’s structural alignment. This is one of many but only one had many exciting qualities that are now coming out of the ashes slowly and with power.

            One of these dying arts that are slowly rising like a phoenix is the Art Of Scrolling. What is scrolling you might ask; it is a style from the old-time strongmen that used long pieces of steel from thin to relatively thick that were bent into shapes or designs using only the hands and body. In the old books from the early 20^th century called this coiling or shaping steel. This was a mighty task to take because it works the body in ways that you have never felt before. To shape steel with your hands can be taxing but if you do it right it builds the tendons and muscles with strength that is unbelievable.

            I have personally have done some scrolling with tough steel and I’m going to tell you, it’s tough, it’s hard but it’s way more fun than most feats in the world of strongmen. You don’t need to be a strongman to get the best benefit. This can be used by athletes from all walks of life from martial artists to arm wrestlers to baseball and more. If you’re not interested in sports and just want a great workout, this will get the job one. The way your body has to shift to move the steel is uncanny and a lot of it has an isometric component to it. It will make you sweat and once you start to move the steel you have to keep going until it’s too difficult to move a single portion of the bend. You can create many designs that your mind can come up with and they may not always be the same.

            Today, very few people practice this art and some are incredible with various designs and shapes that boggle the mind. Imagine creating a wine holder with your own hands; a bow-tie, a couple loops, a swan and more with the power of your imagination and physical strength. Two guys that are keeping this art alive and giving you an opportunity to shine are Bud Jeffries & Jedd Johnson, two extremely strong and intelligent men that will show how to safely and with precise coordination how to turn a steel bar into a thriving piece of art that even Picasso would be impressed by. It is an art that has been fading for decades but with your help, we can bring this art of strength back into what it once was or what it could be with the modern strongmen of today. Build tendons of Iron Cords, build strength within every inch of your body and utilize your mind to create something that is beautiful and strong with character and imagination. 

An Epic Review

          

            This is a special treat because I rarely ever write reviews for a certain product so today you’ll get an un-cut and uncensored review of the Epic Sledgehammer from Stronger Grip. Granted in this review I will not hold back how I feel about this Hammer and why it is one of the most awesome tools in no nonsense grip strength and conditioning that it is not to be underestimated.

            When you have a Hammer of this size & power and you have it in your hands; it strikes into your very soul because its beauty is without equal and its strength is unmatched. There are many great tools in the world of strongman but like with Highlander, there can be only one that hits you with ferocity and the power to take you down if you don’t have the guts to withstand it.

            It is not to be underestimated. Sure it looks awesome and has a mystic to it that even the folk legend John Henry can smile about but at the same time, you will either be handle it or you won’t and if you can’t, you don’t have anyone to blame but yourself. People believe that to get strong you need weights or machines to do the work and slug off anything else that seems to extreme or not enough for them and I say bullshit. This one tool has the power to give you crushing grip that be used in many sports like Football, Baseball, Hockey, Golf, Wrestling, MMA you name it because when you strike it at a high volume or work it in different positions it tackles the mind more than anything else.

            I've held it in my hands and did quite a few exercises that don’t require a tire and I can tell you first hand it is brutal and your lower arm will get sore. It’s not a tool for just sports but to build that functional and enduring strength with a powerful grip, hand-eye coordination, lung capacity increase, shaping the body of a man with mighty tendons and super muscle. When you begin to train with this bad boy, your body will never be the same again. It takes effort to swing it, it takes to endure it and it strengthens your mind in ways most tools can’t. This Hammer is a tool of the gods that only one man has the guts to create and does it with style and class (and a bit of nerdyness) and that’s Ryan Pitts. He has built some of the most powerful tools in the world of grip strength and if Thor, Zeus and many of mythology’s famous gods were around today, they’d look to him to build the strength for the people and the strength that we all have within us.

            It is up to you if you have the guts to take on a challenge that could very well be the most fun and powerful challenge in your quest for physical strength.

Ideas From A Traveling Strongman

            There are strongmen around the country who travel to schools, churches, prisons and occasional corporate offices upwards to 300 days a year. Some travel all over the world, some just in the U.S like my friend Bud Jeffries does. Now what they do is not always the same, I've witnessed first hand two very distinctive differences in their performances. Some do what’s called Junk Feats where they’re feats that seem legit but really are as fake as you can get, an extreme few are legit. The other is called the Real Deal where they take certain objects and although the feat may seem like a fake it’s really a legit one like bending steel, tearing a deck of cards right out of the package, hammer levering and so forth. A traveling strongman has to be creative and learn their distinct patterns for a performance. This can be ideal for your training.

            Some strongmen perform the same feats in a show where there’s a pattern or routine for them that sets their mind to think automatically to do the next feat. Some others perform certain feats on a certain day either to change it up a little bit or because they got hurt doing a certain feat that it’s tough for them to perform at their best. It’s like a fitness program, you set your mind to specific exercises and you follow a routine that is suitable to what you want to accomplish. I have literally seen some off the wall feats but also I look for a specific type of routine that has meaning and can be used in a creative and fun way. Although I change my workouts frequently, I still find certain exercises that go hand and hand with my mind and my body that works for me.

            One thing many people ask about strongmen who are on tour is how they get themselves motivated? How do they go day after day finding that inner strength to show their positive side and their will to teach and show these incredible feats to other people? Well, in my opinion, they learn to pick up things from a certain place, program their minds to set a certain tone that gives them that “Winning Feeling” of putting themselves out there to the crowd and learn to use their own story and share it with the people their performing for. Quite frankly I don’t know how the hell they do it but that’s my take on it.

            Last thing I want to point out is that there are certain strongmen who perform just for the sake of performing and don’t have anything else to give back to the people other than some arrogant prick who can bend a silly bar just to make certain people inadequate; however there are some guys and gals out there that give back to the people they’re performing for, sharing their story of how tough it was for them and how they’re just like the rest of us only in a different format. My friend Bud happens to be the latter because underneath all that muscle and smiling persona, he’s really an awesome and sweet guy who wants to make a living helping out the other guy. Show that you are a special person and that you have a brighter future where you don’t need to be macho to get what you want. It takes a man of character and a man of great heart to tell you that there’s no need to bully anyone, no need to be afraid of whom you are. You are an awesome person and you can go places if you apply yourself with the right mindset and the right tools to get you there. He is truly a one of a kind strongman and an incredible human being. 

       If you want some good ideas on how to be creative and how to apply your training in a certain way, talk to a strongman, they're very creative in what they do (at least some I've heard of) and have some wonderful motivational tips that can jump start your training and how it applies to you like how certain feats are to a strongman performing, they're there for a specific reason. 

Gods And Deities That Teach Us About Fitness

           For countless centuries, we have worshiped many gods and supernatural figures that give us power and love over our lives. Not all have used them that way and have pushed the boundaries what is good and what’s evil about worshiping a god, king or supernatural force but when it comes down to it, it’s important to know that we hold some of these forces and beings in our hearts and can learn from them. In this case in the world of fitness, they’re just as important to learn from in that caliber if not more as we see them as a driving force to believe in.

            Building fitness using the very figures that have conquered World Literature and Mythology is a great way to look at how we can create the human body to a degree of strength and health that we all strive to find. For all intents and purposes, there’s no need to do drugs, steroids or any of that crap to build solid, functional strength that can carry over to everyday life. Here are a few figures in Mythology that can grasp a hold on our fitness training and how we can use them to find what works best for us.

Zeus: The All-Mighty Greek God (or Roman’s Jupiter) is a great way to look at fitness because he is that powerful, nerve forcing god that gives us the strength that we can grab a hold of and harness that force inside us to create that superhuman strength and speed that scientists say we only use 5% of at best. Think of having the hands of Zeus, grabbing something or taking in energy that surges throughout your whole body and puts you in a state where it feels like you can take on any obstacle and laugh at your challenges.

Pan: The Satyr half-man half goat that is the spirit of sexual energy and the way we harness our power and strength from our legs. When you build powerful and strong functional legs, you create that balance of testosterone which in turn gives you great health, burns off fat, powerful muscle all over and it aids in making you feel younger, stronger and more in tuned with your inner child of play and man/woman of loving energy.

Hercules: The man of Superhuman Strength. This is more in tuned with bodybuilding but more importantly, to truly understand the fitness side of Hercules is to learn to build your body that is not only powerful and solid but having nearly equal strength to go with it. The old-time strongmen had built solid and mighty physiques but at the same time, their strength was even more impressive. Men like Reg Park, John Grimek, Eugene Sandow and others that had incredible bodies but even greater strength that was just unbelievable. Don’t be a Tarzan and fight like Jane kind of Bodybuilder, harness your strength and power naturally as you build your physique. Basic lifts and basic programs are key.

            To go beyond what you’re taught, you have to think outside the box. We are taught certain things from different people but in order to be truly successful you have to look within yourself to find the best possible way to be fit, healthy and crazy strong. This goes as much for women as does men. Women do train differently because their bodies don’t have as much testosterone as men however, it’s important to know that you can build a beautiful body that WON’T GET BULKY because unless a woman is using testosterone pills or steroids that’s really the only way that’ll happen. Work with what you learned but also find what works best to your abilities. Just following someone isn't quite enough and the way you follow them isn't always in your best interest. Think for yourself at times and remember to be yourself.

            Putting your body and mind to the test has been the standard for all things for as long as mankind has been around. The Gods and their stories gave us a reason to use our bodies and our brains to think and look for what works and how we create certain things that gives us hope, strength and endurance to move forward. Some of us just think there’s an end-all be all of following and not having a right to think for ourselves. I take bits and pieces of people’s advice and methods and mold them into my own, it’s called becoming creative. Some people don’t know how and it’s sad because they have so much potential but only work with what they’re told to do. Quite frankly I hate being told what to do but I’m not opposing to listening and modifying what works for me. Become more of you and challenge the way things go.

            We may have been created by the Gods or whatever you choose to believe but the reality is that once you are born, you grow up and you learn. No one has your body and mind so what makes you think you aught to be somebody else. Find what guides you and learn to harness the power within you, not someone else and become a more powerful being. 

Breathe While You Train

             I've said it before and I’ll repeat till you get it through your thick skull, learn to breathe while you train. It is the single most important aspect of physical and mental conditioning. It is the one thing that keeps us alive more than anything else. You can go days without water, weeks without food but a few minutes without breathing is killing you. The power of the breath is essential as it can help you stay in the game far longer than if you just started hyperventilating in the first couple minutes.

            Breathing helps you conserve energy and the more you practice it, the more energy is reserved. Its power can be used any way you want if you know how to use it. It can be used to help you in a strength exercise or it can help your endurance over a period of time. Different athletes use different breathing patterns for how they stay in their sport but the principles stay the same, if you can’t conserve your energy, you won’t last very long. Learn to breathe and learn when to use it to your advantage.

            Deep breathing is an awesome way to keep your energy intact and granted sometimes if you’re in a fight or in a match against another opponent or team your breathing tends to be tested which is a good thing because you learn how to handle it when it’s time to make it count. Even in a training session in the gym or your home workouts, you want to learn how to breathe while you exercise and while you’re in between sets because after a while it takes a toll on you so you learn to keep your breathing as best as possible to keep going.  It’s the reason it keeps you focused no matter what you’re doing.

            There are tricks to help your breathing while you train. When I do my deck of cards training, sometimes once I get to a certain part of the deck I have to keep my breathing intact because it becomes so intense you have to take in as much air as you can. After you do a set of push-ups or squats for example, although you want to keep going without much rest as possible there’s that other part you can use where you take in as many breaths as the number of reps for the next set, that way you’re not taking up too much rest and you’re conserving your energy. You can use this method for different exercises and different areas of fitness. Another great trick I learned to keep your breathing at bay is what I learned called the Hoffman Walk which was termed in Brooks Kubik’s books on the adventures of the old-time strongmen Legacy Of Iron series, after you do a set of an exercise, you walk and breathe deeply till you’re ready to tackle the next set, you’re not sitting down and you keep moving without stopping so this helps with your endurance.

            Get the concept of breathing and how it can help you in any endeavor and it doesn't always have to be training, it can be how you prepare for meetings or conferences in business, or how you handle shopping without tiring out before you get to your car (this happens with a lot of people believe it or not) and it can help you stay in the game in your sport so you can keep up that reserved power to stay driven and help your team keep going. Breathing is life and life is breathing. 

The Living Legend Returns

           

            Who do you think I’m referring to? It could be anybody, there are a lot of powerful guys who had their best days and now are returning to the place that gave them that glory but I’m referring to quite possibly the most popular Professional Wrestler of the 60’s and early 70’s and that’s Bruno Sammartino. He defied an era when pro wrestling still had colorful characters but also had a more mat based style to some of the guys who fought in the ring.

            His style of wrestling was some mat-based with a plenty of power moves and a brawler type style as well. Even though his wrestling isn’t as popular as his strength, he still can go the distance with some of the biggest names in the business at the time. His strength was the stuff of legends. One of his first tastes of glory was picking up 640 lb. Haystacks Calhoun in 1961 if I recall and it was a big deal at the time and still is a feat that no one did to him after. Bruno’s lifting power was just incredible, he was one of the first men to Bench Press over 560 lbs. At 5’10 and over 260 lb. he was a force not to be messed with.

            Back in the 60’s where the most popular stars had an ethnic background Bruno was at the top of the ladder because of his Italian background and his love with the fans especially at what might be called the house that Bruno Built Madison Square Garden in New York. No one guy before or since has headlined the World’s Most Famous Arena more times than anyone 211 headlines with 187 sell-outs. Color TV was very low and only less than a handful of shows had color the most popular being Batman so whenever you saw Pro Wrestling it was 99% in Black & White. You had guys like Nature Boy Buddy Rogers, Fritz Von Erich, Pat O’Connor, Lou Thesz, Walter ‘Killer” Kowalski, a young Harley Race and even Karl Gotch but nobody made the money like Bruno did.

            His training was legendary, picking up heavy weights, hundreds of squats and push-ups and had endurance like some of the other greats who can go do hour long marathons in the ring. Many guys couldn't keep up with him and he even wrote a short book on how to build the body from basic strength training and muscle building and he did this (hopefully I’m right) all without drugs, steroids or PEDs when it was the boom of its time. He was a man of hard work and will to become the very best and wrestled the very best.

            He had the longest reign of any champion in history going on nearly 8 years as the champ when he beat Buddy Rogers in 1963 till he lost to Ivan Koloff in 1971. He won it back in 1972 I think and lost again to Superstar Billy Graham in 1977. Nobody ever since held the world title for that long and that tells yeah how important the man was to the business at that time. He fiddled around a while longer before retiring and became a commentator for WWE.

            He ended up leaving the business for good because of what Vince McMahon was bringing to the business and Bruno would have none of it. He was bitter about the business for the longest time about its direction and what was changing with the business until recently a man who has a hold on the company in certain areas especially in Talent Development is Paul Levesque aka Triple H got to talking with Bruno and told him what was going on really. Because of this encounter, Bruno started learning to love some of the business again and finally broke down after turning down so many offers to be in their Hall Of Fame has finally come to an end. The Living Legend will be at Madison Square Garden one more time being the headline but not in the ring, not in an interview but on stage as a WWE Hall Of Famer.

            I've been watching wrestling ever since I was 11 years old and learned so much about the wrestlers that I wanted to learn more about the history and how it came to be and how we as fans can improve it. I like more of the mat style wrestling than the colorful antics of the wrestlers. My first glimpse of Bruno was in a Video Game, Legends Of Wrestling 2 where they did interviews with big names like Hulk Hogan, Jerry Lawler, Jimmy Hart, Jimmy Snuka, The Road Warriors, Eddie Guerrero and Paul Orndorff to name a few and I was fascinated with how they portrayed Bruno. The powerful man that he was and how he talked about his matches with Killer Kowalski was just great. It made me love the old-timers ever since then and I kept learning more about real style wrestling and pro wrestling.

            I don’t know if its because I’m of Italian descent or because of my love for wrestling but I felt connected to Bruno’s career and wanted to learn more about what he did, who he wrestled and how he trained. I’m glad one of the best finally gets the respect he’s deserved for so long and be enshrined for the test of time. I never got to see Bruno during his Career because he retired not too long after I was born give and take a couple years but at least I and others my age who are in love with wrestling get to see some of his work through youtube and some other wrestling sites and be in awe of what it would be like to be in that era. Welcome back Bruno and thank you. 

My Take On Isometrics

            While I was recovering from my accident and learning about Bodyweight exercises, I first learned about Isometrics in a specific manner from Matt Furey’s course Gama Fitness. Not understanding very well, I just went through the “non” motions and just tried them out. They were good and I learned how to hold certain positions especially for my legs because I was still in that stage of just getting in shape.

            While using those Isometrics and others from another book, I started noticing my strength in certain areas. My ankles were getting stronger, I was healing from arthritis from my lifting days and my days in Shot Put/Discus and my body began to repair itself to the point where there was very little pain and I was moving in ways I couldn't do as a teenager. Because of that, I strengthened certain weak points not just in my legs but my shoulders, my neck, my back and even my torso. Now granted I don’t have a 6 pack of washboard abs but because of my training, my core became pretty damn strong and when I did lift weights again every now and then, some of them got better than I ever did when I lifted full time.

            First learning Strength Feats from my boys Logan Christopher & Tyler Bramlett, they showed me about short bending and how to bend certain types of Steel. I ordered Ironmind nails to get me started and the best I got up to was the Green nail which to me was just incredible, I hadn't got to the spikes yet and was learning about phonebook tearing around that time. They gave me little hints and learning from my books on Isometrics I began incorporating that into my feats. How did it affect my strength? Let me sum that up by saying I was able to easily rip a brand new 1700 page phonebook the moment my sister gave it to me and my first 60D penny spike was at my friend Logan’s former gym. So safe to say it affected me in an awesome way.

            I have mentioned certain secret weapons I have that give me that edge in the Isometric realm but my biggest weapon has always been my will power to run through what I wanted to accomplish. I wanted to desperately bend a wrench even it was a little toughie and I did it, it doesn't look much like a wrench but damn son that S.O.B took me out after putting it out of its misery. You can have all the equipment and all the tools you want but your real weapon is what’s inside you that defies logic, reasoning and in the case of Dennis Rogers or Bud Jeffries, the laws of physics.

            Is Isometrics the end-all-be-all type training? For some that’s all they can do but to the majority, no it shouldn't because you want to be able to move and work your body from as many angles as you can both static and dynamic. There are guys out there that give this type of training a hard time and others look at it as if it was the highest honor and then there are guys that are so damn stubborn that only one type of training is all they will ever use and say it’s either that or nothing. For me, I love variety. Using different elements and styles gets my mind going and there are times where I can’t choose just one in particular so I just make it up.

            My take on Isometrics is everyone should use them to a certain degree especially if you’re in a sport or rehab. It strengthens the tendons in ways you can’t get with anything else and wouldn't it be awesome to not get injured as often? Even just for that purpose it could make a hell of a positive impact on your life. Learn them as much as you can or use them as a backup it’s up to you but the main point is, they teach you how to use your body internally more than any other method. There are thousands of different Isometrics just ask Steve Justa. Expand your knowledge and apply them to whatever you want to do, it’s shocking sometimes what you’ll find using them. 

Learning From A Physical Culturist

 I have doing exercise since I was a little kid in PE and first got a taste of Weight Training when I was an early teen. After High School I joined a gym and learned from a few guys here and there but never made a big impact with them and just didn't get it. After my accident back in 2005, I began learning just a few things from a book called Combat Conditioning by Matt Furey. When I began walking again and was cleared to train, I dedicated myself to get stronger and healthier and it just happens that one of my good friends lived only literally a couple doors down, we call him the Duke but to a lot of people today you know him as the Garage Warrior Tyler Bramlett. He was the first guy that taught me real conditioning and mental toughness. This was my stepping stone into Physical Culture.

 One of the guys Tyler had me research on was Karl Gotch, the man who’s considered the God of Pro Wrestling in Japan, one of the first things I learned was how to use bodyweight exercises on a deeper level. I had already done some work on the deck of cards workouts but another thing I learned later on was “You think you know, you’re dead.” Getting that stuck in my head I understood that if you want to be great, you got to keep learning. Just because you know a thing or two doesn't make you a superior expert, you keep testing yourself and when you pass your knowledge onto others you want them to succeed more than you did, if you don’t than you’re not a good coach and you haven’t learned a damn thing.

 Another great wrestler of the old days was Billy Robinson who has quoted saying “You learn how to learn” by this he means no matter what you do in life or in training you keep filling your head like a sponge and although you could be a master later on, you will always be the student. Understanding this isn't easy because you've done so many things in your life and yet you feel there’s nothing left but only have touched the surface. In nearly 8 years of being in the Physical Culture world, I have learned more than most guys my age have learned in their entire life and yet I haven’t even peaked the mountain. Constantly learning helps you become more successful, doing things one day at a time.

  Taking foundations from different elements of training gives you variety and teaches you which ones to work with and not to work with. Taking from Tyler and other guys it is essential to build your style and learn how to maximize them with different parts from different people. If you just do the same stuff over and over and expect something different to happen you’re on your way to be insane (literally). The ability to find your own style makes you unique and although most people don’t like change it’ll make them think twice about what they do.

 A golden rule in the Physical Culture world that made me learn the hard way with a few guys is the level of respect. Respecting others who have made big impacts, small ones and even crossed in the middle should be respected. I’m not saying you should like everything someone puts out, hell I can’t stand some of the crap that’s out today but I give those men and women credit for doing what they think is best. There’s guys out there who hate weights but love bodyweight, some loathe bodyweight and embrace weights and then there’s guys who are caught in the middle like me, Tyler, Bud Jeffries, Logan Christopher and many of the old-timers. We all have our own opinions of what works, what doesn't and what can be improved but in the end you learn respect not just to them but yourself because the moment you learn to respect that you are as a person and/or athlete, the bigger your opportunities will be.

 There’s always going to be debates on who’s the best of the best but in my opinion there’s no such person. Each Physical Culturist over the last 100+ years has had something that made them successful and they’re the best at it. I’m not going to compare who’s great at what and who’s the most successful because come on that’s just a waste of time and you’re not going to accomplish much. There’s a lot of great strongmen, wrestlers, steel benders, hand balancers, bodybuilders and others that are no different than you and me, just have something special about them that you can also find within yourself.

 To truly understand Physical Culture it’s a lifelong journey from your beginnings up until the day you die, there’s no real destination. You constantly learn, take things from different places and mold them together creating your own jigsaw puzzle so do speak. It’s finding who you are as a person physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

The World’s Strongest Marine

 Every now and then in the generations of strongmen, there are a few that come and go, some stay on as performers, others teach and bring in a new generation but this time around only one has not only done both but is also a Marine and is one of the toughest men out there today. I’m talking about Professional Strongman and Coach Mike “The Machine” Bruce. Not only is he known as a Strongman but also one of the coolest guys you’ll ever talk to. Trained by the Grandmaster of Strongman himself Dennis Rogers and one of the most conditioned Heavyweights of the modern era Bud Jeffries, Mike has become one of the best destroying steel in his path and in one of the most dangerous places to bend.

 Throughout his life he’s dealt with abuse, ridicule and always wondered what he will become. Joining the Marine Corp. as a young man he made the choice to create something of himself and not only made it through one of the toughest military factions in the world but served his country the best way he could. Upon returning home he tried out wrestling and I believe either kickboxing or boxing or both and excelled by winning the majority of his fights and became known as we know today as The Machine, a man who’s conditioning is world-class with people who couldn't tell if he was human or not because he didn't know when to stop. He literally and figuratively became strong in every since of the word.

 His trademark and famous strength is known because of the strength of his neck. Forget this guy that bend horseshoes and destroy steel at a moments notice, his neck is considered the strongest out of not only the majority but possibly of all strongmen. He own records for having steel bend over his throat such as long steel bars and believe it or not horseshoes, seriously I’m not joking you can look it up yourself. When you put up 300+ pounds using only the strength of your neck and have steel being bent over your throat and not just any easy type of steel, I’m talking steel the majority of people can’t bend with their own hands let alone around the neck, you are a freaking beast. He’s not just strong in steel but has one of the strongest backs and abdominals in the world and that’s just the tip of the Iceberg.

 I believe coaching was something he wanted to do before and after retiring as a performing strongman and has opened up a gym in Kentucky called The Machine Shop and has produced many clients that not only got in awesome shape but became something more than themselves and a lot is influenced on Mike. I've always wondered what it be like to be coached by a former Marine, I've dealt with great coaches in the past including a few being trained personally by some of the strongest and most conditioned people on the planet but a Marine takes it to whole new level in ways you can’t imagine unless you’re there experiencing it.

 To me he has gone through such great adversity yet is one of the most humble guys I had the chance to speak with a time or two. A man who has put God ahead of everything else except maybe his beautiful wife but anyhow and still able to have a great sense of humor and a wonderful motivational speaker to kids and adults alike, he is truly a man’s man with a lot left in him and I hope to be trained by him someday and want to not only shake the man’s hand but salute him with the best of intentions. I’m proud to have written this article and hope it gives him something to check out and know that when I write something, it came from the heart and has more meaning than he can imagine, Happy Birthday my friend.

Semper Fi

I Want YOU To Become An Animal

 I've written out about Animal Training a few times before but it’s something worth mentioning time and time again because people should learn about this great style of strength & conditioning training. As we get older our hormone levels drop a certain percentage every year starting at around 25 I believe. I'm a couple years shy of 30 and I want to be able to have that great level of metabolism and natural growth hormone levels by the time I hit that age and beyond, I can't imagine the percentages someone over 40 or older has dropped.

 Animal Training is a system where you imitate and move like an animal in the wild, simple as that. One of the most famous exercises in fitness when it comes to bodyweight is the bear crawl, walking or sprinting on all fours and you can do it for reps, time, distance hell even play tag whatever you can do is up to you. It’s one of the most fun exercises there is plus many more. In my experience, I have received awesome benefits from this type of training including….

Better Awareness

Endurance

Strength in Awkward Positions

Higher Metabolism

Stronger Abs

Muscular Definition

Increased Agility

Last But Not Least….Increased Growth Hormone

 These are just the tip of the iceberg from what I received and I'm a big guy over 240 lb. and yet feeling like Tarzan. I don't care if you're big, small or whatever, this will give you lifelong fitness if you take a chance and learn it. I love it and it gives me a hell of a workout or should I say play time in short durations.

 Children these days don't do enough fitness and have gone off the deep end with becoming overweight, lack of strength, water being replaced by soda and not getting enough brain activity to study but yet rather watch TV and text/talk on their cell phones it's ridiculous. I'm not saying you should force your kids to get fit but it wouldn't hurt to help teach them, better yet not letting them know they're exercising but rather playing and having a good time. We all have a favorite animal so why not put it to good use. Studies have shown that exercise increases Awareness, Strength in the brain, increased energy, high endorphins, stronger metabolisms, natural muscle growth and bone density, wouldn't it be awesome to have all those things and more. Parents I encourage you to exercise with your kids, it'll help bring a bond that a family that trains together sticks together. My parents when I was growing up didn't do that with me and rarely ever do it now and have to learn all on my own which isn't a bad thing but I always wondered what if so don't let your kids slip away from you on that notion, work with them as stress-free as possible. Time flies by and before you know it, your kids are gone and going after their own thing, spend time with them before it’s too late.

The biggest benefit of this type of training is not what you get from it but how you do them. Exercise is suppose to fun, exciting and something to look forward to and not looked at as a punishment or feel you need to do it or force yourself into it. Make it worthwhile. One of my favorite workouts is taking Animals and making them like Cartoon characters like the Bear Crawl can be turned into Baloo from the Jungle Book and playing with mowgli, another can be a cricket and turning him into Jiminy Cricket, even turn the Gorilla exercise into becoming King Kong the larger than life Ape. My all-time favorite animal is the Gorilla and as an Avenger Fan I got to see both of that in a Comic Book which you can find right here. The more you realize its fun, the more benefit you'll get out of it.

Being fit for decades to come is a goal we all strive to achieve, some have even made it, one of my mentors is in his 60’s and acts like a man in his 20’s, one man is approaching his 80’s and still has the strength to lift the heaviest of hammers and one of my favorite strongmen can do feats of strength that makes guys in our generation look like weaklings. Its how you put your mind to it, building that Mind/Muscle Connection. Make it a habit to have fun for you, your friends, your children maybe even grandchildren, it’s never too late to be strong and healthy. 

Building Power And Might The Old Fashioned Way

Ladies and Gentleman, this guest post is one I've been waiting years to finally put up and today's guest is the man that got me my start in the Physical Culture world, a man who's faught his way back from a back injury to bcoming one of the strongest pound for pound athletes in the world today. You know him as the Garage Warrior but also in our circle of friends he's known as the Duke. I give you Mr. Tyler Bramlett.....

The Top 11 Things You Are Doing That Will Prevent You From Being Super Human

 

By Tyler Bramlett

 It’ is well known in strength circles that the abilities of men in the past far exceed the abilities of even our strongest men today. Why is it that with greater technology, better understanding of the human body and a firm understanding of biochemistry we are becoming weaker and weaker?

 In this article I want to identify the top 11 things you are possibly doing every day that are preventing you from getting stronger, living longer and looking good naked.

Let’s get started.

 

# 1 – Not Lifting Enough Weight

 You may think your lifting heavy, but compare yourself to the weightlifting legends of the past. Guys like John Grimek, Henry Stineborn, Arthur Saxon, Eugene Sandow and Herman Goerner. Can you curl 200lbs, how about strict press 300lbs or more? In the days before squat racks Henry “Milo” Steinborn could pick a 550lb barbell off the ground lean it onto his shoulders, perform a set of squats and then return it to the ground. Can you do even 50% of this?

 If not you may need to focus on lifting heavy more often. Try to get as close to these following numbers as possible and you will be considered a strong man. 600lb deadlift, 500lb squat, 400lb bench press, 300lb clean and press, 200lb curl, 200lb bent press, 150lb one arm snatch. Go test your maxes in these 7 lifts right now and see how far you are from world class!

 

# 2 – Not Doing Enough Volume Training With Heavy Weights

 Lifting heavy is crucial, but in order to get good lifting heavy you must also practice with heavy weights. I was having a discussion with my good friend Logan Christopher recently and we both agreed that the biggest hole in both of our games was training hard moves for high volume.

 Now, this doesn’t mean repping out to failure but rather taking a challenging movement like pressing to handstand or clean and jerking 85% of your max weight and repeating it over and over again until it becomes easy. Take any move you really want to be good at and choose a challenging weight or progression and practice it over and over until you master it and it feels easy!

 

# 3 – Not Doing Enough Bodyweight Strength Training

Almost every great strongman of the past did some form of bodyweight training. The great wrestlers of India used bodyweight training to build their great strength and endurance and many of the old time strongmen used bodyweight training to bulletproof their joints and make them stronger and livelonger. So, what should you focus on?

 Here’s my top 5 bodyweight movements, handstand progressions, bridging progressions, hip and leg strength drills, pullup progressions and abdominal progressions. What are these progressions? Check out #4…

 

# 4 – Not Using Proper Movement Progressions

 The basic principal behind movement progression is that you should always be making the movements you are working on harder and harder. A simple way to think about this is in gymnastics. You don’t go for the iron cross on the first day, instead you follow a intelligently designed movement progression mastering each exercise along the way until you are the proud owner of the iron cross. For more info on this check out a new product I created called the warrior warm up a 5 step guide to mastering movement.

 

# 5 – Not Staying Flexible Enough

 Flexibility is highly underrated in the strength world of today. Very few strong men I meet have a good degree of flexibility. In fact the only 2 that come to mind are Pavel Tsatsouline and Bud Jeffries. If you can deadlift over 500lbs and do the side splits, ignore this section, otherwise listen up!

 In order for you to stay lifting in your older years, you need to build flexibility. Being flexible will reduce your chances of injuries and keep you moving for longer and longevity is the name of the game. Stretch daily and make sure you work on the following 5 stretches; Pike Stretch, Gymnast Bridge, Front Splits, Side Splits and Downward Dog.

 

# 6 – Not Doing Enough Variety (Or Doing Too Much Variety)

 Old timers all had their pet lifts, but that didn’t stop them from practicing other moves in hopes to build their balance strength and coordination. This one is quite simple. Master a handful of moves, write down 5 different things you need to accomplish before you die and work on those 5 huge goals as often as possible. From there have fun, cross train and enjoy trying different movements. This way you can have your focus but still practice variety.

 

# 7 – Always Working To Your Max

 Working to your max or working to failure sends your body a very distinct message. It says you are always close to failure or even worse in a bodybuilders case you are failing to lift this weight. The easiest way to get discouraged and lose momentum is to fail when you are exercising. So follow this simple rule…

 Never fail on an exercise, always leave when you have succeeded. I know from personal experience how many different times I thought I could add juts 5 more lbs to the bar and then failed. Take your PR’s and walk, that’s the bottom line!

 

# 8 – Not Using The Best Movements

 Obviously some exercises are better then others, if this wasn’t the caste then every dumbbell benching meathead would be all around strong rather then looking like he has toothpicks for legs. Pick exercises that work the whole body and work them hard. From there train your weak links (usually the hands and core) and you are good to go.

 Here are some of the best exercises you can choose to master; snatches, clean and presses or jerks, deadlifts, squats, bench pressing, dips, handstand pushups, pullups, bridging gymnastics, bent presses, etc. Look to the exercises that used to be done in the 1800’s to find a comprehensive list of awesome drills you should use

 

# 9 – Eating Low Quality Foods

 Fueling your body poorly will hinder you from making any real progress. The old timers ate piles of high quality natural food and did nothing else. So fuel your body with high quality organic foods and focus on eating the foods with the most bang for the buck.

 Here are my favorite muscle building foods: Organ meats (liver, kidneys etc.), bone broths, all meat, fish and eggs, all veggies, some fruits, nuts and seeds, high quality grass fed dairy and superfoods like pine pollen, goji berries and more.

 

# 10 – Not Focusing On Recovery

 To sustain hard training you also have to be an expert at recovery. Many of the strongmen of the past did this for a living. Meaning they woke up, lifted weights, practiced bodyweight movements, worked their grip, ate good food and then rested, stretched, got massages, took cold baths and slept as much as they could.

 If you want to be strong healthy and recover well from your workouts, make sure you stretch, get periodic massages, sleep well and focus on how well you are recovering. Someone once told me that there is no such thing as overtraining, just under recovering, I believe this!

 

# 11 - Ignoring Your Internal Energy

 The shaolin monks probably are one of the best examples of mastering their internal energy or life force. Their focused meditation allows them to perform superhuman feats of strength and endurance. You need this too!

 In order to build your vital life force and increase your ability to perform the impossible I highly recommend a minimum of 10 minutes a day collecting energy. This doesn’t have to be in the form of a seated meditation. You can instead go for a walk (preferably barefoot), and breathe deep, imagining your are inhaling white light and then exhaling all the bad stuff.

 Guys like Bud Jeffries and Logan Christopher are mixing meditative practices and energy work within their training to enhance their strength and power. Try adding in 10 deep breathes before each heavy lift and see what it does for your overall training.

 Well, there you have it, the 11 things I see that could be holes in your game. But I don’t want to leave you empty handed and feeling depressed because you don’t measure up to the men of the past. So here is what I want you to do so you can get the best results from this information.

 

1.      Identify which of the 11 things you are weakest in

2.      Write a plan to change that weak link and apply it for 21 days

3.      Revisit this list and identify the next weakest link

4.      Write a plan to change that weak link and apply it for 21 days

5.      REPEAT!

That’s all there is too it, Good luck!

 

Tyler Bramlett is the creator of www.garagewarrior.com a Blog dedicated to helping people get stronger, live longer, look good naked, find your purpose and live the life of your dreams. He is a highly knowledgeable expert in performance based training, nutrition, psychological motivation and he is the author of The Warrior Warm Up which can be found at www.thewarriorwarmup.com