Getting In Shape No Matter How Big Or Small

    There is this certain notion from people who think they can't get in shape because of no time to go to the gym, they're too tired, they can't make the effort because of a million other responsibilities and I can understand that. Kids can get in the way, your job makes you work long and grueling hours and you might even be going to school or when you have free time you just want to sleep. It's not easy but it is possible to get fit but using realistic and strategic goals. You may have a low metabolism and it's tough for you to gain muscle and lose weight or you have a high metabolism and you can easily lose weight but not build muscle not as quickly so you learn what you can do. Look at the old-time strongmen; some of these guys were laborers, businessmen, promoters, others were sick and can barely breathe and were told they would never have a chance to have a full and healthy life so what did they do, they made the effort but it started out very small and progressed their way up. If you truly want to get in shape, you will make the time and the effort, it may not always be an hour a day to do what you want but whatever time you have, use it and your body will thank you for it.

 
    I was a fat kid as a teenager, overweight and had some muscle from the weights I used and did the shot put and discus on a daily basis in the spring of my sophomore and junior year of high school but I wasn't where I wanted to be. I tried bodybuilding but I just got burned out all the time so I just lifted heavy weight and see where it went. After my leg(s) injury, I learned different styles of training and molded them into my own style and I got in great shape. Although still a heavyweight, I can do some pretty good athletic stuff for my size. It's not easy to start out, so you learn to make a little effort even if you exercise for 1 minute and that's it for your day. You have little kids and they have their naps, use that time to do some training even if it's just push-ups. Arthur Boorman struggled for over 15 years overweight and using crutches to help him walk, this man could barely even stand so he started doing DDP Yoga but really a small portion of it he was that bad, at first he couldn't hold himself up on his own but he kept at it no matter how much he fell over or had trouble getting back up. Today he is the heart and soul of this program and he can do sprints, the splits, 30 second push-ups and many other things. You have a choice to either get fit or do it despite your obstacles or you can keep doing what you're doing and bitch that you don't have time. A skinny person can do it too to build muscle and gain some serious strength, look at Charles Atlas, Lou Ferrigno, Tommy Kono, George Jowett and many others who were told because they were so small there's no way in hell they can get strong yet take a good look at what they have accomplished.

 
    Making an effort is the first step but it doesn't have to be hardcore and/or grueling to even start, do a couple exercises to start for a few minutes, learn the technique and develop your focus. As you get better, do a few more exercises and do them when you have the time. You don't have to train in one shot for the entire day, do a little something throughout the day like when you wake up, stretch a little, on your lunch break do some squats and push-ups, when you come home move a little to rejuvenate.

 
    Some people will create this negative bullshit they cooped up in their heads because somebody told them it's not possible or that they're so busy what's the point, stop it. I know some seriously busy people, one is pregnant, one runs around all day with work and kids, one works for 10-12 hours and a few are in college, so what's your excuse? Blow off that dumb ass thought that it's not possible and look at what could be possible, you're at a stop light what can you do for those mere 15-30 seconds; Press your hands together, do dynamic resistance curls, push/pull on the steering wheel in different directions; there's about ten things you can do in that amount of time. You're buying groceries for your family what can you do; how about pushing down on the handle of the cart, hold up a gallon of milk for 5 seconds, twist on the handle of the cart, curl a heavy bag of apples; yes it looks weird and it can be unappealing to do but so what, you're doing something for your body that nobody else will do because apparently the only way to get in shape is to go to the gym (most are horrible anyway) or go to a yoga or Zumba class (timing for that is rough for a lot of people) bullshit. Learn from others to motivate you, make friends at a place that gives you support and love. You can do it and I believe in you that you can. Start with a couple minutes here and there, find what works for you and even if you have the toughest schedule, there are possibilities and it's up to you to find those possibilities.

 
Have a great weekend everyone and be safe, train smart and have fun. Be Awesome.

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. 

Kids & Exercise

When you’re a baby, everything is new to you and you explore all sorts of things. Babies are the most observant at this stage of life. As things progress, you begin to crawl, stand, take a few steps than before you know it, you’re off and running. As we get older, we lose sight of being observant and wanting to explore and new things.

 “The world is a mighty big place” which was said by great author and Physical Culture specialist Brooks Kubik. As we get older, the ability to learn increases but the will to learn is very different. Exercise should be one of those frontiers that needs to be explored as much as possible to see what works for us and what doesn’t, gives us the best results, helps us recover after a hard workout and what to use to make our bodies stronger. Wild animals are no different except for the fact they don’t know or even realize that they’re training. A young cub or ape learns its environment through movement and observing the surroundings plays with its own kind to train them for survival.

 Getting older is something we can’t control but we can also grow younger by using the right mindset. Taking a lesson from Peter Pan who never grew up (Unless you saw the movie Hook), he gave us the chance to see what it’s like to have fun and smile with the best of intentions also fighting for what we believe in. My best friend’s dad is the ultimate grown up kid in my opinion and although he lives a responsible life helping his wife and having raised 4 kids, he still treats everyday as if it were a kick ass day (most of the time).

 Training like a wild animal teaches both kids and adults how to have fun and not worry of just exercising but making it worth while and get to explore new ideas of movement and wonder. Kids today need more of that structure than ever before because of the rise in obesity and children not getting enough exercise in both school and out of school. When I was a kid going to daycare, I ran around all the time and playing with the other kids and doing wild and crazy imaginative stuff, I still get to do that for myself now in my late 20’s and still wanting to explore and shoot for new ideas to play around with.

 Kids deserve to be healthy and strong and teaching them a structured form of exercise is not only to keep them from getting diseases like heart problems and diabetes but exercise has been shown to increase the strength of the brain which means they can grow smarter in certain cases so the blood flow is just right. You don’t even have to tell them its exercise it’s more like play and adults can learn this too. Play tag, race, and create an obstacle course or whatever you’d like to do but also do it with them. Family exercising is a great thing to do not just to help you get in shape but for your kids as well and only needing a few minutes before they play video games or watching TV. There are kids however that have certain issues like a disability or are hyper even at a low self-esteem and exercise can help balance those things out.

 Nap time is crucial for a child’s development when it comes to growth and giving the adult some time to relax, put the kid through a little animal exercise by helping him pick out his favorite animal, play with him and sooner or later he’s going to want to sleep whether he likes it or not.  Children need structures but it doesn’t need to have corporal punishment or as a way of torturing the kid but to help him enjoy his disciplines and giving him/her the chance to learn responsibility in a safe and fun manner. It’s all about giving them what they deserve without them ever knowing it.