Thorsmithing? What The Hell Is That

               I know what you're thinking, you're thinking why I came up with a word that makes no sense and is not even in the dictionary, I made it up and it’s meaningless. That last part is wrong and I hate to break it to you there are far more dumbass words that are used more frequently that aren't in the dictionary. There is such a word and I’m going to prove it with my own theory and experience. So sit back and enjoy the ride my friends.

            The reason why I came up with the word Thorsmithing is because it’s in combination of a blacksmith and Thor. It is the power of hitting a Thor Hammer on a tire with one hand while imagining you're a blacksmith creating something. Now Blacksmiths were some of the strongest workers pound for pound, they’re grip were just unbelievable and had some of the strongest arms in that part of town. As a strongman, the hands are crucial to your success on the feats your perform whether it’s bending steel, tearing cards, levering sledgehammers, designing steel into shapes and even driving a nail through a board; all done by hands.

          

  Now imagine having a mighty grip, you pound that hammer into the tire and you’re imagining not creating some kind of metal in your imagination but imagining you're creating the type of body you want; strong arms, powerful shoulders, punch-proof abs, sturdy legs and keen eye coordination. It’s not as easy as it looks because after a while, one hand will get tired so you have to switch to the other and keep going until you feel you're done. Just like building a sword like a blacksmith as a Thorsmith, you're building your body one strike at a time and when you're done with a workout, you're one step closer to creating something from scratch and turning it into a staggering piece of beauty and strength.

            You will develop a crushing grip and be able to do things you normally wouldn't be able to. A blacksmith’s hammer weighs close to what no more than 3 pounds, now imagine striking with a hammer 4-5 times that size; your grip will be powerful and crazy strong. Possessing that kind of grip takes hard work but it also develops your character and harnesses your mind to create something from within to show on the outside.

            As you hit the tire, imagine you're in Asgard among the Norse Gods with a hammer that can shatter mountains, knock out frost giants in the blink of an eye and be lifted almost no man can. Bring yourself to the place where strength is infinite, the glowing passion of power within your grasp and be able to strengthen your body unlike anything you've ever done before, all within one strike at a time. Get a hold of your own Thor Hammer and become a Thorsmith, creating strength and super power in your very own hands. Oh My God; it’s so ludicrous it just might be possible.

Weapons Of Strength

             In Mythology, there are specific weapons that can wreck havoc but at the same time, they define the strength of the person that holds that weapon. Zeus’ Thunder Bolt is one of the all-time mightiest weapons and it puts destruction into wherever he throws it but it gives him the ultimate power over all the gods. Thor’s Hammer is the muscle weapon of Norse Mythology, like the Sword of Excalibur; only one person is deemed worthy to hold it in his hands and it gives him strength that excels over anything else and brings manly power in its grasp. Poseidon’s Trident is just flat out surreal when it’s been used at it’s maximum power, it can devour oceans, destroy ships within a snap and puts you at a stand still to how it is unmatched by just about every other weapon.

            One of the most underrated stories in American Folklore is that of John Henry and the Epic Sledgehammer. In a time where race was feared and those of different color got the shaft just for what their skin holds brought a lot of hardships, hard ache and the struggle to live among other people. Henry brought struggle to light by the use of his mighty hammer and taking on an obstacle that is practically impossible to do, he turned it into triumph and the will to fight for what he felt was the right thing to do. With the swing of his hammer, he symbolized what the weight of the world felt like and fought with every breath of him with swing after swing; he built hope and internal strength that has been long forgotten. Although he was physically gifted and was a might of man, he used the strength of his heart to conquer the demons that roamed in that time.

            The most powerful weapon is nothing physical, nothing you can see with your very own eyes and it’s certainly not a weapon that is to be underestimated and that’s the power of your mind. How we use our minds determines our strength on another scale. The way we think creates a chain reaction that pits you against the ultimate opponent and that’s YOU!!! We build thoughts, emotions and solving/creating problems by how we use our minds, the stretch of the imagination is limitless and with practice; we can devour obstacles, conquer challenges and fin solutions that have logical correction. By understanding who you are and how we perceive ourselves and change how we think we can build success and live the life that was meant for us. By projecting your Self-Image, you learn to create success that brings you happiness, love, protection from negative energy and can even create financial success with the right attitude and using your imagination.

            It’s not something to just jump in and think it’s an instant snap of your fingers. If you want to build your weapons, you need to step up and take it step by step by finding what you want to do whether it’s to build strength, lose weight, build functional muscle or even just want to build a better income; project yourself with a thirst for a positive attitude, be organic, don’t be afraid to fail and be responsible for what you want to accomplish. Nobody can create success for you; no one has your body, your health or your dreams. Be bold and look to things that give you guidance, learn what gives you purpose and how you can make yourself into a happy and high self-esteemed person.

            

       Watch the movie Field Of Dreams sometime and look to the biggest quote of the movie “If you build it, they will come.” What that truly means in my eyes is that to truly be successful, you need to build yourself from within and they (meaning the universe and your imagination) will come to you and guide you but it’s up to you to make the effort. 

Evolution Through Mythology

My Judo sensei once said to me, “a man’s reach must exceed his grasp, or else what’s a heaven for?” He was telling me about his old training schedule, the weights he used to lift, and the body weight exercises his sensei would demand that he perform. I was awestruck, doing 500 pushups, or bodyweight squats in one day? At the time I could not conceive that such a thing could even be possible.

His Judo sensei was a member of the Iroquois nation of native peoples, and while they would train he would tell them the stories about mythical warrior Hiawatha. Hiawatha is said to have wrestled the unconquerable Bear of the West the gatekeeper to the realm of the dead to a draw. Hiawatha is supposed to been able to paddle a cannon with such ferocity that he could change the course of rivers, outrun day light so he could continue speaking with the spirits of the night, and shoot twenty arrows into the sky before the first one came back to touch the ground.

Was my Judo sensei actually supposed to believe that Hiawatha preformed such supernatural feats? Well, no, but also yes, within the appropriate context. His sensei was doing from him what the Iroquois elders did for the young up, and coming warrior-braves; inspiring them to forever keep their reach exceeding their grasp. By telling the stories of Hiawatha the young warrior-braves felt encouraged to test themselves over, and over again. They sought to become as fast as the wind, and as strong as a bear. Like Hiawatha, these represent subjective units of measure. How fast is the wind? How strong is a bear? How powerful is Hiawatha? The answer will always be faster, stronger, and more powerful than you are currently. So you must always seek to improve, be better, and achieve greater.

The heroes of mythologies are meant to spark something deep within us, to light a fire that we could use to courageously explore the depth of our souls, and inner recesses of our minds. As we immerge from our own dark psychic forest, we return from what Joseph Campbell termed the “hero’s journey”, and we now have been remade more in the image what we individually believe heroic to be. These heroes are symbols and as such are mutable. They can be changed to fit societal needs, but still represent the values deemed virtuous by an entire collective, and heritage of peoples.

In my own studies of mythologies, I began perhaps intuitively, to feel as if the writers of these sagas where speaking not only across time, but speaking to more than just ancient superstitions. I started to see a deep, if not hidden wisdom within the stories. Thor’s magic glove which translates to “Iron Grip”, and his belt which literally means “earth’s power”, are what enabled him to wield his famous hammer. In order for a man to be mighty like Thor, he would need to train his hands into possessing a vice-like grip, and obtain a well develop lower back, and legs. In reading the works of old-time strongmen I found this confirmed many times. The key to superhuman strength is found in grip strength straining, and focusing on heavy lifting exercises such as dead lifting, squats, and swings.

What transpired next was an immersive study into the mythologies, and hero legends from around the world. This was the impetus of Heroic Evolution and its strength training programs.

However I wanted not only to share quality strength training, but also to promote the qualities of having good character, or at least an examined character. What is the purpose of being strong in the first place? That is a question that has a dizzying amount of potential responses, and is for the trainee to explore for themselves if they wish, and certainly worthwhile if they do.

The stories of heroes like Hiawatha, or even King Arthur, set forth a code of conduct, as well as I believe, contain physical training protocol that where meant to be discovered by young members of different warrior societies. These stories are laced with clues in not only how to get strong, tough, and fast, but also what to do with that formidability in their society, and how to act appropriately.

Embodying one of these mythological heroes is a life changing process. The hero exists only inside you, and to go within to find them is actually to find your greater potential. The exploits of the hero can never be matched; but the hero doesn’t care, as the point is that you attempt. It is in the fierce attempts at the impossible that we discover just how amazing we can be. The hero can’t ever judge you, and thereby this places all the responsibility back on you. How do you feel about your efforts? Do you feel you are meant for something greater? Do you believe you can, or should, do better in whatever endeavor you have chosen? 

Your answer to these questions can be sobering indeed.

Mythologies allow us to glimpse into our own lives, the roles we, and those around us fill. We all live out a certain “personal” mythology whether we are conscious of it, or not. The simple truth of the matter is that if we don’t like the story we are living we need to change it. The strength to change it comes through becoming our own greatest hero, by moving past our own perceived limitations, and reaching into our infinite potential to grasp at something we never dreamed we were capable of until we found the courage to try.

-Kevin Wikse

www.heroicevolution.com

Grip Your Way To Power

            You are one powerful human being; we all are in one form or another. We have certain strengths, weaknesses and we find some way to use a talent we posses. A lot of what we do physically contains within our hands. Our hands are the very essence of what we create. Grip Strength is one of the most important foundations a man or woman should posses. Being able to handle groceries, carry your kid, defend your family or if you’re a sports athlete, your hands are the very foundation of your talent; can’t shoot a basketball, throw a football, swing a bat or coordinate a hockey stick without having good solid hands. You can have very powerful hands not just in crushing strength but many other ways.

            One of the best ways to develop superhuman grip strength is increasing the strength in your tendons and ligaments. How many injuries can you count where an athlete or the average person had to wear a brace on their wrist because of a tendon pull or break? A form of training called Partials where you only lift a short distance is one of the most fun and brutal ways to increase your tendon power. Think of lifting a weight you could never imagine hitting at full range; you can almost have twice as much strength to lift at short range. This not only builds dense muscle but take your tendons into the stratosphere.

            In combat/contact sports, you must find a way to take down an opponent whether you’re a football player or even a MMA athlete, your grip can change the very facet of the match and it either make your or break within less than a few seconds. You’re on the defensive line in football and a running back or a receiver has got his hands on the ball, if you have strong hands, you can take him down and squeeze the very life out of him and he’ll think twice of getting in your path. You’re in a fight against a great Mixed Martial Artist or Wrestler, he’s fast, he’s agile and knows how to slip out of holds, but you have some mighty mitts and you end up one way or another getting him in a lock or have a good hold on him for a takedown. You have him in your grasp, you put your heart into this fight and you even put in the time to train your grip to the core, you get a hold on him, he has no choice but to tap out, he can’t fathom how strong and supple your hands are on him. Want strong hands, you’re going to have to build them.

            You are one strong person my friend but it’s important to continue getting stronger. Like lifting weights, use fat gripz for your upper body movements like pulls, presses, curls, cleans, snatches anything that you can put your hands on, even pull-ups, these will make your hands super strong. One type of implement that will take your grip to a new level is sledgehammers, think of the old-time laborers and how powerful their hands were doing hours of taking out rock and stone with a heavy hammer, think of being Thor and tackling the frost giants with thunderous power and superhuman strength. Build your eagle claws by doing exercises on your fingertips like push-ups, pull-ups and even Animal Exercises; think about that, being able to walk in the steps of a big and powerful bear or the super strong gorilla on your fingertips, that will build tendon strength like an extreme few can ever be done.

            How would you feel if you had the grip power to knock home runs, bend steel, tear decks of cards in half and destroy your competition on the gridiron taking down fast runners and receivers and even taking out the quarterback? Your grip will be a major factor whether you realize it or not and the stronger you make your grip, chances are the stronger your entire body will be. Our hands are not just these little bitty muscles and tendons; they are one of the most powerful energy sources in the human body. Create energy in your hands and you’ll see how powerful you can be. Stay hungry my friends and be strong and smart.

A Powerful Grip Goes A Long Way

         The joy of having a strong grip is a lot to have. Many opportunities arise when your grip can handle many things like carrying groceries, helping someone move, twisting off a tough jar, climbing, carry someone and holding onto them so why not develop a mighty grip? It’s a lot of fun because our hands were meant to be strong for the things we need to have in our lives. The stronger our lower arm is, essentially the stronger our whole body is. It’s not just a pump you get in the gym or squeezing someone’s hand.

            Most people who start out with developing anything, get all excited and can’t wait to jump in but as they move along, most of the time get really bored and don’t want to progress any further or they just keep up the same old crappy routine and never make any headway. It’s all about the three P’s; Pacing, Progressing and Patience. We start out weak in some area or another so we begin with the simplest things plays around with them, we progress in order to advance ourselves. Don’t just push yourself all the time, pace yourself; do a little more each time. It’s the journey, not the destination that is the key; the smallest things can have the biggest impact. Be patient, if you get stuck somehow, find a solution, change things up and use your imagination to get better. We all have different ways of progressing, some are faster than others but we share a common goal and that’s getting better. It’s like math; you don’t start out with calculus right? We start with Arithmetic and work our way up, same thing developing your grip strength.

            One of the greatest modern Physical Culture authors Brooks Kubik said to Master your exercises. Doesn't matter what you’re shooting for but to progress with the best intentions, you must master what you want to develop. For grip strength, you don’t need to master a million things; you just need to focus on a few things. Do no more than 3-4 things to master because this helps you focus on what you can do to progress to a higher level whether it’s adding sets/reps or advance to a more difficult exercise. For me as an example with my Thor Hammer, I started out just lifting up, down and side to side. Next progression, slamming it with a tire 1000+ times often, next one was pressing it up using only the ball of the hammer, after that was juggling and flipping it. There’s more to progress to but you get my drift. It doesn't have to be a hammer, you can add in Fat Gripz onto your barbells and dumbbells to make your exercises harder, the effect is much different when you curl a 40 lb. dumbbell the regular way, slap on a Fat Grip, you’re in a whole new world of lifting my friend.

            Some of the strongest men in the world don’t always have the biggest hands. Yes big hands give a distinct advantage and that’s awesome if you have them but there are some of us who don’t have that luxury. Don’t fret though, there’s still hope and don’t ever let it stop you from chasing your dream from having strong hands. Want an example; Dennis Rogers is one of the strongest men pound for pound ever yet he’s no more than 5’8 and weighs no more than 170 yet he’s been able to do things most men twice his size can’t even fathom. He was also a champion arm wrestler at a point in his life and took down some of the best there was and some of them were far bigger than he was. So you see, there’s no excuse for you, you have the power to have some mighty mitts and you can have them if you want them bad enough. Train with intent, think big, think powerful, use your imagination and make it happen for you. Grip strength is very important, it can even save someone’s life, think about that. Don’t ever give up chasing your dream, don’t just chase it, thrust through and take a chance. It’s within reach, go get 

Mythology & Superhuman Strength

            No matter how you slice it, we've been fans of Mythology for as long as we can remember. We've read the comic books, we've watched the movies, we've practiced certain elements that are based on the gods and we've even trained to be like them but can we really? There are different heroes and villains in the world of Mythology basing on how much we've learned about them. It’s important to have these stories but one must be cautious because we never know what we might find.

            Gods, monsters, heroes, villains, superhuman powers; these things have stretched our imaginations for eons and we still are finding more things about them than we thought to believe. The god Zeus is one of the most prolific figures in Mythology because of not just his power of the thunder bolt but some look at him as a man of great stature and superhuman entities to do good on this world, others see him as a complete asshole for wanting to overthrow his brothers Poseidon & the dark lord of the underworld Hades and control mankind to do his bidding. It is important however to know that a god like that is very powerful and can learn to use his great strength for our own way of training.

            Another great Hero or mythical figure; Thor, he’s one of the strongest gods there is and he’s famous because of that great Hammer of his. When he strikes down the Frost Giants or marches into battle, his hammer is the equivalent to a samurai’s mighty sword. The weapon is apart of who he is, it symbolizes his power unlike anything else and with that power can either be great for saving the world or destroy it b the choices we make.

            How can we tie in these mythological figures into building a foundation for fitness today? Well let’s look back to how real warriors of ancient times trained; they didn't have machines like pulldowns or cardio machines to keep them fit or have barbells and dumbbells to strengthen their muscles so what the hell did they do? Depends on the type of warrior you’re looking at, some were swordsmen, some were archers, others were snipers when they shot arrowheads and even some had special weapons made for specific occasions or battles so they’re training consisted on the type of role they played in. When you look at archers, they have strong shoulders, a keen eye and a great sense of control of on pulling isometrics. That makes me think of Strand Pulling or today’s Lifeline Chest Expander, working the same muscles as an archer did just in a different format.

            If we truly want to put in training like god or a warrior of ancient times, we can’t just march into the gym or get a certain tool of weight or cable and expect to be super strong. Like anything else we progress to become better and stronger and fitter. Think of Hercules, the strongest god of all or should we say demi-god. He was already super strong and had superhuman qualities but at first he didn't understand how to use that strength, it made him awkward and his control was horrible. After learning to use his mind and putting in the effort to control what he was doing, over a period of time his strength helped him in the 12 labors he was assigned by the Greek goddess Hera if you read the stories and the tragic entities that go with this.

            We are inspired by powerful beings, whether they’re gods, extraordinary men and women or even a certain person of status whether an athlete or strong being; it gives us hope that we can be those things to and possibly more if you put your mind to it. The power of our imagination is endless if you really understand it and continue to learn it. We all have great gifts within us and most of us don’t even know it and never learn to unlock them. Learn what you’re good at, progress and turn it into something you can proud of and you can be super strong and powerful. Use your imagination and doors will open to you that you never seen before.   

Combo Workouts To Make Things Interesting

             Its fun when you combine things together and make them unique but not many people think they’re that creative and just follow others’ movements and just don’t learn how to use their brain. Not saying training isn't a bad thing, whatever works is cool but when you bring certain things together because it’s what you’d want to do, it’s a whole different ball game.

            When you create certain workouts, sometimes you need a place to do them. A park with benches, swings, bars and walkways make up for a very unique training experience. Another example would be your backyard or garage if you have room, building and setting up your own style of training. Say you want Kettlebells in one corner, Maces/Clubs in another area & a pull-up bar or rack in the back and you've got it made, maybe you’d like to have some Odd Objects laying around and picking them up at random moments in the workout who knows. For you Bodyweight Practitioners, you can do things just about anywhere and have just as much fun without ever spending a freaking dime. Here’s an example if you’re up to the task….

Do a kettlebell snatch for a minute or two

5-10 reps of Bridging Gymnastics

Lunge to the furthest odd object you have and lift it

100 Squats

50 Push-ups

50 Tire Swings with a Thor and/or Sledgehammer

Do a couple rounds and finish off with some stretching

Now that workout might seem a bit advanced but it’s very random and it’s unique. Pick exercises and combine them into what works for you or try something different and see how it turns out while understanding how your body reacts.

            The best thing you can do for yourself is go outside the norm. Make things work for you that others can’t fathom of doing, not to prove anything towards them but to prove to yourself that you can step outside the box and have fun with what you have. Be resourceful, learn to see things differently. If anyone knows how to make oddball exercises work its Steve Justa, he just finds things and works with them in unique ways like lifting up a tire off a 2000 pound truck or holding an isometric for an hour straight hell he’ll even circle around a 500 pound stone or barrel just for kicks. The more you learn to do things outside the box, you begin to understand the limitless potential to become super strong and crazy fit.

            One of the things I learned in my years of Physical Culture is to “learn to be your number one self instead of being a second rate somebody.” You are one person, one mind, one body and everybody else is taken. It’s great to have idols and learn how they do things but in the end it’s up to you to become just yourself and not try to be someone else otherwise you’re missing out who you truly are as an individual and as a human being. Own it and be quirky because most other things are just sound tedious and boring.

Let The Hammer Fall

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

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

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

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

Hammer Conditioning

 

 There are many ways to get in awesome shape, you can use your bodyweight, work with weights or better yet use cool tools that are not only awesome looking but you’re getting more bang for your buck than you can imagine. Ever heard of training with a Hammer? Of course you don’t, you’re either one of those people that goes to a gym, play around with a few machines, work very light weight and call yourself in shape or you’re one of those guys or gals that doesn’t get anywhere no matter what you do and you just quit at the drop of a hat. I’m here to tell you that getting fit is not only a cool thing to do but it also keeps you energized and have a zest for life you didn’t think existed. The best fitness advice anyone can ever give you is to have fun with what you do. Training with a hammer, better yet a Thor Hammer gives you that mystical feeling that you’re training like the warriors of generations past.

 

 

 Training with this particular tool can give you great possibilities to train with, most of them involve swinging but the main point is when you work different areas while consuming your exercise using your whole body as a unit, you will find yourself having off the charts strength and conditioning that only a few ever know about. Even training with a sledgehammer is a cardio workout that will have you gasping for air if you do the exercise right. One of my heroes named Slim worked in a Rock Quarry for many years, doing labor for as long as 12-14 hours a day, 6-7 days a week cutting and destroying rock with a 16 pound sledgehammer. Now 16 pounds doesn’t seem like a lot of weight but when you’re smashing things for hours on end, you’re using your whole body and it makes cardio machines look like a cake walk. If you had a tire or half tire, along with a hammer, try hitting it like a guy working at the Quarry, do it for 5 minutes and tell me if you’re not breathing harder than you would doing 30 minutes on a cardio machine.

 I would bet if you had just a hammer and a tire, which would be the only equipment you need to get a cardio workout that will leave you with sweat, strength and overall fitness in ways that can only be explained by experience. A great course I have practiced off and on is to me one of the only if not the only course out there that gives you tips specifically using hammers is my man Bud Jeffries’ DVD Hammers and Maces from his Alternative Conditioning series that has a plethora of different ways to work your body into the ground. Hammer training is another look at what you can do to get in awesome shape, up until a few years ago, there weren’t many places to learn this kind of stuff, now guys in the NFL, MMA, WWE and even in Olympic training have found the Hammer swinging style are using it to get their athletes in incredible world-class shape.

 

 

 

 

 Ever seen the movie Thor? Ever wondered what it would be like to have that much power and strength using that cool ass looking Hammer? Well you can get your hands on your own Mjölnir and feel what it’s like to swing that little son of a bitch and learn the golden keys to Super Muscle and Superhuman Strength. Conditioning this way is a lot more fun than just pulling down a machine that really won’t do much movement wise and just going for a stroll on the cardio machine, this way teaches you how to use your stabilizing muscles in other words your Core and work your whole body as a whole. Look at it this way, because of it’s structure it helps you figure out how to stay balanced and helps you learn certain muscles needed for certain swinging movements. Hell one of the best exercises I’ve done for a few hundred reps is using it like the Kettlebell swing and I think it’s much harder than the regular KB swing because the hammer is longer and the handle is thicker. Also if you had a tire, you can have a glimpse of what a blacksmith feels like by whacking the hammer. If you don’t have the movie Thor, I suggest you get yourself a copy which you can find on the right hand side of this blog under Physical Culture links below the Incredible Hulk series and film.

 Another side of training with a Sledgehammer and Thor’s Hammer is using them in the old tradition of India’s training program which dates back hundreds of years using them in the style of Wrestling called Kushti. This traditional style of training consisted of the Mace (which you can use with the Sledgehammer) and the Gadas (you can use with two sets of Thor’s hammer) which they swung and worked different muscles to get in shape for Wrestling. Now you don’t have to be a wrestler I’m just giving you a history lesson along with a perspective of what you can do with these tools.

 

 

 Having fun with your exercise is a golden key to great fitness and strength training and nothing looks cooler than a hammer, it represents strength and even having one in your hands just has a mystical feel to it, like you’re apart of something special. It’s not just a workout, it’s an adventure, and you can even pick exercises out of your own imagination. Think of some of the workouts you can think and imagine in a time where you had the power to destroy anything you wanted, in one workout, you’re John Henry and pounding spikes into the train tracks, the next workout, you’re in India over 100 years ago, exercising outside in the wrestling pits before your match and destroying your opponent, another workout would be you’re working at a gold mine in the old west, smashing rock to find that treasure of gold and after so many powerful whacks, you have found that gold and you’re jumping for joy and even you can imagine being Thor smashing the Frost Giants and conquering a battle over monsters and demons.

 These are things to think about when you’re training and you should never walk into a workout thinking it’s going to suck, be creative and use your imagination; it’s one of the biggest keys of all time. Make it interesting and use it to your full advantage and give it everything you have, it could last a few minutes or last over an hour, hell you’d get so into the workout that you lost track of time because you had fun doing it, that’s the beauty of it. Give yourself a chance to shine and Hammer your way to glory on your terms.

Combination Training

Doesn’t that almost sound like Cross-Fit? Combining different elements into one method of training? Well, in certain cases you don’t need to lift a barbell than go do pull-ups.

 Creativity starts with your imagination and builds on what you have. I’m telling you from experience and practice, going to the gym isn’t your only option anymore. If you really looked around, you can workout in just about any type of place. If you lived in the woods, you can use nature to make your biggest benefit, tossing rocks, pushing boulders, swimming in the lake or climbing trees. If you lived around an industrial park, you can find little pipes to pick up, lever 2x4s, push-ups on the rails, finding a few rebar and see if you can bend them. Combining different things with what you have can create your own workout without ever touching a barbell or a machine.

 I have been training mostly bodyweight for years now but every now and then I like to use a few things like for instance a workout I did the other day consisted of a towel, Phonebook, my Thor hammer, a 10 pound sledgehammer and my lifeline chest expander. These things alone gave me a hell of a workout, one exercise I did for a combination is holding the chest expander in a one-arm press and with the other hand did swings with my Thor Hammer. In my opinion, books with exercises just teach you a certain type but yet don’t always give you something to combine them with, some do but most don’t so you’re left with “The hell else can I do”, simple, use your imagination and before you know it, you can come up with exercises that can never be found in a book or on a DVD.

 One of the best combos I’m learning right now is combining isometrics with a moving exercise but how does that work? Well remember I told you the about the Chest Expander and the Hammer? You can learn all sorts of combos especially the kick ass stuff here by my man Bud Jeffries. You want to hit as many muscles at once as possible and learning these combos with Isometrics isn’t just building physical strength but teaches how to use your brain from different angles of the left and right side.

 Doesn’t matter if you’re into bodyweight, weights, kettlebells, feats of strength or a combo of all four, hitting your muscles and tendons from as many angles is a key for foundational development as it helps hit sticking points and plateaus and the more muscles being used the better because isolated movements are more prone to cause injury as oppose to multiple muscle groups working to keep your body in unison. Some people see isometrics as isolation but in reality they haven’t done they’re homework very well. Steve Justa once told a story of Bruce Lee holding a 3-5 lb. ball, he’d hold it in his hand and hold his arm straight out, doesn’t seem that hard it’s just a shoulder exercise that works the hand just a tiny bit since the ball is extremely light but here’s where it really gets fun, do it for 8 hours straight, what seems like an easy shoulder exercise will turn into a hard fought battle for the entire body and who’s going to be the bitch at the end of that exercise, you or the ball. Never assume certain things will be easy.

 Remember the phonebook I used in my workout the other day? Well I didn’t rip it in half, sorry to disappoint you because the damn book was wrapped in duct tape from cover to cover and everywhere in between, it was giving to me a few years back from my friend Logan Christopher and ever since I had it I used it to do isometrics to rip up phonebooks for real and to say it’s helped me rip over 1600 pages in one shot would be just the tip of the iceberg. Combining this exercise and moving on to pulling down a tree is just another day at the office for me but it gives me super strength and makes my body feel like a steel rod of one unit of power.

 Using what you have can create endless possibilities for you if you open your mind and expand beyond just a regular exercise. You can turn just about any basic exercise into the most advanced exercise on the planet in a heartbeat, it all begins with your ability to imagine and put it into action. Also put some emotion into it and your results will surprise you by 10 Fold, I’m not joking about that. I have learned the best exercises don’t come from a gym, a book, a DVD or a class, the best exercises come from your own take on them and believe me when was the last time you did a isometric hold while swinging a Thor Hammer, highly unlikely ever. Learn from your own experiences and combine the best you have learned and mold them into something only you can come up with. When you do that, you’ll learn the secrets of true and creative Combination Training.

Can You Become Your Own Avenger? Pt. 5 The Final Chapter

It has come down to this, some of us have waited four years to see this movie come out, some have waited ever since they were a child reading the comic books.  Will it be a great movie? Who knows, it will however impact someone one way or another, I guarantee it. There are even some people who had dreams of becoming an Avenger and have a plethora of powers that will make them stronger, agile, burst with speed and even be more creative in their own endeavors. I’m here to tell you that if you want to become your own Avenger, you got to feel it and find the best resources to find your true powers and grasp them with might, vigor and vitality.

 For most in the Avengers world, we’ve all heard the stories of Thor and his mighty Hammer but what if we really wanted to know the secrets of Thor’s gift of strength and power? We all know Thor is a god among the four heroes yet how does a god get to that level? It really all starts from within. Becoming a god is no easy task and in reality there is nothing more powerful then god himself but yet we can become more powerful then ourselves. You have more power physically and spiritually than you can ever imagine. Just think for a second of having that power, how would you use it? Building yourself from the inside takes practice but at the same time with that practice a rewarding experience that will change the very essence of whom you are and where you want to go.

 The secret to creativity starts with a thought in mind. Being creative shows the uniqueness of who we are as a society not just as individuals. Look at the creativity Tony Stark aka Iron Man shows when he first made that Iron suit in a deep and dark fortress in the middle-eastern desert, as accomplished as he was for rebuilding an empire you can’t substitute success when your life is at stake and this is where he becomes dangerous when he sets his mind to create something that will reward his efforts in the end. In some cases we can relate to that, not building a suit but building our own lives for when we need to be creative the most. If you want to be at your best in any situation, you must have an open mind to find the best resources to create solutions or at least attempt to. It’s being creative that can become your very secret weapon of not only success but to endure the very worst and most of all, the very best of what you can accomplish that will put you ahead of the pack without ever knowing it.

 Captain America without question is the leader of the Avengers and although individually each hero has his/her own agenda, in the end it’s the leader that gets the big reward and the big letdown if he fails. That’s a huge responsibility and that goes for all leaders not just in war but in our society. When you decide to change the very brink of your own individuality whether its becoming fitter, stronger or creating a life that you want, it’s your responsibility to make those things happen and when you take a hold of it, that shows the mark of a true leader because when you lead yourself, you are ready for that next challenge and that’s leading others. Make it your mission to learn to be your own leader.

 I firmly believe that if you practice laser-like focus on anything you wish to accomplish, you want to find that precise accuracy that defines the realm between successes and failure. Look at agent Hawkeye, the most accurate shot of the Avengers. His ability to focus is staggering to say the least. The way he pin points his targets can easily be used in how someone in real life can go after a goal that will hit the nail right on the head. Reaching a goal is not easy and like Archery, you need to practice with the intent of hitting that center, goals are pretty much the same thing, will you accomplish every single goal you attempt? Not always but with practice and the right intent, you will find the right goals to shoot for and one way or another it’s going to hit the center like a bolt of lighting.

 Let’s face it, the Avengers kick major ass and however you slice it, no Avenger is greater than the other, each one has their own great qualities that can be served just as an individual as well as a team. Kicking ass has been a moniker of American culture since the Revolutionary War, wanting to tear down enemies with a vengeance is not only inspirational but at times it can be over the top annoying and out of context. When you really want to be an ass kicker you want a strategy in order to accomplish it but kicking ass doesn’t mean beating someone up or always becoming a solider and go off to war, being a real bad ass is taking charge of who you are and what you represent yourself with vigor, power and might. The real people who are the bad asses take charge of what makes them great and what they’re all about and that can make them dangerous. If you want to be an ass kicker, then learn from some of the best who are bad to the bone powerful and strong not just physically but mentally as well.

 Building your own team of Avengers is not easy but simple nonetheless. You want to build a team of people that have a keen sense of your interests and how each person can be just as important as the other. Each Avenger has his own strength to what he is and what he’s capable of but at the same time each one is very different but each share a common goal and that’s to bring peace to those who want to destroy it. Creating your team is like building a family that will stick with you through thick, thin and thinner and if you truly want to find a role in that team of individuals nothing can stop you. When it comes to a team in my field there are many and I hope I have a role within that team. That team represents the very best in strength and health and when you have a band of brothers and sisters all searching for the same thing, you have a force that will be the focal point of who we are not just as a team but as individuals who help each other.

 To be the very best at something, you got to want it more than anything in your whole life. The desire and drive to reach what you want to be is fierce and has no signs of slowing down and with time, you get better and better and you want to wake up each day feeling strong, confident and have a sense of vitality. One man’s desire to be the very best was none other than Slim The Hammerman. By day he was a rock cutter who destroyed tons and tons of rock, by night he turned into a powerful being of immense proportion as he attempted and later on accomplished being the strongest man at specific feats of strength with his trademark specialty being Hammer Levering. He not only made this happen but it came with a price but yet at the same time, it didn’t stop him from being the very best at what he wanted to do. I’ve known many guys over the years and only a handful ever had that dedication as Big Slim did. If you want to be the strongest person, you go and grab it and never let up on it, that doesn’t mean drop everything in your life but to be the very best you will make the time to do it and be serious about your goal but also build some fun around it because when you love something so much it doesn’t become a goal, it becomes an adventure.

 There are a lot of polls around the internet to see which Avenger you are. If you truly do those polls than you’re really second guessing yourself because there’s a big difference between general testing and observing yourself. If you want to find the true Avenger within you than you must find the qualities that resemble that particular Avenger but seriously though, don’t ever compare yourself to another person or fictional character because there’s more to life than comparing yourself to others. Want to know why I know this? Take one of those dumb ass polls and answer all the questions and I would bet you it won’t come out the way you want it, you’ll be disappointed and you’ll want to redo it over. If you want to become your own Avenger don’t look at something else, look at yourself and see what you can do to become more powerful and more resilient to things that can harm you. Learn to develop your powers from the qualities that you have and find a real positive way to amplify them to make them your own personal quest. That’s one of the true marks of becoming your own Avenger.

 Every Avenger has their a secret power or skill that makes them a valuable asset so why not learn your own secret to what can bring out the power that you truly possess. Learning to harness a powerful force inside you takes practice and there are no shortcuts to what you really want to learn but it can easily be a piece of what you really have and how you develop it. We all have a form of power within us one way or another and it’s different in each of us. The way to explain it is by experiencing it for you. There is an old saying “For those who believe, you don’t need to explain, for those that don’t believe no explanation will do.” If you truly want to harness the power that resides within you, then you got to believe in it, trust it and let it guide in anything that happens in your life.

 In every system of strength training there are tools that will help you achieve what you want but it’s not the tools that get you there, it’s how you use them to get you there. Take for instance, Thor’s Hammer, if you held that hammer in your hands what would it feel like? If you are an open-minded person, you would know that hammer is not just an object or an exercise token of strength, it’s the very presence that will captivate your attention and you will want to wield that hammer with fire, passion and strength and that’s why for most people, its cool looking but also intimidating. A true man or woman of character will take hold of that hammer and find a way to make it his/her strength and bring it to the forefront of making them the strongest they can be. Take a chance and you will see how you can go from being intimidated to the one who’s become intimidating.

 If you ever watched the movie or read the Comics then you know the Shield of Captain America. To me that’s the coolest looking shield ever in my opinion; it’s light, resilient to bullets, protects you and can be used as a weapon all in one form. Having a shield can help you on the road to success. In fitness becoming healthy and strong is a sure fire to shield you from disease and other things but most people either do one or the other and if that’s their choice good for them but I would like it to be more than that. To be both healthy and strong takes different forms and molding them together to create a powerful, creative piece. To really develop a shield physically would be one to train your tendons and ligaments through loosening the joints to doing isometrics. Building this kind of shield helps the body be less prone to injury and helps in recovery of the body’s stress through physical action. Another form of shielding is through strengthening the internal organs from training the body from the inside out. This could done through Muscle Control, a form of Qi Gong, again training the joints in various places and it could done through training the body to where you’re training really intensely for a few seconds and begin to breathe really hard. There are many ways to help shield the body so learn what you can.

 After Captain America realizes what this serum can do for him, he learns that his metabolism runs 4x faster than the average person and that helps him regenerate faster. What if you can have that power to regenerate and have a high metabolism? I would like to think you’ll have greater ability to recover, heal, get stronger, leaner and be able build great natural muscle. When you train hard, I mean really hard, your body’s nervous system kicks into overdrive and your hormones shoot through the roof. You have the ability to stimulate natural Growth Hormone at any age and it all can be done without lethal injections of steroids or taking pills and creams that can probably kill you. Your body is the fiercest machine of anything else on the planet. One way to build a high level of natural HGH is to do Hill Sprints or wind sprints at a track or long stretch of land. Look at how powerful looking sprinters and NFL running backs, they’re some of the most built athletes on the planet and not one was ever more of an exception then Herschel Walker. Doing this for a few seconds and resting for several minutes for very little sets can get your natural growth hormone kick it in gear faster than anything else. When you have a high metabolism and can generate natural muscle growth, you can have a lean body, eat what you want and have better recovery.

 Remember when I talked about Hawkeye? Learning about his Archery skills can actually help you in whatever it is you want in life. Pin point the target you wish to hit and aim for it with the best accuracy you can do, that’s the same as going after a goal and heading straight towards succeeding in it. Learn where to aim and let the universe take its course and put some action into it. Like in Archery, don’t aim too high or too low otherwise you won’t know where that arrow is going to go, aim straight forward and pierce through that point of space.

 Iron Man’s suits are a protective armor with a few weapons at his disposal. How about building your own armor mentally and building a defense strategy to help you get rid of those negative people who don’t want you to succeed or want to dump all their crap on you and making you feel worse. Most people teach in the ways of offensive strategies where you shoot for the goal in mind and run with it, that’s all well in good but what about protection? You need a strategy where you have a defensive line where you can prevent things from happening. One way to look at it is, picture in your mind having a source of great energy that no one you want to get through, it can be a brick wall or a circular form of electricity, either way you want something that works and helps you move forward and get those energy dwellers out of your hair so you can move down the road to success. Think of it as building imaginary armor and like Iron Man, have a few of your best weapons at your disposal. Building on this metaphor can increase your chances of succeeding at what you want if you really learn to harness it.

 Having great power, you have a responsibility to hold onto that power and use for a purpose and not for real personal gain to manipulate others. Each Avenger has their own power they're responsible for, one however is unable to control that power once it’s harnessed but with great concentration and using his intelligence with the best of his abilities, that power can be a great asset to his own curse. You make the choice to do what’s right for you and if you want to learn how you can use that true power within you, you must be responsible for how you use it.

 In my field the real guys don’t teach you how to fly or beat people up or even make you better then the next guy, we want to help you harness the power that can be used to help not only your life but for others. One example would be that I helped a friend move stuff into his Uhaul so he can get to his new place, he told me that’s one of the reasons I trained is to help others when they need it and get heavy things out of the way. There are many other examples but the fact of the matter is, when you train the way we teach you, you will get a better understanding of how fun and responsible it is to have strength and power not just for personal use but use it when it’s needed outside of the workouts, the exercises and the places we train in.

 So for this final chapter, learn the very best of what it takes to become your own Avenger and be there for those that need you in time of need. Harness the power from within and give yourself a chance to shine with the great strength you have developed. Nothing can stop you from achieving your dreams and if no one else believes you, there are those out there who do and I’m one of them. I believe in YOU and I believe in what you can accomplish.

Can You Become Your Own Avenger? Pt. 4

We've read about superheroes since the days of David vs. Goliath to the powers of Sampson and the strength of Milo. In the modern age of comic books, there are superheroes and villains in every page front to back with stories of victory, struggle, love, hate, diversity and learning the responsibilities of having super powers. Our heroes come and go and some live on in legend. Some work as individuals and some work as a team, however at rare times you'll find our most favorites work as a unit and to assemble the ultimate team.

In my opinion if you are hardcore trainer or like staying in shape, its not just a hobby, its a lifestyle. For some, fitness is like a second language, we are so consumed by it we don't think twice about it yet some take it to extremes that's out of their control, they feel its life or death if they don't do a workout, kind of like a superhero who's so consumed by their gifts that they forget what is more important and what makes them who they are. Training can be used in a lot of ways. It's very easy to go caught up in it that you don't realize the consequences but its very difficult to create consistent progress and learn how your body works on certain cycles.

Being strong and powerful is very rewarding but it does come with a price. You don't get strong overnight and not feel it the next day, that's the reality. You can have fun in your training and find out how good it feels which is a good price to pay but overall to keep up your what you love, you must take things in stride and work hard to reach your goals whatever they may be.

Look at some of our favorite superheroes like Batman or Thor, one's a god and the other is mortal with a superhuman mind and the fighting spirit of a warrior but what do they have in common? They both use what they have to keep those from harm but they both have paid a price individually. Remember that price you pay for getting so consumed in what you do that you end up suffering consequences? Take it from Thor, he's a god among men yet he got so consumed at being a warrior and battling everything he went up against that he forgot who he really was for a while and lost his power for a period of time.

Batman feels he has no choice because he wanted to Avenge his parents death that it took over his ability to find what's really important and that's himself. He may not have super powers like many others but he took an oath to be powerful in some shape or form and that's where it became a blessing and a curse at the same time. He has a few weapons at his arsenal and has the ability to fight like a ninja but that doesn't make up for the one power he has over others and that's his mind and that's where he's most dangerous.

If you want to become a real life Avenger, the very first thing you must practice is avenging yourself. In that sense you learn to fight to become strong and powerful and take a chance on who you were and what you want to become. There's still the real you inside but you can amplify it and build a foundation of who you want to be both internal and external. Ever since you were a kid some way or another you dreamed about being strong and triumphing over evil and rescuing the damsel in distress. You can make those dreams come true if you learn to use the right resources. Strength is not always in the muscles but in your heart and soul.

All of us have been weak at some point in our lives whether physically, mentally, emotionally or all the above. It's harder getting in shape to become the very thing we dared dream about but if you learn to value that challenge, you become much stronger then you would physically. A strongman who has known power all his life can lose that sense of value and use it against others. Some of them do and some don't but you get the idea. A weak man however wants that strength and will do whatever it takes to get there and learns the value of that strength yet some will go to great lengths that aren't natural and very few take the journey to become powerful by will and hard work. If you are strong, don't bully those that are weak and more vulnerable, help him/her gain confidence and help them become strong like you did when you were in that state.

When it comes to natural strength and getting strong, you can move weights around if you want and do cool and awkward bodyweight exercises but if you want to develop strength in ways those other things can't touch then you got to go with nature's weights...Rocks, stones and logs. Nothing is more pleasing to the eye then moving a heavy boulder or lifting a heavy log. Yes Olympic Weightlifting and Powerlifting are awesome to watch but remember, the weights are already numbered and set. You can never always tell the size and weight of a big rock or huge looking log, they could be 50 lbs. or 500 lbs. you can't always tell but when you have the ability to lift it, it just makes everything that much sweeter then cherry pie.

Thor's Hammer is a symbol of strength, power and a warrior's spirit. What if you can have that all that and more in your very own hands? How would you use it in your strength training? What strength can you build with that kind of hammer? I will tell you first hand that if you had a hammer like that, you don't look at it as just a cool looking tool or just swing it around and get strong, you make it more then a hammer, you make it more then just steel, you make it the very powerful tool it was mean't for. The hammer is your personal weapon for your quest to be strong, it is in your arsenal of things that are more powerful then anything else. You become more then yourself, you become that hammer, you alone can only bring that hammer to life.

If you can build a body that you always dream about, then you can help those who don't know how to get there. Being strong has its benefits individually but going beyond who you are to help those become strong, that makes you more then just a physical presence, you're a symbol of what's good and hopeful in this world. Those who bully that are weak don't have any real sense of pride or goodness in them, just ignorant pricks that rather care for themselves then be there for those that need it. A real strongman becomes strong both physically and helping those get there as well. Being something more then yourself and losing that selfish pride is a real sign that you are a man of strength.

Can You Become Your Own Avenger? Pt. 3!!!!

As children we fantasize about being something more then we already are. Something bigger, something stronger and something more meaningful. We use our imaginations to get through the day and play at the playground or in the front/back of the house. We want to see ourselves bigger then our regular size, we dream of having superpowers to conquer our enemies and save a damsel in distress. As a young boy from the 30's up until now, comic books were our savior of what was happening in our regular lives and wanted to get away from painful stresses at times as well. You read about your favorite superheroes like Superman, Batman, X-Men, Doc Savage and others, dreaming of being them and having great powers to brush through your enemies to save the day. Well look no further cause one comic book team is coming to the big screen big time in The Avengers. Its been a build up for a few years now and the timing couldn't be any better to bring four some of the best superheroes ever together and create a colossal adventure with action, drama, humor and the will to avenge those in need.

"With great power comes great responsibility." A famous superhero tag line for generation after generation and it doesn't make any exception if you develop strength and power in real life. Strength comes from driving over adversity and creating something more then yourself. Power is building a foundation for how you can be creating strength and speed over your obstacles. True Strength & Power together form the ultimate alliance for what goes with the rest of your life. In strength training this is no exception. You wish to become strong the best way possible or you rather do other things like stay in shape, lose weight, build muscle and get rid of unwanted fat. Either way when you learn to understand the true concept of real world-class strength and power, you will learn that the simplest things can make your training that much more complex and formal then using bits and pieces of smaller things that don't really matter.

Becoming an Avenger yourself can be a rewarding experience, whether its for daily life or the pursuit to show others what can be done to help themselves when their time comes. Whether you train to be a superhero or not there's no excuse as to how you can develop your body and mind beyond your own assumptions and limitations. The first rule to being strong is having the will to believe. Believing you can get strong is far more important then just thinking you can lift this or that and do great things and you'll just be strong, no. Belief is the key to all things that you want to achieve, without belief your mind wonders, your body won't do the things you ask it to do and you won't find something to look forward to when you put up a goal you want to reach.

Whether its weights, bodyweight exercise, Chi Training or training with different types of tools, you must believe in yourself that you can get strong at mastering them. Most people look to others to try to believe in them for what they want to do instead of learning to believe in themselves. I've fallen into that trap many times in my life and so have other people I know but once I learned to stop trying to prove to them and believe in myself and believing that I will accomplish something, I became stronger, more powerful, flexible, agile and all with the right tools to get me there but I first needed to believe in myself.

Now there are people out there that are very strong but take it for granted and feel they're more superior then anyone else. They put themselves first before others which in this case makes them look very foolish, stupid and down right ignorant. Now there are weaker people out there who use others that are strong to do what they can't do themselves and put them in the crossfires then themselves (Hence Hitler and look what happened to him). Ignorance is bliss but that shouldn't be an excuse to be something more then yourself. Being strong in reality has real values that almost anyone with a brain can learn from. Real World-Class Strength & Power doesn't always mean you lifted this or do that many reps in a handstand or performed great muscle control, it means that you are a unique individual that can use his strength to help others that are weak and help be better for themselves.

I believe the real superheroes in the world are the ones that help those in need and put themselves on the line then anything else (Firemen, real Uncorrupted cops and pure athletes). I mentioned athletes because there are some out there in pro sports that give back and help the young kids get better then the other pro athletes who like the spotlight and see that they're paid to do charity work. As a master of strength you have a responsibility whether you like it or not. You can help those that have potential to be strong and teach them to be stronger then you.

Now with everything that's meaningful it comes with a price (not always money you greedy bastards lol). Becoming strong in anything requires to go through things that are not in your comfort zone and need to build your strength from your weaknesses. Everybody is different so we all need to find our own to create a goal that we want to achieve. However the benefits of being strong outweigh the things that we're not always comfortable going through. I've been bruised, broken, twisted even was near death as a baby all to come to this moment where I'm still breathing, kicking and pushing through my own demons. We all have demons inside of us, some more powerful then others and there are some of us who control them and not let them affect our lives, others however have let their demons get the best of them and have either died or haven't made a brush with reality.

Being able to tap into your mind and create powerful strength takes effort, practice and the will to want it. Certain types of Chi Training can be less difficult then others but when you learn the best ways to achieve it, you will find yourself having more power surging through your veins all with the power of your mind. Chi Gong is the chinese version of whats called Life Force. Its the power inside you that gives the ability to generate great strength and create ultimate internal power. Some say that's adrenelin but that can only go so far as Chi is the energy that creates power all around you and once you learn to harness it, you are your own weapon of strength, power and might.

Having great tools to build strength does not always mean equipment or machines but tools to help you build your mind and be creative like books and exercises. Some equipment however is not a bad thing if you know how to use for functional strength training. For example, Thor's Hammer is a great tool to have to be creative and to learn to focus your mind on being something more then yourself. Yes it is possible to have this thing in your hands and make you feel like the God himself and believing you can get strong and you can tackle things that run your life. Not to say using it to strike people, no I don't want you doing that, its for tackling and finding that powerful being within you and training to be the strongest person you can be. Since I've had these hammers myself, I feel stronger and more powerful. I'm seeing muscles in a short period of time, my cardio goes up a litte each time and I feel more like Thor and having superhuman powers (grip strength, keen awareness, flexibility and endurance). You can be the same in your own way if you get your hands on them with practice. Use what you can and learn nothing more then the very best so in the words of Bernarr McFadden "Weakeness is a crime, don't be a criminal."

Hammer Your Grip With Avengence

In strength training one of the most important fundamentals is building a solid base on the Grip. It is critical that your grip be strong because if it isn't you won't be able to pick up heavy objects let alone weights. Think about it, having strength in your hands and having powerful tendons can give you the ability to do things you never imagined before. If you're a football player, you need strong hands to throw, catch and knock the ball out. If you're a basketball player your hands need to be strong enough to hold a strong defense in the pocket. In baseball you need strong hands to hold the bat and make good throws with the ball. In wrestling, your hands need to be strong enough to take down the toughest of opponents and need a good grip to apply submissions. Now that you're paying attention lets see what else we can find.

One of the best methods for building a powerful grip is using thick bars or thick handle that taxes the grip more then a standard bar or handle. Say you do curls with a 1/4 inch thick bar and you do relatively well, now use that same weight but have the bar be at max 1-2 inches thick. I guarantee you that your reps will be cut in half possibly thirds. The reason why that is its because you're not working a particular muscle group, your tendons, your core and even at times your legs come into play so you're working multiple muscle groups all in one exercise. Just holding onto a bar alone at 2 inches thick is very tough to do. Now what about pull-ups? Those alone are tough for most and only an elite few know how to do them with a very thick bar. Again it all comes back to training the hands, tendons, wrists and fingers of the lower arm.

A lot of training is more of a mind game then physical. At times you're practically playing chess with yourself. Whats your next move (exercise) and how do you plan on beating your opponent (Bar, object, body weight exercise)? You can go through all the exercises you want but if your mind isn't in the right place you won't find the results you're looking for and you'll end up frustrated and hating exercise like the majority of people who join a gym or exercise program. You have to learn to unleash your inner power otherwise your workouts will be dull or boring as hell. You have to think differently in order to get what you want out of your training. In this case I'm writing its about using Thor's Hammer as a way of building your grip beyond what you have previously done.

In order to achieve great results using this type of hammer you can't just swing it around and do certain exercises, you almost need to think like the god himself and how he would use it or how a trainee would train with clubs and other types of hammers. Get into the mindset of a warrior in training and feel the need to create great strength. Get into the mind/muscle connectivity and you can achieve something far greater then just doing an exercise. It takes practice to train your mind/body as if they were one and the same.

This Hammer is one of the coolest things I've seen period and when you have something that is that cool and that tough to use it was well worth getting it. I tried it out and even for a guy who's done some crazy workouts with some kick ass looking tools I still need to learn how they work. That's the beauty of training something different, it makes you think and give you a different feel and use muscles you haven't used for that particular object. I will guarantee you this, once you get your hands on this hammer, your old ways of grip training will never be the same again. I learned that the moment I exercised that hammer and if you train your mind hard enough, you will have strength that the Marvel God would be impressed by.

Also, be on the lookout for more Avenger articles. Like the build up to the movie I'll be doing the same with writing. You have seen Part 1 & Part 2 but you haven't seen nothing yet. Keep your eye out for some killer articles that will keep you wanting to become your own Avenger.

Can You Become A Real Life Avenger? Pt. Two

"Another Avenger article? Are you kidding me? You're such a nerd man." Damn right I'am and proud of it. If you don't like the Avengers, good for you keep moving and let those who do read about them. Yes its a few months away for the premiere but I don't give a shit, I'm a fan, I'm into them (so are millions of people) and all I can say is....Avengers Assemble.

Lets get down to brass tacks here, none of us however we try can't have super powers like our favorite superheroes. However, inside all of us we have powers that scientists can't fathom. We literally have the power to generate super strength and speed that can just be so incredible to have we never really learn its full potential. The mind/muscle connection is one of your greatest weapons in your arsenal of training, daily life and whatever you want to accomplish in your life. Master this and you will create superhuman levels of strength that you never thought possible.

For a moment I want you to not think about your typical Barbells, Dumbbells, Kettlebells and Machine type training routines or programs. They're good in their own right but there's far more then your typical type equipment. Its about time you looked outside the box and look for whats been in front of your faces all along. You can lift nature's weights and get strong....Sorry I meant to you can get Hulk Strong lifting logs, rocks and you can even take on some man-made stuff that will build real world-class strength and power through kegs, barrels and tires. Cavemen didn't have hand-held peices of iron to get them alive and strong on survival. They moved logs, carried wild beasts, pushed builders of rock and stone. These men were the incredible hulk of Evolution and we should embrace what they did to build our own ways of functional strength and power.

When we think of the Hammer what pops in our minds? Construction, building, fighting through, domination? I think the word of one powerful tool that in one way or another can give you strength and conditioning unlike anything else. Here are some Hammers for you to look at and find which one suits you. Thor's hammer would be my recommendation. Think about it. What if you had the ability to train and move like the God himself and build powerful wrists and grip strength that would envy those around you. Wouldn't it be cool to swing and move that Hammer around have awesome physical strength that even Thor himself would be proud of. I'd say that be pretty damn sweet.

I love these superheroes because each one has a somewhat cocky but unbelievable personality that you can't help but love. Tony Stark (Iron Man) is another version of Bruce Wayne/Batman as in he uses his fortune to create the best weapons for him to take down the fiercest of enemies and underneath the metal suit he's a playboy, billionaire, philanthropist and good hearted guy that wants to make a difference.

Thor is the god of all the Avengers and has been one war hungry son of a bitch but needed to learn the hard way that just creating a war and celebrating with your friends while trying to prove yourself as a warrior isn't the real way of being a true hero. Like Hercules you must use your strength and power for whats really meaningful and build whats more important.

Bruce Banner (Incredible Hulk) has a fiery rage within inside of him that if provoked turns him into a over-powering, jaw dropping muscular Hulk. His anger fuels his strength and destroys anything in his path and doesn't always know whether its right or wrong. Controlling that anger and using it to Avenge those that are in need is more important then getting pissed off and going on a rampage.

Steve Rogers (Captain America) is a compassionate, selfless and enduring figure of inner strength and will power that not one of the other Avengers can fathom. He's a man integrity, character and stands up to bullies when others are knocked down and don't want to fight anymore. There's nothing really cocky about him but I'm sure someone who has read the comics or saw the film can find a way. He values the strength he has been given when some others take it for granted and use it in ways that just aren't right and don't have any real necessary meaning. When you value your strength, you understand its true meaning and use it to help others who are weaker and show where it comes from, not just your muscles but from your mind.

As a team The Avengers are the best of the best. Its arguable since there's the X-Men and the Justice League but I feel they're the very best because they bring something that's unique and gives you another prospective of what you can have when you have four guys that can take names and put boot to asses time and time again. The point I'm making here is when you create the best of the best in your arsenal you are unstoppable and there's nothing that can stand in your way.

When you train, train with fire, be mindful about what you do, don't let anyone tell you you can't achieve something great when I and others believe in you and will help you take it to the next level and beyond. Don't ever stop believing in yourself. Its tough to get through things in life but when you are challenged, take it and make it your bitch.

Bring the power inside you out and believe that whatever you face you will give it everything you have, even if you fail, there's still challenges to tackle and you will one way or another be sucessful. Be the Avenger you were meant to be.