Battling The Demons To Become A Better Version Of Yourself

We all have battled demons in our lifetime; whether it's wrestling with drugs, alcohol, diseases, mental wars like PTSD, food and other things. We even battle ourselves for how we look compared to the rest of the world and what it tells us how to live, look and feel. Sometimes, those demons take hold and take us down the rabbit hole where getting out is virtually impossible to a certain extent. Some people like being the demon they have become even though they believe they're not and will justify everything to compensate for it.

Some demons are conquered, others can be a struggle on a daily basis. You still get up, take the day and kick ass, even for a brief moment. Vulnerability can be a real bitch because many have been taught that even being vulnerable in a positive sense is a weakness cause someone has empathy and sympathy. We have been taught to trust very few if at all because we have been wronged for so long by a lot of people and we shut ourselves off. Many become bitter, have a hatred for either a group of people, themselves or in some cases, one single person and does nothing but run their mouth blasting them and weaponizing anything they say. Those particular demons someone suffers, don't always end well and it damn sure doesn't get better for them unless they make drastic changes.

From a fitness point of view: Battling demons can mean finding a program to stick with or fit into in order to better ourselves. We do our best to make something work when others tell us it's shit or it can't work because of whatever. We struggle to make ourselves fit and healthy because there's temptations EVERYWHERE!!! It doesn't matter if it's food, the plethora of information, what to take, how to apply a movement, a workout for specific purposes and anything else in between. Some overcome it on their own, at times beat it with help and support, some still hit those walls and can't break through. It happens everyday.

Fuck man, I've battled my own demons both physically and mentally. Still struggle with certain things and there are demons that just won't go away that I have to live with but I keep fighting with what I have and do what's possible because if I gave up on the things I love the most, it would be torturous for me to the point where it would literally start to kill me from within. There are things I wish I didn't give up on like wrestling in high school, it sucked that I ended up injuring a knee and my wrists that it took what I wanted to do and made me lose the desire to wrestle. If I could go back in time, being the shape I'm in now without the rod and pins in my legs, I would go even harder trying out for the team and whether I would make the cut or not, at least I had the balls to give it a go more than I did when I was 18. I even battle my own nightmares from my accident almost on a daily basis, but it's also a reminder to why I keep doing what I do despite what I did to myself and learning how to not beat myself up about it. 

We all fight in some format or another, sometimes we just take the punches and work our way through. Sometimes the fight is too much and there's nothing left for us to keep going so we have those suicidal thoughts. If you're struggling with those specific demons, I highly encourage you to get help. I don't give a fuck if its a friend, spouse, priest, counselor, teacher, coach or whoever you trust, do everything you can to keep fighting and living with that power to do something incredible in this world, no matter how small or big it is. 

There are times where we may feel the need to pretend that we can wave a magic wand and crush our demons with one swoop and be done with it. Unfortunately, none of us have a fairy godmother that can do that. What's the next best thing we can do and not put forth our battles on booze, meds, coke and other harmful crap? Training is a great option. Go lift, do bodyweight exercises, crawl like an animal, go on hikes, swim in your favorite lake/ocean/pool area and conquer your demons by bettering your mental and physical health. Take that trauma, that anger, anxiety & abuse and channel it into something that could change the course of your journey in this life. 

It may not be a magic wand, but you can make waves with resistance bands such as the Dopamineo Bands. Formulate exercises that trigger those hormones and feelings into a powerful entity that transforms you inside and out. Do a set of the Propellers, do 500 Rep circuits, do drills, do waves like Unilateral Wave Pulls, Double Hand Waves, be explosive with Double Hand Wave Pulls and many other things. These bands can harness a new level of strength, endurance and many other attributes that coin-side with making yourself healthy and fit. It's not always about looking like a Greek god unless that's your preference, it's about taking control of your well-being and destroying the bullshit that resides within you: Doubt, Fear, Anxiety, Hatred, Physical Trauma, Emotional Abuse and other things that many will never come out of. You have the power to beat the living hell out of that negative entity and make it work for you, not against you. 

No matter what demons you may face, you're not alone, you have options, just need to learn where to look for them. Make the change to not only face them but mutilate them with fiery passion. Slice them into bits like Blade does to Vampires. Smash them like the Incredible Hulk and never allow yourself to turn to the Darkside like Obi-Wan Kenobi. You are a fucking bad ass and you've got more power in you than you would ever believe. Be amazingly awesome and I wish you all your successes, even the little ones no one notices. 

Get 10% OFF your order when you go to Dopamineo and use the Code POWERANDMIGHT. My gift to you to help save a little money and grab a band. These are virtually indestructible and will be your battle partner. 

If you wish to get in contact with me, use the Linktree below. 

A World Without WAR

You’re probably wondering why I put war in capital letters. What does it have to do with Physical Culture? Believe it or not I'm not talking about military combat or exercises that help you become a soldier but it’s an actual name of a legendary wrestler that recently passed away; William A. Robinson aka Catch Wrestler Billy Robinson. Born in 1939 in England, he came from a family of boxers but as fate would have it, he became a wrestler.

            A man named Billy Riley opened a wrestling school in England in a town called Wigan, he trained some of the toughest wrestlers not just in Europe but just about everywhere else. The two most famous to come out of that gym were Karl Istaz aka Karl Gotch and Billy Robinson. In the 1950’s when Billy was just starting out, he got tied up in knots, worked his ass off, learned the secrets of Catch Wrestling and ventured off into the world of Pro Wrestling. He won countless titles all over the world but never forgot where he came from. Wigan Wrestling back then would be the equivalent to Dan Gable’s Championship formula of the 1980’s at the University Of Iowa, rough, tough and the most conditioned wrestlers of it’s time.

            In the 1970’s, Billy was considered one of the top if not the top most talented wrestler of that era. He wrestled many top stars of the day. His style of wrestling was unique in that it was scientific, he read other wrestlers like it was a chess match. He had agility very few had and can lock you in a hold where he could cripple you if he had the chance, he was that good. He trained countless wrestlers over the years, some you may even heard of that are hall of famers in pro wrestling such as 16-time World Champ Ric Flair and quite possibly the most hated wrestler of his era The Iron Sheik. In Japan he coached many of the Japanese wrestlers of the time including “Gracie Killer” Kazushi Sakuraba.

            Billy passed away earlier this week leaving a legacy that has long been forgotten but has slowly risen with a new generation of Catch Wrestlers and to continue his legacy before he died he put together a book called Physical Chess which told his life story from his very own words. He was the last of the old-time catch wrestlers of the old Wigan days. To even get a glimpse of his legendary wisdom and training now is to go to Scientific Wrestling and get the DVD series W.A.R which shows his philosophy, training and techniques in the art of Catch As Catch Can Wrestling. I never got the chance to meet him but I've talked to those that have and they said he was the best and was a great man. Maybe one day if I learned some catch I'll be hearing the voice from above “Do it again.”

            One of his many facets on life and wrestling is what he referred to as “Learning how to learn.” I've heard this phrase a few times and what I believe it to be is that you don’t stop learning, if you think you know it all, you haven’t learned a damn thing. He uses it for wrestling for what I use it as fitness, you can do so many things but there’s always something that can be taught that keeps you finding other ways to better yourself no matter how long it takes and mastering it is part of the mystery. Even if you master something you’ll always be a student because knowledge is what keeps us going and how it absorbs who you are and what you want to do. RIP Billy and hope wherever you are, you're having fun wrestling old comrades and crippling those who need to get their ass kicked.