Rare Footage Of Karl Gotch Training With Antonio Inoki

When I first started out way back in 2005, Matt Furey was my first intro in the world of Physical Culture with the recommendation by Logan Christopher of Lost Empire Herbs & Tyler Bramlett of WeShape. Things slowly began to change for me from then on and learned about all kinds of people in that area of old school training. I learned about the legendary Karl Gotch who had mixed reviews of those who knew him or interacted with him at one point or another. Some praised him, others saw him as this sadistic wrestler with a pension of beating the crap out of guys. 

The two people I knew who was around the man for an extended period of time was Bud Jeffries and Tom Puckett (Both RIP). Bud respected Karl as a wrestler but didn't see eye to eye with him and didn't get along with him which at the time would be understandable. Tom saw the man as a father figure and told me a story about him when we went to the gym together and got in workouts. He showed me his style of the exercises Karl taught him and I did my best to mimic him but even when he was sick, Tom was a machine and could still go in some fashion. 

Karl had this mystique about him and his workouts were about as crazy as you can get. His legacy lives on with the likes of Jake Shannon, catch wrestling legends such as Yoshiaki Fujiwara and current Japanese star Minoru Suzuki. His skill set was beyond what most would comprehend and is arguably the greatest wrestler of the last 50+ years. I never got to meet the man but I've heard enough stories to last a long time. 

After his stint in the states, Karl found fame in the Japanese culture where to the point the wrestlers called him a God even though the man himself never really liked that moniker. His conditioning methods were torturous and it showed in certain footage you can find on Youtube. One of his students became the Hierarchy for Japanese wrestling Antonio Inoki who owned New Japan Pro Wrestling which has been the top of the food chain in Pro Wrestling in that part of the world for decades. His training under Gotch has rarely been seen on screen to the point where even with all the research, there's less than a handful of videos of Inoki training under him. 

Now as a side note, Karl's idea of conditioning was taken from the Indian Style of wrestling called Kushti. The Great Gama is the most famous man in this style of wrestling. Karl learned it from a practitioner in England who taught him what we now know to be Hindu Push-ups, Squats, Bridges, The Clubs, Mace and others. He was fascinated by this to the degree where he took the approach to another level and worked other wrestlers into the ground to show them what they had to do before even stepping foot on the mat. Karl's numbers alone in his own conditioning were so impressive that he put them into a watered down entity for others to even try to accomplish or be consistent with. 

In this past week, some footage popped up on Youtube that was uploaded in Japan of Gotch putting Inoki through a workout (edited of course) that shows not only what Inoki was capable of back then but what is even more rare is seeing Gotch himself who was in his late 40's early 50's at the time train. His style of Hindu Push-ups is not the same as Furey taught decades later, this was actually the same variation Tom Puckett taught me to do when I went to the gym with him. I like this style better because it mimics the movement on the Push-up board that you see in the video. He was doing mobility drills long before what most do today so even way back then, Gotch was ahead of his time and his bridging was just phenomenal to watch. The man was thick and had a powerful neck and thoroughbred legs that could go on forever. He was just incredible. After seeing this footage, it gave me another perspective of what the man did and have a higher sense of respect than I already did. Barrel chested and was one of the most flexible and durable men that was a heavyweight. Think at his peak he was about 6'3 and 260 and could do thousands of squats if he wanted to, push-ups that would make most men puke their guts out by the end, tremendous agility and mobility and had stamina that was right up there with the likes of Lou Thesz, Ed Lewis, Frank Gotch & others. 

If you're serious when it comes to conditioning, wrestling and understanding the history of the game, this video alone can give some great insights and something that should be respected and shared. I may not completely agree about certain things about Gotch but he deserves respect beyond what he's already been given and was one of the last remnants of an era of wrestling that is now long gone. He truly was a man among men and had levels of conditioning that is still talked about today. 

Hope you enjoyed having a small bit of a history lesson and watch the video linked above here, it's really awesome stuff. Have fun, get conditioned and keep being amazingly awesome.

Lost Empire Herb Of The Day: Elderberry  

A Bridge Worth Crossing

When most people think of the bridge they seem to believe it’s just a neck exercise when in fact it goes far beyond that. There are different variations of the bridge which I will discuss in a little bit but they all have one thing in common, it’s a full body workout that will stretch you and the isometric benefits some of them have is incredible.

Like I said it’s not just an exercise for the neck, it can get you breathing harder than being on a cardio machine bar none and its more accessible as well as you can do it pretty much anywhere with a limited amount of space. If you’re an athlete, bridging can give you significant power in your suggested sport for a few examples….

Baseball: You need strong and supple hips and core power to swing the bat or line up the drive to throw the ball.

Football: You’re defending or holding off the line and think of being able to drive the legs powerfully and with speed.

Wrestling: Bridging is the king in wrestling circles for many reasons. Think of your throwing your power when you drive your opponent into the mat, being able to kick over out of a pin or use your neck to slip out of a hold. It’s not jut building a strong neck; it gives your whole body a boost.

Basketball: Now most would never associate bridging with basketball but it has its benefits. Bridging helps build explosiveness and isometric strength so when you jump for the ball to block, rebound or when you getting ready to drive through the lane that explosiveness will come into play.

Read the rest of the Article here.....http://warriorfitness.org/2013/12/09/a-bridge-worth-crossing/

Hints Of Conditioning From The 60 Min. Men

           Back in the old days of Professional Wrestling, if you were the world champ and you had a main event, it was common for wrestlers to go for an hour or more draw. Now just being physically gifted is one thing, you also needed the mentality because wrestling for that long would give the average person a stroke if not kill them. Men like Lou Thesz, Vern Gagne, Ric Flair, Ricky Steamboat, Jerry Brisco, Harley Race & the Funks all at certain times in their careers had what was the called The One Hour Broadways where commonly if there was running feud, they’d have matches that went to an hour draw or drew from 2/3 falls. Ric Flair was considered the 60 min. man because he constantly went that amount of time with whomever he wrestled when he was the main guy.

            Granted, this was around the early TV era to about the late 80’s, nowadays, hour long matches are rarely seen, mostly in the indies or every now and then Ring Of Honor but long before the TV era, matches sometimes lasted more than 2 hours. One match where Ed “Strangler” Lewis and I believe Joe Stecher went at it for more than 5 hours. I couldn't sit through a match like that and I’m big on technical/scientific wrestling. To be prepared for a match of an hour or more is insane, the conditioning is beyond its peak and you’re mental capacity is taken to the limit.

            To even get to that point, your training has to be at the top of your priority, even back when wrestlers fought for real and entertainment wasn't a factor yet except in the carnies you had to be in the best shape of your life otherwise you’re out of a job or if you couldn't handle it, your pay was cut short. One of the best in the game who didn't have the charisma but the physical and mental attributes to be tireless was the late Karl Gotch. He emphasized the importance of training your musculature from every possible angle to get the best benefit for a match or to stay in peak physical condition. Squats, Push-ups, Bridging are key ingredients but keep in mind the supplemental exercises that become a factor.

            One of my favorite forms of conditioning is training like an animal in the jungle where you learn to move in awkward positions, think about it in wrestling (not WWE crap), you’re going to be in a position that isn’t always natural and might need to get out of a hold or keep your opponent at bay. Training with basic elements using multiple muscle groups keeps you in shape for the long haul. Barbell & Dumbbell Exercises are great for moving weight but they don’t have that same awkward positioning you have to make say like from lifting Odd Objects or moving with weight on your back.

            In India where wrestling was the sport of all sports, athletes worked in many different aspects and most likely Physical Culture developed. They used exercises in a more circular fashion (Hindu Squats, Hindu Push-ups, Clubs & Mace) so they can get great benefit for when they did Jor (aka Wrestling). Their matches in tournaments would commonly last an hour or more and the better man was usually the one in more condition and would end up beating the opponent by a throw or a pin or even took him by surprise when the other man was exhausted. These guys were some of the most feared in all aspects of wrestling; the most feared of them all was the great Gama to a degree that even American Champ Frank Gotch wouldn't want anything to do with him. Gama’s conditioning is the stuff of legends and although most of his matches rarely lasted more then a few minutes, he most likely could go easily in an hour or longer bout if he wanted to, he was that well conditioned.

            You don’t have to be a wrestler to understand conditioning but it wouldn't hurt to learn how you can keep your endurance up in other sports say like the Ironman, Basketball, Football, Gymnastics, even Soccer & Rugby. Every sport has specific conditioning programs to them but if you want to be the very best, you have to condition more than the other guy, not to compete against him in a training session but to keep you as less tired and fatigued as possible. In the UFC, conditioning is a tool you need more than anything else. You can punch, kick, slap a hold on or takedown as many times as you can but if you can’t keep it up in the later duration of the fight, you will get your ass kicked. If you want to be in serious condition, train like you can go an hour or more without blinking an eye.

            Nobody knows conditioning more than a wrestler does. He/she has to go through training that breeds a special kind of athlete, to understand conditioning to the highest level, turn to a wrestler and they’ll tell you how easy you have it made. You don’t have to be a wrestler to be in crazy condition but it’s important to learn the aspects of conditioning from a wrestler that’ll give you the competitive edge over your sport and training in general. Even if you just want to get in great shape and high levels of energy, a wrestler can give you the best tips.

            If you know the fictional legend of Tarzan, he is the embodiment of the ultimate athlete. He climbs, runs, swims, wrestles wild animals and can move through the jungle like nobody’s business. He’s one of my favorite characters and I strive to train the best I can to be like that, maybe not to the extreme like he does but to keep in awesome life-long shape. Want to know a certain way to in touch with your inner Tarzan, look to Erwan Le Corre, the founder of the Physical Education system MovNat that teaches you to unleash your inner spirit for natural movement like when you were a kid. Keep in condition, stay healthy and have a kick ass time doing it.

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.

When Is It Time To Change Things Up?

          People in fitness like to hang onto a routine, having a routine in the first place feels comfortable. Having one is used mainly as a goal, if you’re a beginner or more advanced and it’s in your comfort zone and you’re use to it. The trap however is if you keep doing the same things over and over again eventually your progress begins to die out, results aren't coming in, you’re frustrated but also those who have a routine and stuck with it for a long period of time also eventually begin to only know that routine and don’t know how to change it.

            I know what it’s like being burnt out, your body begins to take a toll on you and it’s time to make a change because your mind needs to be fresh, your body needs to re-energize and your exercise routine needs to bring out a bigger and exciting challenge. I was on a routine for about over a month doing mostly push-ups,squats and bridging using a deck of cards. What I've noticed lately is due to the excess work over 3-4 times a week is that I've gotten stronger and have more endurance but my shoulders and knees are breaking down on me and need to stop. Most likely I’ll change it to 1-2 times a week because with the cards you’re looking at a minimum of 388 squats and 238 push-ups (I make it 400/250 to make certain goals) and the bridging is hard enough as it is.

            When your body begins to hurt more than it should from a routine, change your pace, use less volume or learn to exercise the joints, tendons and ligaments so you don’t get an injury. Find something fresh and fun to do because if you overload the body without using multi-directional exercises you can get hurt and you will be in pain. Also being burnt out means your mind isn't there anymore and if you keep it up, your mind just goes dead and you’re going through exercises like a zombie, it’s not fun and you’re getting the results you want and it’s bad for your health.

            There are people (I happen to be one of them) who has a bit of ADD which means they can’t always pay attention to what they’re doing and they change things up frequently. This has been a bit of a habit for me because quite frankly I hate routines; aside from doing the deck of cards and some of the bridging for the last month and a half I’m constantly doing different exercises. This could also mean people like to go by feel, what they’re in the mood for. Some days they’ll do odd object lifting, other days gymnastics and even every once in a blue moon they’ll just hammer out whatever energy they have and try to go as far as they can go. Be careful how you do things but at the same time have fun and learn to use your imagination.

            Here’s another reason to change things up; boredom. I've been there and seen plenty of guys in the gym do this and that’s being bored as hell with what you’re doing. If you’re not having fun and your routine is dull and what I like to use from the movie Your Highness is what Prince Thaddeus refers to as “It sounds tedious and boring” then you need some serious changes my friend (watch the movie and try to say it like he does, you’ll perk right up). You should never be bored with what you do. Want to know what boring is, look in the magazines and the routines they have, most of that shit is boring to do and who the hell can finish them in the amount of time it needs? Find a way to train that gives you freedom and challenging. Find what gives you a reason to train, make it interesting and use the power of being happy with what you do. An exercise program is supposed to make you feel good, not terrible and hurt; it gives you energy and happiness not dark and un-eventful. 

            The ultimate reason to change things up is to create a new challenge. If you can do a deck of cards doing push-ups and squats in full within a period of time after a while, it gets easy, how do you make it harder? Double the push-ups and/or squats and see how far you get. That’s an example, how about doing animal movements? Eventually you’ll get the exercise down and you need a change of pace, to make it more challenging, move slower to the point where you hold a position isometrically and then take a slow step.

            Everything needs a challenge so we can learn to grow mindfully and get stronger physically because when you challenge yourself, you learn new things, how to make the exercise a bit more difficult or the tempo and timing of the workout. Maybe you’ll do a challenge once a week/month/year whatever but do it and find new ways to make it interesting and learn how to handle yourself in certain situations. Growth is a natural part of life so what makes exercise any differently? Get to it and change things up, you may find certain things more fun to do than others.

To Bridge Or Not To Bridge??? That Is The Question

            Is it not wise to build a mighty neck & back? For he that is weak in the electric embodiment of one’s core shall deteriorate with fierce consequence. A neck that holds the head up high with great confidence and soaring charisma must be strong that he must practice to save his body from a hunch and painful muscle.

            Fear is a piercing for those that not practice. It is this fear that thee doesn't take one step closer to his true potential with the ability to become not just strong but agile and fearlessness that brings forth his soul’s purpose to achieve inner strength. To practice is to be within the deepest reaches of one’s heart and purpose to leap with both feet and making thyself more wanted to be strong.

            The power of one’s spine is to a soul’s strength. The strength of man’s back is a source of great admiration, the might of his bones and muscle is a leap to perhaps a superhuman entity for which very few men can accomplish. It is within man’s birthright to be strong in many facets of life and only that crossing is from being weak to being powerful.

            Is it in the interest of thee that can fall with grace? Most fear because of their lonesome, they will be hurt and not tackle that darkness. Are there not angels that are there for guidance? There are angels but there’s also a blessing of a friend that can guide you and help you fall back with confidence and inner power. To fall back, one must reach down into his very soul to build the power to take another leap into becoming a being of no fear and not dwelling on putting his body at risk, with great practice, greater energy becomes.

            One must tell thyself to make way of crossing past the darkness and kicking over to the other side with will and the ability to fight. The more practice, the less you need to fight. An agile body doesn't happen overnight just like the cities of the Roman, Greek and Persian empires of the remote past. Your body is a temple of Great Power. Not everyone can enjoy this power but for most it is within your grasp to take whole of which is yours to keep. To Bridge takes patience, with great patience comes confidence, confidence becomes power.  

Karl Gotch & Conditioning

             

             It’s important to understand that if you want to the very best in your sport or in your training, you want to be in the best condition as possible. Karl Gotch put this rule to a level not many want to achieve. It doesn't matter if you’re in Wrestling, Football, Baseball, Basketball, Hockey or Soccer for that matter, you can have all the gnarly skills you want but if you can’t last the way you need to, you’re done. A lot of people seem to have this notion that if you just train a little and work on the skills you’ll be fine. Wrong. Conditioning and technique go together like a Horse & Carriage, one without the other is worthless.

            When it comes down to conditioning, there are many ways to do it and like everything else, it takes time and patience and building your mental strength as well. One of the things I admired about Gotch was how he can make cardio look like a firestorm with just a good old deck of cards. I’m sure he might not be the first to come up with this concept but he did make it worth it in gold. Take a deck of cards, shuffle them and get to work. This makes training a little different because it’s never the same workout twice. If you can get through the deck, you’re in pretty decent shape and if you do it twice in the same workout you’re a terror practically on the mat, floor or on the field.

            The cards have a way to test your mind power and see how far you’re willing to push yourself. Yes it takes progression to work up to a full deck but after that it’s more of a mental game than a physical. The more you generate power in your mind; the body will give in and do more. It’s the mind/muscle connection that brings together the most powerful type of training of all.

            Remember about basic exercises? This is no different and your best shot is to stick with the fundamentals as best as possible when it comes to bodyweight…Push-ups, Squats and Bridging. These three alone can be beneficial to your health and strength training because there are many variations of them, some are easy, some are harder than others but once you have them down and you can train hard on them, you have the idea of mastering your own body in a way most will never understand. Like the old man once said “Conditioning is your best hold.”

Going Back To The Bridge

              Lately I've switched my training around to Bridging and Sprinting to gain some agility, speed and awareness along with burning off bodyfat which has helped a great deal in a short amount of time but the Bridging however is the toughest of them all. A bridge routine can either make you or break depending what your level is at. To understand bridging, it really goes back to Karl Gotch’s DVD Conditioning For Combat Sports where I first learned about Bridging Gymnastics from a visual stand point. The amount of Agility you gain from it is insane and being able to handle your bodyweight in a manner most are afraid of.

            The key component of Bridging whether it’s on the head or hands alone is that it stretches the body in ways not many other programs can give you. The ability to stretch the spine to give that curvature in the spine is essential to lifelong health and functional fitness. Granted it’s not for everyone especially if you've had bone spurs in the neck or have had a mess of injuries to the spine but with the right training, most people can learn how to do the bridge, if you’re brave enough you can take it to the next step and that’s falling into a bridge and progressing kicking over and back while in the position.

            One of the all-time greats in the realm of Physical Culture George F. Jowett once said “In both man and the other male beasts, the neck has always been the true indication of the quality and quantity of his concentrated nerve power. A strong healthy man always has a powerful neck, and he always will have one.” He was right because if you look at how strong a man’s neck is that is congruent with the spine, it gives a whole new meaning to the term superhuman. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that if you have a flexible and strong spine, the rest of your body feeds off that power and energy.

            Our spines are like the electric cord of the human body, it sends nerves into the brain that feeds us our way of thinking and how our body is able to move. If your spine isn't strong enough it has a bigger chance of making you paralyzed everywhere. Give your spine the fuel it needs and your neck should be right along with it.

            Karl Gotch always figured Bridging is a major key to getting in serious shape and I’m not making that argument because I've done a lot of different training methods and Bridging Gymnastics always cooks me in the shortest amount of time because you’re working every single muscle in the body and you’re working your spine and neck to a degree where the stronger you get at it the stronger you’ll be overall. I always admired the way how Bridging works and it takes quite a bit of guts and some serious awareness to do some of the things Bridging Gymnastics offers.

            I've had the great opportunity to learn it from a couple guys and taught it to a few people myself plus being one of the heaviest guys to fall back into a bridge, kick over and kick back at a bodyweight of 238+ pounds. It’s exhilarating and exciting to do something most people can’t. Even if you’re a lighter person and you’re able to do it is still amazing in itself. It’s also fun as hell once you get it down and doing some crazy stunts. If you got the guts to take your training to another level, learn the kick ass ways to bridge, it is one hell of a way to get in shape and it gives you benefits you wouldn't believe.  

Legendary Strength Is Holding A House Sale

Hello,

My buddy Logan Christopher is holding a sale in order to generate enough money to put a down payment on a house. That’s an admirable goal in my view.

So for the next few days you can save 20-80% off of everything he has available.

Get Them Now

In addition he’s even pulled a few courses from his vault that aren’t normally available that you can get in on right now.

Plus he’s got some pretty insane package deals for those of you who want it all.

Logan’s quite a diverse creator as you’ll see on that page.

If I may make a few recommendations myself I really like...

1) Acrobatic Flexibility

2) 10 Simple Steps To Radiant Health

3) Advanced Bridging Course

Remember that this is only available for a short time so go check it out.

House Sale

Ben Bergman

Put Your Back Into It

Stretching the spine and back muscles is one of the most important aspects of Physical Training and that’s because the spine gives us that electric charge from the brain to the cord itself. You can get injured with a broken wrist, I’ve had my legs broken and had my ribs nearly crushed but having a broken back if worse a broken spinal cord, the chances of coming back are slim to none. Keeping yourself flexible in that area gives the rest of your body that power and supercharged.

 That electrical energy in your body is really at that cord that’s in the middle of your back and the stronger it is, the stronger your body is. It connects to everything from your muscles to your nerves, all the way towards the brain where it all brings the rest of the body together. There are many ways to stretch the back but there are those that actually teach the wrong way and don’t realize that they can get hurt doing some of these things. Do your own research and you’ll see what I mean.

 One of the best exercises you can do for your back is the Bridge. This exercise alone can help bring that powerful charge in the spine into a level of strength you couldn’t have imagined before, you can do this in the Wrestler’s Bridge (aka neck bridge) on the head or the Gymnastic Bridge (wheel pose for you Yoga maniacs). There are many ways to do the Bridge and you can even do certain athletic moves while in those positions.

 

 

Another part of the body that many neglect is your neck. Your neck is a series of muscles and tendons that help hold your head up and held up with the muscles of the back. You see everything has to work together otherwise we’d be pretty awkward looking. Too many people forget to work the body as a whole but you have these wackjobs as experts in the gym telling you to do this for this muscle and that for that muscle, it’s all crap. When you work on the whole body but focus on a specific part, you get a different perspective on what it takes to work the body as a complete piece.

 Quite arguably the greatest Catch Wrestler of all-time Karl Gotch taught his students that if you want to be a complete wrestler, you must first learn the bridge because it teaches how to work the body in unison and it’s one of the best forms of Physical Conditioning. Now you don’t have to be a wrestler or a world-class athlete to do this stuff, with the right instruction and the will to practice, the majority of people can learn this stuff. There’s even Bridging in Yoga if you haven’t figured that out already and Yoga is one of the most popular forms of training.

 Like I said before, you don’t have to be a wrestler, gymnast, Yogi or another type of Athlete to understand and learn how to keep your body specifically your back and spine in great shape and it’s a great time saver. You don’t need to do cardio or an hour of weights to get in awesome shape, you can if you want but I can assure you from personal experience and from a couple I’ve trained, working exercises that target the back and neck while using the while body will get you breathing harder than an asthmatic finishing a 10 second sprint.

 

 Your body will become a fitness machine and it doesn’t take more than a few minutes a day. At 240+ lbs. I can hold a wrestler’s bridge for three minutes anytime I want and can hold quite well on the gymnastic bridge and am in better shape because of these exercises than I ever did when I was training with weights in my teens. I’ve even become stronger in the weights through some of this type of training and I’ve kept getting stronger every time I go to the weights without touching them for months at a time. Not saying this can happen for you but with practice and learning different things, you’ll be surprised what you can do outside of that type of training. Keep your back strong and spine stronger, it’ll thank you in the end, I guarantee it.

Learning From The Man Himself

I have been good friends with Logan Christopher for roughly over seven years. He alongside Tyler Bramlett aka Duke T McB are the top two men that let me in the Physical Culture world and taught me everything I know and have learned from some of the best teachers in the game both personally and through courses plus over the phone conversations. If there’s one thing I’m grateful in the world of fitness it’s from them.

 When you have training partners that are also good friends, your training will push you beyond your own abilities. Just because they’re friends has never meant taking it easy on me. Every time I’m around them or Logan in particular, he always has me try some crazy thing like when he had me over at his house when I was in Cali recently he gave a grade 5 hex bolt to bend which I have never even made a kink in my life, since Logan was there to guide me a bit within moments I bent that little monster about ¾ of the way or near full bend and I was shocked.

 Training alongside Logan has been an honor since day one. Believe it or not, he’s seen some of my firsts and possibly some of my only feats such as….

 

First 60 penny nail bend

 

First Grade 5 Bend

 

Falling Back Into A Bridge, Kick over and back

 

Holding a 125 lb. dumbbell with a 2 inch thick handle for ten seconds

 

My one and only time doing 83 reps in 5 min. 53 lb. KB snatch test (never attempted before or since)

 So as you can see, he’s a true coach to me and one of the coolest cats on earth. One of the best things I’ve learned from him and others is how we all help each other get better, its not always who’s better or badder, it’s how we help each other advance in our own training. Personally I know how good I’am but lets face facts, I wouldn’t be that damn good without the Renaissance Man watching my back. I will always be indebted to him for helping me find my own path in Physical Culture.

 Last thing before I brag too much about the Ponytailed freak of nature, when you have good friends to train with, things are a lot more fun and more interesting because you learn new things from one another and teach each other different styles, hell as great the man is, I even taught a couple things but that’s the beauty of it. Having fun is what it’s all about, trust me its better to go through life having fun than being serious and dull. If you have friends out there that you train with, help each other and learn from one another but never forget that the one person you need to train with is not one of your buddies but yourself. Have fun and make things interesting.   

Who Says You Can't Do It?

A lot of people try to get strong and fit not because they believe in themselves but what others think of them. Believing what others say will make you a second rate wanna-be instead of being a first rate individual. "You're weak because someone said you are", "you're pitiful because you can't do a simple push-up", you can't be flexible and be big at the same time", "you will never be stronger then that guy" and my personal favorite, "bodyweight exercise won't make you big and all you're doing is endurance." What's so wrong with this picture? You are a person who has a strong individual waiting to shoot out and take on the world but first you must let aside those negative things people say and turn them into your strengths by going after what you want for yourself but not for them.

You have no excuse for what you want to achieve. What you want is waiting for you to take and take with a vengeance. You are more powerful then you think you are. That's right, I'm not giving you a hard time, not telling you how weak or pathetic you are, you aren't any of those things. If you want something bad enough you make it happen. No one can do it for you and those who say bad things about you want you to not achieve it because they have no will power themselves but you do my friend.

I'm telling you this right here, right now you are responsible for your own goals. If you want to succeed and become strong and mighty then you got to take it with a grain of salt, I can care less if you want to lift weights, do bodyweight exercise, use odd objects or cool looking tools the important thing here is that I believe you can do it and if you want it bad enough then go out and get it. Build the body of your dreams, in your mind you have a V-Shape back, powerful muscular arms, thoroughbred legs, tendons like steel cords, the neck of a lion and well rounded mighty shoulders but you have to make them a reality. It takes patience, time, hard work and will power to get what you want but if you work on the right things, everything will pay off in the end.

One of the key secrets to achieving your goals and achievements is to keep them to yourself. There are people out there that don't want to see you succeed and tell you its impossible or you're putting too much on yourself and something like this won't happen for you. That's a lot of bull because you have more power in you then they'll ever now and never let your dreams die. You are one powerful person no matter what someone says, good or bad. You have the ability to create something that's beyond yourself. Train for yourself an don't let anyone tell you different.

There are people out there however like me who believe in you and what you want to accomplish. These are the people to connect with and share with them what you would like to do but the golden rule is no matter how much advice you are given, you alone need to buil your own style of training and make it your own. Learn to become your ultimate teacher. You are the one who's making the choice.

Never settle for less then what you want to do. You are responsible for your own actions and you have no excuses for what you want to achieve. Don't let others take you down when you have more power getting back up. Its not the size of the dog in the fight, its the size of the fight in the dog. You need to train for yourself and don't let anyone tell you any different because you can do it and you will do it. You're the boss. Now get out there and make something happen for you. Become a giant among men whether you're short or tall, you can tower over anything if you put your mind to it.

Condititioning For Catch Wrestling

No matter what sport you're in, you can have the talent, the techniques and the know how all you want but if you arn't in condition then you're going to die out within a short period of time. Other sports can be rough and can tear you down but nothing takes the place of wrestling and not WWE style but shooting and submission or in other words Scientific Wrestling.

Conditioning for wrestling is a whole different breed of fitness. It takes heart, it takes inner power and to prove you're tough enough. Even for some WWE wrestlers when they first began training in certain cities around the country and the world never experienced anything this type of conditioning, some have been through boot camps in the NFL, in College even one in the Navy SEALs had never experienced a type of conditioning. Karl Gotch however took training and conditioning to a level that was unheard of at the time. He took basic principles of conditioning and molded them into a way where it was effective, it worked and it made you or broke you as an athlete.

One of the most important aspects of conditioning is Bridging. Working not just the neck but working the whole body as a unit and taking your level of strength and functional muscle building to a stratosphere that you cannot imagine unless you have experienced it. There are many ways to do the bridge so you have a variety of what you can do but you also need to learn to work your body at as many as you can.

When you combine the bridge with Squats & Push-ups you will become a lethal conditioning machine. When you use these for the Karl Gotch Bible by using a deck of cards your conditioning will soar beyond the skies and beyond the moon. Sticking to the fundementals will take you further in your fitness, your health and in your sport. For wrestling, real wrestling, conditioning is key and I hope I can use this right because i'm very passionate with conditioning, to quite Karl Gotch "Wrestling and Conditioning go together like a horse and carriage, one without the other is worthless. The most expensive car won't run without water, gas and oil." He was right and beyond. He got it right on the dot and I give the late Gotch all the respect he deserves and I wished I had met him before he died, it would've be a real honor.

Get into the heart of conditioning and learn the character of what real wrestling is and how all these wrestlers are just in fantastic condition.

Missing Ingredient That Could Save Your Life

In the US alone some reports say that at least 10,500 have suffered spinal injuries and over 1.8 million people a year suffer a concussion. Are there ways to prevent this from happening to YOU!!!! Yes there is and it can even save your life while gaining a great amount of strength, flexibility and improving your health. Our spines are the most important parts of the human anatomy. They are the electricity that resides within us and has an important connection to the human brain.

If you’re not in good shape, chances are your spine isn’t in great shape either and you will find how you can reverse this. I’ve hurt my back a few times in my life lifting things and landing on it a time or 2 and have even tweaked it a bit while I was a shot put and discus thrower in high school. Once I learned this secret to great spinal flexibility and health I have never looked back.

Its time you took advantage of the work that has been proven by many to be one of the most important realms of physical culture. Yet at the same time its also one of the most feared exercises. Is it for everyone, no but I think I high majority would be able to learn this secret and that is the Bridge.

My friend Logan Christopher has put together the most comprehensive course on the bridge and so far I haven’t really found another that tackles the subject of this magnitude. Picture for a moment having thick columns of muscle on your neck and back and not feeling stiff as a board. Be able to move around like you were a little kid a long time ago. Learn the time tested method that can give you power and explosiveness not just in your spine but legs as well.

Most people think of a bridge as in either wrestling or yoga. Ones on the head and the other is on the hands. These are the wrestler’s Bridge and the Gymnastic Bridge (Wheel Pose for you Yogis). These 2 exercises in Advanced Bridging Course can have you build and develop greater mobility and stability in your shoulders, back, neck, legs and your abs. Just one workout with the various exercises in the course can wear down the toughest of men. It can be used by anyone who is in a good amount of shape and it even works on heavy weight people (yours truly at 240+ lbs.). I’ve done a few workouts and every time I do them I end up sweating like bullets and breathing more then usual and that’s just within a few minutes.

I can tell you first hand an from personal experience that it takes practice and its going to take patience because unlike most courses this one is bent on (pun intended) moving in ways you normally don’t and there are many progressions to learn from. Once you start getting the hang of it you will find ways to bend yourself in places that would amaze your friends. This isn’t for gymnasts and wrestlers anymore. It’s your turn now. Learn to create your own set of workouts that can be done in less then 15 min. You don’t need more then a few exercises to get your ass whipped.

Like I said before the bridge has been known to be a fearful exercise so Logan here has taken the liberty to teach you how to do these exercises safely and shows you certain signs if you need to stop and how you can prevent from hurting yourself. Follow the guidelines and I guarantee you, you will be doing moves that would impress a few people. Imagine you are falling back into a good solid bridge whether on the head or hands and kicking over and kicking back. It may not feel like a reality now but when you get your hands on the Advanced Bridging Course you will get results you’ve never seen before. You will burn fat, build muscle, gain enormous flexibility and add in a bit of agility you will be one awesome Bridger and have one of the best conditioned bodies around.

How To Take Your Bridging To The Next Level

Bridging is often refered in wrestling and gymnastics to work the neck and spine. For the most part The Bridge is one of the most feared exercises there is but yet it can take your strength & Conditioning to levels that are surreal once you learn to bridge correctly. One of the greatest wrestlers that took the bridge to great heights for his body was the late Karl Gotch. If you were to learn wrestling from him; the first thing he'd teach you was bridging because if you want to dominate yourt opponent you have to be able to move your body from every angle possible and the bridge works the body from many angles. When you learn to bridge properly you can move onto advanced forms called Bridging Gymnastics. This is where you fall back into a bridge either on the hands or the head and kick over and back. There are many versions of the bridge.

Working the bridge takes patience and form just like with other forms of exercise but approach with caution and don't hold a bridge longer then you need to. Its not necessary to hold a bridge for more then a few minutes. When you hold a bridge on the head for quite some time you're building more then just your neck, you're building strength and flexibility in the spine, legs, neck and importantly the abdominals. When you're holding a bridge on your hands your stretching every part of the body and its strengthening everything in and out of the body as well.

There arn't many courses on the subject of bridging but my friend Logan Christopher much didn't just write a bridging book he brought a whole new meaning to the term Conditioning. You'll learn these types of Bridges......

Head & Hands

Hands Alone

Head Alone

One Legged

Holding/Lifting Weight In a Bridge

Bridging Gymnastics

And More.....


Advanced Bridging Course

Bridging The Gap

Fear is your worst enemy.

You struggle to even get past the stretch.

Feeling intimidated by its core.

See yourself cross over.

Put forth past the fear.

Stretch the boundaries.

Never see you stuck.

Walk past that fear and you have crossed the Bridge.

Bridging!!!!!!

The building of a strong neck, flexible spine and overall body conditioning has never looked more feared yet beautiful at the same time. It is without question the key to an agile body. There are many exercises in the realm of the bridge and all have many great benefits but like all exercises, one must caution himself as the exercises can be dangerous and strenuous if not trained properly. When done with good form and a laser-like mindset, it can take even the lousiest beginner to become a graceful and powerful athlete. The spine is the electricity within the body and when trained can develop off the charts strength, flexibility, agility, endurance and balance/coordination.

Bridging Gymnastics

This method according to Karl Gotch considered to be the best for superior conditioning and its hard to argue on that. Its a series of exercises that can be done by themselves or in a sequence. You start out falling into a bridge then kicking over, kicking back and if you're stud stand back up. This can be done by the following:

Gymnast Bridge

Head Alone Bridge

Head/Hands Bridge

Highly skillful and in complete unison with the body. A few min. of these can bring down the strongest of men.

The Great Gama Of India

Ghulum Mohammed aka. The Great Gama was born into a wrestling family that had a legendary legacy and He was soon to follow. Started training at the age of 8 in the sand pits. He gradually built up tremendous strength and endurance that by age 11 he was to enter in a contest of 100's of young wrestlers. It wasnt a wrestling competition it was to determine what exercises these young boys finished that would sure them as either winners or losers. They exercised with indian clubs, maces, hindu push-ups, squats, bridging ect. Gama was declared the winner by a great margin.

As for his training, legend has it he trained everyday by doing thousands of calisthenics and swam and wrestled for hours. Although the numbers seem aggerative it was clear that this young man had the will and mental attitude to withstand such physical training that within the peak of his career he was 5'7 at nearly 260 pounds of solid muscle and might. He wrestled with the best of them wrestling men that came from europe, asia and the americas and none of them seemed to match the strength and will power of Gama. It was estimated that in 5000 matches he was never defeted and hardly ever taken down.

Many men feared him even the great american champions Frank Gotch, George Hackenshmidt ect. Whoever stepped in the pits or the ring knew that they were in for a rough night and yet never seemed to beat him. I admire this man as a world-class athlete and being strong as a bull and even more with an iron mentality. Nobody can match his strength and athleticism not even today when you have rough and tough wrestlers (real wrestlers not in the WWE). His philosophy and program became legendary and were attempted by many but few can follow up just barely a quarter of his power.

If we had more wrestlers like him today, we'd be the number 1 sport in america and the world but not many people want to see things like this. They rather be entertained then be in awe of what power they really possess. Anywho, over the years Gama won championships, took on all comers and after retirement trained his nephews and they became legendary athletes. Gama will and always be the worlds greatest wrestler. If anyone can match half of what he did i'd love to meet him but sadly I feel it will never happen.

If you want to look at the full story of Gama here it is.

http://www.wrestlingmuseum.com/pages/bios/gama2.html


Yours in Power & Might

Ben