It's Not A Chore...It's An Adventure

Exercise was never meant to be easy because if it was, we wouldn't understand the meaning of the words Progression, Strength, Perseverance & Physical/Mental Conditioning. That doesn't mean it can't be fun or made interesting. Have we lost our sense of imagination to get the most out of our training? I don't think so, many have really just suppressed it and locked it up whether they knew it or not and don't know where the key is. When we do find it and use it to as much of its potential as we can do, it becomes in a sense "effortless" to reach for as high as we want to go. 

Take into consideration what gives us the greatest benefits and proceed to make it the most kick ass thing we can do. Training, in a realistic sense, teaches us to hone skills and build strength within ourselves to be the best we can be. Sure we go through phases and follow certain programs or protocols but in the end, it's up to us to make the most of it. Yeah we do stupid stuff sometimes but going through the stupid stuff helps us grow and understand what not to do yet for some, doing stupid stuff is all they know and don't know any better and that's a damn shame.

The adventure part is when we don't know what's out there on the horizon, but there is something out there for us to find. There's a buried treasure hidden and when you find it, utilize its contents to your desires or you can hang onto it for dear life and find a way to make the most out of that treasure. We all have a chest of precious gold and jewels hidden away somewhere (e.g, the best programs in our arsenal) but we can't always use them the same exact way as everyone else, there's spending and trading which is common but in this sense, it's about investing in what gives us great benefit to thrive and get back more in our investment. 

We may make mistakes on our adventure but we also learn what makes us work hard and play harder to have the time of our lives. Exercise really is an adventure but we must find it in ourselves, no one is going to do it for us. Be adventurous and be on the lookout as the sun sets and/or rises because you never what's out there in them open waters. 

Sprint 8 Protocol

Grind Style Calisthenics

Thor's Hammer Herbal Package

Overcoming Isometrics

Two Workouts, One Morning

At least that's better than 2 and 1 of something else (kudos to who gets the joke) but that's when you're just ready to go at a quarter to 5 in the morning and have some energy to burn. First workout this morning was 20-5 Yard Bear Crawl Sprints because that's what I felt like doing. That kind of workout will humble anyone and get those lungs firing like a mofo. This particular workout is great if you want to get in something quick and that'll kick your ass. 

I'm really not a morning person so if I happen to be up in the morning, I have to do something in order to get some endorphins kicking in otherwise leave my ass alone LOL. Training in the morning is actually one of the few things that puts a smile on my face. Hell on the day me and my girl left for Auburn, WA for a concert, I did Hill Sprints just so I can feel ready for the trip. Most days, I do one or two workouts during the day but rarely two in one morning so I guess I really needed to just let shit out.

The second workout wasn't as intense but it was just as good and that was doing some several Overcoming Isometric exercises for 45 seconds each. Been a while since I've done a full Iso Workout so I figured what the hell and just hold certain positions (Curl, Deadlift, Wall Sit, Dead Bug for example) for a brief period. Felt really good and really enjoying the flow it gives after a workout. The last exercise was the Hybrid Pushup for 45 seconds and that made me shake like leaf. It's actually not as easy as it looks and the longer you hold it, the more you'll feel it. 

Doing several workouts throughout the day can actually be a good thing because you're keeping yourself active and you're giving yourself plenty of time to rest. Short and Intense is the key but sometimes, those short workouts can kick your ass so hard that you'll need a nap afterwards. Not a bad idea since that will release HGH which helps put on leaner muscle and burn calories like Margaret Hamilton does to Water. 

Whenever I finish playing the animal dice game, I would kick back on the couch, let everything sink in and just feel relaxed and at peace, been known to fall asleep for about a half hour and waking up feeling like I just had a good night of sleep. It puts you into a better mood that's for sure. Every now and then, you might cough up a little since you put your lungs through the ringer, just be careful. It isn't uncommon to happen but that's basically giving your body a chance to release some crappy toxins and help you be healthier. At least that's what I've experienced. 

Train with a vengeance but also train with intent. Get the most out of it and have a blast. 

What Is More Fun To Do? Sprints Or Animal Movements?

When you're on a program, you do your best to get the most out of it or at least continuously follow the protocols and discover the means to keep going. Sprint Training is awesome in its own right and it allows the body to obliterate fat like nobody's business. Doesn't take long either and they can be fun, I'm talking just Sprinting (bipedal) style here. Animal Movements however, take on a whole other style of training that is just as fun if not more so because you're constantly working the whole body to move in awkward positions.

Personally, moving like a beast in the wild is actually a lot harder than just pure sprints for reasons many don't want to discuss. Yes it's a full body unit to just Sprint but what if you traveled the same distance in a Bear Crawl? Which one hits the most muscles? Quite frankly, the Bear Crawl takes the cake. Both are natural to us humans and we were meant to be explosive, powerful and strong in order to be hard to kill. To be honest, I get more out of doing 20-5 yard Bear Crawl Sprints than 10 regular hill sprints, mainly because I feel like it kicks my ass more yet at the same time, my energy levels are better. 

Animal Exercises are a great alternative to Sprint Training because for one, to get the most out of Sprints, you need some level of distance and I don't think sprinting back and forth in your living room is going to do the trick. You can do shuffle sprints or wind sprints outside but Animal Moves can be done both inside and outside. I love variety and when I play my animal dice game, it's a lot more interesting and feels way different in a good way. 

You can create games with both especially for kids, but I believe for the most part, because of our fascination for animals we can utilize our imaginations in a broader spectrum than just running around. Overall whether we're young or old, we need to be able to run around because as we age, our legs are the first to go. Why not make an adventure out of it and establish a level of enhanced imagination to reach greater potential for fitness? 

Experiment with both and see what makes them do for you. Both are incredible conditioners and will make you a rugged SOB. Just be careful and use them optimally and not carelessly. 

Scientifically Backed Powerful NATURAL Testosterone Booster

So I'm just going to put it out there...The clock is ticking on us and, as it is, our testosterone is headed out the door and running for the hills. It's a damn shame and I think that is why I want to share with you a potent natural supplement that doesn't only BOOST TESTOSTERONE but also stimulates the body's own production to increase. That's right, this is NOT A REPLACEMENT... It's a stimulant that has had massive results.

“I can say hands down this is the purest form of Tongkat, not cut with anything else. I noticed my energy level going up in less than 5 minutes after taking it. I even had my Total Testosterone tested: Base line= 450. Six weeks later I had my blood tested again and my total testosterone went up to 700. The blood test and how I felt and looked were my way of gauging how well Lost Empire’s Tongkat works. I’ve tried other brands and definitely not the same results.”

 – Coach Ryan

It is Tongkat Ali. You may've heard of this before, but the truth is, a lot of the stuff you find on the shelves is pure shit...weak extract strengths grown in sub-par conditions and full of fillers. This is why I believe in Lost Empire Herbs and helping others find high-quality, lab-tested, fresh, and powerful 100:1 extract of Tongkat Ali.

How Tongkat Ali works:

Promotes steroidogenesis, which is this synthesis of steroids… which are the building blocks to proper male hormonal health.

Stimulating DHEA (a critical hormone that’s necessary for balanced male hormones).

Having high levels of nitric oxide which “acts as a mediator, together with prostaglandin, to promote bone formation and suppress bone resorption.

Fighting oxidative stress and free radicals that are causing osteoporosis. Tongkat Ali is FILLED with antioxidants that scavenge and destroy free radicals.

When your body can synthesize and CREATE its own steroidal hormones, they will be balanced again. The problem men over 35 begin to experience in terms of their hormones, is their body has a hard time producing and synthesizing steroids in order to create sufficient T… and that leads to all sorts of health problems.

Lost Empire Herbs offers a safe, effective water-soluble extract of the Eurycoma longifolia roots.

Testing showed a concentration of:

34.91% Saponins

54.31% Peptides

If you are feeling drained, losing muscle, losing sex drive, losing motivation you may be suffering from testosterone deficiency. Let's fix that shall we? Learn more and buy Tongkat Ali today right here.

Stretching, Sprints & Himalayan Salt Baths

 Getting in a great workout and being able to recover is a necessary goal but one doesn't always coincide with the other when in reality, training and recovery go together like a horse and carriage; one without the other is worthless. There are simple strategies and "tricks" or "hacks" that promote optimal health but also give your body what it needs to burn off fat, stay limber and be able to let the body flow without pushing so damn hard that you burnout faster than when you started.

It's not just about discovering the ultimate strategies, we also have different backgrounds, amount of time we have for that window to train because not everybody can just go and utilize these strategies since some have families to take care of, pay off the house, multiple trips to certain places, business meetings, stuck in traffic or whatever so we do what we can. These strategies best used in a specific order but if you can't make the time to do them all, they can be spread out, just need to time it right for you.

When it comes to stretching, I prefer loosening up the joints but a good stretching routine would be great to do in the morning because you're giving your body what it needs to wake up and be able to flow better. Now I didn't say warm up, some don't give a damn about that but it is important to have the muscles and joints ready for anything and a good routine wouldn't be more than a few minutes, 15 max. There are many styles of stretching but my personal favorite is Dynamic Stretching or moving stretches to lengthen and get the blood flowing. 

You've read plenty lately about Sprint Training or preferably Hill Sprints. This type of training for no more than 3x a week will destroy fat faster than the Joker breaking out of Arkham. Some research will say a 30 second sprint is ideal, some say 15-20 but in my opinion, 10-15 second sprints are the ultimate because the sole purpose of Sprinting whether on flat ground or on a hill, is to sprint as fast as you possibly can without hurting yourself. The longer you try to sprint even for 30 seconds, you won't be able to maintain your top speed for long and it becomes closer and closer to becoming a jog up the hill or on flat ground. Now granted Hill Sprints won't have you reaching max speed as on the ground but you still want to sprint as hard as you can until you're out of breath or reaching that threshold of the top speed you have. When you realize this, you'll see that a 10-15 second Sprint will power up your metabolism like crazy and with consistent practice it's possible to reach a percentage of 500% or more Growth Hormone or HGH. That's 10 times more than the best hormone injections and it's much safer in the long run (no pun intended).

One of the very best methods of recovery and detoxifying the body is taking Himalayan Salt Baths. There isn't a ton of research on this so I can only go on by experience but whenever I take one, I always feel revitalized and relaxed afterwards. The body feels looser, have greater focus and has a great set of endorphins kicking in so you feel happier and more peaceful. I would take this kind of bath for a maximum of 16 minutes to let everything sink in (I have meditation music that lasts the length of time) and than take a warm shower and cold shower to help wash everything else off. This is my ritual but from my research, 20 minutes in a bath like that is more than enough. It's also good to drink some water before and after the bath because the toxins draining out of your system can have a bit of dehydrating effects so stay hydrated. 

So these are incredible strategies to get the most out of your body's cleansing of toxins, training to be a fitness machine and staying limber. 2-3x a week if you can do all three (stretch before sprints, do 4-10 sprints and than take a Himalayan Salt bath when you get home to recover and relax the body) that would be the ultimate goal. Recover as much as you can between sprints workouts and don't let your body go stiff. The idea is to maintain health and get the most out of it with as little to no stress as possible. If you can't do all three one after the other in the window you have, at least do your best to keep or build your flexibility and sprint your ass off. If you're not up for sprints, you can always work on the Sprint 8 Protocol and it can be done at home, at the park, in your hotel room or in the gym, your choice. 

Stay amazingly awesome and have fun with your training, recover well and keep those joints healthy. 

Your UFC Fighter For Bad Bacteria

Today, I’m going to talk to you about something that's kinda nasty but it needs to be said. It’s something that lives on every one of us. Yes, I’m talking about bacteria. The thing is, bacteria are all over us but only harms us some of the time. We actually have more bacterial cells than we do human cells, which makes you think....Are we bacteria? Maybe I should call you ‘microbe’ instead of calling you by your name.

Just kidding you guys. That would get confusing real fast since I, too, am a microbe. Let’s go back to the bacteria talk for a second. One way these bacteria can harm is through infection. Infections come in many, many forms, but one of the most common is called Streptococcus Pneumonia: This tiny bacteria works its way into your lungs and then multiply, which can cause the common disease known as pneumonia. Pneumonia can be life-threatening depending on the person, and it costs thousands of people their lives each year. Those with weak immune systems are most vulnerable to this bacteria. These include older men and women, anyone battling a disease or those who are malnourished.

Luckily, our bodies has many enlisted soldiers to fight these bacteria off. One organ that plays a key role in this is the spleen. The spleen is the largest organ in the lymphatic system, and its primary function is to keep our blood healthy. When healthy blood enters the spleen, the organ gives it the go-ahead to circulate throughout the body. If it notices blood cells that are suspect, whether they're damaged or unhealthy, it hires a slew of hitmen known as lymphocytes. These are the body's white blood cells and their job is to destroy any harmful blood.

Not only that, but the spleen also serves as our primary blood store. It can even actually hold up to a cup of blood in reserve if we're ever in an accident (god forbid) and you lose a lot of blood. Getting back to the topic of Pneumonia, our spleen also responds to bacteria and viruses the same way it responds to unhealthy blood cells. Meaning it hires the white cells to whack them with a vengeance as well. This includes bacteria like Streptococcus Pneumonia. If you want to avoid being sick, retain muscle and joint health into older age, you must take good care of the spleen.

How you can hurt your spleen? 

   - Overuse of alcohol ands/or drugs

   - Physical trauma to the spleen (such as a sports injury)

   - Eat a diet rich in gluten, soy, dairy, shellfish, and any chemically processed foods

   - Have blood disease caused by abnormal blood cells

   - Breathing in air filled with pollutants

If you engage in these activities too much, the spleen can become enlarged from fighting off too many harmful substances.

Symptoms of an enlarged spleen include..

Feeling discomfort, pain on the upper left side of the abdomen, especially after eating a large meal

Easy bleeding

Weight loss

Changes in appetite

Frequent infections

Anemia

Yellowing of the skin

How to build your spleen into fighting shape?

Eat clean meats like wild salmon that are filled with omega 3 fatty acids

Consume plenty of nuts and seeds including chia, flax, and pumpkin

Work many green, leafy vegetables like broccoli, spinach and kale into your diet

Exercise 3 times per week to keep the blood and fluids moving

Getting a massage or sauna can also help detoxify your body. A personal favorite.

I would love to provide you one of the most potent medicinal herbs for the spleen and blood. This herb is called He Shou Wu and it’s primarily known as the KING of all Yin Jing tonics.

It performs several vital tasks for your blood. It can...

Aid in blood production

Filter out blood sugars, fats, toxins so you can take some of the load off your liver/kidneys

Rich in antioxidants to help lower your risk of infection

Can help fight diseases like the common cold

Can help lower blood pressure

Do your spleen and other lymphatic organs a huge favor and get some of He Shou Wu, it'll be one hell of a health investment.

HIIT Without The Need To Sprint

 For all intents and purposes, Sprint Training is one of the most effective methods for turning you into a well conditioned machine fast. It doesn't take up a ton of time and you can make time for other things in your life that matter the most to you. Now, do you need to Sprint to get effective and efficient results? There's more than one way to skin a cat and if you choose not to do Sprint Training that's ok but in order to get the results you want fast, you need to put in work that will get you out of breath quicker than you can say "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious."

How you move is the key and utilizing the mentality of "fight or flight" for a short period of time and getting out of breath in a matter of seconds. You can do this in lots of ways and you're not forced to do Sprint Style Training. You can take the exercises and create your own workouts using the style of HIIT from Darebee Circuits or do swim fast in a pool or do hard crawls from the Animal Kingdom but one of my personal favorites is doing Burpees in the 30/90 Protocol....What do I mean by this?

You would do as many Burpees as possible for 30 seconds and rest three times as long to get enough recovery. You would do up to 8 Rounds of this and you're only doing 4 minutes of work. The entire time of the workout is 16 minutes. Don't worry about how many reps you do (pardon the language here) so I say fuck the reps and focus on just being as fast as possible without flopping like a fish out of water. It's not about the reps, it's the time that matters. Recover for 90 seconds (if you're a beginner, 2-3 minutes is ok) and repeat. This method has been around for decades and has shown some amazing results. Now this doesn't mean you're going to look like Chris Hemsworth or a Ben Affleck (Batman) in a matter of weeks, but you will see some significant changes to your physique. 2-3x a week maximum is the amount you'll be doing.

So think about this, you only work a total of 12 minutes a week max and the majority of the time you're resting. This will give you an idea of how realistic muscle can be build with sufficient recovery and aiding in calorie burning that lasts for hours after a workout while also enhancing natural testosterone and Human Growth Hormone. Fuck those injections and drugs, your body has the ability to strengthen itself and benefit the health attributes that saves you a ton of time and energy. Don't believe me, do the research yourself, in most studies, this is to be as true as Amber Heard painfully lying her ass off. 

You don't have to go on a cardio binge and do hours a week in the gym, hell the 30/90 method can be used practically anywhere, you don't have to do Burpees. Just move your ass really fast for 30 seconds and lollygag for 90 seconds or slightly longer. As much as it is weird to know, there are ways to get into incredible shape without it overshadowing your lifestyle. Seriously, 12 minutes a week of hard, intense training and that's it. Hell, you can still eat what you love like Pizza, Burgers & Fries, Pasta (not in mass quantities of course) but the better your nutrition is, the faster your results will come. You don't have to stress so damn much, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this out. 

Eat what you love and as your results get better, pile on the real foods. When it comes to eating, do your best to keep it at 2 big meals a day because that 5-6 meal a day thing is mainly a myth. Eating small meals constantly throughout the day forces your body to digest more than it needs to. Let your body fast for a good period of time between meals like 5-6 hours. Hell for me, I don't even eat my first meal until a minimum of 12 to 1 in the afternoon. Might snack on a thing or two throughout but mostly won't eat again until dinner time which is around 6-8. When you fast and letting your body repair itself, it potentially causes greater amounts of HGH which aids in losing unhealthy weight, lowering bodyfat and makes greater digestion. If you did the 30/90 method at night two to three hours before bed and getting enough hours of sleep, could you imagine what you might wake up to the next day? 

Here's a kick ass supplement that has incredible benefits and potentially give you that extra "oomph" in your training...

How Ashwagandha Can Significantly Improve Important Hormone Function In Both Men & Women

This isn't my typical post but if it helps someone than I did something right. 

If you want greater sexual desire, better sexual satisfaction, and overall hormonal balance, the answer could be with… Ashwagandha. For Women specifically…Women can benefit by experiencing a heightened libido and a more creative and inspired sex life. If you want to improve your intimacy naturally, consider trying Ashwagandha for 3 months and observing the changes! 

A study of female sexual function found that consistent use of Ashwagandha increased scores on the Female Sexual Function Index over eight weeks. This included significant improvements in desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and even comfort. Ashwagandha is also showing promising effects in studies of modulating thyroid hormones in women, thus being potentially helpful for cases of hyper and hypothyroidism. So even if you're one of those women who was born with Turner's Syndrome, here's something for you to give a shot. 

For Us Guys…Men can increase testosterone naturally and even increase sperm quality with the help of Ashwagandha. Ashwagandha helps balance cortisol production in the body. Since cortisol is closely linked to other hormone production in men, this leads to a huge effect on male sexual health. When cortisol levels are too high, it inhibits the production of “good” hormones like progesterone, testosterone, and DHEA (So let's try to fix that, shall we). When Cortisol levels are successfully lowered (to a healthy and optimal amount), all sex hormones can improve dramatically. 

In several human studies of men struggling with infertility, results have consistently seen increases in testosterone and sperm quality. What about guys that are fertile? One study has found a 15% increase in testosterone even in young, healthy men. Ashwagandha is a traditional herb with powerful qualities. It can help with sexual function, desire, and hormone health. Yet it is ALSO well known as a natural sleep aid, a means to manage stress, and a useful tool to help you focus. So better sleep also equals strong hormones.

Whether man or woman, we can all use a little help being as balanced as possible but also live a good quality life too. Get the most out of your natural hormones. 

Trusting The Process

Goal setting isn't easy and it can be overwhelming to try and tackle what you want while also dealing with other things in your life. We have a hard time trusting ourselves more than what we try to accomplish. Often times, we barely even trust the process and the consistency. It's one of the reasons why 99% of the time my programs fall by the way side after a very short period of time. I don't always trust myself and it's difficult to stay consistent when your brain is wired to the point where the attention span and interest becomes stale.

As you know, I don't like talking very much about my goals or what I consistently do because it derails my own progress and if I talk about it too much or too soon, I lose interest fast because in the end I don't trust myself to keep it up. I do believe in trusting the process but as an individual, we have to do it in our own way and not what everyone else wants because on one end of the spectrum, many don't give a rats ass what you do but others expect certain things too. Where is the consistency and trust in yourself when you have two sides of a coin fighting each other when it comes to your progress?

I love sharing what I do but also have my own fears of being consistent and talking about it. This doesn't make me weak, it makes me human and many think that's one and the same which is completely untrue. It's already hard to do something every single day and not just for a few weeks but everyday for nearly 2 decades. It is a habit but it's also a second language that comes natural to me but at the same time, sticking to one program almost exclusively is much harder to do than to do something everyday. 

One of the key problems in today's fitness influencing culture is to find the right programs that give you as an individual great benefit. Many programs work in and of themselves but the person presenting it and "marketing" it as god's gift to health and fitness is all over the place and many influencers are messed up individuals themselves and try to tell you how easy it is. Ever notice many influencers in warmer climates or more towards the ocean and the sun is always shining? Not everyone lives in LA or even knows what Keto is or what a Bosu Tricep Kickback On One Leg does. There are people who consistently in other areas that deal with snow, desert heat, have jobs, kids and volunteer work so they don't always have the time to do your particular style of training. 

Training is meant to be simplistic, not complicated or rocket science. Sprints, Bodyweight, Cables, Isometrics, Odd Objects and maybe a Hammer or Kettlebell are really the basics but they don't all have to be in the same format or place at the same time, you can do one or the other. I learned to be self-reliant when it comes to my own training and I'm learning as time goes on, it is difficult to train somebody and it isn't for everyone. It's not an issue where we personally train others but to teach them how to be self-reliant themselves because your personal trainer won't be going camping with you, they don't travel with you, they won't always be able to be reached and there will be days where you might miss a session or two. 

We fight ourselves to be consistent and results won't always be in our favor. They come when they're meant to. You're not going to turn into a Chris Hemsworth in 10 weeks, not every Bodybuilder will win a Mr. Olympia no matter how much he trains and you can train all you want to be the GOAT of your sport but you'll never come close to a Michael Jordan, Babe Ruth, Patrick Marleau or Pele. Train to be better than you were yesterday, change things up when needed and utilize your mind and body as if they were one and the same. Trust the process as much as you can, rely on your instincts and not what someone thinks you should be or should do. You are a person, not a lab rat and you certainly have greater potential than you give yourself credit for. We all need to learn that, even me. Become a better version of yourself one step at a time. 

Beauty Amongst The Chaos

The world isn't perfect and neither are we, so why keep hating on things that have nothing to do with us personally. There is beauty around us, we just don't always see it. There's beauty in people, there's beauty around our environment and there's beauty in how we could see the world through our eyes. These are the things I do my best to think about on my walks to a bad ass hill to do sprints on and living in the moment as I walk back home and letting the endorphins kick in.

We still live in a world where there's transphobic and homophobic people, racists and extremists who want to tell you how to live in their image. It's pretty messed up and yes although there are plenty of LGTBQ+, they can be just as much of assholes as straight folks but they also can be just as amazingly awesome, beautiful inside and out and they can do great things many never give them credit for. I've heard all the crap about indoctrinating kids with the LGTBQ+ community and it's not all that black and white as the media tries to point out and I'm going to give you an example of that....

When I was in High School in the early 2000's, being in one of the most liberal and open cities in California, we had a group of people come into a class one day. Each one was of a different sexuality (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Trans Man) and each one talked about their experiences about what it was like growing up, transitioning and seeing first hand what it's like being different. They were all amazing people and didn't once felt the need to hate on them. They didn't shove down my throat about needing to be that way, they didn't brainwash me into becoming something than I already was and they certainly didn't feel the need to hate on others who were straight. This was more than 20 years ago. I never once chose to join another team not because it was ok if I did, it made understand that being different wasn't horrible either. I'm as straight as you can possibly imagine but just because you like or want to be someone or something else, doesn't makes you any less of a human being. In the end, we're all still human beings.

Nobody is born a racist, it is taught and objectified to the point where you show off so many stereotypes and jerking around other people's skin color and culture that it becomes an issue. Growing up, I was friends and/or classmates with just about every race and culture you can name and never once thought about having hatred towards their skin or culture. Sure there are jokes here and there but when it comes down to it, there are amazing and beautiful people within every race and culture. I believe in being Color Blind in the sense where skin color is just a shell with a soul. That soul either has something awesome or has darker tones but it has nothing to do with what the outer appearance is. Being racist is childish, selfish and has no positive outlook of a human being. In the end, we're all still human beings.

There's beauty amongst the chaos in this world and we need to learn it more than what the bullshit brings. There's always going to be assholes, screw ups, morons, idiots and dumbasses regardless of skin color, culture or who they choose to become or love but there's also going to be beautiful, kind, light hearted, selfless and amazingly awesome people regardless of their skin color, culture or who they choose to become or love. Ying and Yang with a hint of awesomeness. Be strong, be kind and find the beauty amongst the chaos. 

Rewire Your Stress System So That You Handle Stress Better

What if we could take the best of a many thousands of years old tradition of health and combine it with the utmost quality sourced right in America too? That’s what I would like to talk to you about today. Ashwagandha is fast becoming a popular herb across the globe. Many people have learned about this adaptogen and how it can rewire your stress system so that you can handle stress better.

Others take it to support deep restful sleep and recent research is showing its effects not only on these things but supports thyroid function, increasing testosterone in men, regulating hormones in women, protecting the nervous system, boosting fitness results and more. It truly seems to be one of those amazing roots that do a bit of EVERYTHING (or perhaps just lowering chronic cortisol is what makes everything else in your system better)!

That’s all great…but unfortunately not every Ashwagandha supplement is equally effective. Far from it! What if we could add the following on top of it all? It’s grown in the states, on small farms in Oregon. It’s the only fresh root tincture on the market, rather than dried roots shipped halfway across the world. It’s ORGANICALLY and BIODYNAMICALLY farmed for the HIGHEST soil quality.

Independent lab testing proves it is free of heavy metals and harmful chemical toxicity. It’s spagyrically prepared, using real alchemical methods that enhance its potency even further. Lastly, it’s backed by a money-back guarantee, where you try it and love it or get your money back with no need to ship anything back.

It might surprise you just what this Ayurvedic root can do for you. 

Go here now to find how out more, including how you can save up to 20% off and get free shipping.

What Are The Risk Factors In Doing Hill Sprints?

Like in all aspects of fitness, there's going to be risk factors that take form. There are pros and cons to every method of exercise but we don't always take in the risks that we take to make them work. There are many methods that could easily cause an injury but others have limited factors of risks of injury. How can you tell and how can you research it? 

There are fitness maniacs out there that say the best methods are the ones with the biggest risks that grant big rewards but how true is that really? Now when it comes to bodybuilding; there are several risk factors (not including steroid use) and how much weight works for the amount of muscle you want to develop. Compared to yesteryear, today's bodybuilding has a lot more risks of injury than those who performed feats and Muscle Control in the early 20th century. There's always a chance of getting injured but if you compare the injuries of a Ronnie Coleman to a George Hackenshmidt it is virtually night and day. There is a factor that because of an injury, Hack made transitions but yet lived to be 90 and was still in pretty good shape but Coleman got so banged up from extreme heavy weights and bodybuilding that it took a toll on him and as of 2020, most likely will never know how to walk again. 

So this brings up a certain question from another perspective....What are the risk factors in doing hard Sprint Training (more notably Hill Sprints)? Sprinting for the most part is a great practice but it takes a bit of a build up. Whether on a track or on a Hill, sprints will kick your ass whether you like it or not. If you do the research, as hard as land sprints are, hills are actually safer because the stride is shorter for one, the amount of speed is cut down compared to on flat ground and it forces resistance like in weight training. The risk factors are very limited when it comes to Hill Sprints but don't make the mistake of thinking you can just go nuts the first time around or haven't done them in years. That's what would get many people in trouble. Sprints don't care how tough you are, they will try to beat you down and one slip up and its all over. 

If you perform them safely and with progression, they can turn you into a fat burning machine and can generate up to 500% HGH or more and eliminate unwanted fat like butter on a frying pan. Another great thing about them is that you don't need to do that many for very long. No more than 10 for 10-15 seconds. If you find anything on Hill Sprints and tells you to progress up to 20 per workout 4-5 times a week, that's literally setting your ass up for injury and way too short of recovery between workouts. A sprint can only be pushed to a maximum speed for a very short period of time. If you try to Sprint at 100% for 30 seconds or more, it's not going to happen. Even Usain Bolt or Walter Payton wouldn't be able to do it. 

Be vigilant in how you research this kind of training and observe the do's and don'ts very carefully. Plus the more elevated the hill, the harder it'll be and you'll be working your ass off using more of the ball of your foot and your knees will be slightly higher in order to make the stride work. Here's what to look for....

Injury Prevention

Sensible amount of Sprints

Recovery Time

The amount of time on a Sprint

Hill Grades

And the differences of leaning forward compared to leaning back or keeping the back straight. 

These will help you understand the risk factors more than what I've given you here. Train hard but be smart as well and recover with a vengeance between sessions. It'll determine the less or more likely of injury. 

Fat Burning Methods That Doesn't Always Include Sprinting

Although Sprint Training (Especially Hill Sprints) is the fastest method possible to burn off fat and build lean muscle mass, sprints may not always be an option and when you need ideas you can use what could you do? For the most part, it's really how fast you move during certain exercises or using greater explosiveness to really hit that heart rate up quick that feels like you're huffing and puffing in a matter of seconds to a minute. You can do swim sprints, you can do explosive kettlebell work, bodyweight exercises or weights. It's a matter of how fast can you get out of breath.

If you're not ready to do Sprints yet but want to add something to your walking; do a brisk pace and than for 10-30 seconds, powerwalk as fast as you can and than slow down and repeat. This can be done around a neighborhood or at a park/field. On those days where the weather is crappy or it's so windy it feels like a hurricane is roaming, you can do some indoor training like the workouts Darebee provides. These are really more of a 1-2x a week type of workout and they can be extremely tough so work with what you can. Some are pretty easy but others could take down very conditioned people so recovery is a big thing to utilize when it comes to these workouts. Just pick one for the day and do the best levels you can. They can range from 3 minutes to 35 minutes and if you need a longer rest between circuits, take it.

Burpees are a hell of a workout you can do just about anywhere and they can turn you into a fitness machine. I would say they're the closest to a method of a fat burning method next to Sprint Training. They're quick, explosive, get your out of breath fast and generate a killer level of natural HGH. A great routine that can be done in a total of 16 minutes is doing Burpees for 30 seconds as many as you can (without flopping around and using good form as much as possible) and resting for 90 seconds. 8 Rounds of this 30/90 protocol is all you'll do. You can do this with other exercises like Push-ups or Squats but Burpees will do the best job. 

If you can't sprint up hills yet, just walk them up and down, they're a hell of a start for a beginner. Just do a few up and downs and you'll be huffing and puffing in no time. When I would go for a hike, I would wear my weight vest and just go for about an hour or so. Lost a good few pounds doing that. Doing this 3x a week is more than enough. Weighted walking has a lot of benefits and has similar calorie burning effects as a run. You can also rope skip for ten minutes a day (they've been studied to be the equivalent to a 30 min run) 

Work with what you can do but nothing will kick your ass more than a solid set of Hill Sprints for 10-15 seconds a shot. These are ideas if you're not into Sprinting yet and just want to try something that doesn't require running. When you do get the opportunity to do Hill Sprints, make the most of them and imagine becoming a fat burning mega star like NFL Legends Walter Payton, Jerry Rice, Mike Singletary, Ladanian Tomlinson & Marcus Allen. Feel as if you can eat like the Flash and burn it off fast like nobody's business. You'd be able to burn calories hours after a workout (studies call this the Afterburn Effect) and change your body composition within a few workouts. 

Training During Commercials & Video Games

Many of us have a favorite show, movie or video game we like to play. Kick back and enjoy some of the cool scenes, graphics, storylines and get immersed into the drama, action or comedic antics of characters but there's always a time to take a pause or do something in the middle of those pests we call commercials. Let's face it, the only commercials worth watching is either a movie trailer or the crazy stuff that happens during the Super Bowl; other than that, 99% of the commercials are trash and have no value to watch. 

What can you do in the meantime? You can do some Push-Ups, Squats, Burpees, Sit-Ups or whatever you can think of. Most commercials last from 15-35 seconds and two minutes before the next set of scenes of a show come on so there's plenty of time to get a little exercise in. You still rest longer as you watch the show so what's the harm? Many big time athletes have used this method to get some kick ass training in over the period of a half hour to an hour of a show. Guys like Ray Lewis & Rickey Henderson took full of advantage of this. At times I would watch a Giants game and between innings would knock out some Burpees or do random exercises using an app from Darebee called FitTap. 

What about Video Games or Movies? Well, I have written ideas about exercising while playing video games especially if you play Sports Games such as Baseball or Football. Do exercises after getting struck out or if someone scores on you, make a game out of a game so to speak. For movies, it can be doing something when you pause the movie for a minute or two every 20 minutes, it can also be a fun challenge to do exercises that a character does consistently like a line, a gesture, a bold move or antic for example: For Indiana Jones; do a set of push-ups every time he uses the whip. For a TV show like Supernatural; do 5 Push-ups every time Dean makes a smart ass comment or do a set of Squats every time Sam uses "his powers." Some people play drinking games when it comes to movies but for the sake of health and saving a liver, let's try something a little different. 

Movement is life and life is movement. It's good to take a breather and enjoy kicking back but we also don't want to be doing that too much so this is a way to use our brains and our bodies to get the most out of our time. Get the blood pumping, don't just sit and twiddle your thumbs or just kick back on the couch or recliner the whole time. Use your time wisely and have fun with it. Training is an adventure and building discipline. 

"You Too, Can Have A Body Like Mine."

Slogans and certain phrases are some of the basic principles in how you get people to buy a product period. A product in and of itself is just a tool, no more, no less but it's the idea to make it look like a million bucks that gives it life or death. We've all seen ads about building the perfect physique since the days of the early muscle magazines and pamphlets from mail-order giants like Bernarr MacFadden, Charles Atlas, Maxick & George Jowett.

When it comes to how even a product works vs. the reality of the end results aren't always congruent together. Sure there are products and programs that do work for many but there's no such thing as the "one size fits all" ideal construct. Back in the early days, like say 100 years ago; there were no scientific principles on macros, steroids were non-existent and supplements were not a major thing or if at all from today's standards. The products back then did work to an extent especially from MacFadden who was an advocate of healthy living, bodyweight/Self Resistance oriented style training and other things. 

Building a powerful physique takes time, patience and dedication. However; you have to remember, some of the greatest physiques back in the day were more than just show, they were a marvel of pure, unadulterated strength and vitality. Even more so, many of those who had an awesome body weren't that big either. The average weight of a man with a great physique back then was about 145-185 lbs. Only a fraction compared to today were bigger guys like Saxon, Hackenshmidt, Groener and a few others. Today, small guys with a physique that look like they were carved out of granite are considered weaker than those who on average range from 215-275 or in the 300+ lb range that look like Comic Book characters are believed to be considered strong. It can be confusing but it's what social media, news, ads and magazines are telling us what is considered strong "looking" and what is considered weak "looking."

In reality, when you develop your own physique, you're not going to have the exact physique of an Arnold or Ferrigno, hell even a Coleman or Cutler. Why would you want to? What purpose is it really to have a body that looks like a billion bucks but end up with $2 strength? I'm not saying you shouldn't build a body that looks awesome, what I 'am saying is, when you put yourself on a program and follow it to a "T", your results are going to be what you put into it and sometimes your genetic make-up will factor in and what happens when you're not doing it. The sad thing is, you're also being duped into believing that a lot of influencers these days that they build their physiques just by what they preach in their ads when in reality, there are things going on you're not aware of and outside the commercial spectrum, chances are very likely, they're on other things or have photoshopped themselves to make you be even more gullible to believe in their product. Where do you go from there and how can you trust what they're trying to present to you?

 A body will only last so long for so many years no matter how dedicated you are but what you consistently do to make your life as best as possible and being as strong physically and mentally, will have you go further into your years than just a cool looking body. It's important to develop and maintain the vitality and quality of our training and not always rely on how we look. Looks have their place and merit but it is the progressive and wisdom of developing realistic strength and condition that factors in our lives. We all have different strengths & weaknesses, some people have greater realistic strength and live longer than those who go to great lengths to build a body that will win them some mini statue of a dead physical culturist. Just because you have the body of a comic book character, doesn't mean you'll live a long and healthy life. 

Get strong and develop a body that is resilient and powerful regardless if you're big or small, whether you want to lose weight or gain weight, natural and realistic strength comes first, the body will come and the results again are what you put into it.