Killer Squats For Bad Ass Strength, Conditioning & Muscle

In the past, squats were my go to method for rehabbing and building strength back into my legs after my injuries. Did all kinds from Sumo Squats, Hindu Squats (mainly), Side Lunges, Isometrics & Hindu Jumpers. They worked and I was stronger and completely healed up within 6 months after walking again. It was painful but I did it. For brief periods off and on since then, leg work was a priority but not much of the squats per se. I would come back to them every now and then and always believed that if you did extremely high reps, it would keep you in solid condition which is true to an extent.

I was doing up to 500 Hindu Squats for brief time in the summer years ago and it was fun for a while but it got boring and I got burnt out from them. Some people do very well doing them consistently and it's a great exercise no question about it. However, if you're someone who's got some form of ADD and doesn't always have the capacity or interest, it's not going to work out for you because it's going to feel like a drag and a chore more than just doing a workout. 

As I got older, I started learning various ways to work my legs beyond just the squats and Isometric stuff; do loaded carries, sprints, walking with a weighted vest, animal moves, a quarter to half squat while working with sledgehammers, horse stances and step ups. I will always be convinced that Step Ups are incredible for conditioning, strengthening the legs from another perspective and a great alternative to jogging and running. One of the best athletic stories I ever heard was a Marathon Runner believing he could keep up with Bob Backlund in a step up workout because after all, 26.2 miles sounds much harder than Step Ups (to be clear, it isn't. It's just different styles of training) right? Barely 20 minutes in, the marathoner stops and walks out the door to never be heard from again and Backlund just keeps going.

Not to go into talking about my personal goals, I can say however; the squats are being done differently this time around with a different mindset. Not going to do 500 Squats everyday any time soon but every now and then do them with the deck of cards because for one, the idea of most training should be around stimulating the muscles along with strengthening the tendons and ligaments for strength, growth and conditioning. Doing 500 Hindu Squats is a great goal and will challenge anyone's cardio to an extent but IMO, start with a smaller number and build up to it but as you do so, make the road to them different in some aspects meaning, shoot for certain amount of sets until you reach a certain number and go from there. Another idea is to make it interesting and not always going the same route to get to 500 once you can do them. If you can do them nonstop that's freaking bad ass. Once you understand the steps taken to do them nonstop, change certain around so that type of workout doesn't become stale like the cards, you're still doing a full deck but the way to get to 500 is always different so you're stimulating the legs while doing those high reps. 

Do you absolutely need to do 500 Squats on a daily basis? Unless that's what your goals, interests and if you're a high level athlete, I don't see the need to do THAT many all the time. You can do 100 one day, 200 the next, take a day or two off and do 300 or just do 50 for the day, that's your choice, there's no limit, the idea id to train for stimulation. You can even do a mesh-up of various squats to keep things interesting and consistent. You should never get bored in your training, it's meant to be adventurous, challenging at times and making it work for you, no one else. 

As of late, I've been doing squat workouts where I do 100 or more a day with my 50 lb Sandbell. I would hold it and do an X amount of reps while Bear Hugging it or switching from shoulder to shoulder or just yesterday, did multiple sets of 30 where I would do 10 on my left shoulder, 10 Bear Hugged and 10 on my right shoulder without putting it down until the last rep. I would rest a bit until I can almost breathe normally and do another set. I'm still doing the "minimum" of the amount I want to total but I'm getting there differently each workout so it gives me the stimulation my legs need and I'm not bored out of my fucking skull. It's challenging at times and one day I might do a full squat workout without ever putting the bell down. Wouldn't that be an ass kicking workout?

It's about taking small steps to create the big picture you want and being creative so you can make your training work for you and to keep coming back more and more. I would do other things throughout the day like Isometrics, animal moves, cables, step ups or whatever springs up in my head. If you're more on pure bodyweight, you can go for extremely high reps if you wish or you can program them into a different plan for building more muscle and strength while staying in top condition doing RDP's Grind Style Calisthenics Training. It's about taking simple approaches and formatting workouts that don't take a ton of time and be able to stimulate the muscles from another perspective. I use this format myself from time to time and it can be tough as hell. You can even make them into Micro Workouts so you're saving even more time. You can find a ton of workout ideas on Red Delta Project's youtube channel and dig into the heart of realistic approaches and progressions that will keep you coming back for more. Really valuable stuff.

Below is the Squat Exercises I've been doing with the Sandbell. You can grab one or more here if you're interested in them.

As you can see, I do these practically in a full/deep squat to really get into the muscles and hips. Doing them up to 100 or more in a workout can have you breathing hard like a madman which can target your natural HGH Levels. These are just ideas you can do, there's all sorts of ways you can use squats to target your lower body. Brooks Kubik is also a fanatic on Leg Training especially since he's now in his mid 60's and going at it in a way most men his age would be baffled by. He does log carries, drags, squats and some bodyweight stuff down at the beach frequently and still looks like a fucking beast. He does teach older trainees how to stay consistent so they can stay strong and healthy for as long as they can which you can find here. His Dinosaur Strength Training books are still great ideas to keep that old school style alive and all under $10 on Kindle. From progressions to workouts to testing your strength and plenty of exercises to choose from, you have a plethora of awesome ways to get your ass in gear.

Keep trying new things to not just train your physical body but working the brain as well. The Sandbell Squats are amazing to do and they test your cardio, your balance, control and can build some phenomenal strength for the long-haul. You can use other things but I highly recommend these because of the shifting of the weight and so many exercises you can do with them. It's a new year, get something new for you and get cracking. Fuck resolutions, set new goals and make them work to your advantage, not against you. 

Share, Comment & Sign Up with this blog to have them sent to your email. Happy New Year, be strong, build yourself up and keep being amazingly awesome. YOU GOT THIS!!!

New Year's Resolutions Can Go Suck It

 One of the biggest cliche's ever and it just never ends. Seriously, resolutions can go suck it more than Jenna Jameson & Linda Lovelace. It's really easy to just talk and say you'll do something to change in the new year and then 2-3 weeks later you're back to your old self. On the other hand, if you set goals for yourself and take it one day at a time instead of "I'm going all in and I'm going to kick the living shit out of my new year's resolution" you might actually stay a bit more consistent.

Don't just make a mark on a calendar, make it a point to set small goals whether it be fitness, getting more out of your job, walking more, being kinder to someone, be helpful or whatever. Little things pile up and before you know it, something big comes up. Don't talk about your goals or your resolutions if you can help it, you never want to jinx yourself and get caught up in the stress of it. New things can be stressful or feared because its unknown but it doesn't have to be. You get to choose how you proceed but be prepared for the unexpected because sometimes things don't always turn out as we hoped. Sometimes we fail but there will be success somewhere in there.

Have fun with your goals and turn them into little games. It's important to take some things seriously but not EVERYTHING. If you've never been to a gym but always wanted to, set small goals like starting with just walking or driving there, after a bit, take another step by walking in the door, next phase, go to the equipment than pick up the weight and go from there. Baby steps. If you're into writing, start with a word and gradually go to a sentence, a paragraph and build up to a chapter, before you know it, you got a book/blog going. Again, baby steps.

Fitness is the most common thing for resolutions and it gives it a bad name. You buy this kind of equipment or sign up for a gym membership, bust your ass for a bit and then up and get burned out faster than a campfire in a rainstorm. Take it easy at first, going all hardcore off the bat is like thinking an NFL team with 1-17 record will win the Super Bowl, it's not going to happen. Turn your goals into a puzzle, small pieces reveals the BIG picture.

Many people want you to fail, even ones you may be close to. Don't let their bullshit drag you through the mud, blast through the mud like Sonic The Fucking Hedgehog. Nobody starts out perfect, even Superman had to gradually understand and use his powers wisely to help others and himself otherwise he could've turned into the Blackburn kid. It takes some fortitude but you can do it and you got this. Learn a progression system and challenge yourself every now and then. 

I believe in you and you have it within you to make yourself better even by the tiniest microscopic fraction. Be strong, set little goals and keep being amazingly awesome.

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Also if you're interested, check up on the newest PDF from Red Delta Project called Push, Pull & Squat.. The undogmatic approach to strength and muscle building that include weekly training templets that fit your schedule and a freestyle approach so you can do the best sets and reps possible. Get it for less than $5 on Kindle. Also, take a look at some of the most powerful herbs from Lost Empire to get things rolling in your journey to awesome health and well-being. 

Do We Have To Do Pulling Exercises To Develop The Back? Or Is It A Myth?

We HAVE to do Pull-Ups & Rows to build the back right? Is it actually a myth? A lot of the framework for developing the body and understanding how it's developed usually is from Bodybuilding and Exercise Science. Now Bodybuilding training has its place to an extent (look to the old timers when I mean this) for targeting weak points and as a form of building size and strength, it isn't the Babe Ruth of developing the our bodies.

We have taught that pulling exercises are the only things that build the back. Not necessarily true. Afterall, if you don't do Pull-ups and Rows, you'll develop imbalances and weakness in that area right? Pull-ups are a great exercise and their variations along with rows ranging from weights to bands work really well but it doesn't always have to be conventional to get the back going. Think of people who have incredibly developed backs like those in Yoga, Dance and even Qi Gong. Many of these people don't even do pull-ups almost at all yet some of their development is just jaw dropping, traps and all. How can that be?

Working with weights aren't the only things that stimulate the muscles. Contracting and utilize tension or TUT, you can stimulate the muscles to a great degree. That's where something like Athlete 20XX can come into play, it's another look at how to utilize the mind/muscle connection. Qi Gong is another example that has helped developed muscle whether practicing soft or hard Qi Gong. It has many exercise that hit the upper back and rear delts. Matter of fact, if you pay attention, there can be better developed natural muscle stimulation than from poorly executed weight training movements. 

Some Yogis have some bad ass development because of the practice of building that posture from spending a lot of time on the mats. They're structured and controlled. A lot of people take their eye off the ball in the sense where the back muscles are more than used than just to Pull & Row. The big picture of the functioning muscles is the stimulation of the Shoulder Girdle & Stabilization of the Spine. You can build some solid development in the back from doing Push-ups or even Push-ups held in Isometric fashion because it puts a lot of emphasis on the shoulders and spine which also connects to stabilizing the Core Muscles. It may sound contradictory because these are pushing exercises but the principle still applies here.

Animal Style Movements train the back and spine to a really high degree. Think about it, the scapula is in constant motion and your spine is working like crazy in order to stabilize you in various postures or awkward positions. The muscles in the middle back are the (no pun intended) backbone when it comes to being engaged in order to hold the scapula in place or stabilizing as well as needing to move the scapula in different directions.

The low back or in this case the Spinal Erectors are worked big time throughout the Animal Moves as well along with static holds and various postures in Qi Gong. As you can see, you don't need to do a ton of deadlifting, pull-ups or row in order to experience the benefit of a powerful back. 

Where the hell is this really going? Am I putting down Pull-ups and such? Fuck no. Pull-ups are awesome in their own right and have variations that work the back like a charm along with bad ass Isometric Holds that help with the weak areas of the exercise, but they're not the king, no matter how much of a hard on some dude has for Pull-ups. I want to give people the opportunity to see how they can develop themselves without always looking to the conventional ways. 

Athlete 20XX takes you to different level of understanding the ancient form of the mind/muscle connection and learning the aspects of stabilizing by mastering the mechanics. 

Have fun, learn new and exciting ways to train your body and keep being amazingly awesome.

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The Jump Rope And Its Impact

Rope Skipping has been around for ages and has been used by some of the greatest boxers and wrestlers ever from Olympic gold medalists to the pros. I love to play around with the jump rope every now and then and would use a ropeless or cordless jump rope indoors so I don't hit the ceiling or anything and it's one of the most portable pieces of equipment you can use. I'm not the most coordinated and just do a couple basic exercises but I know how much of an impact it can be on conditioning and saving time and money. 

Now it's no question some of the best athletes around skip rope and have taught some incredible workouts. However; there are some people out there who claim that they're course is the best in in existence like this one Jump Rope Mania but I hate to break it to you, it really isn't. Learning from this dude is not the way to go and quite frankly, this course should not cost you $150 for a fucking book or close to $55 for Kindle, like seriously why buy a book that costs you an arm and a leg (maybe a few other organs too), it's ridiculous man. If you want to learn the best of the best when it comes to Rope Skipping, go to a guy who's not only an Olympic Wrestler but one of the most underrated as well and that's Anthony "Buddy" Lee. In his book, he shows you over 100 exercises with a jump rope from very basic to some of the most incredible jaw dropping exercises you'll ever witness and this book is around $15. There's also another book Jump Rope Training by Lee for under $20 on Kindle that has better quality training than some Fitness hack that rips off guys like Matt Furey.

Building a foundation for conditioning and stamina is very important and one of the key aspects is to learn from those that have not only been through the ringer but know the true secrets to those that came before them. Lee was not just an Olympian but was one of the best College Wrestlers of his time and was a Marine that could mop the floor with just about anybody. One of the best teachers when it comes to conditioning training with minimal equipment and making fitness fun and exciting while kicking your ass. 

Mike Tyson, Karl Gotch, Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Floyd Mayweather Jr, Mohammad Ali, Dan Gable and many others are legends of their respective field and all did rope skipping. Talk about an all star lineup. Learn from people like them, you don't even have to do the crazy advanced stuff, just get good the best you can with the basics and you can't go wrong. Jon Hinds' father Bobby was a hell of a skipper in his time and could do 68 jumps in 10 seconds which was a record at the time, that's pure badassery. 

Be versatile and when it comes to minimal equipment, you can't beat a good Jump/Speed Rope. Stay strong, get conditioned and keep being amazingly awesome.

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Power Up Your Legs With The Portable Power Jumper

If you had to pick one athlete that had some of the most powerful yet conditioned legs in all of Physical Culture, The Great Gama would be at the top or close to the top of a short list. For being undefeated for decades and doing more squats daily than the majority will ever do in their lifetime, it's a wonder how he stayed in shape for so long. His regimen has been grossly exaggerated but at the same time, you can't deny the sheer strength and power he possessed. 

Leg work such as Squats, Lunges, Step Ups and Jumping movements are an essential to staying physically fit. You don't always need to do hundreds if not thousands of reps to reap the benefits. There are many ways to do leg work and you can make them easier or more challenging but in the end, making leg work a priority is one of the best things you can do. One of the things that Gama did to make his squats more challenging was using a Ring Weight called a Gar Nal where you put the inside of the Ring onto your shoulders and do squats that way. Now, that's about as bad to the bone as you can get when it comes to strength and conditioning in the old traditions of Physical Culture but at the same time, it's not as compatible or versatile for most people. There is another way though.

This device is not necessarily meant to make squats or other leg exercises "easier", but it does get the job done and has been used by the pros and by fitness enthusiasts the world over and that's the Portable Power Jumper. It's an apparatus that you can put your feet into a strap and put resistance cables onto your shoulders. This can take your leg conditioning to another level in the modern day. There are other forms of resistance cables you can do for the legs but most give you limitations but the PPJ can have you doing all sorts of stuff, even Hindu Push-ups & The Back Bridge. It's awkward as hell and as long as it doesn't snap on you in the hairy peaches, doing the bridge with this thing really tackles the back, core and legs like nobody's business. For a period I would do this for a few reps rocking back and forth and hold for about a minute (it's a miracle it never hit me in the coconuts) and I would feel it almost immediately. It really helped strengthen my bridge and one of the reasons why I could hold a nose to mat bridge for three minutes any time I feel like it. 

Whether you're training for a sport, needing that extra nudge in your training or just want to stay in shape, this awesome set of bands can do a lot in a short span of time. Work your legs hard in lesser time to get results that would astound people. It'll save you time and is affordable. Get it as a gift to yourself or for someone you care about and learn how to expand your horizons in the realm of fitness. Take it with you anywhere....To the gym, in your hotel room, at the park, during a break at work, in your bedroom, hell even on mars maybe one day. Get conditioned, stay strong and have a kick ass Christmas Weekend everyone. Be amazingly awesome to yourself and your loved ones. 

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Hitting 1000 Even Faster In Step Ups

Yesterday, I attempted to do 1000 Step Ups again just to see where it went. Recently for Step Up Workouts, I would go for 30 min or more non stop. Never counted how many total, just set my timer and went at it doing 12-15 per leg repeatedly. I have tested myself to see how fast or consistent I can do a certain amount of reps per minute, my fastest is 30-33 within a minute, at a decent clip for pacing it's around 24 per minute, so for a 30 minute workout that means I'm ranging around 650-720 reps. 

If you hear someone say Step Ups are a lazy man's form of leg training, they're talking out of their ass and have no clue how tough that exercise can be, he's feeding you bullshit for something else in order to make a buck. Last time I did a thousand was about a couple years ago or so and managed to complete 1000 reps in 50 minutes. That to me was beyond crazy and I didn't think I would go any lower than that. This was using a deck of cards and just going with the numbers you would do for each suit. This time, I used a deck of cards again and something incredible happened, I went even faster.

Now when I did the amount in 50 minutes, I was using a 14 inch step stool which was relatively difficult and I was feeling it in my hips, lower back and knees. Since then I changed it to a 12 1/2 inch stool which is only an inch and a half difference so nothing huge in terms of a matter of speed and consistency. This height is perfect for me when it comes to consistency and keeping pace without feeling discomfort in my hips and knees along with the low back. This time, I not only went faster, I shaved off a ton of minutes. I finished 1000 reps in 41:23, nearly 8 min and 40 seconds were sliced off. That was fucking incredible and it's an awesome feeling.

There were times where I was practically sprinting and other times keeping a solid pace. Around 3/4 of the way I wanted to quit and just say fuck it and call it a day but I felt something encouraging me to keep going and telling me I got this. For some reason, I kept hearing Bud Jeffries in my head and he wouldn't have let me stop. I know that sounds New Agey and full of shit when it comes to the paranormal stuff but it was weird that I felt his presence and just felt like I couldn't let him down, so I kept going. I don't know maybe it was the endorphin high, the heavy breathing, the mental state I was in or whatever but it was surreal and I couldn't stop to let it sink in, I had to fight a bit but I made it and I did it.

Doing that many reps in that span of time was on another level of fierce will and determination along with mental toughness and the ability to push through even when it got hard. I have no fucking clue where that puts me in the realm of fitness nor do I really care, I just wanted to see if I can do it again and god damnit I did and it was absolutely glorious. You have no idea how it feels to do that many until you've done it yourself. You can talk shit all you want and contradict what the idea is but that means you couldn't possibly fathom the mentality and the physicality to push that hard with such a simple exercise. I don't know if I'll do it again any time soon or even go past 1000 for that matter but I can say I did it and I was cruising through that shit with the spirit of a dear friend encouraging me and the will to make it happen even when I was fighting myself. 

When you take on a challenge, you may completely know what the outcome is or where that challenge will lead you. A challenge is more than just attempting something physical, it's a challenge to your mind, the heart you have and the fire that burns within in order to accomplish that challenge no matter what it is, so big you can see it through space or so damn tiny it's barely microscopic. There's a time and a place where you push yourself to limits that most people would fear for their life. It doesn't have to be all the time, you're not setting world records in your workouts, but it is important to have that curiosity and see what you are capable of. If it's with a friend or a workout partner that's great but also when you're by yourself and there's no one to help you, you have to dig deep into the very depths of your soul and there's no one to blame if you fail. 

1000 reps in anything whether it be push-ups, squats, pull-ups, step-ups or moving weight over a period of time or in one workout is a feat for anybody. If you do it consistently, you're in far better shape than the highest majority of the population. No matter what your challenges are, face them and find out what you can do. You may fail quite a bit but sometimes those challenges can make you succeed and you're putting in the fight to succeed. Don't be afraid to fail yet make your successes as pieces of a puzzle that is your journey. There's always a piece that fits, question is, how many pieces does it take for you to get to the big picture?

Kick ass everyone and I wish you all the successes you make, if you fail, pick yourself back up and keep fighting whether it's right there or at another time. Keep being amazingly awesome.

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More On The Bigfoot Walk Exercise

 Walking in a half or even quarter squat for an extended period of time can really fire up your legs and give that little jolt of energy. I have written recently about what the Bigfoot exercise is and how it's done. The benefits of it alone are pretty cool: It's a bit challenging but also has strong benefits for building incredible strength endurance along with powering up the tendons and ligaments especially in the knees. If you've had previous injuries or have trouble doing a squat, make that a priority before doing this exercise.

In my last article about squatting, I mentioned that when it comes to certain variations, it's better to do what gives the individual benefit more than how superior squats may be. Once you hit a certain amount of reps, where do you even go after that? You're not trying to break numbers like Gama or the legendary Karl Gotch, you're sure as hell not trying to always man up somebody over an exercise. Hitting something like 500 or more is awesome but that's not the full extent of how interesting squats can be. 

In wrestling or boxing, hell in most combat sports, you're in a certain squatting position or stance that can be closed in or have a wider base but for all intents and purposes, you're not squatting ass to grass the entire time unless it's to make an explosive move like a slam takedown or a wrap around for a suplex or some kind of set-up for a submission move. Your stance is roughly in the quarter squat position and you're shifting in various stages. Take out fighting for a second and think about how you go through bushes in a forest, you tend to squat down a little in order to efficiently move through. When a S.W.A.T team moves in on a target or has to keep a steady hand as he moves throughout a mission, he's in a particular stance for balance and effective shifting of the legs. 

When you move in this squat position that is called the Bigfoot Walk, you're training your legs to be strong and explosive when needed, it's part of a series you can find on youtube that coincides with other Animal Exercises. Walking like the Wonkavator going in various directions, you're maintaining a level of tension in the legs that can be just as effective as doing hundreds of full squats. Try it for yourself. Walk in a half squat or even a quarter squat for let's say 5 minutes and if your legs don't burn at all, than you've got some pretty strong and durable legs. Move like a wrestler or boxer and feel those legs tensing up. I started out moving in this exercise for 3 minutes a day, bumped it up to 5 for a bit and started today at 6 minutes. It gets you breathing a bit and has that TUT feel (Time Under Tension) while moving.

Yeah it looks goofy at first and seems like a silly move but when you put it into perspective on how guys like Gotch, Marciano, Ali, Mark Shultz, Dan Gable and others move in this position over an extended period of time in bouts, it gives you an idea of how powerful those legs are and make explosive movements at a moments notice and rarely get tired. Can you imagine the strength and durability your legs would be if you moved this way for even 10 minutes a day? Your legs would be hard as stones but explosive and full of stamina. For exercise purposes, only a few minutes is really needed and you don't have to be as explosive as a wrestler or boxer but it does bare some awesomeness when you can do this exercise in various ways and keep yourself strong in the process. 

This is an exercise you can do just about anywhere and if you don't have a ton of space, you can move in micro steps or hold as an isometric in various postures keeping the knees bent. Start with one minute and work your way up. Once you can go 5 minutes without standing up straight, it's a good chance you got some serious power going. 

Be strong, have fun and keep being amazingly awesome.

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If You Ain't Squatting, You Ain't Training

Who the fuck came up with this rule? Why isn't it training if you don't squat? Granted squats are essential but what kind of squatting are we talking about? Are we talking about High Repetition? Holding certain postures? Lifting a crazy amount of weight? All the above? What do we know what's right or wrong with training the squat?

I think it depends on the goals you have and what variations constitutes a squat type of training or part of a regimen. Squats again are essential but because of the plethora of variations, it doesn't have to be one or the other. When it comes to high repetition, it can be debatable depending on who you ask. Now something like 500 Hindu Squats is a great goal but is it a complete necessity outside of sports conditioning? There are plenty of fighters and wrestlers who can do 500 Squats like it's a cake walk but not all of them last in an actual match (which in a perspective is counterproductive don't you think?). High Rep squats can be healthy if you have experience and are consistent with it and it wouldn't matter if you did 100 or 1000 a day but there comes a time where high rep squats can be harmful to an extent. You're not going to see many 80-90 year olds doing 300 or more squats. 

Unless you have specific goals, you can do high reps in total with multiple variations to really reap the benefits. Do 50 of Hindu Squats, 25 Side Lunges each side, do several Pan Squats (Bodyweight Goblet Squat basically) and others. Step-Ups is great for leg conditioning as well to strengthen the legs unilaterally. Sometimes doing less number of squats can be good because you can do them slower to really tackle the tendons and ligaments. Some people think if you train slow, you'll be slow, that's not necessarily true. When you do Squats or variations at a slower pace say ten seconds or more up and down, it creates that time under tension which for older folks or those who have sustained injuries, can be extremely beneficial.

I would do various squats within a good level of repetitions but I prefer Step-Ups and Isometric Squats and Lunges which really help strengthen the joints from another perspective and give that protective shield for the skeletal structure. Wall Sits, Iso Zercher Squats, Iso Leg Presses, 30 second Hindu Squats and Isometric Lunges (Hybrid Style) can do far more for the legs as we get older than doing hundreds of reps. I've done 500-1000 squats and as great as that was for a period, it doesn't have as much value to me as it use to be. Quite frankly, some of the best squatting exercises aren't stationary but moving within an amount of space such as Duck Walks, Bigfoot Walk, Frog Jumps or combining the squat into a sequence of animal moves. 

Lifting extremely heavyweight may work for a powerlifter or strongman but again, you can't go that hard forever and expect to not have some form of injury or needing some kind of surgery. An extreme few exceptions in the entire world can manage some incredible numbers in the heavy squats and still function later in life. Hip replacements, broken bones, shattered femurs, ankle breaks and low back pain are going to be the majority's life if they continue that path. 

When it comes down to it, we squat a lot as it is in our lives; picking up stuff, putting on our shoes, getting baskets of laundry, being at the level of a child, gardening and other things. It's a natural form of movement no question but to say if you ain't squatting, you ain't training is like saying if you're not going fast on the streets like in Nascar, you're not really driving. There's a time and a place for squats but the question is, what squats are a priority and what style are you talking about? 

You don't have to do traditional squats to get awesome benefits for the lower body, in reality, the unconventional ways are far more interesting than to just shove rep after rep down someone's throat. Build strong and durable legs, be resourceful and keep being amazingly awesome.

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Are Certain Training Styles Replaceable?

 As we continue on our journey of discovery, some things may get lost along the way, we change things up and we may replace something and exchange it for something else but what is really replaceable? We hear or read someone say "you can do implements but they can't replace bodyweight exercises" or something vise versa. You can say whatever and still say nothing will replace this or that, why even care what could or can't be replaced?

No one method is vastly superior than the other however; some are questionable, others are essential and plenty are out there that just seem ridiculous but in the end, it all boils down to what benefits you and helps you stay healthy and strong in the long run. We live in an age where countless fitness programs, nutrition and equipment are at our fingertips but at the same time, we are overwhelmed and frustrated with what works and how to apply it to our lives when one person says one thing but another says something else and shoves his "expertise" down your throat. Hell, even people who will say they're stuff is the very best and no one else comes close to what they have or can provide....Bullshit, that's the best word to describe those types of people.

When it comes to training, you can't use a word like replaceable as if its like your favorite book got torn to shreds and have to replace another. Certain things have more value than just as an object. There are certain things you just can't replace no matter how hard we may try. The word replaceable is merely about materialistic things but it can also mean switching things out for another in order for something to work. When it comes to fitness, why replace something that works for you? Unless you're doing the same damn thing and expecting something different, doing what works is truly irreplaceable.

It's one thing to switch things out, it's another to take something all together and exchange it for something else entirely. Sometimes we do need to switch things up in order to grow but also at times we need to learn something new in order to understand how it works or doesn't work. If it works, you can make it successful for yourself, if it doesn't it's not meant to be. When I do my own training, I back away from certain exercises, programs and such and go other routes because I hate the idea of being stuck in a rut and just focused too much of the same things. It's like watching your favorite movie or reading your favorite book, you can't just watch or read the same thing over and over and expect a different thing to come along; you branch out, learn other genres, you can always go back to your favorites but it's also important to explore the possibilities of what could be great for you to watch or read that you can grow to love. You don't replace what's already there, you compromise what you have with what you learn from other things.

My favorite form of exercise is bodyweight exercises as you've read or heard from me in the past but that doesn't mean it's the only way or it's superior to other forms of training. There are methods and exercises that hit muscles bodyweight exercise can't touch, there's also more interesting exercises than just push-ups, squats, pull-ups and sit-ups. You find the value in what gives you the greatest benefit. Nobody should tell you what's replaceable and what's vastly superior according to Pseudo-Analysis or what method statistically generates greater strength and health. You decide what works for you.

Nobody can tell you what made you successful. It's important to be shown the basics and then you can figure out what works best for you. I can show you the resources that constitute a foundation, but I can't build your skyscraper, mansion, yacht or cabin for that matter. Some will try to sell you the idea that they can build you monuments when in reality they only build you shacks. You get to pick and choose how you build your fitness success, we just give you the tools. 

Hope you all are having a wonderful holiday season and making the most with the people in your life. Be safe, stay strong and keep being amazingly awesome.

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Yielding Isometrics And The Benefits

Although I'm more on the side of Overcoming Isometrics, Yielding versions still hold merit especially if you want to develop strength from another platform. For those playing the home game, Yielding Isometrics is a style of training where you're going against gravity and keeping still for short or extended periods of time. The most common example would be the "almighty" plank whether on the forearms or on the palms of your hands. 

Some people have set world records in the plank position but it's not necessarily the only type of Isometric exercise that produces killer results. There's the Wall Sit, the Horse Stance, Side Planks, The Superman Hold (Arms Extended Out), The Warrior Pose in Yoga, The Gymnastic Bridge and all sorts of ways to do Yielding Isometrics. Each one has it's own variations and progressions but that's just the tip of the iceberg.

One of the things that I get a kick out of these kinds of Isometrics is that they can deceivingly hard and many have trouble holding certain positions for more than 10-30 seconds. Another thing is when you get into a certain position, many things are going on beyond just the sight of the exercise itself. You're trying to control the posture, your breathing, prevention of collapsing and targeting areas of your body you don't always realize you're targeting.

Back to the plank for a sec. I've held multiple variations for up to 3 minutes at a time and the key aspect is not just what's going on inside the body, it's about learning to be in control despite what is around you. One of my favorites is the Fist Plank whether holding straight up or with bent elbows, it's one of the most powerful core building exercise around. Holding it even for a minute can help you develop some serious strength. The Wall Sit is another favorite because you can do several variations from flat footed to heels up, toes up, one-legged or whatever. This was one of the exercises that helped me during my rehab. 

One of the toughest of them all was the Gymnastic Bridge. This exercise alone is brutal from head to toe even though your feet and hands are only touching the floor. In Yoga it's called Chakrasana and it takes a tremendous amount of Strength & Flexibility just to get into the position, let alone hold it for an extended period of time. This particular bridge is one of the most result producing exercises in existence. 

What are the benefits of these? First off, they can be done just about anywhere and anytime, think about how much time and money you can save just doing these exercises for a few minutes a day. Now, it is important to do dynamic movements as well but adding the Yielding Isometrics either as a warm-up, cool down or in between sets of your regular training can really give you a run for your money. Second, the longer you hold a pose or particular position, sooner or later the whole body will come into play and it will harness the power of fat burning and toughening your tendons and ligaments like steel. They're a hell of a strength and conditioning form of training. 

In sports like Wrestling, holding various positions and toughening the body can make you feel immoveable. The Wall Sit in particular is a love/hate exercise for wrestlers because it's either going to most likely end up being the first or last exercise of a practice and after drilling, conditioning and training until near exhaustion, doing any sort of isometrics would be far from the list of the last things to do because you'll be quivering and shaking like an earthquake is happening, your muscles are shot to hell and you're just so fucking out of it at times you won't always know what day it is. But it is effective.

The Horse Stance is a basic exercise that has been done by practitioners for thousands of years to the point where some of the strongest masters of qi gong, shaolin training and even Yoga can hold that one pose for mere hours without fail. Just holding it for 5 minutes would make most people drop to their knees let alone be able to concentrate for more than 1-2 hours. 

Try a few exercises for no more than 30 seconds and see how they feel, if you can go longer than do so. Remember, even a few minutes will make most quit but in the end, you're not setting world records or try to show off your strength, it's about the journey and getting the most out of it. Strength is more than just lifting, in a sense, Isometrics like these are a great metaphor for keeping yourself strong and composed in the midst of adversity. They could skyrocket your conditioning to another level. Try this workout for 5-10 minutes. Do Tabata Style timing of 20 on/10 off of the Horse Stance & Fist Plank.  

Stay strong, hold on for dear life and keep being amazingly awesome.

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Step Ups & Minor League Baseball

It's interesting how you find certain exercises you wouldn't expect to find in certain areas of sports let alone in fitness. Step Ups is one of those exercises that gets pushed back by the wayside because there are fancier and cooler looking exercises that make this exercise look "inferior" or as one jackass likes to call them the Lazy Man's Leg Training. It's actually far from inferior than people are led to believe. Even the legendary powerlifter and strength historian Terry Todd believed in the benefits of the Step Up.

I found an article recently on how Minor League Baseball players would train with Step Ups to keep up with their strength and stamina since most teams don't have the million dollar facilities and access to elite coaches in the Majors. The article is a little over 5 years old but it still holds true to the extent that you won't always have the best of the best when it comes to equipment and getting coached by the masters of strength and conditioning so you go back to the basics. 

It does take a solid level of conditioning to play the game if you want to rise to the top. If you want to give a full on analysis on players that play at the very best in their field, you have to look at the conditioning and longevity of Rickey Henderson. This was a guy that could do just about anything on that field and his statistics at the plate and on base was a once in a lifetime sight. I've seen this guy during my childhood steal bases like it was nothing to him, nobody could catch him and was the most powerful leadoff hitter in history with nearly 300 homeruns. What was his conditioning method? Basic push-ups, sprints, squats and sit-ups. Guys in the locker room hated yet admired what he was capable of and rarely ever saw him move weight.

What does this have to do with Step Ups and the Minors? The main reason is because even at the major league level, it's still important to understand that you don't need a million dollar facility or access to elite coaches to get in top condition. You can't completely get elite base stealing speed from heavy squats and sure as hell won't hit jaw dropping homeruns from a 500 lb bench press. Step Ups give the legs a different output to say bodyweight squats but both have the ability to give the legs incredible strength and stamina. The Step Ups will always be an underrated Leg Exercise and yet it's variations can take your conditioning to another level.

I love the game of baseball ever since I was little watching the likes of Henderson, Barry Bonds, Barry Larkin, Albert Bell and pitchers like Greg Maddux, Roger Clemens, Mariano Rivera and Rob Nen. These were some of the greatest the game ever had and yet only 3 of these men are in the Hall Of Fame. I even love the stories of the dead ball era and the dominance of Babe Ruth in the roaring 20's, the history of the Negro Leagues and how one of the last players ever was a hero to my father in his childhood. In the old days (I'm talking from Christy Matthewson, Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner to Cool Papa Bell and Satchel Page), fancy equipment didn't exist much in their day and the hard travels in buses, trains and lemon cars made them tough bastards. They didn't do a ton of "conditioning" per se and did what was possible with what they had and just played the game hard. 

Whether a little leaguer or a Major League legend, basic exercises will get the job done and being in top condition can be practiced anywhere if you know what to look for and have the knowledge. The Step Up is just one of those bad ass movements that can turn you into an elite machine and who knows, maybe one day if you're ambitious for the Big Leagues you could hit like Wagner, Run like Henderson, have the quickness of Brooks Robinson or Ozzie Smith or have the legs of Willie Mays. Try your hand at Step Ups and see the benefit of having powerful but durable and well conditioned legs. 

Train well, little by little reach your goals and be amazingly awesome.

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Tabata Training For Micro Workouts

Tabata Workouts has been a trend for a number of years now and it has helped develop some pretty incredible results. The way it works is that you go hard for 20 seconds and rest for 10; repeat this for a total of 4 minutes or the equivalent to 8 rounds. Some do sprints, push-ups, squats, sit-ups, burpees and other forms of conditioning exercises. 

It's another idea to look at Micro Workouts where you don't have to do something very long but it's intense enough to really get you going. I approach it a little differently where I would take certain exercises (mainly isometrics and animal moves) and work them good instead of just typical bodyweight movements and fast paced exercises. For instance, yesterday I did an Isometric Workout using the Tabata Style timing but went for a total of 5 minutes instead of the typical 4. This consisted of holding the horse stance and the fist plank, going back and forth. The fist plank is a bit harder to hold than the palm version because of balance and the engagement of the tendons, ligaments and the core muscles. Managed to get through it very well and although it wasn't very challenging, it's still a good micro workout to build strength in a different way.

Isometrics aren't always just holding a position for a few seconds and moving on. They can be taxing when you really put them into perspective. When you do them Tabata Style, you don't just change an exercise on the fly, you have to be in control of the hold as well. A much harder Tabata Isometric Workout would be for the Core which consists of 3 exercises (The third is where you do one side and then the other) that really tackle the abs, lower back and obliques like crazy. I learned it from Red Delta Project which you can find here...No sit-ups or crunches, just pure intense isometrics that could make you feel more sore than dynamic movements.

Another approach to Tabata Style is doing the timing in reverse (10 on, 20 off instead of 20/10) and work certain exercises that way. I've seen Johnny Grube do this with his Rogue Bike for Sprint Training and regardless of how I feel about his idiotic rants, I respect his training style and it inspires me to do similar things (remember my workouts using the sandbell and step-ups? Those were inspired by him) so I took that approach and did a workout for 8 rounds of 10/20 doing Bear Crawls which is pretty intense and will get you huffing and puffing like motherfucker. As you know, Bear Crawls are one of the most rugged exercises to get you in shape quick, this is a great way to tackle them in a short period of time. 

Micro Workouts save you a bunch of time and can get in a workout in less than a few minutes than many can in an hour or more. Short and intense training builds a level of conditioning that gives off a different feeling. Explosive and resting very little in comparison to a 10 rep set and resting for like a minute. When it comes to Isometrics, it's being able to hold and switch very quickly and although 20 seconds may not seem like that long, depending on the kind of exercise, it can be so intense it feels like being hit with a crowbar and you're not even moving. Whether Isometrics or Movement Training, it can jack your heart rate up fast and build on explosive power and strength that lasts. Give it a go and see how you do. 

Hybrid Isometrics For Crazy Strength

 When it comes to Isometric Training, we generally learn 2 distinctive styles: Overcoming & Yielding. Overcoming Isometrics is using great force against something immovable such as a wall or a curl using a strap. It's one of the more common uses of isometrics as it teaches how to maximize the tension with such great force that only a few seconds will be needed. You can do longer durations of Overcoming Isometrics with less intensity which can aid in hypertrophy and endurance. Yielding Isometrics are in a nutshell, various exercises where you're fighting gravity and you keep a certain position or posture for a period of time such as a plank, wall sit, horse stance, hanging from a pullup bar or a stopping point in a pullup. These are more likely done using areas of Yoga or Qi Gong where posture type training focuses on the energy in your body while externally creating load. 

Both styles of Isometrics have their pros and cons and various people prefer one or the other like those who are fond of the Iso-Chain (Overcoming Isometric Device) and those (like a certain Blue-Collar roughneck) who like to hold horse stances and push-up positions for time in order to build long-term strength and conditioning (Yielding Bodyweight Isometrics). Personally I like the Overcoming style because I can generate as much force as possible for a few seconds and get better results. From time to time I'll do Yielding like holding a stance for 3 minutes or so, 1 minute fist plank or mid-range fist push-up, 3 minute bridges or several 1 minute sets of wall sits. Both work really well regardless.

Hybrid Isometrics however is a completely different animal that utilizes both styles at the same time and create such incredible strength that they're a bit more difficult than one style or the other. Imagine going against gravity but at the same time hit a sticking point that generates a lot of force to stay in place. Even very powerful guys who can do solid isometric work would have trouble holding a Hybrid version for more than a minute because you're not just engaging muscles, there's certain coordination involved and it takes another level of the mind/muscle connection for it to work. I would bet that even someone who can hold a 5 minute plank wouldn't even come close to that if they used a strap for the Hybrid version. Shaking like a leaf in a matter of seconds would be an understatement.

The great benefit you can get from Hybrid Isometrics is that they don't take long to feel everything. Because of the strength needed to stay in place but also push or pull against something immovable, you're getting the best of both worlds and can create another level of strength and endurance that could carry over to everyday life. Below are a couple examples of Hybrid Isometric Training that you can try. The first is the Hybrid Push-up where you would wrap a strap around the upper area of the back and press against the strap with bent arms in the push-up position. This works your whole body like crazy especially the core muscles just to stabilize you while you maintain incredible tension. The second is what I call the Isometric Zercher Squat where you put the strap around the inner area of the forearms (as if you're holding a barbell in the front of the body) and you get into a squat position (preferably mid range or a quarter squat) and drive upward. This really tackles the tendons and ligaments in the legs and strengthens the lower back and core muscles for stabilization. 

If you did just a couple sets each for a maximum of 30 seconds at a time, you'll be getting the workout of your life and feeling muscles you didn't think you could feel. Just a couple minutes and you'll feel like you just ran a marathon, it's about as intense as it can get. There are other exercises you can learn on Hybrid Isometrics by grabbing the book Overcoming Isometrics from Red Delta Project. One of the best books out there today on the subject of Isometric Training. 

Holy Shit It's Bigfoot

 If you get the reference, kudos to you. Can you last 3 minutes in the Bigfoot Exercise Challenge? 

It may not look like much but it is for sure a great exercise for the legs. It is a little out there especially with the name but the effects of it are more than what people think. When you first see it, where the hell is the resistance, what does the range of motion initially? Give it a go and see what happens.

Pretty quickly you'll feel it in your thighs and your ass. If you can do it for a good length of time, you'll feel quite the sensation (even within 30 seconds). It is no joke especially if you want to condition the legs along with strength & durability. Here's the reality, many people even at a higher level of training don't always know what works and what should be thrown in the trash (CrossFit anyone?). A lot live in this dogmatic world that consistently believes that more weight comes to more results, the greater range of motion means more results and that compound movements such as the Squat & Deadlift are the kings of developing the lower body. Don't get me wrong, those lifts are essential to many things such as powerlifting, strongman training and certain aspects of sports specific training but they're not Mount Olympus caliber either. 

Here's a shocker for you: Many movements end up being in a partial range of motion. Not only that, but also because of the dynamics and mechanics of a lot of movements, there are a ton of Semi-Unilateral & Semi-Bilateral moves that are similar to the Bigfoot Walk. Think about it for a second like a martial artist or a wrestler, if their stance is too wide, his power and speed won't be as effective plus they can be caught easier in specific positions. With a firm and balanced stance (watch a wrestler like Dan Gable or Jordan Burroughs), it's a little more closed in, it's not spread out and out of unison. Similar to a Hockey Player, he needs that balance on those skates, if his range of motion is out of sync with controlling the puck, he's going to tear a groin, skates will go berserk and he can't be at his best or even at the most basic level of play. 

This particular movement is a lot more useful to do for real life and sports. It's weird to look at but it's not any weirder than crouching and walking through bushes or practicing various stances in wrestling or other combat sports. You're only squatting down a bit but instead of coming back up, you stay in that position and move around or hold for a period of time, simple but not as easy as it looks. People with knee issues (small levels) could benefit from this exercise. It creates constant tension and you're shifting from one leg to another. 

This is just another look at the wide range of exercises you can learn from such as the ones from Movement 20XX that incorporate full body application and progressions that hit many muscle groups and can get you in killer condition and long-term strength whether you're an athlete, a complete beginner, older trainee or just those who want to be in shape for the long haul. Some of these may be too advanced for some but overall, these exercise will take you to places in your fitness journey you may haven't experienced before. 

Be adventurous, take up the challenge if you can. If you can't last the full 3 minutes that's ok, build up to it little by little. Keep striving to be better and keep being amazingly awesome.  

What's Another Way To Skyrocket Our Physical Fitness?

 There's a saying that The Sky's The Limit to what our potential could be. What if we went beyond that into the realms of the universe? What if we reached beyond the stars and found a way to take our potential to another level? Hell in this day and age we built rockets that shoot up into space yet in order to do that, we need a foundation in order to build these things, a base if you will. Being steady is another step like the rocket because if it isn't steady and flops around, it's not going anywhere. When it comes to training, we also need a base or a foundation to get on that track to greatness. We don't start out great but we build on the tools needed to become great.

Ancient Martial Artists use the word grounding as the foundation, in the western world, we call it stability. It's the source of all our power. A tree cannot grow without the aid of water and soil. Without the support, our power, our strength is as useless as a shoelace in a pool game. To hit our hardest and jump our highest, being still and firm is our first level of mastery. To create something awesome in motion, stillness is the groundwork. Some of us can develop it naturally, others it may take some time and learning to understand how our body's handle the prerequisites. We are shooting out into the universe after all but in order to do do that, we have to master the earth first.

This is one of those missing links to many people's regimens. We try to push harder and harder and not realize that we are setting ourselves back more than we are going forward. We become more limited than expanded. Just like the rocket, if there is a miscalculation, that thing will crash and burn. It needs to possess the qualities to reach it's fullest potential otherwise disaster strikes. Many methods work, there's no question about it but very few will take you to places that you didn't think were possible.

I want to help you find the tools you need to reach the potential that goes more than what others may say about you or what you say about yourself. We all have aspirations to be strong, fit and full of energy, but where's the ground work, where's the foundation. Whether you're an everyday person, an athlete, a farmer or a shoe salesman like Al Bundy, there's potential that's waiting to be unleashed. 

One way to see through this is taking on a course like Athlete 20XX where there's so much room to improve yourself on yet also room for failure but success comes from failing and failure is one of the best teachers we can ever have. Not telling you to fail on purpose but to help you find your success and give you some cool stuff to do in order to succeed.  

Lay the ground work and build on unleashing the strongest version of yourself. It won't be easy and it may not come naturally to you but with discipline, a creative mind and a thirst for physical knowledge is within the palm of your hands. Be successful and keep striving to be amazingly awesome.