Are Resistance Bands Really that Effective?

 For decades, Resistance Bands have been a part of workout regimens for many people from Weekend Warriors to World-Class athletes. The big reason? They're pretty easy to use, about as versatile as you can get and very effective in developing muscle while also conditioning the body. Regardless of your fitness level, bands such as Chest Expanders & Dopamineo Bands are awesome for working the muscles that other pieces of equipment aren't always able to touch.

The simplicity however is not to be underestimated. There's a great way to use bands to get their muscle-building benefit. Let's go over a few tips to help you out....

Depending on the type of band you get, the amount of force to stretch the band will work the muscles like with Free Weights or Machines. Now, the latter two uses the same weight in every direction you work with but with bands, the big difference is the more you stretch it, the heavier it goes. It will literally fight you to prevent you from stretching it. 

For the muscle building effects, there was a study done in 2019 that shows similar strength gains that conventional gym equipment provided. Bands may not look like much but they can strengthen the body and build a more natural physique. In a lot of ways, bands create greater tension on the muscles and are able to work them longer during certain movements. 

 Although bands are incredible for rehab and strengthening the body to work through injuries, they've also become a great deal to those who practice certain sports even such as bodybuilding to condition the body in a capacity where they don't have to rely on big equipment to get the job done, they can do it at a park, in a hotel room, at the beach, in their backyards and many other places. For the Dopamineo Bands, these are extremely effective in getting in serious condition just about anywhere and can be used for a variety of ways and also because of the elasticity, has a longer life span than most bands out there today. 

Bands are incredibly adaptable because even with a shift change in a movement, you can make it harder or easier. Some bands you can be very explosive with but with others, you can make them slow as well and have almost an isometric component to it. Whether shortening or lengthening a band, the resistance can be tough as hell or have you working in a greater capacity such as cardio type training. Like I said above with being able to train just about about anywhere, that's because the majority of bands are extremely portable, meaning you can stuff them into a duffle bag or suitcase and be able to travel with them. Hell if you want to get a micro workout in at the airport you can (I would recommend shorter bands because I don't think you want to be sprinting or doing longer distant exercises towards people using a Dopa Band). Besides, bands are better at getting past security than a kettlebell or barbell ever will.

When it comes to cost, bands are perfect for those on a budget and depending on the type you get, you can basically put an entire gym into a carrying sack. I've got my Dopa Band and TNT Cables in one bag that weighs less than a couple pounds and able to carry and travel with. Some bands are more expensive than others but when it comes to the comparison of a machine or a set of dumbbells, its a fraction of the cost. 

For the final tip, it's important to stay focused on the technique. No matter what band you use, don't ever get so sloppy that you're going to end up hurting yourself. The great thing about this is, bands force you to utilize technique in order for an exercise to be effective. They help keep your posture in line otherwise the band won't move as much or will snap back at you. They're a hell of a coach in that regard. It's also important to not put so much tension on a band because you want to be able to move as smoothly and with precision as possible to have an effective workout. With the Dopa Band, it can stretch a great deal but it's not about just stretching it, it's about working with the resistance at a level that you can do well even if it's challenging. If you screw up, the band will let you know so pay attention. 

So are they that effective. I've been using them for way longer than a decade and have used them to heal injuries. You read about how the Dopa Band helped me get over my sciatica? If not, go find that article and see for yourself. Bands are top notch when it comes to training with minimal equipment and working with your body in ways bodyweight and other forms of equipment can't match. Don't forget to use my 10% OFF Discount on Dopa Bands when you enter POWERANDMIGHT at checkout. Have fun and enjoy the journey.  

DopamineO Sprinting

Taking on a challenge can be very rewarding especially if it's through a workout. On Friday, I wanted to test Phil Campbell's Sprint 8 Protocol with my DopamineO Band just doing Sprint Outs. The protocol is going hard for 30 Seconds and resting/active recovery for 90 seconds and repeating this for a total of 8 rounds. This was brutal but I really enjoyed it. You sprint out as much as the band can handle, walk backward to the starting and repeat the sprint until the 30 seconds are up. During the rest, do marches, side to side jacks or focusing on deep breathing.

This type of training builds explosiveness, added resistance to target more of the muscles during a sprint, conditioning, fat burning and a hell of a calorie burner. I felt it but it was a great challenge to me. Unless you're in a sport or training for competition, you don't see a ton on Sprint Training using bands for typical workouts. You usually find this type of conditioning in Wrestling, MMA, Football, Soccer and other sports. Did some research on it and with the knowledge I have on Sprinting, I wanted to see what I can do. Safe to say it was a success.

Today, I wanted to try the protocol with Bear Crawl Sprints. These are more for Wrestling & Football so I wanted to see what I was capable of. These weren't as challenging to me but it was still one hell of a workout. If I wanted to push it, this would be more on the 30 On, 30 Off approach but for most people, the 30/90 would be nasty to them. I did feel I got a lot out of it and during those 30 seconds, I would get in a total of 5 Sprints at a time so by the end I would be around 40 total Bear Crawl Sprints. It's still brutal because you're going against the resistance and you're running on all fours as fast as you can. This is for really getting in rugged condition hitting practically every muscle in your body. 

I've only found a few videos on this type of training and the Dopa Website shows the exercise but not always in a full workout format (at least from what I gathered) and what other videos show is more of a shorter band and you crawl back instead of walking, I like the walking back cause it feels more natural to me. For the most part, you will notice things right away doing Bear Crawl Sprints; where your weaknesses are, your balance, your speed and how quickly you use the arms. It still burns many calories even after the workout and because you're fighting the band, you're hitting more muscles than in a regular sprint in that position. Builds muscle, generates a crazy level of HGH and you're getting optimal rest so when the next set comes you're exploding out as if you're hunting down a jack rabbit. 

Doing these workouts no more than 3x a week can yield many benefits including fat loss, weight loss, the afterburn affect which has you burning more calories even hours after a session, high levels of energy, a rugged physique and building a powerful set of attributes including strength that lasts, speed and cardio. I've used this protocol with different exercises so these are just another outline of what the possibilities are. Workout like an animal and feel the surge of that animalistic strength and power. For a great discount, enter POWERANDMIGHT at checkout to get 10% OFF your order, get a bundle and save more. 

How To Set Up The Dopa Bands

 I've written about how bad ass these bands are and what they can do, but how the hell do you attach them? If you've seen videos of the exercises I do with it, you know I like to use my Door Anchor which is relatively inexpensive but if I were to use say a tree or a pole like you may have seen in an outdoor video I made, I use my isometric power belt but you can also use a loop strap or Dopa's Anchor Strap they have available. The set up is quite simple but it's not the typical tying a knot around something, its a tad more unique than that.

The tying form involves creating a loop by folding the band in half and creating a thread through the loop. I understand that people may want to do things differently but I'm not going to risk my own stupidity by thinking I know better how to put this band up, so I learned how Dopa does it so I can be efficient when I do my workouts. Although they recommend it, I just do what the instructions say and run with it the rest on my own. It's to ensure that it is properly fastened to the point of the anchor and not snap back. I've been snapped by bands (not even when they broke) and they hurt like hell bro. Plus it prevents unnecessary movement where the band isn't working against you, you want it to work with you to get the most effectiveness out of the workouts.

Just in case you have trouble reading these here's the breakdown....

1. Make a loop by folding the band in half. With one of your hands, hold the holding side (where the logo goes) and the other hand grabs the loop side.

2. Take the looped side and thread it behind or through the anchor point.

3. Take the holding side and thread it through the created loop.

4. Make sure both sides are even otherwise you'll have uneven weight distribution and that will disrupt the effectiveness of the exercises performed and throws off what the band is meant to do. So be sure to keep things even before tightening it. 

If you're still having trouble understanding this (It took me a couple tries myself to get it right), check out the tying video for a more visual. 

Installing the Band outside is relatively the same, just be careful not to attach to sharp things (such as scratchy bark or a broken fence). The way I do it with my Isometric Belt is to wrap around the tree enough so I can tighten it in the buckle and make sure the belt doesn't slide down or upward, the same for a pole which can be tricky but there is a way to do it. Since the Iso Belt isn't available, there's another option which is far less expensive is to grab Dopa's Genius Strap. 

For home use, I have my EverStretch which I've used for other bands and WorldFit Iso Trainer for Suspension Training, comes quite handy. I like to keep the workouts indoors but if I'm ever ambitious, I'll take my strap to a park near by and attach it to the basketball hoop or fence and go from there. Dopa shares other videos of how they attach the Band in other places like the beach, out in the woods and at campuses. 

Overall, you're able to work with the Band just about anywhere that suits you and get in a bad ass workout whether indoors or outdoors. Don't forget to use my discount code POWERANDMIGHT to knock off 10% of your order. One of the big things that Dopa also provides is the ability to create your own bundle package that knocks off an additional 15-50% off an order. Customized Bundles can be provided for Youth Programs, NCAA Programs, MMA Schools, Group Classes, Personal Trainers, Private Training for Clientele such as Celebrities & Top Industry Folks, Military Personnel and Sports Coaches. Get MORE for far LESS!!!

Everyone deserves to be in great shape whether you're young or old, beginner or elite level it doesn't matter. Is this thing the fountain of youth? Who really knows but if I'm willing to invest in it since it kicked my sciatica to the curb, why not for those who want to amp up their game or do some training just to feel energized and do other activities with the people they love? This is one of the very best pieces of equipment I've ever used and it could work for you as well. Keep being amazingly awesome and go kick ass in the things you're passionate about.

Little Things While Under The Weather

 

Tis the season where snow falls and keeping up with maintenance in order to keep things flowing for the holiday season. Shoveled a few times and training hard to be ready for what lies ahead but certain things hit you in the ass and you got to adapt. Picked up a little cold with a sore throat and stuffy nose but it doesn't stop me from training. Whenever I do get sick, it may last a bit and wear me out a bit quicker than usual but I do what I can when it comes to training.

The last couple days have been slightly rough but you keep going. I rest when I need to and I do more micro workouts to keep the energy levels up. Isometrics and some step ups one day, exercises throughout the day yesterday doing exercises for a min each like Animal Moves, Rollouts, Wall Sit, Fist Flank and a few others. Today I started out with a total of 600 Reps of swinging the Indian Clubs and some stretching. Don't have a plan in mind of what to do next the rest of the day but at least I did something. My energy is better and the cold is dying down. 

Being sick is no fun and it makes it even worse when you have to go to work but you do what you can and rest up when an opportunity arises. You're no good to anybody if you can barely even move and you can't perform tasks some jobs require. For me, it's to continuing to find workouts regardless of what's going on with me. I've always told myself, the day I stop exercising is either when I'm in a coma, paralyzed from the neck down or I'm dead; if I can move in some capacity, I'm doing some kind of exercise. 

You won't always be able to go hard when you need to, sometimes life throws you curveballs or you have to back off a bit and do smaller forms of training and lessen the intensity but never stop training. As long as you keep things simple, you will find a way or you'll find a way to not do it, that's the choice you'll have to really put yourself in. You may not be as energetic or enthusiastic especially when your body needs some repairs and not making things worse. Isometrics are a great resource of exercise even when you're under the weather because you don't have to go very hard and even if you can only do 20% of your normal strength, you're still 75-95% ahead of everyone else who is laid up. Want ideas for great Isometric Training, check out Overcoming Isometrics, one of the very best books on the market today on the subject.

Be smart about your training, stay hydrated and be as healthy as you can be. If you're so sick that it's difficult to do anything, rest up, your training will be there when it's over when you can get your energy back. Some people don't have to be as crazy about training as I' Am and many others, we all have our ways of doing what we can and getting the most of what's possible. Some are just so out of it that training just isn't in the cards, it happens and there's no shame in it. If you can exercise while sick, keep it small. Keep being amazingly awesome. 

A Brutal 20 Min Supserset For Explosiveness & Conditioning

 

Working with the Sandbells lately, I've been testing out different things and using both the 20 lber and 50 lber. From 360's to Bear Hug/Shoulder Carries to slams and squats along with other things, it has been an interesting experience but one particular workout I tested out on was one of those nasty ones that just kicks you in the ass and beats on you until you're done. Supersets has been one of my go-to conditioning methods to really tackle the muscles and just go back and forth with little to no rest while on a timer. 

Yesterday, I did two styles of supersets in one workout that was tough as fuck but it was worth the sweat and the hard work. The first superset was doing 5 sets (rested as needed in between) of shouldering the 50 lb Sandbell 10 times and then Bear Hug Carry for 10 Yards 2x. That was interesting and had that labor feel to it but the second superset was just out there, even for me and I didn't think I could pull it off. It's stupid simple but it really tackles the muscles hard especially in your core and legs because of the explosiveness. It was back to back of 10 slams with the 20 lb Sandbell and 20 Step Ups (10 per leg) for 20 min non stop. 

You read that right man, you slam as hard as you can and then work the legs in the Step Up exercise. This is the idea to work a ballistic or explosive exercise while working your cardio at the same time. It doesn't sound like much but when you're repeating these exercise without a break and your lungs are just on fire, it makes you think twice about giving something so simple a hard time. Your conditioning is tested big time because in certain sports like Football & Wrestling, you need to be able to flip that switch at a moment's notice and become a force to be wrecking with in the blink of an eye. The slams hit just about every muscle in the body, the step ups hit all the muscles in the legs so you can work on weaknesses and keep up with your cardio without needing to run. 

Slams are like the standing equivalent to a Sprint where you go as hard as you can for a short period of time. You can use a slam ball if you want but the sandbell is different because with this, it doesn't bounce and you can use momentum to keep going. You slam and have to pick up the bell fast, with a ball you can catch it on the bounce which is also great for explosive training but the bell just stays there when it drops. The sandbell works your grip as well so you're working the tendons and ligaments of your hands, forearms and elbows as you use it and because of how quick you need to be, it's great for grip agility and you end up sometimes squeezing or pinching in order to pick it up. 

Step Ups need no introduction, I've discussed them many times and have shown and wrote out many workouts with them and there's a reason why I love them compared to Squats or Running. With this superset, you can "rest" that heavy heart rate when you do Step Ups because they bring things down a notch yet you can still go and build strength in the legs. Step Ups are not meant to be done as sprint because if you do them too fast, you can trip or slip and hurt something, yes there's a pace to them to a certain degree but they're mainly a cardio or conditioning exercise that can be done for hundreds of reps without the overkill of lactic acid buildup. You can breath a bit "easier" with Step Ups but never underestimate them. 

This superset can reap a ton of benefits and doesn't take up much space. You build muscle while building cardio at the same time, you build durability, explosive strength & power, Leg Strength and Endurance, Boosting your HGH & Testosterone, doesn't take up a ton of time (doing this for 20-30 min would be more than enough for most, in the beginning if you're good at these, start with 5-10 min and build from there) and it's a great idea to build up your conditioning for MMA, Wrestling, Football, Baseball, Kickboxing, BJJ. It can also be used as a stand-alone workout or a finisher (if you do no more than 10-12 minutes) to really tackle the fat burning mechanism after your regular workout. 

It's hard, it's tough as hell and will test you physically and mentally. When you've built up a solid level of endurance from doing this, you may find that you won't get as tired from doing other things. Your lungs will get stronger, your muscles can be set to 9000 in the snap of your fingers and be able to go with gas left in the tank. Keep being amazingly awesome and send in your comments or shoot me an email. Train hard and train with a vengeance.

If you like to use music to get you going and pumped up for action, here's one of my favorite songs by Peyton Parrish called Dane.....

    

Anakin Skywalker May Feel Differently About Sand If....

 It's coarse, rough, irritating and it gets everywhere but what if we changed the idea of how to work with sand instead of hating it. I get it, if you're born in a desert, the last thing you want to deal with is sand. Sand can be used for many things but training with it can be a whole other ball game. Sandbag Training has been used by many athletes and laborers throughout the ages. It builds a real world type of strength and it hits the body far differently than with a barbell or a dumbbell.

It builds a level of fitness that even an Emo Jedi born on Tatooine can maybe work on and would make you harder to kill (talk about a different form of force training). I would play with the Sandbells off and on, doing different things like carries, 360's, slams, shouldering, squats and other exercises yet there's something satisfying about them that just make you feel powerful. Like training to be a Jedi, you learn to not take the easy path and find the flow yet the strength and awareness to use what is best to handle tough situations. Sandbag Training is not meant to be easy and it forces you to figure out how to move and wrestle with something that isn't always easy to grip and pick up. It takes something that is tough and triumph over adversity. 

Sandbag Work challenges your entire body in ways you can't with a straight bar to lift with. You're using muscles you normally don't use and it has a more natural feel to it. Carrying a bag can be very tough especially when you go heavy. It's live weight and it doesn't like to sit still, it'll move and shift while trying to fight you. It's a literal wrestling match match at times. Hauling something like a 50 lb bag will work you harder than a 50 lb dumbbell and there's a reason why many of the old time strongmen worked with heavy bags in order to do other lifts. It prepared them and utilize their muscles that is more controlled with a straight bar to lift, it also strengthened their tendons and ligaments to a very high degree. If a Jedi like Anakin trained with bags, maybe it would've been tougher cutting up those arms and legs of his, you never know.

The conditioning with Sandbags is crucial not just for sports but for everyday life as well. It can build muscle and level up your muscular endurance for hauling furniture, loading a truck, strengthen your back and core along with giving you legs that last for days. Some of the very best cardio I've ever done was with the Sandbells mixing loaded carries with Step Ups and going for extended periods of time working strength and cardio at the same time. It works like a charm and it makes you work hard like crazy. If you don't believe me, try going for 5-10 minutes cleaning and pressing a 50-100 lb bag, I guarantee you you'll feel it and it'll show you weaknesses you didn't think you had. Think that was easy, ok then do bear hug squats with a bag and then go for distance doing the duck walk with it, you won't get very far. 

Don't be like Anakin and hate sand, embrace it as a tool to make you strong in more ways than one. Keep being amazingly awesome.  

A Dinosaur Style Thanksgiving Workout

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I thought I'd get in a workout that will build a serious appetite later when me and the wife will visit family tonight. Not just a typical workout I do but one that's in the style of Brooks Kubik's Dinosaur Training. It's nothing special but it's brutal, nasty and really hard. It hits every muscle in the body and all it takes is 3 exercises. You don't need to do tons of exercises that only hit a one or two muscles at a time, just pick a few that hit multiple groups at the same time and go at it hard. In this case, it was using only one implement; the 50 lb Sandbell.

50 pounds may not seem like much, hell it's just a few pounds over a barbell plate right? The main takeaway, this is live weight and it shifts so this isn't just a solid implement, it makes you bust your ass in more ways than one. Sandbag training has been around for ages and has been used by the strongest athletes on the planet. When you work a bag hard, you're hitting the body in places that most conventional training can't even touch. Some guys work with up to more than 200-300 lbs (that's for truly elite powerhouses) but 50-100 can be just as beneficial and tough when you get after it like a madman with a thirst for hardcore training. 

This workout consists of the Clean & Press, Bear Hug Squat & Bent Over Row; it is done in a Tri Set which means you do one right after the other and then rest. Do 10 Reps each exercise and then walk it off getting as much rest as needed for the next set. It'll get you breathing hard quick so you'll want to catch your breath just enough to be fresh for the next round. The more sets you do, the heavier that bag will start to feel. It's very simple but sure as hell isn't easy. I managed 10 full sets of this workout and it was so thrilling for it to be over. I wanted to quit around the 6th or 7th set but something in me wanted to just keep going and really test my mental toughness. If I had to pick an exercise out of the three that made me rethink things, it was the Squats for sure. Around the 4th or 5th set, my legs felt heavy. 

Once it was over, instant relief, a much felt endorphin high and a high level of gratitude for it to be over. What are the benefits of this type of workout? A full blown level of strength and power, a good string of cardio because of doing three exercises back to back, Testosterone and HGH booster, great calorie burner and some serious muscular strength & endurance. Keep it simple but never underestimate what it can do especially when exercises like these with a sandbag has some real carryover into areas of regular life. 

I' am thankful for today, to my readers and to my friends and family. Have a great and wonderful Thanksgiving, eat well and train hard, earn that Turkey and those amazingly awesome sides.   

How To Deal With The Unbearable Taste Of Lost Empire Herbs

 The herbs from Lost Empire can really put a fire under your ass when you first take it either in the morning or in the beginning if you're new to the herbs themselves. Honestly, some have even thrown up at times like one customer on Cistanche Extract: “The cistanche is really unbearable to take. I tried like the video to scoop it in and wash it down, was the most disgusting thing I’ve ever eaten. I tried mixing half a teaspoon in my tea… still so difficult to drink and gagging the whole time. Any advice?” There's an article you can find about this here...

There are reasons why there's a capsule culture even when it isn't the best option. As time went on, many customers became accustomed to the bitter taste to certain herbs like Tongkat Ali for example. Some however, just don't get to that point. I'm one of those people and I prefer the capsules like Pine Pollen or Thor's Hammer . If you do choose to take in the bitter taste of the herbs, here's some ideas for you to go for that cut and mask the taste itself...

It's never going to be perfect and everyone has different preferences but you can experiment with certain things that could help you get over that hump. Using something Sweet & Sour can be useful, some forms of juice can be another option as well that is sweet to a more tart taste such as: Apple Juice, Orange Juice, Grapefruit & Cranberry. The amount of volume you'll need to mask with these is not a general thing, it's an individual thing and experimenting with what could work for you. Is it better to take a 1/2 teaspoon in a shot of juice or taking a 1/2 teaspoon in a 16 oz glass? That's really up to you to figure out.

At times, using less can be more efficient, get that shit down quickly like taking a shot of tequila. The taste will be diffused but still won't be that great and you'll have to chug down a bit. The same idea can be used for the herbs themselves. For the "worse" tasting herbs such as: Hercules Formula, Phoenix and Shilajit, you can also use a mixture of the more sweet and sour herbs like for example; Beet Juice Powder, Goji Berry, Seabuckthorn & Schisandra. These not only give those other herbs flavor but also bring benefits themselves. 

For something like the Beet Juice Powder, it's one of the best things for Nitric Oxide Production which can be very helpful for working out or having a little fun with your significant other in the bedroom. It also pairs well with Hercules & Thor Formulas in a great way too. The taste has a higher chance of being better and works like a fucking charm. Double whammy I say.

Now, the next option would be to blend into smoothies. The same factors still apply here, you have quite a number of ingredients that can mask or cut the taste but be forewarned, sometimes one herbs or several can become undrinkable. Start with smaller doses and build up from there. You could use some of the more normal ingredients like fruits and juices or hell even options like honey and nut butters. 

At the end of the day, if the taste is just too much for you (I'm with you on this one), there are plenty of other options that have awesome benefits. Grab some herbs and make the best of them for you. They're top of the line and there's a ton of research done on them and learning what you can do with them. Be amazingly awesome and stay healthy. 

Resting And Recovering: A Realistic Look At Training

Often times during our training, we will push our bodies to limits we never have gone to and it gives us that feeling of accomplishment. But what about the next day? Do we just chill out and slack off as we recover and rest like we have the flu? That's not what you do or should do. The truth is, it is important to do something everyday or as often as possible. That doesn't mean you go hardcore or beat the shit out of your body everyday, that's not practical or realistic. 

There are going to be days where everything isn't always there and your body needs time to heal, what can you do in that time as you heal? Instead of sleeping all day and not do a damn thing (unless you're so beat up and/or in the hospital), you can do a few minutes of stretching or doing less intense exercise. If all you can do is go for a walk or do less intense Isometrics than do so. You never stop training, you just adapt to what your body is capable of for that time to recover. Some say recovery is just a gym term, that's complete bullshit, yeah your body can adapt to many things but if you don't take the time to heal the body, in some form or another, you can end up being very useless in the things you do in your life. 

Some days I'll do my deck of cards workouts or some other form of intense training either in one shot or throughout the day, other days I'll do small things like basic animal moves at a slower pace or stretch my body out and focus on something that doesn't require being a maniac or a sadistic fitness enthusiast. Some days (on a rare occasion) I'll be sore as hell either from training, shoveling snow or whatever and do things to keep myself moving but not to the point where I'm ready to die. It's awesome to challenge yourself but it's not worth your long term existence if you beat it to a  bloody pulp just to prove how tough you are.

I believe in recovery training to keep things flowing, keep up with maintenance and be able to "rest" until my body can go hard again which at times takes a day or two, other times it takes a week but I always feel the need to do something. Doing joint loosening sessions is great, Isometrics are great, flexibility work is great, all these things are useful when you apply the realistic approach to training the body. For joint loosening, it's to keep the body healthy so you don't become so brittle and full of aches and pains. For Isometrics, it's for maintaining strength without moving and being able to do some intense training without the need to compensate. Flexibility training is like joint loosening or mobility work by maintaining the body's ability to flow and keep going without putting so much stress on the nervous system and putting the muscles and tendons/ligaments at risk. 

Too many people like to throw in how hard they can go and doing everything possible to prove that they can harder than anyone else. It's the trend of social media influencers that think they know more than the old timers and/or understand that you can only push the body so far. Most of the time, they don't give a flying fuck about your recovery or rest, all they care about is going until you possibly end up in the ER because you did this many kettlebell swings or lifted this much weight you weren't meant to do or hell do 500 Push-ups, Run 10 miles, Sprint 600 Yards, 1000 Squats and Deadlift 300 lbs 100 times in the span of an hour or less and doing that 5 times a week. You train according to what you can do on particular days, that doesn't mean you stop training, it just means to some things to recharge and other things when you're at your peak level. 

I haven't taken a day off since I was 21 years old and I've pushed my body hard on a lot of days but I've also gave my body some time to recharge by doing things that still had me moving but not to break down so much that I can't move at all. I've done rough sessions in BJJ, I've gone through killer strongman workouts, dozens upon dozens of decks of cards, sprint training, gymnastics, nasty cardio and conditioning and yet still managed to work on mobility, flexibility and less intense training when it weas needed. You DO what you CAN every single day, you don't have to sacrifice your body in the name of fitness. 

Don't try to prove how hardcore you are, prove to yourself that you can come up with things regardless and what is possible. Listen to your body and not the bullshit influence that has wrecked many people. Be amazingly awesome. Be smart about your training.

Burying The Hatchet

 When you just want to cut the bullshit and make peace with somebody, it's better to do that than just drag shit on. I'm still learning this and there are people that I want to make up with or just cut out of my life because some things just went on too long. In this case it's making peace with Rahul Mookerjee, you know the guy that went a 180 on me after I quit his affiliate program? Well, despite the trolling of each other over the last year and a half, I just wanted shit to end and I made an opportunity of that.

He got sick a while ago and learned about it and I felt concerned for the guy. I don't know what really compelled me to do it but I sent him a big email just being genuine and wanted to let him know what was up and as I wrote it, I felt about burying the hatchet with him and let shit go. It was time to end the crap that was going on. Never wanted to wish him harm or anything like that and we're never going to agree on certain things but he is Afterall a human being just doing his part in Physical Culture which some would work with, some stay the fuck away but holding a grudge and badgering just gets old man.

Since then we've exchanged emails and messages just being civil and all that. I don't believe if we'll ever be THAT good of friends or just someone to throw hints here and there but I can't condemn the guy and it's not fair to either one of us to just throw jabs because we can. It's helped learn a few things and I know he's appreciative since he told me himself. There's too much crap in the world to hate on or even cling onto some poor bastard so what's really the point? Is Rahul a great physical culturist? probably not and might say the same about me but you know what, we all learn from someone and just take the knowledge of what's given or received. Neither one of us really hated the other but I wanted to end some of the negative stuff and just be civil. 

He had asked me to come back as an affiliate which I actually turned down because I got other companies that I'm working with and want to pursue more of. One day maybe but for now, take small steps and just be friendly to each other. I need to do a similar thing with someone but the difference in that is to also cut that person out of my life for good and leave that shit be. As you get older, you learn what you want in your life and what you don't and either set fuckers free or find a way to be in harmony with. It's not easy but you do what you need to do. With Rahul, it's to just being friendly for the most part and have a laugh or two. He was very understanding with me and I was being honest with him. Where do me and him go from there, time will tell. 

The Realism Of Energy Levels

 It's not always easy to understand that sometimes, our energy levels vary from day to day and how our mind and body can take a certain amount of energy to use. In a fantasy world, your energy is constantly boundless, you can't get tired and you channel your energy anyway you want but in the real world, energy varies with certain people and it's never equal. Some days, your energy isn't always there and you force your body to keep going because there are responsibilities, things have to be done and you just have to suck it up; it can be draining as fuck. Other days, everything is there, the energy is just crazy and you can go and do many things with ease and just hit the right spots, we've all had some of those days.

I can be very energetic at times like during my training or being out with people, living it up and working on projects or doing certain things like snow shoveling, moving furniture or going on hikes. Sometimes, my energy just isn't there, even if I am training and use up what I can to get through it. I may not always feel up to things and weather affects me sometimes, mental drainage happens and not always in the best place. It's called being human and you do what you can on a day to day basis. Our mental capacity, our physical energy and effort does have limits and some just can't grasp the idea that there's no such thing as the perfect level of energy.

You can take all the pills, the energy drinks, the coffee, the pre-workout you want but eventually, certain things will happen and something will either kill you or put you in the hospital because you overwhelmed the system and the body needs time to heal. We forget that at times and we then run on fumes while making as much effort as possible and sacrificing ourselves to make certain things happen or getting this project done, making sure the kids are ok and if all the bills are paid; we sacrifice the energy we do have in order to fulfil certain tasks in life. In tough times, it can be difficult to have great energy because you have busted your ass with very little reward and your beating up the body in order to make life better for others such as a family, can't get any more real than that.

Is it possible to have more days with great energy than others? Very much so but it's more of an individual thing than just a general spreadsheet of how to incorporate your energy levels. In some cases, having a booster can do the trick like for some a 5 hour energy drink kicks in and you got into that level of being in the zone. Music can help too especially if it helps get into a rhythm to make things flow and your tasks become a little easier. Some people only have a specific type of energy due to brain chemistry and use it to pay attention to certain things because of what requires their time and capacity. For example, there are people with immense brain power like Mathematicians, Engineers, Physicists, those who have the energy and strength to solve equations with great focus; others like Laborers, Athletes, Farmers and Construction Workers who have the brains to channel into their physical body to do great tasks that do take up a ton of energy and use that body to move things, have the ability to operate machinery and control themselves as best as possible so they don't get hurt in order to make a living. 

Now, when you mix two styles of energy together, it can have 50-50 or more/less of consequences with the tasks you are given to do and using energy to get those tasks done. You won't see many physicists trying to move furniture or dig ditches for hours on end because not only do they not have the physical capabilities to channel that energy, many don't have the strength or the mental aspect to do those tasks. You're also not going to see much of a Laborer trying to keep up with the science and mathematic mind of a Neil Degrasse Tyson or Stephen Hawking because they don't have the capacity or specific energy and focus to do those things (unless there's a Will Hunting out there somewhere which can be possible). There's also the ability to channel the energy we need to do things even through we are exhausted and letting the tank run even though it's about to be empty. That happens a lot in life especially those who work hard for a living in order to build a life for themselves or raising a family. We channel what is possible through mind over matter and screw the consequences later. 

All in all, we do what is possible for us to use the energy we have on any given day. Sometimes we have to go the extra mile and suffer in order to get things done, other times our energy is so big that we have sharper focus and physical capabilities that we didn't think we had, tasks get done with ease and we just feel great and feel invincible. Realistically, we can only do so much and many suffer damage to years of being worn down through physical injuries, mental breakdowns, trying to ease pain with party favors and drinking among other things. Very, very few come out of it without ego or able to heal up certain aspects of damage whether mental, physical, emotional or all three. There's pride in how we use our energy and the outcome of it but there's also ego in the case where you force energy levels and there's no consequences or very little so you push on and things will be alright, that's an extremely rare thing. 

Make your energy count and use it as best as you can regardless of the situation but also remember that our energy will only go so far until it becomes crucial.     

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Are Isometrics The Forgotten Secret Of Strength Training?

 If you've ever read my article on Isometrics being the Game Genie Of Fitness, it should give you a hint to the answer to this question, but just in case you haven't gotten the memo....When it comes to the old time strongmen, the one thing they have in common in most cases throughout the early 20th century to today's legends is the use of Isometrics. For some in today's world of the influencer and trendy shiners of gadgets and other equipment, Isometrics isn't as big of an influence or not as understood as it should be. It can be seen as a foreign thing and it doesn't give off a massive following. 

For centuries, Isometrics whether inadvertently or intentional, has been used as a means to keep certain aspects of strength in the realm of warriors, laborers (slaves in many cases), athletes, archers, gladiators, farmers and many more. I didn't understand much about Isometrics until I read Matt Furey's Gama Fitness Course and started studying up on it all the way up to learning about Zass, Maxick, Otto Arco, Dennis Rogers, Steve Justa and the man of the 1000 lb Squat Bud Jeffries. Getting several courses like Overcoming Isometrics and others, it became apparent that Isometrics truly have stood the test of time and have become a lost art along the way.

I've shown a few Isometric videos here and there and performed a few myself on film and it's awesome to see how known they've become in some circles but at the same time it's sad that many can't even do some of the simple holds, but hey there's always time to learn them. The truth is, despite the simplicity, even the simple Isometric holds can be very demanding and holding for 30 seconds can feel like an eternity. It happens a lot and it can be grueling doing various Isometric positions for 7-12 intense seconds and then with little rest, adjust to the next one and keep going, most can't handle that.

When you truly start to understand the concept of Isometrics and how to apply them whether doing Overcoming, Yielding or a Hybrid style, you'll start to see why they've been a real backbone to how getting fit and strong is. Do what you can and make little progressions but never turn away from the basics and using Isometrics to enhance your strength and fixing some of the weak parts of your body. 

For simple equipment to train with Isometrics, check out here... 

Happy Veterans Day

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Changing Up The Squat In The Legs Deck Of Cards Workout

 Changing things up can be a good thing in order to keep interest and develop something new to stay ahead of the game. Although I'm not the biggest fan of High Rep Squats, I do understand their value and what they bring to the table in conjunction with Step Ups instead of just purely Squats. On Sunday, I decided to change it up doing my Legs Deck Of Cards workout since I was having a bit of  rough day and wanted to get some shit out of my system. I switched up the Hindu Squats I normally do and threw in the Pan Squats instead. 

The Pan Squats are another variation of the Bodyweight Squat or more specific the Goblet Bodyweight Squat. You can view the exercise here to get more of an idea but the point is that I wanted to see what I can do with it since it has been a while. I learned this simple exercise from Strongman Kevin Wikse who learned it from a Troupe Of Dancers when he put it out in his Leg Training course from Heroic Evolution some time ago. This exercise may not seem much like other versions of a Squat but it is a good one where it takes certain pressure off the knees and builds some decent strength & conditioning when done for high reps. 

The one big deference between this Squat and other variations isn't really the placement of the legs but the placement of the arms. You put the wrists and forearms together as best as you can like you're holding an imaginary chalice or (if you're religious and/or seen Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade) the cup of Christ which opens up the scapula while pushing the chest inward which constricts the breath a bit. I've been doing this exercise off and on for years and have done as many as 500 reps in a workout and it's a doozer. It was named the Pan Squat after the God Pan, the mythological creature that runs the forest and hones the sexual desire for the Nymphs. It's a representation of building healthy hormones by doing leg training and having a strong libido as Pan himself is well known to have. So in the Deck Of Cards, I did 500 Step Ups & 250 Pan Squats, shirt was drenched afterwards. 

I have always believed Squats have their place but not always looked at with a Dogmatic Approach. Conditioning is a platform that should be used throughout anyone's lifetime and having a healthy and strong libido even into older age is a hell of a perk to have. Things like Squats, Step Ups, Lunges, Split Squats and others are great for this and don't need to be done in high reps to make things work. You can hit them in different manners like going fast or doing them slower to hit the leg muscles hard and build strength from there. It's really a matter of your goals. In this case for the article, I tackled the Pan Squats with the Step Ups to get a different feel of my leg training. Unlike the Hindu Squats, the Pan Squats felt heavier cause I can feel it way more when I did the Step Ups. Hindus give more of a spring like movement which is great for building your cardio and speed, Pan Squats tend to put more tension into the leg muscles which in turn hits the lactic acid buildup much quicker from my experience. This in turn can bring greater strength and developing the muscles in the thighs. Imagine doing 250-500 of these, it's a nasty exercise despite its simplicity. 

Overall, it's just a different exercise that hits the muscles in another way, it's really nothing special or in terms of its name a GODLY exercise. I like them because every now and then especially in the winter time up here, my shin and ankles do tend to have more tenderness and putting pressure on them in certain formats causes major discomfort that makes me uneasy so I need to train accordingly. With these Squats, I can take the pressure off the knees and ankles and focus more on the thighs without feeling that discomfort. It feels good in that regard and although soreness comes easier with these squats, I can still do hundreds of reps whether in a row or in total without feeling tender in those areas. Not to mention I feel more testosterone build up from this exercise than I do the Hindus by maybe a good 20-30%. Give it a go.

Kevin has said in his course (which I'm sure he'll still tell you if you manage to get a hold of him) that when he learned this exercise from the Dancers, they would do this for probably no more than a thousand reps but it keeps them in superior condition for their chosen endeavor because it hits the legs to a degree where they can move with ease without pain in their joints since we know many injuries that occur in Dancing tend to be the knees, ankles and hips. This exercise strengthens those areas so these people can dance with little effort and with less injury. Now this isn't just for Dancing, it can be used for Combat Sports, Football, Wrestling, Soccer and other activities. 

Keep being amazingly awesome and get some bad ass leg training in. It's good for your health especially the heart.