Workouts (68)

Thursday, 30 July 2020 13:00

Fingertip pushups and pull-ups

So I got through a workout today. An old style workout. A fantastic one!

And why do I say this i.e what makes it different?

Well . . .

. . . because it’s a workout from BACK in the day.

From BACK when I wrote all those books on pull-ups, and when it was my primary means of exercise (the pull-up, that is).

And it fits in nicely with what I said in the last email as well, or at least the ending. If you missed it, go on ahead and check out the blog!

And the workout was . . . pushups, and pull-ups.

More specifically, fingertip pushups and pull-ups, and while the REASON for my doing the workout today (this particular one) was not necessarily to go down memory lane, ended up that way, and that’s what ended up happening.

But, the REAL reason behind the workout was something else, which I will talk about in the next email.

For now, bear in mind that that is how life is when you live in the flow, and so are workouts.

(Comes with caveats, of course. I’m currently nursing a split callus big time – something that has resisted TWO band-aids thus far . . . and looks ready to resist far more. Good news is the scab is already forming, and better news is, again, the MEMORIES it brought back).

I’ve often shown up back home with bleeding palms and BURNING skin (from rubbing a split callus on thick bars for tons of pull-ups).

And I’ve felt GREAT afterwards. And the callus usually heals within a couple of days, and the skin toughens, and . . . bingo. Problem solved. I’ve never been one to let “little things like that” bother me.

But you don’t have to go through that if you don’t want to, and that ain’t why I’m telling you this.

It’s because of two reasons.

One, this workout was done OPPOSITE of the manner in which I normally do my workout. See the next email for more on this, and this was actually the reason I did it in the manner I did.

And two . . .

If there EVER was a better grip workout combo than with the above two exercises (and if you add in hanging leg raises, it amps the effect) I am yet to see it.

The two books on pull-ups, and the THREE Books on grip have MORE than plenty in terms of this, of course.

But the fact is (oh, and add in monkey bars as well) that there are FEW, if any tips I can give you at getting better at and increasing pull-ups than doing and getting very good indeed at fingertip pushups.

My workout today was 50 pull-ups and a 100 fingertip pushups.

Blazing!

And not all at one go. 5 sets of 10 pull-ups, and 5 sets of the pushups.

Maybe I’ll switch the numbers around in the next workout to make it fun!

But for now, I’m toasted. So is my grip.

And so it’s adios for now, with one of the most powerful workout related tips I could ever, ever give you!

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – These two exercises form the BACKBONE of many of the routines in the ADVANCED courses on pull-ups and building them “battletank shoulders”. Get on BOTH these courses now, my friend.

I’ve written about this before!

Well, the X taper and V shape, at any rate. Hehe.

And while I haven’t spoken about the wall chair in a while, Ill do so NOW. An excellent, excellent exercise indeed and one I’ll include in the book on isometrics once I get it out.

Speaking of which, I had about 23 exercises penciled in on that one already.

Unfortunately, I don’t appear to have it backed up, and given the recent Windows crash . . . well, let me just say it’s history.

I wrote about Shantaram in the last email.

And his book was actually written (mostly) while he was in a jail in Germany (after his Indian escapades). And the jailers tore that mammoth manuscript up for some vague reason not once, but twice, and I think AFTER he was halfway into the book both times!

Quite different from a certain Adolf hitler who got the royal treatment at a Bavarian prison, complete with beer and sundry while he penning “Mein Kampf”.

Makes you think does it? (and also the fact that Germany is the one European nation that won’t come out and say anything against the modern day Chinazis) . . .

Anyway, he wrote it – again.

For the third time.

And as far as the book on isometrics goes, I’m gonna have to dig deep down inside and do the same thing myself! ?

Anyway, the wall chair.

Was getting the daughter to do it this afternoon, and amidst all the other sage advice this lovely almost-7 year old fitness guru gives me, there was this.

“Dad! Do you know something?”

(said as my legs were quivering!).

“Eat more mangoes! It’ll build your legs!”

Hmm! Hadn’t quite heard that one, but my daughter’s just too adorable at times!

Anyway, the wall chair is an excellent exercise my friend and a highly underrated one at that.

I mention it in Fast and Furious Fitness, but for some reason, did NOT put it in 0 Excuses Fitness. The latter book doesn’t have rope jumping either. And the former doesn’t have the plethora of pushups and pull-ups the latter does . . .

Get both, would be my advice! Hehe.

Anyway, as I leaned against the wall for support, an outline formed.

My back, waist and hips.

I was sweating up a storm, so the “why” is easy to understanding given a white background (the cemented wall).

And when the outline “came about”, it looked like the below.

A broad upper back, with plenty of “meat” towards the center and traps area.

Progressively tapering down to a narrow waist, barely even visible, and then expanding out again somewhat into hips.

And I just had to notice that my friend. I’ve written about it many a times, but I had to notice it and bring it up here again.

And while this one exercise alone won’t get you the shape I refer to here, the exercises laid out in the 0 Excuses Fitness System certainly will my friend.

Oh yes, they will, and a quick look though the other blog (for proof on what I said) will be more than plenty, hehe.

OK, that’s it for now.

HERE is where you can grab the System – https://0excusesfitness.com/0excusesfitnessystem/

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

It sucks, doesn’t it?

Going to bed at night . . . and  . . . NOT being able to sleep, despite hours of “trying to”.

I see it all the time.

People complaining of insomnia, and “welcome to my world!” comments when another person refers to having insomnia.

As if staying up until the wee hours of the morning (when you do NOT want to) and then not being able to sleep was a badge of honor and the most normal thing in the world.

Anyway, just so you know, I’ve been there. Used to be, way back in the day I could barely get to bed (sleep) without a solid “heft” of liqor in me, and then some.

Or, without the conditions being “perfectly right” for me to sleep.

And so forth.

And often times, I STILL couldn’t sleep.

Tossing and turning until 4 AM, “wishing” that I’d finally fall asleep, and when I did, it was with the “dread” that the alarm clock “Stood ready” to toll an hour or so later anyway . . .

It’s a shitty feeling, and a most annoying one at that.

Of course, if I knew what I do now, this wouldn’t happen at all. And if it did, I’d do what I do on the VERY rare occasions that it happens NOW . .. that being to hammer out some work while I’m up and unable to sleep.

Or, and this works like a charm, a quick 100 squat workout. Isn’t a lot for me, but works like a charm anyway when it comes to insomnia . . .

Anyway, my wife was telling my daughter something about this the other day.

My daughter (when she doesn’t exercise, and being it’s “lockdown time” these days, that happens quite a lot) is anything BUT sleepy at night, and she usually hollers for a good hour or so before going to bed.

(this is unless she’s done a solid Kiddie Fitness or park workout with me earlier on in the day, of course, but that happens quite often for whatever reason)

And my wife was telling her this.

“When I was young, they used to ask me if I died when I slept, so soundly did I sleep, moving nary a limb!”

(this is me translating the Hindi version into English for y’all) . . .

And for whatever reason, my daughter found that hilarious.

But the point stands.

My wife (when she was young) used to wake up at 530 AM and go to “exercise” in a field with her Dad.

You wouldn’t believe it by looking at her now (no she is NOT fat, but she’s hardly the “six pack” owner you’d expect her to be from following the routines she did, and yet, she’s fitter than the average gym bro – and can outdo ME TOO in some of the exercises we do together, if you can believe me!).

It truly “stays with you” if you start ‘em young . . . which is another reason I make it a point to do as much  Kiddie Fitness with my daughter as I can. Yours truly, as you know, had the exact opposite upbringing, and those tight hamstrings are STILL an issue for me!

Anyway. 530-730 of running around in a field, often times with mud up to your ankles.

Helping around the house.

A half an hour or so bike ride to school and back.

And then 3-4 hours of solid sports in the evening.

My my my.

Is it any wonder she slept like a a log and then some?

And lest you think you too have to follow this sort of regimen in order to fall asleep instantly, think again.

You CAN if you want to (think back to the times I hiked hills for hours daily in the sweltering HEAT).

But you don’t have to.

A quick 30-40 minute blast, TOPS (most people don’t even need that much) is literally all you need my friend.

A 100 pushups is MORE than enough for most people to be exhausted for not just that one day, but DAYS afterwards.

Ditto for some of the other exercises I teach.

Believe me my friend. There IS a way to get rid of the annoyance, and it’s easier than you think!

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – Here is where you can get the BEST damn course on pushups my friend: (and YES, the workouts therein WILL banish insomnia so quickly you’ll wonder if you ever had it in the first place! ?)  https://0excusesfitness.com/pushup-central/

What a workout it was this afternoon!

I’ve written about being in a state of “near collapse” towards the end of some of my most recent workouts, but today was something else altogether.

Not only was it that state of “almost collapse” today but I could barely walk once done.

And despite the A/C on full blast – I was sweating buckets a full half an hour AFTER my workout – after a shower at that!

Yes, ‘twas that intense, and what did I do different today?

Well, basically two out of the three exercises I have included in 0 Excuses Fitness – three exercises that are (I believe) at the end of the section of pushups, and three exercises that are ROUNDLY and routinely ignored.

Big mistake, my friend.

And probably a big mistake on my end too to NOT devote an entire book simply to these incredible movements.

(NB – Advanced Hill Training is a book on these movements, but again, that’s a different course, and NOT one devoted purely to that type of movement).

And I implemented this sort of thing into my training today for a change, and . . .

. . . more importantly, you’ll have to read what I said about not wearing masks etc on the other site, and how my daughter (all of 6 years of age) is starting to develop the tiniest hint of a “pot belly”.

And how kids her age are getting downright FAT these days as is, and these inane lockdowns everywhere ain’t helping either.

I mean, you KNOW it’s bad – terrible – pathetic – and so forth that folks are starting to say “it’s OK, no problem” to what I described above but talk about stepping out of the house for a quick walk and they act like one is committing hara kiri.

All because some people nearby have apparently “got the COVID”. I wrote about this before. Yes, just suspicion, no confirmation, and that was nigh enough to set the cat amongst the proverbial piegons.

Anyway, ya’ll know how hard it is to get young kids to buckle down and do something, and if I said “let’s exercise”, I’d have heard crickets or perhaps worse, hehe.

So I didn’t.

I got down with my daughter, and did the thing, and half way through the routine as my daughter was “cheating” her way through a set of duck waddles and I was doing my damndest to make the damn exercise HARDER, I could literally hear myself wheeze and pant with each step.

And my heart was fixing to pop out of it’s casing, or so it felt like!

And THAT is what you can expect from the Advanced Hill Training routines my friend – the perfect accessory, along with the 0 Excuses Fitness System if you’re currently in lockdown or limited travel mode or if you’re just a “homebody”.

And back to day – the simplest things are indeed the best, and while I will detail specifics of the movements later, let me just say it’s things that most adults pooh pooh at – and most adults CANNOT even BEGIN to do.

And these exercises will get you in great, great shape my friend – both from a trim and toned perspective – as well as HEART – and internal HEALTH.

Give these sort of workouts a whirl, my friend. You truly WILL Enjoy ‘em!

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – Oh, we did the bear crawl and duck waddle – straight out of the 0 Excuses Fitness System today, but there are more my friend. Oh yes, there ARE – and I’ll be putting out a course onthat as well – stay tuned !

P.S #2 – Kiddie Fitness details not 10, not 20, not 25 – but FIFTY ONE ways to get your kid (and probably you the ADULT reading this too) in RIP – ROARING shape with the sort of workouts my daughter and myself did today, and “animal workouts” is only PART of the offering, my friend. Believe me now and trust me later, there is a lot, lot more to this. Check out the course right here - - https://0excusesfitness.com/kiddie-fitness/

As I sit here hours after my workout this afternoon (yes, you read that right – afternoon! Hehe) . . . I’m still exhausted, but in a GOOD way.

My body feels worked to the bone, and for those that don’t know, and I’ve written about this on one of the sites (either this one or the other) – I’ve been on a NEW routine for the past week.

A routine so powerful and difficult that it would probably kick most advanced trainees and triathletes in the can – not just for the EXERCISES themselves, but also the conditions in which it’s done.

You 0 Excuses Faithful will recall the video I shot in the 0 Excuses Fitness System (the workout video) where you can see my sweating full tilt . . . as the air conditioning was on, FULL BLAST!

The videos and pictures show that for all to see, and while the A/C was on then mostly for Cindy who was shooting the videos (didn’t want HER to sweat buckets, hehe) - - these days, it certainly isn’t while I do my home workouts.

And I almost – literally – COLLAPSED from exhaustion towards the end of my 25 minute blast today, a routine so intense that I literally felt my heart thud, pound and hammer for probably more than 23 of those 25 minutes!

I’ve posted details on the other site as to what the exact workout was, but for now, two things.

First, why do I work out in extreme heat?

Charles, a friend of mine often wondered “how I could undertake my hill climbs – often times multiple climbs – in extreme heat and humidity with temperatures approaching 50 degrees Centigrade in China”.

And probably rightfully so, hehe.

And my wife often asks me as well. And she often tells our daughter to “work out with the A/C or fan  on”.

And again, understandable to a degree, but to me, it’s about getting back to bare bones.

Often times, when climbing the mountain, I’ll see Chinese (mostly girls) with these little bitty pink mini fans they use to fan themselves (and truth be told, a lot of them that collapse on the way up probably do need it to an extenet!) and I always shake my head internally.

To me, it’s about braving the elements, and then some.

If you want extreme fitness, and to get fit quick – you must pay the price!

It’s the same as with anything else, my friend – success in any area. As Napelon Hill famously once wrote, Nature will only give up the object of your desires once you have paid the price. Nature cannot be tricked or cheated!

And so it is with fitness, and as for losing weight, though all the pundits claim the answer to that question is “no”, and it’s about calories burnt or other such nonsense . . . I beg to differ.

To me, it’s about how you feel and how hard your body is WORKING!

Running sprints all out in extreme heat on FLAT land can often be a far more exhausting workout in many regards than doing uphill sprints in cool weather (don’t get me wrong – the latter is tough, but still . . . ).

Doing pushups after extreme jumping sessions (an example I quoted on the other site today) is different from just doing 50 of them in your living room and then calling it a day (again, great thing to do the latter, but that’s not my point!).

And so forth.

If you’ve felt the sweat pour, and the HEART POUND during tropical conditions outdoors as you undertake extreme workouts (or what others call extreme or military grade workouts), well, you won’t be asking me this question any more!

Personally, I’ve always done better overall after hot, hot workouts and then coming home to a nice COLD air-conditioned environment (and perhaps even a few frosty cold ones later on during the day, hehe).

Anywya, the second thing you ask ?

Well, it’s my ROUTINES these days.

If you’d say jumping rope is the main part of it, you may be right.

But it ain’t the hardest part by far.

The hardest part involve two things – one, jumps without ropes, and two jump-squats of a nature I have NOT detailed in ANY of my writings.

Combine the two with what I’ve written above, and Oh MY.

The fat will FLY off you within the space of a few workouts, and how . . .

Advanced stuff of course, and I’ll detail more later, but for now, if you’re looking for solid fat burning workouts that you can get started on – HERE IS where you can go – https://0excusesfitness.com/0excusesfitnessystem/

Grab it today, my friend. It truly IS the best darn fitness system on the planet and by far the best fitness investment you’ll ever make!

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – By the way, we’ve got a ton of goodies for ya’ll to choose from as you  stay “locked in” due to this blasted COVID. Check ‘em out HERE - https://0excusesfitness.com/products/

Wednesday, 01 October 2014 00:00

"Gawd", I can barely lift my arms up!

Well, it's been a long time since my last update - - and for that I apologize (yeah, I know, again!) - - this last month has been a virtual whirlwind of activity. Running hither, traveling thither, apparently a thousand things to get done and only 24 (sometimes less) hours to get it done - - you know how it goes at times!

Anyway, I was puffing my way my favorite hill yesterday on a HOT and BALMY (and I mean it - - it's so humid and muggy out here these days that you literally start to "drip" sweat as soon as you step outside) Tuesday morning. Step by step (or double step, for those of you that know me!) and finally I was up at the top - whew!

Now, for those that have been following my newsletters/site, you know that the climb is only part one (albeit the most important) part of my daily workout, and bodyweight exercises follow shortly thereafter. I generally do a combination of stretches and pushups at the top of the hill and then some intense grip work/pulling exercises at the bottom - - but today was to be different, as a long forgotten (for whatever odd reason) exercise suddenly slipped into mind.

And before I knew it, the hands made their way down to the cemented section at the top of the hill, and I found a wall to "lean" against - - and I turned myself upside down - - and yes, you guessed RIGHT - - for some reason, I haven't been doing handstands or handstand pushups for a couple of months now - - but jumped straight back into them yesterday morning.

Now, handstands and handstand pushups are a fantastic, fantastic exercise to build the upper body, and I've written many times about this in all my manuals, so you might ask why I stopped doing this exercise for a while.

Fair enough question...And one that I don't really have a ready made answer to, as it was one of those things that just "happened". You know how it goes, you try a new exercise, or focus on another one, and one of the old ones suddenly slips into the background - - until you remember it - - and then you're back at it with a vengeance.

In my case, "new" would certainly be true, now that I think about it. I've been focusing on many new stretches that I've experimented with - - as well as "extra wide grip" pushups (don't ask, hehe) - - as well as building my grip - - and this last one (grip) takes up a lot of my time and energy (though the results have been WELL worth it).

And I've also been focusing on my pull-ups, perfecting my form, no swinging, kipping, etc (not that I did that to start with, but one can always improve regardless).

Anyway, the first handstand left me teetering unsteadily on  my hands, and I felt a "new" (yet familiar) feeling through my entire core as I turned myself upside down.

Oh yeah. THAT feeling ... THAT feeling of your insides literally being "tightened" as you struggle to mantain focus and balance.

The second one was easier, but not by a  lot.

And the third was a bit easier, but again, not by a lot.

But the important thing is I was able to DO the actual handstand - - call it muscle memory, or call it what you will, but my shoulders didn't pop out of my body the moment I balanced my bodyweight on them, and this despite me not having done a single handstand, or handstand pushup for ages now.

And as I struggled my way through sets of 2, then 3, then 2 handstand pushups (will take me a few days to work back up to 5-7), I knew I was going to be sore tomorrow in my chest and tricep area - - not to mention my forearms, which I thought were getting a good ole "beating".

Anyway, I completed the rest of my workout as usual, and then had a good lunch, a nap, and then was off to get some work done in the evening. Decent enough dinner, a little sore around the lats, and then off to bed...

Did I say a "little sore"?

Well, I did - - but that's nothing compared to what I felt like THIS morning. I woke up, and tried stretching my arms over my head as I normally do upon waking up - - and - - OH BOY.

My upper back, but especially my lats (the muscle group around the armpits) seemed to be literally "pulsating" with a life of their own every time I raised my arms above shoulder level. Sort of as if I'd hammered them with endless sets of pull-ups, but in reality, the handstand pushups were what caused the soreness - - and funnily enough, my forearms feel absolutely normal (probably due to all the grip work I do).

OUCH! As I flexed and stretched, trying to get the blood flowing, I also noticed a new soreness around the shoulder area - - sort of the "front" part of the shoulder - - a "deep" sort of soreness, sort of like someone had beaten that part of the shoulder muscle to pulp - - but without the associated "bad pain", if you get my drift.

My own fault for neglecting my "upside down" exercises for days on end, hehe.

Anyway, the reason I'm telling you this is because all of us (myself included) tend to "forget the basics" every once in a while (or if not forget, not focus upon) and we all need that good old fashioned "kick up the backside" in order to get back to them.

That kick can come in various forms - - sore lats - - a bulging stomach (for those of you that haven't exercised in a while) - - admonitions - - or just about anyway, really - - but the fact of the matter is simple - - don't forget the basics, or they'll come back to hit ya - - HARD!

And I'm also telling you this so you know that one of the BEST, bar none, workouts for your upper body can be centered around two main exercises.

That's right - - just two - - those being handstand pushups and pull-ups (and it doens't matter which level you're at  - - even TRYING these exercises will cause some serious strength to develop!).

I've mentioned this combo repeatedly in my courses, but for some reason it gets ignored a lot of times - - and so I'm putting it out there again - - this time with a personal experience to share as well, hehe.

Anyway, that's it for now. Gotta grab some lunch, and recuperate a bit more before the evening session. Be back soon with more - - if you work out today -- make it a great one - - and remember to focus on the BASICS!

Best Regards,
Rahul Mookerjee

Tuesday, 08 July 2014 00:00

500 steps at a time, and a new PR

We've all heard it - - the magic number, that is. 500.

500 pushups. 500 reps. 500 squats. The number 500 has somehow assumed "mythical" (if I might use the term) proportions in training "lore" - - and with good reason - - doing 500 reps of a certain exercise is anything BUT easy. And if we're talking pushups, 500 pushups WILL give you a HECK of a workout - - see http://rahulmookerjee.com/index.php/blog/item/47-500-pushups-a-day and http://rahulmookerjee.com/index.php/component/k2/item/87-more-on-doing-500-pushups-a-day for more on this!

Anyway, today's (second) note is not about pushups - - it's about WALKING.

Yes, that's right - - walking - - that oft ignored, simple, yet amazingly effective exercise that we can ALL (provided we have a pair of intact legs!) do on a regular basis.

And though walking might seem like no big deal to some, have you ever stopped to wonder about how many steps you can walk without stopping?

That's right - - not "reps" - - steps - - or "paces" for our friends from the U.K. - - can  you walk 300 paces without halting? Or 400? Or 500 - - or more?

Well, I don't know about you, but I counted my steps today as I moseyed up the hill - - I was going up one of the paths without stairs - - a path I use on the days I don't go up the route with stairs (though the lack of stairs certainly does NOT make it any easier to puff up the slope).

I thought I'd do 300 at a time for fun.

100...200...300... - - the magic number (for me) just came and went before I knew it.

And soon enough, I was at THE magic number - - 500. But I didn't stop there.

No, siree...

I managed a total of NINE HUNDRED steps - - UPHILL, at a steady pace before I finally stopped to catch  my breath - -and give my aching calves and legs a much needed break.

From that point on, the route joined the "regular" route with stairs until the top - - probably another 400 or so. I didn't count, but that's a rough estimate.

And at the top of my hill I checked my watch, slick with sweat - - and - - YES! I had done it - - I had surpassed my previous best of 13 minutes - - ended up with a 12 minute climb today.

Now that's something to feel good about - - or at least, I feel good about it. And those of you that exercise on a regular basis will know the feeling of exhilaration that accompanies a PR - - be that any form of PR (weight lifted, or seconds shaved off your run/climb, et al).

And why do I mention this along with the "500 steps at a time" topic?

Well, simply because walking can sometimes get to be so "easy" for some that you actually end up slacking - - and missing out on some of the benefits this exercise has to offer (multiplied manifold, of course, if you're walking up hill).

Oh, thats just a simple walk. Pff!

Oh, walking! Hmph! How can that  possibly help me!

Sound familiar??

On the other hand, TIME your walks - - and COUNT your steps - - and you might just find you get a way better workout than you do if you're "just walking".

And that, my friend, is a tip I thought I'd share with you (and one I've used myself many a times as well).

All for now!

Best regards,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S.: - I speak about the many benefits of walking in Fast and Furious Fitness - - walk on over HERE to reserve your copy: - http://rahulmookerjee.com/index.php/articles/4-fast-and-furious-fitness-the-book

Friday, 20 June 2014 03:16

Check your ego in at the door!

This is something I've been meaning to write about a LONG, LONG time now, but haven't had the time to do so.

The park that I partake of my daily walk in has plenty of folks of all age groups exercising on a regular basis (which is a great thing). You'll find folks out for their walks (and/or Tai Chi, bodyweight stuff, et al) even on days so hot that you literally feel like a sponge that is slowly, but surely being SQUEEZED, dripping sweat with every movement.

And that is one area where the Chinese score over a lot of other countries - despite the recent surge in couch potatoes (young 'uns at that) and folks getting lazy, by and large, the Chinese still believe in daily exercise as "part of their lives" as opposed to a lot of developed countries where exercise is treated as something you have to "fit into your schedule" (and consequently becomes a chore).

But that isn't the topic of today's post.

A few weeks ago, I puffed up the hill, and almost collapsed once I was at the summit. It was an especially cloudy and muggy day, extremely overcast, and one could barely even BREATHE (you know, the sort of humidity that "clings" to your lungs) and that doesn't make climbing a steep hill any easier.

There weren't that many people that day, except for a few young men "lounging" about, if I may term it as that.

And as I completed 25 strict, letter perfect pushups, something I tend to do after a hill climb (and before my pulling movements), they looked on in amazement as if to say "in THIS heat? No way!?"

But one of them soon got down from his "perch" on a nearby railing and started to follow suit - and pounded out what seemed like 70 or so "rapidfire" pushups.

Or so he claimed.

His compatriots cheered him on, but to me it felt like watching a  circus show - rather like watching a human machine gun hurriedly rep out half baked pushups, the arms barely bending, the chest so far from the floor that you could stick a barrel in the space - - and most of all, the horrible, jerky, up and down motion where the person exercising  uses momentum rather than strength to complete whatever "movement" it is he is doing.

Uggggh, I thought.

But I'm used to this sort of foolishness, and I just sort of shook my head ruefully and didn't say much.

Fast forward a couple of days, and I see a wiry guy on the pull-up bar, a slim fella with very little fat on him, someone you'd think should be great at pull-ups done in proper form.

But as he "jumped" on to the pull-up bar, I watched from a distance, warming my grip up for a few tough sets of the monkey bars, and I soon found out that his fitness levels were nowhere near what I thought they should - or would, for that matter - be at.

Our friend completes the first rep by literally "jumping" half the way, and then goes half way back down, and then kicks both legs furiously, sort of like the "dolphin kick" when performing the butterfly in swimming, and that kick gets him to rep #2.

He gets to rep #4 or so like that, and then furiously contorts his face, scowling, and letting out "oohs and ahs" for the benefit of a few girls who had stopped to watch "the monster crank out the reps".

Monster...eek!

He finishes 20 or so reps like that, and then jumps down from the bar (the last 5 reps being half-half reps, in that neither did his chin get over the bar, and neither did he go even halfway down), grinning at the simpering women, and at that point I couldn't help but laugh, though I turned around quickly, not wanting him to notice.

But notice it he did, and he came on over to the monkey bars, which are three times as thick as the regular pull-up bars most folks prefer.

He jumped up, but fell off the bar quickly, much like a limpet detached from a tree trunk.

"That's not easy", he grimaced, staring at his hands (baby soft from what I could tell). "That's too hard on the palms!"

And as he said this I repped out a few "back and forth" reps across the monkey bars, swinging my way across, and the guy kept staring.

Then, he jumps on to the bars again, and starts to rep out pull-ups in the same shoddy manner, and at that point I stopped him.

"Not that way", I said, somewhat irritably. "All the way up, and THEN (this is the part he most hated), go ALL the way DOWN!"

"Down???"

He gaped at me as if I had asked him to dive to the bottom of the Pacific.

"Down", I repeated.

And after about 5 rounds of this conversation, he finally did lower down to a "flexed hang" letting out a genuine gasp this time.

He then flailed around with his legs for a while, but not even the most desperate of kicks could get him past half way point on this particular rep.

And he soon dropped from the bar like a dead weight and glared at me, as if I was responsible for his "failures" in front of the girls.

Soon, he walked off, muttering something about  my calloused hands being "horrible".

Ok...horrible they are, but they sure can GRIP!

Now, the point of mentioning this jokerishness is not to poke fun at the two fine men I just spoke about, but rather to emphasize that "cheating" a.k.a "bouncing or kicking" your way through reps does YOU no good.

It may stroke your ego for a while, but when you do the exercise in right form, you'll soon find out that ALL your "effort" thus far has been in vain. More importantly, bouncing and kicking on pushups and pull-ups (for instance) is a great way to lead to shoulder and tendon injuries - not something you want for sure.

So don't be the guy that "bounces" out 50 plus reps and preens in front of the women. Be the guy who pumps out 15 slow, letter PERFECT reps, and BUILDS from there.

Don't be the guy who "kicks" his way to 20  half baked chins. Be the guy who spends hours honing his grip on THICK bars, more time in the dead hang position, FEELING his lats, and PERFECTING that first rep before moving on.

In other words, check your ego in at the door when training hard - and this goes for trainees at ALL levels.

Concentrate on the workout itself - - and the numbers will come. Believe you me, the numbers will come!

And here's a parting shot - if all this sounds too "silly" (pff! I'd rather "pound" out the reps rather than worry about this nonsense, some might say!) - just go back and read my post a while back on the "old man I met in China" right here: - http://rahulmookerjee.com/index.php/blog/item/167-the-old-man-i-met-a-couple-of-months-back-in-china. Read the part about a letter perfect handstand, the vice like grip - - the entire post, actually, and then read THIS one again, and that'll say it all.

Or at least, it should!

And thats it for today. Back again with more!

Best Regards,
Rahul

P.S.: - Pull-ups are one of the hardest movements for folks to even complete, let alone complete in proper form, but the benefits from doing these right, and doing these regularly are manifold. And the same holds true for handstand pushups. Weave a workout around these two movements (remember the leg work!), and you'll be looking like a human gorilla in no time at all!

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http://rahulmookerjee.com/index.php/articles/88-getting-better-at-pull-ups-from-dud-to-stud-within-a-matter-of-weeks

I'm sure you've noticed that I've been talking a lot about leg and core training/conditioning these days. Most of my notes seem to have some sort of reference to either walking, or hill climbing - and for those of that think it's a bit of an "overdose" on leg work, well, stop reading this email right now.

But there will likely be many of you that understand just important it is to condition the legs and core, and thus know why I stress it as much as I do.

Repeat something thousands of times, and it literally becomes second nature - or habit, if you would.

Repeat something thousands of times, and even the most obstinate of us (in this case, those who plain just don't WANT to get in shape) will usually give it at least a thought, and maybe even a try. And there in lies the importance of stressing the really important stuff over and over again.

Anyway, for those of you still not on board, the #1 (by far) reason to condition your legs and core the RIGHT way is that it's virtually impossible to have a well conditioned core and pair of legs, and not work the heart, lungs and entire cardiovascular system at the same time - which in turn means less overall fat, both visceral and subcutaneous.

Take five guys (or gals) that have bellies and arses hanging down to their ankles, and compare their resting pulse, blood-work and/or overall health with five fitter people, and you'll quickly note that a conditioned core/legs goes hand in hand with a healthy heart most of the time.

Note I'm talking about the right way - and the right way does not include "leg presses" or "hamstring curls" or other such junk - I'm talking exercises that make the lower body and core (and therefore by extension the entire body) work as ONE unit, rather than separate muscle groups.

To put this in further perspective, consider the old Chinese saying "Ren lao xian lao tui", which when translated into English basically means the legs are the first to go as a person ages. In other words, young legs == young heart == young YOU - enough said on that one, methinks.

Second, strong legs and core help you from a practical perspective, and that goes both for the average Joe and for sportsmen/athletes.

It's virtually IMPOSSIBLE to excel at your chosen sport without having strong, durable and well conditioned legs and midsection (core).

Any successful boxer knows that while training the specifics is important, fights are ultimately "won on the road". In other words, the longer your legs dont give out, the better your chances are of winning the duel.

Any martial artist will tell you it's impossible to generate power in a kick without a strong core to back it up.

And so on and so forth - it "don't" matter if your sport of choice is soccer, tennis, volleyball or what you have it - the same principle applies.

Some of you might say that swimmers don't have legs that are all that strong, but the fact of the matter is that while swimmers generally do not have legs that are as strong when compared to those that participate in land based sports, their core conditioning is second to NONE. And I've never seen a swimmer with "fat" (or weak) legs and too much "junk in the trunk" - have you? What's more, most ace swimmers DO work the legs with land based exercise such as running in order to balance their impressive upper body development out.

Even those that don't participate in sports that require physical activity know the importance of staying in shape - just ask any top chess player.

The average Joe will find that strong legs, hips and core makes it possible for him or her to move that heavy couch up the stairs, or carry multiple bags of groceries up to the fifth floor without their arms given out.

Enough reasons, you think? I'd say so!

Anyway, there are more reasons than I can get into in this note, but yet another positive effect of training the legs and core is the sheer CONFIDENCE it adds into your daily life.

You might be able to bench press an elephant, but a gut hanging over your belt will likely make you feel fat regardless - and you won't be able to hide it either.

Other hand, a lean flat core, coupled with strong, muscular and streamlined thighs (and therefore legs) will make you feel confident about going into just any situation - and like the last example, it's almost impossible to hide a pair of well conditioned legs, no matter what you dress in.

Climbing hills as I do on a daily basis is a GREAT, GREAT way to work the legs, core and entire body (by extension), but it's not the end of the world if you don't have a hill nearby. Jumping rope, lunges, squats, "table" pushups, sprints on flat land or up stairs - - there are MANY ways to work the legs, and I have devoted an entire section on this in Fast and Furious Fitness: - http://rahulmookerjee.com/index.php/articles/83-fast-and-furious-fitness-the-book - and you'll probably want to grab a copy right away while we're still running our "20 % off" special.

Anyway, I'm off for a well deserved late lunch myself. If you work out today, make sure it's a great one - and make sure to work the legs and core heavily!

Best Regards,
Rahul  

P.S. : - While working the legs and core is the #1 priority, that doesn't mean you forget about your upper body. And working the back is probably the MOST important thing you can do for yourself in that regard. Pull-ups are the best way (by far) to work your back and entire upper body into the ground, and. . . what's that? Too tough, you say? Well, fear not, my friend - I just put a new course out there that'll teach even the rank beginner amongst us to get to "stud" level at pull-ups (and reap the associated upper body benefits) within as less as a few weeks! If I were you, I'd pull on RIGHT NOW to grab this course: - http://rahulmookerjee.com/index.php/articles/88-getting-better-at-pull-ups-from-dud-to-stud-within-a-matter-of-weeks

Monday, 11 November 2013 09:21

Should I purchase the TRX?

'Twas a crisp and breezy Monday morning today. Winter's approaching - and fast - in my neck of the woods, and signs are we'll have an especially severe winter this year. Global warming, anyone??

Anyway, woke up bright and early at 11, hehe, and dove straight into a combination of leg exercises and pushups that left me dripping with sweat despite the chill in the air. To give you an example of the sort of "cardio" effect this sort of routine can give you, try alternating sets of 20 pushups with jumping rope for 100 reps each time - and don't rest more than 10 seconds between each exercise. 5 sets of this puppy, and you'll be feeling it in no time - guaranteed!

Headed on to the park for some pull-ups after that, and started in on some hammer grip pull-ups alternated with regular pull-ups. Man, those monkey bars were COLD - I was literally "wringing" the cold
out of my fingers after every set!

Anyway, I was finishing up with some timed holds, when along dwadles this young'ish sort of guy with a silly grin on his face.

Plenty of these "specimens" where I work out, and they usually leave me to my  own devices, which is what I prefer - but I could tell at one glance that this dude wasn't of the same bent of mind.

He was looking at me from afar, making gestures, "sidling" up to the monkey bars every time I finished a set (and sidling right back when I glared at him) -  in short, doing everything he could to get me to speak with him.

And I was, of course, doing everything I could to shake him off. I'm not exactly one for "chit-chat" (especially idle and silly chit-chat) during my routines, and I never make any bones about that fact. And it usually works - folks usually leave me alone when I'm working out.

On this occasion though, I was unsuccessful.

"Hello", he starts, while proferring me a limp hand.

"Hello", I grunt back, getting back to my timed holds.

Did my 4th set of 20 second holds, and was taking a brief rest when I heard him again.

"Excuse me".

I pretended not to hear.

"Excuse me".

Wool in my ears, as they say. . .

"Excuse me", he said for the third time, finally moseying on up to the monkey bars in a most slimey fashion.

"Yeah", I say.

"Do you work out here daily?"

"Uh huh", I grunt back.

"You shouldn't be working out on these", our guy says. He pointed at the monkey bars with a limp finger as if they were something to be ashamed of, and shook his head in a sad manner.

"You should get the TRX", he tells me. "You'll get the cuts and definition you want in no time at all!"

Uh-oh - those who know me know that "cuts and definition" are the last thing I want to hear about, and badger me with that type of nonsense during a workout - well, you're liable to get the sort of rousing reception a hibernating grizzly bear provides those who rouse him from his sleep.

Anyhow, I ignored him and went on to set #5.

"Ouch! That must be painful", he starts after this set.

"Calluses, what do you expect", I retort in a gruff manner.

"You really need the TRX. Here, take my card", he goes, handing me a sort of business card with the name of a prominent gym as well as the TRX logo on it.

"I don't want your card".

"Try it, it'll help you".

"I don't want to try it, and I don't want your help", I snapped back, annoyance getting the better of me.

He finally seemed to then "get the message", and pushed off in the other direction, mumbling "Thank you" under his breath. Good for him.

Anyway, "cuts and definition" not withstanding, I find it funny that even gyms these days are scrounging around for folks to buy their overpriced (and in many cases absolutely worthless) memberships. It would seem that folks are sick of paying through the nose for something that doesn't really benefit them - but maybe not, as I don't see the number of fit people going up - it's actually the other way around.

Now, just so you know, I've got nothing against the TRX system (even though I prefer to use my own bodyweight to get fit). The TRX has worked for many people, and I'm sure it'll continue to work for many more, and who I am to knock something that apparently "works"?

But does it work better than a bodyweight based program such as what I advocate?

Not a snowball's chance in tarnation, my friend. The TRX has several things going for it, the most important being the fact it also at the end of the day is a bodyweight based program - and the other being that one has to stay on a super strict diet during the program, else you dont see results.

But, I don't see whats wrong with doing pull-ups on thick bars and how they're any worse than doing them on the suspension system the TRX provides.

I don't see whats wrong with climbing a long, steep hill daily for your "cardio" as opposed to super strict diets that one cannot stick with for any length of time.

And neither do I believe that it's necessarily better to do pushups using straps or pushup bars - I much prefer the old fashioned way of putting one's palms on the floor and completing the exercise.

Folks think they need something "fancy" to get fit - but the truth is, all you need is your own body and some willpower, my friend, and your all set.

More importantly, people need to learn that "tough" isn't a bad thing. Thick bar pull-ups are tough, and they'll give you a pair of calloused hands for sure, but you'd be hard pressed to replicate the STRENGTH that this particular exercise builds no matter what gizmo you use. 'Tis a fact - try it yourself and see if you don't believe me.

Tough is GOOD - and they understood that in the old days. And thats why they had some mighty strong - and FIT - men back in those days. Men who stuck to the basics, and focused on getting stronger. Men who knew all you needed to get a great workout in is your OWN body weight.

What's also amazing is that folks these days are willing to fork over big bucks for the latest gadgets, fad diets, gym memberships et al, and then do so all over again when their "purchase" doesnt deliver what was promised.

So, forget the $250 gym memberships, my friend.

Forget "workout systems" that promise you six pack abs within said number of days.

Ditch the fancy protein shakes, "no carbs" diet, and any other nonsense the so-called fitness gurus might preach.

All you really need to do is fork over a mere $24.99 for Fast and Furious Fitness, and you'll be all set. Heck, that's less than a FRACTION of what I mentioned above would cost - but you'd better believe it delivers far more than any of the above will.

It's solid, tough, back to the basics stuff - and THAT, my friend is what really delivers - not the lass on TV showing off her "8 pack" trying to sell you products late at night.

Anyway, this email has gone off for long enough - so I think I'll end here. Gotta go help my wife reposition a solid oak bed we have - moving that sucker around the bedroom (limited space) can be a workout unto itself.

More later!

Best Regards,
Rahul Mookerjee


P.S.: - I speak about "men" towards the latter part of this note, but this advice, and the routines I teach in Fast and Furious Fitness are just as applicable for you ladies out there - as well as kids. Click on over NOW to see what the hullabaloo is all about: - http://rahulmookerjee.com/index.php/articles/83-fast-and-furious-fitness-the-book

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