Exercises (160)
Why I don't really advocate close grip handstand pushups ...
You on this list, and indeed those of you that have bought my books etc are no doubt aware of my liking for the CLOSE grip pushup – and all it's many variants.
That being, to bring the hands in close together while doing pushups – or the “elbows in” boxer style pushup as I like to call it.
I dont know why, but every time I say pushups, people think this means either with arms at shoulder width, or slightly wider than that.
And I have to say this.
If THAT style is all you're (primarily) doing for that type of pushup (and there are many!) then you're not only doing yourself and your strength training a disservice, but the mighty pushup as well!
Believe me, the elbows in variant is so much better than the regular version that I could probably write a mini -manual on that alone!
And while the regular version(s) are fine to start off with I don't recommend you “stay” there.
(Of course, it's still better than benching or doing nothing, but hey ... )
Anyway, in came a question from a subscriber a while ago that I completely forgot to address here.
“Rahul,
What are your thoughts on close grip handstand pushups? Would you say they work the body and the shoulders, specifically, more intesely than the regular version?”
There was more. He had another question which I believe I did address ...
... But back to this one, and it's a good question actually
I don't really advocate the close grip version of the handsand pushup my friend – for two reasons primarily.
One, BALANCE and reducing unneeded stress and strain on the wrist (and indeed, by extension) the elbows are parmount when doing any upper body exercise, and all the more so for intense workouts such as what handstand pushups lend themselves to.
And believe me on this one – no matter how much of an expert you are or will get to be at these, the closer you get, the more “unbalanced” you'll start to get.
Handstands and handstand pushups are meant to work the MAJOR big muscles of your upper body and the forearms. And the core, of course. And lower back.
But again, upper body wise – that means traps, shoulders and LATS (is it any surprise that I've always mentioned handstand pushups as one of the keys to getting better at pull-ups, and why the two together make an unbeatable workout combo?) . . .
And the closer you get with your hands when upside down, the more strain goes AWAY from said muscles.
Not good, and not what you want.
And as for “diamond” style handstand pushups?
Well, you could try – but again – I believe the variants I give you in Shoulders like Boulders, combined with the pulling variants in Battletank Shoulders are ALL you need for your entire life in that regard my friend.
As for pull-ups, well, you're already well aware of my views on the close grip pull-up – and why
One of the best ever movements! Enough said, hehe.
Anyway, these and MANY other “faq's” make their way to me pretty frequently my friend, and sometimes I forget to address them in these emails.
And that is why I did up the “faq” on handstand pushups – and PULL-ups.
25 in each book, I believe – or mini book I should say, and if you're ordering off the 0 Excuses site, well, they're yours FREE with the purchase of the other books.
But if you're ordering off Amazon etc, well, it's a seperate order.
I don't believe I've gotten around to putting them anywhere else, unlike my other books, and I probably won't either. Hehe.
Well, my friend – thats it for now. Have at!
Best,
Rahul Mookerjee
PS – Pick up the best course on pushups right here – Pushup Central. My fingers grow weary of typing it, but I'll do so anyway – I nigh on challenge you to find one better than THIS! ;)
On ripping a phonebook in half ... WITHOUT training for it?
It's been “one of those nighs”, and as I wake up (an hour ago, actually) FRESH AS A DAISY, and READY TO GO – RARING TO GO – I'll share some interesting parts of the dream with you.
First “yours truly” (or whatever yours truly symobilizes in a dream for that matter) showed up in front of some sort of a classroom, or perhaps a seminar – I dont know.
It was unexpected. Completely so !
And out of the blue, I take out a book. Might have one of mine, or might not have been. I dont know.
And I ... rip the little sucker in half and then calmly put the “two halves” on the table.
Minutes later, I repeat this with another THICK phonebook – about ten times as thick.
I remember thinking in the dream “boy I haven't done this before!”
And yet, as I think about this ... I “just do it”.
And RIIIIPPP!
The first page tears, and then the rest do (and yes, there is an ART to this!) ... and as the two pieces are put back on the desk, I announce a 250 GBP prize for whatever reason to ANYONE that can do it.
And needless to say, no-one did and the dream shifted on to even more vivid “details” which I may or may not talk about on here.
Some things are best left unsaid – on this site, that is. And in these emails! ;-)
But anyway, the point of me bringing this up here?
First, you don't just need a strong grip to tear apart phone books in half.
In fact, you need a strong grip yes, but you need strong FINGERS, and a grip that is strong in the REVERSE direction as well.
And all the machines in the world and all the gyms will NOT give you that sort of grip my friend – unless you TRAIN it. Actively so.
Which of course, brings me to my second point.
You gotta train something if you want to get better at it.
Thats obvious, ain't it.
The more you do it, the more you get better at it.
But here's the third point, which you might find strange as well, and in opposition to the second.
Is that your MIND actually controls way, way more of your muscle than you might think.
If you can tear apart a phonebook right now, chances are you can do so with a book 25% thicker – if you just “visualize” it first.
Your mind can indeed perform miracles!
I remember the tale I heard years ago about a little ole lady who didnt train, and her husband (I believe? Or maybe son...) somehow got pinned under a car bumper.
This lady was frail, old, and did NOT train.
And yet, as the incident occured, she didnt do much but rush to the spot, and ...
... lift the damned car off him!
True story, and I'lls ee if I can find th elink.
Your mind, my friend, is what drive syou to perform MIRACLES and hence my constant babble about the right form of mental conditioing in any endavor.
Anyway, back to the physical.
Think about how your fingers are positioned when you start to rip the damn book apart.
It's NOT the typical “gorilla like crushing” grip position yo udo on pull-ups, is it?
No.
It's the basics, my friend.
Fingertip pushups, for one, done right will give you those sort of fingers, and a GRIP OF STEEL TO BOOT!
(Think Dan Hodge crushing apples with his bare hands at the age of 80 plus, and the fingertip pushup was a favorite in his reportiore).
Handstand pushups, another old favorite will train the forearms in that direction!
It's fingers – and the fact you need to train the wrists and fingers in every possible direction, not just one
And don't get me wrong – the crushing grip is important as heck too. Pull-ups are as well.
But it's the COMBO that really gets the job done!
And it's a combo I've used repeatedly in ALL of my advanced courses, my friend.
And it's a combo that will get YOU into kick butt, ass kicking shape.
You might not be able to rip phonebooks apart like that. Heck, I can't!
(thats because I dont want to in terms of goals right now, hehe)
But I do have a pretty strong grip, and believe me – as Rocky said – the grip is the last thing to go on a man!
And it's the FIRST Thing, along with NECK, traps and LEGS and core that tell you a lot about the state of a man's training – and it's something you can't hide in clothing.
Move over bench presses and the mamsy pamsies who focus soles on “building the pecs”.
So useless I can't even begin to say ...
Anyway, thats it from here. If you can figure out more than a few tips from this here jumble (not really, hehe) – well – you're my MAN!
Best,
Rahu lMookerjee
PS – Or woman, for that matter. Believe me, this stuff I do is NOT just for men – women can do it just as well, and Corrugated Core for one is PROOF of that fact. Don't believe me? Crack the book open, and you'll see my wife featured in some of those workouts!
PPS – And KIDS can workout right too – see Kiddie Fitness for more on that !
PPS #2 – Yes, I know. I've driven my family nuts with my caveman ways, and “please be silent” requests. And of course, the workouts! Hehe. But it's a good thing, actually.
Workout #2 ... and more on RUNNING!
So as promised, the update!
But before that, a bit on running, something I Wrote about the other day.
You'll remember I wrote about running not being as bad as it's made out to be – provided it's NOT pavement pounding, and YES, there is a difference!
Anyway, being that I hadn't exercised “twice a day” for a while, I saw many old faces out there in the park at nighttime, including a guy I wrote about before once.
A realistic dude, and a business person (who does NOT buy into the mask wearing nonsense, and neither does he buy into the panic. Precautions NOT panic as I'm sure he'd agree!).
Naturally, we got to talking. I think I Was doing monkey bar work at the time, and he came up to me, and the first thing I noticed (and told him).
“Man!!! You've lost some weight, thats for sure!
And though it was dark, I gave him the once over again.
Yes! On the face, neck, and especially the legs etc. And the belly was a lot less from what I remember before (he wasn't really “fat” before, just perhaps a bit overweight, but he's positively looking slim and STRONG now!).
And he's been running around the park at a pretty brisk clip too, which is something I never saw him do before.
And as he said ...
“you know, running really helps! It's boring, but it helps!”
“Yes”, I replied, grinning. “Especially if you run FAST as you are!”
“Well, even slowly” he replied. “I used to do it slowly for a long time, and ... “
“Yes. You do need to do it for a long time in that case!”
And the boring part, and then of course we got to talking about uphill walks, runs, and more.
And then, of course.
The situation.
The plague from China.
And I must admit, this dude gave me a point of view I had NOT thought of before, at least not actively.
"I think once the COVID19 scare passes is when the world will really start to stick to China and demand that ... “
"Yes”, I said. “Right now people just dont know what to do”.
“Yes. Keeping their heads above water as it were!”
Anyway, this dude is doing great in HIS Own business, and is a great example of something I've been saying all along i.e. The smart businessmen make MORE dough during the downtimes, and those are usually the businesses that last for the long term!
And workout wise, it was a great one.
50 pull-ups.
And various types of pull-ups, including those fabled rope and ring pull-ups ... oh boy!
Can feel it right now.
And no, while 50 pull-ups and 3000 jumps may sound like a lot (it is, actually) – you do NOT need to go that long or for that many reps.
Even doing something SHORT – brief and quick – twice a day gets the trick done.
In the wild, yous ee a tiger walk slowly for hours on end, but when it comes time to get the job done? ?
BAM! That deer don't stand a chance, and thats often the only real sprint the tiger does for days.
Same thing for YOU.
You could do sprints every other day, for instance. A 15 minute investment ALL IN ALL even for the super fit amongst you.
Or, perhaps 25 pushups in the morning, and 25 at night depending upon your fitness levels.
Hardly herculean in terms of time eh.
Or perhaps you jump rope for 10 minutes in the morning. Do pull-ups and pushups at night!
Key is to do something daily.
Key is to do something multiple times a day, but NOT BURN out when you do so!
And so it goes.
And thats really how it goes, my friend. More later!
Best,
Rahul Mookerjee
PS – Have you checked out Pushup Central as yet?? Truly the BEST DAMN course there is on pushups – do so right HERE.
The “they're elite and I'll never get there. How dare I” subconscious thinking …
…. that you need to avoid at all costs, I should say.
What do I mean.
Well I've written tomes about the “how dare he!” thoughts I get and pick up from TONS of people out there familiar with my writings. And my work. And more! ;)
You truly ARE defined more by your haters than thos ethat love you and buy from you, and if you have any doubt on this, just look at any successful person my friend (anyone you consider successful) and you'll quickly see the TRUTH behind this statement.
Now, back to it.
Ever notice when people make the following statements …
"Oh, those politicians! They're all hand in glove! They're all in cahoots!”
"Oh, those big business men, they're all way out of our league! All in cahoots!”
And so goes the mournful chant, accompanied by a “deflated” feeling on the part of the person saying it, and then of course IRRITATION.
And ignorance of the fact (well, consciously, but not subconsciously!) that they themselves are as far from said person's success as I am from Mars right about now at the time of writing this, for one …
Now, note two things.
The above is correct.
And the above two statements … well, in theory they may or may not be right.
That ain't the point though.
Point is the emphasis on the word “them” (or those).
People making statements like these put themselves into a different bracket from the above subconsciously.
Am I saying dont use the word?
Not at all.
It's there in the English language for a reason.
But it's the WAY in which that word is used!
As if these people are God, or someone the mourners can't emulate!
Of course they can.
The fact is, most people are too LAZY to buckle down to brass tacks and DO what it takes to get to where they want to be, rather preferring to focus on social media shmedia, “follow” their favorite people, and in general do everything but that what is required to get THEM to the point that THEY can …
…. ah, but they don't even believe they can!
And therein lies the crux of the issue, and why most people in this here world do NOT succeed (and no, it ain't their “fault” either in many regards).
We've been fed a crock of shit my friend.
We've been all spoonfed the crock of “getting a good job”, for one, and living a steady life, but what about the virtues of “doing your own thing” and the satisfaction you get from finally getting there, not to mention being able to make LIFE MARCH TO YOUR OWN TERMS?
How often do we hear that?
No. We don't.
We hear “oh, you have no ambition! You can never do it!”
And being our minds believe anything that we're told enough number of times, (subconscious mind that is, and therein lies the SEAT of accomplishment and true power) …
Hey, look buddy.
These guys were the same as YOU once.
Donald Trump for one has been broke and has FAILED way more times than he has succeeded and sit down with him and have a chat, and he'll be the first one to tell you.
Jeff Bezos was nothing but an unemployed office worker who was told NOT to create Amazon when he first started!
And this holds true for ANY successful person. I cannot remember the other example I had in mind this morning, but the above two should suffice.
It aint about you're not in their league. Anyone can be, if they try!
When I hear statements like the above, incredulousness jumps to my mind, not because “they aren't in cahoots” necessarily.
They might be.
But because of how the person says the word “they” …
As if they themselves can never get there.
YES – YOU CAN!
The human mind if harnessed correctly can perform MIRACLES my friend. Nigh on miracles, and this is as true as the sunlight shining outside the window in the late afternoon as I sit here writing this …
(Nah, not really. I'm in my cave. Hehe)..
And yeah, it applies to FITNESS too.
“You look like am ovie star!”
“You're super fit!”
“I wish I had great genetics like you!” (newsflash, the idiots who say this have NO clue; it's the exact opposite!)
And while I've written about all that before, the MENTALITY of the person saying this is something I wanna mention today.
“I can never get there”, person is subconsciously thinking (if he's the lazy loser slob type).
The DOERS, on the other hand look at me. Or anyone they consider to be at a high level.
They say NOTHING in most cases.
They get down to brass tacks. They invest in the PRODUCTS they need. And they just DO IT.
Pretty sure, they're at the same level themselves, or better in some ways!
And thats what it's truly about my friend.
You have to stop making excuses to yourself my friend.
You have to stop trying to convince yourself that you “cant”.
And most of all, you gotta stop bickering and JUST DO IT (one reason I love Trump so muchj, and one reason that while I didnt even mention politics etc before 2020, I do now, and a lot, because he's a goddamned businessman, not a politician, and he gets thing DONE – high energy, high OCTANE!!)
If you're too fat to do pull-ups, then just lose weight my friend.
I dont care if that means you starve or don't drink beer. I don't care if it means the latest keto-sheeto diet, or what not. I don't care if you feel tired and rundown. I don't give a shit about any of that.
What I care about is you getting down to brass tacks and just doing it my friend.
Believe me, simple approaches work the best, and this one approach will reap RICH dividends, if you just let it!
And thats that for now. Back soon!
Best,
Rahul Mookerjee
PS – Again, make sure to GET ON THE fitness train right HERE my friend. Truly the best fitness investment you'll ever make and one that just flat out works!
PS #2 – Ah, I just remembered. I was going to talk about Herschel Walker!
Charles who moaned about my info being useless said the following about him.
“But he's got great genetics! Muscle sticks to him like shit on a ...”
(Um no it doesnt brah. And he's said it himself plenty of times. He's a hard gainer with terrible genetics!)
“He's 75 lbs bigger than you!”
(This when doing a discussion on how according to Charles big guys couldn't do pull-ups.)
(I mean, really. Not only does it have nothing to do with the price of fish in Germany for one, but it's a ridiculous statement to make anyway in the context of the discussion. Big small, yada, nada, schnada. Who cares! Just get off your ass, lose that weight, and then just do it BRAH!)
… And Yes, you CAN get to his levels if you believe, but you won't, but this is not for you, it's for the others reading that can, and WILL BELIEVE!
PPS – Be sure and pick up the PATHBREAKING course on pull-ups rigt here. The latest edition is PEPPERED with tips that will BLAST your performance sky high and right through the gym roof. You'll never want to gym shym again once you get good at PULL-UPS!!!!!!!!!
Hump Day training, and more on the 50% training I wrote about in the last email
So, it BE Wednesday in this here neck of the woods wher eI’m at.
And it BE a great, great day. Some call it Hump Day.
And probably rightfully so in more ways than one given what I just got done doing, and no, before you ask, neither is the training nor what I just got done part of what you’re thinking, or anywhere near it.
My other list on the other sites may think something in that regard, and they’d be RIGHT. ?
But here’s the point.
What I said above is one of the best visualization techniques ever, especially if you’re doing tough workouts.
And WILL catapult your results through the ROOF, my friend.
Lets say you’re embarking on a tough tough workout (for you, lets say) of 100 pushups.
Your previous best was 50 in one workout, and that was ONE Time . . .
So you’re aiming at 100.
You get to 30.
The fatigue kicks in. The sweat drips off your brow. And you think about quitting.
“OK, lets just make it to 50. Then we’ll see!”
And yet, a better way of looking at this is as follows.
“I’ve made it to 50! That’s half out of the way!”
Way back in the day, I did this when I followed that punishing and grueling hill climb regiment I so love.
Let me tell you something, boyo. It ain’t easy for one climbing up steep hills in the middle of the day in Guangdong style heat and humidity, and that’s made it to the book on fitness recollections as well for a reason, but the point is it ain’t easy.
Often times, I’d use visuals to get myself through.
Sometimes I’d compare my slow (and last) walk up the hill to the Undertaker’s as he slowwwwwlllly walks to the ring.
And other times, after I got done with 2 climbs, I’d talk to myself.
That’s two done, Rahul. Just two more left!
I don’t know why, but this gave me a huge, huge mental boost and I needed it. Trust me!
And the same thing applies to you, regardless of what workout you do or if you pump weights or do bodyweight or do that “other” workout (well, not really in that case, hehe).
Anyway, more on training half bore you ask ?
Well, the Bourne Series comes to mind again! One of my favorite movies ever is the Bourne Identity (Supremacy is by far the best in my book) and while the book is much better obviously, Matt Damon doe a stellar job of portraying an ex CIA assassin whose “mind is broken” (memory loss, whatever).
ONLY Damon could have done it. And I’ve written tomes about him and the movie and his TRAINING for the movie as well before!
And as the Identity starts, we see him doing pull-up on a wooden ledge on a boat.
Pull-up purists including yours truly may have a thought here.
That he’s neither going all the way up nor all the way down, which NO, I do NOT recommened.
I do not recommend kipping either and have said why.
But other hand . . .
If you’re already cranking out 5 pull-ups per set, for instance, but can’t quite seem to get to the magic 10 a set number, then you may want to try half pull-ups – on occasional.
Go all the way down, and pull-up, but only half (even if you can do a bit more) and then hold, and then go DOWN again, all the way.
That’s ONE way of doing it.
And count the half rep as a rep, because you’re doing it AFTER your max 5 rep count (note – do NOT do it before you max out).
Believe me now, and trust me later, you’ll benefit GREATLY from adopting this one technique into not just your pull-up workout, but overall workouts.
And that’s that for now (yes, again). Back soon! (yes, again).
Best,
Rahul Mookerjee
PS – Take a gander at the 0 Excuses Fitness System, plenty more such great, great tips including one on how to recover QUICK when you’re out of breath right HERE.
On my fitness programs being “hardly” pathbreaking, beached whales teaching yoga, and more . . .
One of the comments in the lengthy rants I recently received to a post about pull-ups - - and one I did not address as yet is this.
“Your fitness info is hardly pathbreaking!”
Now, for context, the rants were LONG. Drunken rants that came straight from the heart, and while I thanked the poster for his thoughts, I will say this – a chuckle or two (or more) escaped me at the inanity of it all and the hidden point of it all (NOT exercise related) that he was and is still completely missing . . .
. . . which led to two emails of course, lengthy ones.
Andt hose are posted on the blogs for posterity’s sake . . . do a search and you’ll find ‘em. My dips yesterday after a loooong time have left my chest fibers extra sore, so I’m going to be lazy in this regard for once andnot post links etc!
But really.
Most people that are “slim and skinny” or eeven “in shape” can’t do a single pull-up, my friend. It wouldn’t be exaggerating to say that the vast majority of adult men and practically ALL The pumpers and toners and so called one rep weight pounders couldn’t even begin to hang on to the pull-up bar for any length of time.
And they’d probably tear a tricep or worse if they tried a pull-up.
Weight loss is an issue for most people out there. For years for some!
Despite being told how to lose weight most people CANNOT do so in the manner they’d really, really like.
Let’s face it, bro. We all want that V taper and “chiseled look”. That “packed” chest. That back that gives of the impression of doing one pull-up after other (as Marc told me “that V shape to your back”!).
And it’s when we can’t get it (because we’re either too LAZY or just don’t know how) that the comments come in thick and fast, and here’s an honest and straight from the heart FACT.
I enjoy ‘em all, so please DO keep ‘em coming!
But really. Not pathbreaking? Losing kgs of weight in a single day, often times hours after a workout - - not pathbreaking? Especially when being on a diet that most would consider AWFUL . . .
I guess not for the nutzos out there who’ll find any excuse to justify their “slobbenneess”.
Is that even a word. Hehe.
Anyway, point of all this?
Well, one is obvious.
And the second is this – I’ve been seeing (over the past few months) a rash of bozos that have been parading around town as “fitness experts” (and for whatever reason, teaching “yoga for weight loss”).
Well, first thing you know, yoga ain’t all it’s touted to be, and I’ve written about that before, and certainly NOT for weight loss.
Second, and more importantly, the people doing it are FAT.
I mean, big time fat in many cases.
I’ve been watching a few vidoes my wife and daughter have been sending me of my daughter’s online “exercise class”.
And the one I watched this morning?
Jesus Jumping Christ on a Pogo Stick is all I can say.
Now, the dude who normally does it (or did it apparently) wasn’t exactly the fittest by any yardstick.
Had a belly poking out under the massive T shirt he wore, and man boobs down to his belly button. . .
But he looks positively skinny in comparison to this latest specimen that is apparently doing the kids “exercise” class.
(replete with “kids, don’t forget the water”! – much like you hear in the gyms with idiotic personal trainers massaging their clients shoulders after sets of reps with pinky dumbells and “cautioning” them to keep their latte or water or what not filled as they “jog on the old man mill (treadmill)”.)
I mean, its so stupid to start with, but the lady herself?
To call her a beached whale would be doing the goddamn whale a disservice my friend.
I mean LAYERS UPON LAYERS of FAT.
Pure, unadulterated LARD!
And a backside that (as she was doing the upward and downward dog, or struggling to) would make those of you that love ‘em big PROUD (or other things).
I mean, really folks.
There’s no reason to be artificially thin or what not. And if you’re fat or somewhat fat and can do things normal people cannot, then by all means FLAUNT it (if you so choose).
But when you’re teaching kids yoga or what not, the least you can do is to a) stay in some sort of shape yourself as opposed to looking like a hog more than a fitness teacher and b) actually be able to DO said exercises yourself!
Putting this in context (yet again) . . .
Sure, a military general doesn’t need to be in top shape like his soldiers do. That’s not his job!
But he doesn’t need to be a slob either!
Ditto for ALL teachers of any nature, shape or form.
And as I almost throw up my tea as I think about the video sent to me, and say “Jesus, Joseph and Mary” (really, I ain’t a religious person, don’t believe in religion, but THAT was what came to mind when I first saw the lady teaching) . . . I feel compelled to write this.
Take this for what you may, hehe. Up to you!
Best,
Rahul Mookerjee
PS – And that’s why I INSIST on taking pictures, once, twice, and sometimes thrice for my books. One, to SHOW you how it’s done, and two to show you that yours truly can do ‘em too, at all weights at that. Sometimes (and I’ve said this before) the books take longer to put out because I have to redo many of the pictures, but it’s all worth it! Pushup Central took forever to get out, for one, but it was so worth it!
On my fitness programs being “hardly” pathbreaking, beached whales teaching yoga, and more . . .
One of the comments in the lengthy rants I recently received to a post about pull-ups - - and one I did not address as yet is this.
“Your fitness info is hardly pathbreaking!”
Now, for context, the rants were LONG. Drunken rants that came straight from the heart, and while I thanked the poster for his thoughts, I will say this – a chuckle or two (or more) escaped me at the inanity of it all and the hidden point of it all (NOT exercise related) that he was and is still completely missing . . .
. . . which led to two emails of course, lengthy ones.
Andt hose are posted on the blogs for posterity’s sake . . . do a search and you’ll find ‘em. My dips yesterday after a loooong time have left my chest fibers extra sore, so I’m going to be lazy in this regard for once andnot post links etc!
But really.
Most people that are “slim and skinny” or eeven “in shape” can’t do a single pull-up, my friend. It wouldn’t be exaggerating to say that the vast majority of adult men and practically ALL The pumpers and toners and so called one rep weight pounders couldn’t even begin to hang on to the pull-up bar for any length of time.
And they’d probably tear a tricep or worse if they tried a pull-up.
Weight loss is an issue for most people out there. For years for some!
Despite being told how to lose weight most people CANNOT do so in the manner they’d really, really like.
Let’s face it, bro. We all want that V taper and “chiseled look”. That “packed” chest. That back that gives of the impression of doing one pull-up after other (as Marc told me “that V shape to your back”!).
And it’s when we can’t get it (because we’re either too LAZY or just don’t know how) that the comments come in thick and fast, and here’s an honest and straight from the heart FACT.
I enjoy ‘em all, so please DO keep ‘em coming!
But really. Not pathbreaking? Losing kgs of weight in a single day, often times hours after a workout - - not pathbreaking? Especially when being on a diet that most would consider AWFUL . . .
I guess not for the nutzos out there who’ll find any excuse to justify their “slobbenneess”.
Is that even a word. Hehe.
Anyway, point of all this?
Well, one is obvious.
And the second is this – I’ve been seeing (over the past few months) a rash of bozos that have been parading around town as “fitness experts” (and for whatever reason, teaching “yoga for weight loss”).
Well, first thing you know, yoga ain’t all it’s touted to be, and I’ve written about that before, and certainly NOT for weight loss.
Second, and more importantly, the people doing it are FAT.
I mean, big time fat in many cases.
I’ve been watching a few vidoes my wife and daughter have been sending me of my daughter’s online “exercise class”.
And the one I watched this morning?
Jesus Jumping Christ on a Pogo Stick is all I can say.
Now, the dude who normally does it (or did it apparently) wasn’t exactly the fittest by any yardstick.
Had a belly poking out under the massive T shirt he wore, and man boobs down to his belly button. . .
But he looks positively skinny in comparison to this latest specimen that is apparently doing the kids “exercise” class.
(replete with “kids, don’t forget the water”! – much like you hear in the gyms with idiotic personal trainers massaging their clients shoulders after sets of reps with pinky dumbells and “cautioning” them to keep their latte or water or what not filled as they “jog on the old man mill (treadmill)”.)
I mean, its so stupid to start with, but the lady herself?
To call her a beached whale would be doing the goddamn whale a disservice my friend.
I mean LAYERS UPON LAYERS of FAT.
Pure, unadulterated LARD!
And a backside that (as she was doing the upward and downward dog, or struggling to) would make those of you that love ‘em big PROUD (or other things).
I mean, really folks.
There’s no reason to be artificially thin or what not. And if you’re fat or somewhat fat and can do things normal people cannot, then by all means FLAUNT it (if you so choose).
But when you’re teaching kids yoga or what not, the least you can do is to a) stay in some sort of shape yourself as opposed to looking like a hog more than a fitness teacher and b) actually be able to DO said exercises yourself!
Putting this in context (yet again) . . .
Sure, a military general doesn’t need to be in top shape like his soldiers do. That’s not his job!
But he doesn’t need to be a slob either!
Ditto for ALL teachers of any nature, shape or form.
And as I almost throw up my tea as I think about the video sent to me, and say “Jesus, Joseph and Mary” (really, I ain’t a religious person, don’t believe in religion, but THAT was what came to mind when I first saw the lady teaching) . . . I feel compelled to write this.
Take this for what you may, hehe. Up to you!
Best,
Rahul Mookerjee
PS – And that’s why I INSIST on taking pictures, once, twice, and sometimes thrice for my books. One, to SHOW you how it’s done, and two to show you that yours truly can do ‘em too, at all weights at that. Sometimes (and I’ve said this before) the books take longer to put out because I have to redo many of the pictures, but it’s all worth it! Pushup Central took forever to get out, for one, but it was so worth it!
Is the grip the most important thing after breathing?
And genetics, and pull-ups and more, but hang on!
My answer to that question?
Well, in terms of exercise – hell yes, and then some.
I’ve made NO secret of the fact that grip and leg training (and I mean REAL training) is what most of the “bruhs” in the gym and pumpers/toners avoid.
Because it’s HARD, HARD work.
It’s REAL work.
As opposed to silly little girly “on your knees pushups” and “pull-ups with legs on bar or what not” . . .
And it builds REAL MEN .REAL strength.
Grip, neck, leg and back work – and funnily enough, most of those can be done with one or two exercises if you really know what you’re doing . . .
. . . Anyway, where was I?
Ah yes, the grip.
Well, so this morning as I sent Charles my friend a “thank you note” for the feedback he sent me he sent me that little gem amongst others.
Another being that apparently Mike Tyson did bridging (huh?? News to me “bro” – he did HEAVY SHRUGS!) and apparently it screwed his neck up.
Um
Lets pause a minute here.
Bridging, my friend, is one of the best overall exercises you can do. Not just for your neck. The entire BODY.
And if you think bridging just “focuses” on their neck, well you’re wrong.
Bridging is the BEST DAMNED exercise that EVERYDAY people CAN and SHOULD DO!
From lower back pain being gone to stronger and more flexible traps – to better GRIP strength – a far healthier back overall – not to mention ROCK SOLID ABS – the benefits of the bridge are second to none, and there is a reason it’s one of the “big three” in 0 Excuses Fitness, and why wrestlers all over the world for one do them as a mainstay.
But wait.
I thought he was a wrestler (my friend).
But from what he tells me today “American football was my job. Never really got into wrestling seriously”.
And according to him “neck bridging was their thing”.
And then the Tyson quote. Hmm! Enough said, fellas?
Anyway, he then went off on a tangent about “genetics”.
The usual excuse which most fat folks give me and those that are too lazy to buckle down to BRASS TACKS, BRAVE THE HURTING and (sorry Chuck, hehe) – JUST DO IT!
Just do it. No excuses BAR NONE!
There’s a reason why that is the tagline on my FIRST product, the 0 Excuses Fitness System, replete with results and testimonials of all natures, from folks from all walks of life.
Anyway, this all started off with him saying “he’s still working on his pull-up, and is doing the assisted stuff”, and so forth.
Great.
All I did was mention a comment about his weak grip (he has a very weak grip) and how the grip and lats are really what need to be focused upon while doing pull-ups - - not the biceps, or shoulders for that matter.
And that of course led up to a discussion about the greats.
Herschel Walker. Walter Peyton. When these guys ran sprints with tyres around their waists for one, they didn’t just up and “sit around for hours and think”.
They just did it!
“But he has great genetics”, my friend wailed. “He’s at least 75 lbs bigger than you!”
75? I’d say 150. So is my buddy from the Marines, for that matter. I once joked about borrowing a sweat shirt from him and saying “5 of me would fit in it”.
“I’m not that big, Rahul!”
A real man, and a good man! And one that’s truly BEEN THERE AND DONE THAT.
Anyway, here is what I told Charles.
“Sorry, “brah”. Excuses don’t fly. I’ve got the shittiest genetics you could think of, and . . . “
Enough said eh.
OF course, he ignored that bit. It’s interesting, this “selective reading/listening” thang a lot of folks employ when they hear stuff they know is true, but don’t “want” to hear eh. ?
Anyway, where was I before I went all over the place as usual.
Ah yes. GRIP.
And yes, GRIP DOES COME INTO PLAY in real life my friend. Anyone that says it doesn’t is just sticking their head in the sand (a certain group I refer to as “tom tommers and leftos” comes to mind, but hey, so be it!).
As for the new signs up that don’t know why, check out the blog, or watch this space. I’ll be writing soon – again – although I did over the past few days as to why grip training is really what you need to be working on, not the silly “pecs” and show muscles.
More on that soon!
For now, be sure to check out the Gorilla Grip compilation right HERE, my friend. It’ll make a MAN out of you – that’s for sure!
Best,
Rahu lMookerjee
PS – HERE is where you can grab the course on pull-ups (and no, pull-ups with your legs on a bar ain’t the best way to get started. Dead hangs are, bro. Feel that pain!) – Pull-ups - - From DUD to STUD within a matter of weeks (why did I name it that way, and why do I say the vast majority of people out there cannot do a single pull-up or even hang on to a chinning bar for any length of time? Self explanatory, me thinks, hehe).
PS #2 – And if you want to continue pumping and toning at the “gym shym” , then go for it. I’m here to support your right to do it, but please do stay far away from my products – they’re NOT For you!
PPS – We had a great conversation. Unfortunately Charles had to end off with (one of his pet topics apparently and favorite people) a rant from “Bozo Glyn” whose probably high on something or the other as we speak. And despite me literally begging him not to enable losers, he continues to do so. Ah well. Can’t have it all, eh. ?
Deadlifts and grip training and my thoughts on each, and both . . .
So, here we go again on GRIP training!
I saw a post from Charles, a friend of mine (a comment actually in response to my last post on grip training) stating the following.
“Doing a 350 lb deadlift works the grip pretty well”.
Now, I’m well aware of the dude’s inability to do pull-ups, and I’m well aware of his penchant for the bench press, but really, deadlifts?
Didn’t know you did those, Charles.
And if you did them when I met you, then they sure weren’t working your grip like they should have.
But anyway, the deadlift is actually in my opinion (and unlike what some other bodyweight guys will tell ya) a higher “ranked” exercise than many other asinine ones in the gym.
Don’t get me wrong. Certainly not something I’d do regularly, but it has its uses – in part.
It’s certainly a ton better than the idiotic “stack on plates” bench press and the silly hoo haa that goes with. Pushups do a far better job of building the entire upper body than bench pressing, the most functionally USELESS boobybuilder’s favorite exercise ever could.
Pec deck being another worthless invention. The lazy man’s bench I should say. Or perhaps the lazy man’s “puff and buff” excuse.
And that granddaddy of them all, the ape pulldown machine.
Ever seen an ape sit on a pull-down machine? Gorillas, primates, apes, chimps (chimps can kill adult CROCS with their bare hands!) and so forth, those primates with you know, REAL grip strength?
Didn’t think so my friend.
But I see human versions of these monkeys seated on them at the gym all the time, frantically trying to outdo other “males” (I use that term sparingly) while “yanking” (please, do NOT go there, hehe) down as much as they can – and it’s usually these guys that a) rail the most against pull-ups, b) have lard asses, and c) are unable to do a single pull-up or handstand pushup, or even try.
Pathetic. I’d say the lat pulldown scores over the bench press in that regard . . .
. . . but deadlifts?
They’re not that bad, I suppose. You DO build some functional strength from it, but compared to other things?
Compared to bodyweight stuff like pull-ups done right – such as the U.S. Marines do regularly, or monkey bar work (think primate style)?
Deadlifts no matter how “heavy” don’t begin to hold a candle my friend.
Not to mention Charles was probably referring to (his fave) a “one time lift”
You yank the weight up once, set another “record” in the books, and you’re done.
Probably.
Which does zip all for fat loss, for one, but more importantly, while that sort of “heavy singles” method may be useful for training other parts of the body occasionally (but not really – ask any wrestling coach and he’llt ell you the following that a) conditioning is where matches are WON and b) it ain’t “one time strength” – it’s about being able to use that strength REPETITIVELY when it COUNTS in the RING), it is next to worthless for grip training.
Why?
Well, the grip consists of tiny muscles which respond best to VOLUME my friend.
High volume pull-ups. High Volume fingertip work. High volume gripping. Arm wrestling. Maybe real wrestling. And so forth!
That’s just how the muscles are “structured” in our body.
One time lifts may be great for overall body strength once in a while, but I do believe they’re way, way overrated and NOT used correctly (now yes, if done right ALONG WITH OTHER THINGS, they CAN be very potent).
But if you really have to use something other than your bodyweight for grip training?
Well, I’d say use sandbags.
Or kettlebells.
Or lug half filled beer barrels back and forth across your house, or dungeon, or basement.
OR do rope and chain work.
There are many alternatives, and ALL BETTER Than adopting the silly deadlift grip and tugging a barbell. I mean, face it my friends – how often do ANY of use that sort of grip in real life?
Yeah.
I thought so!
And I’ll close out by saying this. I don’t care how much you can lift or push parallel to your chest my friend.
IT’s about how much you can press OVERHEAD.
Now THAT is a functional exercise, the overhead press.
And it’s about if you can pull yourself up from a dead hang and do so repeatedly, not while sitting on a lat pulldown machine.
And the feeling you get from doing these - - let me just say OH BOY.
I don’t think you could ever get them from doing deadlifts or weightlifting of any nature. Maybe a nasty lower back injury as deadlifts are well known for (not to mention shoulder impingement in certain cases) – certainly not something I’d want to go for!
And that’s that for my opinion and indeed FACTS on that. Back soon!
Best,
Rahul Mookerjee
PS – Don’t believe me? Think Im full of it? I understand. How dare I, eh. Cocky prick eh? Yeah, yeah. yeah! But before you diss me more (or perhaps after ;)), take a look at what a “convert” from the boobybuilding gang told me (straight from the horse’s mouth, this!) right HERE on the Shoulders like Boulders page . . .
On really OWNING an exercise and then some!
I’ve written about this before. Mastery of any exercise.
ANY exercise, no matter how simple.
And I’ve devoted a whole chapter to this very important topic in 0 Excuses Fitness.
Most skip right past it, but hey, big mistake right there.
Ever hear people say, for instance that “pushups are easy! Pooh!”
Well, my friend, did you know that easy or not, the easiest or toughest or not, MASTERING, truly so, any exercise is an ART UNTO ITSELF?
And something most people do NOT accomplish, no matter how accomplished they are.
Bruce Lee being one.
Despite his obvious physical skills, this man would be the first to tell you the above, as he constantly worked at improving the basics (particularly fingertip pushups in his case).
You may not ever get to the point that Lee did which was popping off sets of ONE finger pushups (50 reps/set) in front of goggling audiences and onlookers.
But do you have to get to those extreme levels?
NO (not unless you want to).
You can gain all th strength, muscle and CONDITIONING you need for your ENTIRE LIFE by mastering, really so, the basics!
Let’s take the basic pushup.
The REAL basic stuff.
Can you, for instance, do ONE pushup that takes you FIVE minutes to do cumulatively up and down, and maintain perfect form while at it?
Or, can you pop off 100 perfect ones in a row?
Or, can you do 10 sets of 10 pushups followed by 10 sets of 10 pull-ups with very little rest?
Or, can you do 1000 pushups daily (many boxers do)?
Or, can you . . .
. . . ah, but you get the drift my friend.
There is always a way to make it harder and more challenging. TRUE MASTERY is something the masters will tell you themselves that is nigh on impossible to get to, because we are always challenging ourselves and improving!!
Even if you answered yes to all the above, guess what.
Can you knock of 100 pushups in a set in perfect form with a minute break at the bottom of each pushup?
And so forth.
You get the point!
And adopting this mentality in your training will not only make you as close a “Master” (or “Mistress” as the case might be! ?) at the exercise as you humanly can be, but will also build WORLD Class levels of strength and conditioning to boot.
Yours truly likes to, as I’ve said before focus on a LIMITED number of main exercises per workout.
And for now, and for a few months now, for me it’s been rope jumping and pull-ups.
Sometimes you have no other option but to do the above, and other times (like now) you DO, but in both cases, focusing on less and really HAMMERING it is better.
In all regards.
Believe me, when your cranking out 2000 plus reps on the weighted jump ropes without a break in record time . . . or even without a break, period, you’ll know what I mean by the above!
Or when Animal kingdom workouts seem like nothing even when you combine them with 100 pull-ups per workout . . .
Or, . . . you get the picture!
Mastery, my friend, is what you should always be aiming for. And while you may never get there, you’ll get pretty damn close if you TRY. That I do guarantee.
And that point, you’ll be saying and writing about the same thing yourself! ?
Best.
Rahul Mookerjee
PS – Here is where you can pick up the BEST damn course out there on pushups – Pushup Central. Truly the best, most challenging and most EXHAUSTIVE – I CHALLENGE you to find something better!! ?
More...
If Mr. Clumsy can do handstand pushups, well, so can YOU!
So, it’s been an interesting day.
Wacko Glyn (remember, I wrote about him) has apparently been foaming at the mouth about something or the other and is getting his knickers in a twist that I blocked him on social media.
Along with a few other bozos.
And of course, his enablers seem to be at it, but this post isn’t about that. We’ll address that later!
For now, lets look at what Charlene, a reader from (apparently) South Africa had to say to me –
Im pretty sure I would break something if I try any of these but I do advocate strength training:) Glad you arent as clumsy as I am...hope one day I can at least achieve one handstand pushup. Good read!
(This was w.r.t my emails on handstand pushups a while back).
And then, to a recent post about hill sprints and pull-ups - -
Ah, Pushups are my nemesis! Can't even do one properly without my hubby helping me up however my hubby swears by pushups but I don't think he knows about the hill sprints before the actual pushup workout. Thank you, will def let him know or better yet, I will let him read your article:)
(now, I did write the article about doing pull-ups, but hey, pushups work as well . . . )
My responses were as follows:
Get good at regular pushups first, Charlene before moving to these. I'm a pretty clumsy guy btw, so if I can do it - anyone! Hehe. Coming from one whose wife once called him Mr Handstand pushup, hehe. Maybe I'll do a post about that soon!
And to the second . . .
Haha, keep trying Charlene! You'll get there - we all gotta start SOMEPLACE! ;-) And yes - the more you get in shape with hill sprints (but start out SLOW!) - the easier them pushups and pullups get!
Now ,key lessons and takeaways from all this (minus the wacko Schofield part , of course!) –
That one, you don’t necessarily need to be a trapeze artist or a hand balancing expert to do any of what I recommend, and even the handstand pushups.
Lots of people have asked me why I don’t include something on FREESTANDING handstand pushups in my books.
Well, I could – but Idon’t for the same reason I haven’t put out a book on doing one armed work as yet.
Because, for the vast majority of people, the BASIC stuff is what they a) need to get good at first, and b) they don’t necessarily even need anything beyond that.
Believe me, the stuff I teach you in 0 Excuses Fitness and my other BASIC courses are enough to kick even seasoned trainees in the can the first few times they try it, and enough to give you a workout that will kick your BOOTY for the rest of your life, my friend.
Big time.
And if you don’t believe me, well, just TRY some of the stuff first.
But if you really want to go advanced (and even basic handstand pushups are advanced) ?
Well, that’s why I teach you how to do ‘em against the wall, and that’s why I teach you how to do it in a completely different manner than what most of the “experts” recommend!
And second, you gotta start someplace, and with a lot of ladies, pushups are best done on your knees when you first start.
And YES, ladies, you CAN do pushups, and YES, YES, YES, you can do pull-ups – and the latter better than guys in many cases!
I ain’t kidding you my friend. I’ve seen several examples of women that you wouldn’t necessarily consider bionic pump out pull-ups like no tomorrow while the gym bros gawk on in amazement (And the wackos stare and pull their you know what’s).
Hehe.
Believe me – you ladies can do bodyweight stuff out there just as well as guys can, and while pushups may be a bit of an exception to that general rule, you sure CAN do ‘em!
I’ll have more on this in future.
For now, let me end by saying that yours truly was and has often been labeled “Clums” (that’s right, without the “y”) because . . . well, he can be incredibly clumsy at times!
And if he can do handstand pushups, well, so can you – if you work up to it!
And that’s that for now. Back again with more sizzlers – yee haa!
Best,
Rahul Mookerjee
PS – HERE is the ONE DEFINITIVE course on handstand pushups that will get you from “clumsy zero” status to repping them out like there is NO tomorrow – Shoulders like Boulders.
Hindsight, fitness, and more . . .
So, hindsight is always 20/20 eh?
And it is.
I was talking to a friend of mine this afternoon about this, and many memories came flooding back.
A country I fell in love with at the callow age of 17 . . . if just due to the sheer FREEDOM it offered, and the “smell of opportunity”!
A jaunt down to the local U.S. Army recruiting center . . .
China, way back in 2004 when I first showed up there - - and believe it or not, that China was a far, far nicer place to be in than the China of TODAY.
Yes, they were hiding their strengths and biding their time!
But it was still a nicer place to be, and much much more “open” in many regards. The Internet etc wasn’t near as closed as it is now, and in general, it was just a far nicer and “developing” place to be – which again, in turn meant OPPORTUNITY – and there was lots of it back then!
Now?
The polar opposite, and that’s sad, because the Chinese people as a whole didn’t really do much to “Deserve” what is going on now.
Then again, did they not?
As we think, so we are. The great Claude Bristol wrote about this in the Magic of Believing, and he’s RIGHT.
I find it hard to believe that Communist China could have and does keep more than a billion people literally under it’s thumb without those people “tactitly agreeing” to the repression (and worse than that if we’re talking about the Ughurs and other ethnic minorities) . . .
. . . anyway, where am I going with this, you might ask?
Damned good question. Other than the numerous flashbacks pouring in, I’m not quite sure myself!
But the trip to the US Army recruitment center stands out, and I was chatting with my friend about it this morning . . .
Many other things do as well, but this email is about hindsight. If’s, but’s, maybe, many things!
And while yours truly could certainly have probably joined the Army, or Marines, or perhaps even stayed on long term in the US, it didn’t quite work out that way due to various reasons.
If you read Think and Grow Rich, or “Outwitting the Devil”, or any of the other books by Napoleon Hill, a man roundly ridiculed in his time as a “charlatan”, but revered today as a thought leader and indeed a visionary, you’ll find one common thread.
At least, the thinkers amongst you will.
You’ll see that the guy could have done damn well anything he put his mind to, but for whatever reason, down the years, despite all the many businesses he was “into”, he never really succeeded until he found and STUCK to his main purpose in life (and finding that itself was a journey that took many many years!).
WHAT is it that you were truly brought onto this planet to DO, my friend?
WHAT is the ONE THING that nigh on NO-ONE - - even your worst enemies would even think of criticizing you for?
That ONE THING is the thing you were meant to do and until you find out that thing, and DO it, well, hindsight’s will keep popping up in mind!
And they did for me today, but not for the reason mentioned above.
Yes, sometimes yours truly sits back and reflects upon “what if I had done this”.
What if I had taken a different path. Made a different choice. NOT made all the mistakes I have, and still do.
Had more support.
Was “shown the right direction” (and more importantly in the right WAY, as a professor of mine tried to do once . . .) . . .
And after thinking about all of it, do you know the UNANIMOUS and unflinching decision I always arrive at?
That things always happen for a reason my friend.
And would I change a damn thing about the past, pleasant or not?
Hell no.
I wouldn’t be the person I am today without all those experiences shaping me!
And last, but not least, fitness wise?
Curiously enough, or maybe NOT, much like napoleon Hill, despite my many ups and downs, despite the uncanny similiarity my life thus far bear to Hill’s, there is ONE thing (that much like Hill) I have NEVER compromised upon.
Not for long periods at least.
My fitness.
Back then, I swam, and walked a hell of a lot up and down stairs etc. I wrote about that in the book on 16 Inspirational Fitness Recollections!
In China, I did pushups and found my hill courtesy the very “stern” Miss Lee. Thank you Madam – that is the ONE thing I’ll remember you for, always will!
(A hill right next to my house, right under my nose, and I didn’t even know about it! Haha).
I then moved on to subway sprints during my couple of years in Delhi.
IN the Middle East, it was runs along the beach and hitting the heavy bag.
Back in China, back to my hill, and then . . . finally, well, 0 Excuses Fitness, and well, you know the rest!
Would I change a damn thing?
Hell no.
But fitness wise, this is the point I’m making.
Lots of people look back and say “oh, I COULD do this when I was younger”.
Or, “I wish I had done this . . . “
Well, unlike many other choices my friend, fitness is a choice where you aren’t constrained by much other than your own thinking and BODY.
And there’s always a way, my friend. Always a way if there is a will.
On that note, I’ll leave you be, but before that . . .
It ain’t about “what if” and “but” when it comes to fitness”, or hindsight.
It’s about doing the thing now – and getting to work – NOW!
Best,
Rahul Mookerjee
PS – Here is where you can learn how I got into the best damned shape of my life – The 0 Excuses Fitness System.
Can YOU RUN FAST enough – to save your life?
Ok, here I go again with sprints, and Bourne sprints at that!
I’ve made NO secret of my liking for the Bourne series. Although the books were ten times better than the movie (aint that always the case my friend), Matt Damon does the role justice in a way only he can.
Truly a legend, and I’ve mentioned before that the “Supremacy” is my favorite installment in the series.
And mostly because of the workout montages, and no, unlike the first, there’s no pull-ups involved.
But there is something arguably even more intense and BRUTAL and a super muscle and strength (and health) builder than that in the movie – something I talk about in Advanced Hill Training.
Sprints!
Done right.
In the movie, you see Bourne sprinting all out at the start as a workout, and in the middle of it, he’s literally doing that and more – to save his life.
And the reason I bring it up is the world we live in today, as well as “no reason in particular”
But the question begets.
Can you run ALL OUT – I mean ALL OUT for more than 30 seconds at a stretch, or even half?
Can part of that be in crazy traffic and uphill/up stairs?
CAN you do what Bourne did which looks spectacular and that which I’ve mentioned before – i.e. jump onto a Metro platform with a train headed his way full tilt, jump UP AND OUT of the way in JUST The nick of time, and repeat, and then fly off the platform, quite literally!
Or jump off it, but youget the point.
And then do a version of a pulling movment on the underside of a bridge with a fractured knee?
You get my point, my friend!
I’m happy to report most of this is doable for me. Perhaps not 30 seconds all out for me, but 15 – YES.
And perhaps more than that as well.
Uphill?
No problem.
Not sure about the Metro stuff, but I CAN do the jumps themselves (box jumps I believe they’re called) and so should YOU (try to work on it) if you can’t do ‘em – one of the best plyometrics ever (Charles, the book is on it’s way – iteration #2 as it were due to the computer crash, but it’s on it’s way!!).
But anyway, point of me bringing it up is not to brag, but rather add this skill on to that rather long list of things I wrote about once about “every man should be able to do things to save his own life if need be”
Or something to that effect.
And I’m sad to say it, but the vast majority of modern men cannot even BEGIN to do said things.
And as the world goes to bits around us, my friend, the one thing we CAN CONTROL is ourselves, and our fitness.
And if there is one takeaway from this email, ONE MESSAGE that I can and damn well WILL give ya, I t’s this.
Take care of your health and fitness my friend.
The right way.
Not only is it the best damned investment you’ll ever make, but it might just save your life ONE day!
Best,
Rahul Mookerjee
PS – and here is the System that will put the fundamentals in place for the best damn fitness gains of your entire LIFE. You wouldn’t build a skyscraper without putting in the building blocks, right? Well, the same holds true for fitness!
PS – Serious fitness fanatics only please, or the average Joe that WANTS to get in shape and FAST – and faster than anything else in the world. No lookie lous or time wasters please – waste someone else’s time (or as my daughter likes to say “haunt someone else’s dreams”) if that’s you!
PPS -So says Mr. Fast. ?
On being “Mr. Handstand pushup” and more!
I had an idea recently in the shower, and just had to write to you about it.
Not the idea itself, but the “concept” behind it.
And my idea was getting my daughter to do supported handstands while I hold her ankles, and have her walk around in that position.
That’s a FANTASTIC exercise by the way, and the only reason it ain’t included in either Battletank Shoulders or Shoulders like Boulders is because you pretty much need someone to hold on to your legs for that, unless you’re at elite status and can do it on your own.
(And you can, if you work up to it, but most of YOU reading the books wouldn’t be able to at the start, and therefore . . . ?).
Now, that reminded me of a dinner (lunch, actually) I was having with a couple of students of mine once a few years ago.
I gobbled up my food, while they kept picking at it for a while.
And Carol (remember her??) told me a couple of days later about this once.
“You’re Mr. Fast”, she giggled. “You do everything fast!”
“Talk fast, type fast, read fast, EAT fast” (for background, she was an English student first, and fitness student later, so . . . )
(Talk about killing two “birds” with one stone, pun NOT intended) . . .
Anyway, we gave her a nickname as well.
And I’ve been called worse things of course! ?
And there are worse things TO BE than be this way, and as I recently told my daughter.
“Honey, you should be a speed demon at most things!”
Anyway, my wife a couple of years ago saw me doing handstand pushups.
And that night in bed with my daughter they were discussing a name for me.
And while my daughter came up with several hilarious names, my wife hit the nail on the head when she said “nah”.
“He’s Mr. Handstand pushup!”
And so I am my friend.
So I am, and there are WORSE things to be! ?
Has there ever been a name YOU were called and that just “stuck”?
Write back – and let me know!
Best,
Rahul Mookerjee
PS: As I wrote about recently, handstand pushups done right are one of the best exercises out there that you can do, and everyone should get damn good at them. But the basics are always key and HERE is the System that will get you firmly ground in the basics (and truth be told, this is a fitness system you could follow your entire life without doing nothing else and still make gains) – https://0excusesfitness.com/0excusesfitnessystem/
PS #2 – Check out our other products as well while you’re at it!