Misc. (342)

Thursday, 16 February 2012 06:13

The less trodden path

We've all been conditioned to think that doing things the way others do or "others have done" is the best path to achieving success. So for instance, you might hear a parent telling her kids that to succeed in life they need straight A's, good grades in school, and so forth. Or you may have been told that the only viable way to support yourself is by working a 9-5 job at a "good" company. And the truth is, if you DO those things, then you increase your chances of success by a large margin - that's a fact. 

But, have you ever considered the opposite? For instance, making a sustainable living - and doing so well - WITHOUT working a traditional 9-5 shift? Sometimes, actually a LOT of times, deviating from the well trodden path brings you far greater benefits than tramping down the path where thousands of others have gone before you. You may think I'm not right in saying this - but remember that the world's greatest success stories have often come from doing things differently from what others do. Einstien was thought of poorly all through school and college; Bill Gates didn't even COMPLETE college. The list goes on and on.

And in case you are wondering what this has got to do with you, and your training, well, the same philosophy applies here as well. You can walk for hours on end and try to lose that belly that has snuck up on you, and not get the results you desire - or you could do what I ask you to, and exercise in brief, INTENSE spurts - something which most people do NOT do - and watch the results come down the pike. You can spend hours working the muscle of the chest and "isolating" them in the gym - or you could work on the toughest form of pushups, which most people don't even know of - let alone do.

I know that my results have come from taking the less traveled path. And that path is what I advocate in Fast and Furious Fitness as well. It's different - most people will NOT want to do it because it requires EFFORT - but does it work? Try out the exercises in the book, and be the judge yourself.

Anyway, I just got back from a tough workout, so it's time for me to jump in the old shower. More later!

Best regards,

Rahul

PS: My Valentine's Day offer ends shortly, so if you haven't yet partaken of this offer, I urge you to do so NOW.

Monday, 13 February 2012 07:23

V-Day special offer

Love is in the air - literally. It's that time of the year again when couples look around for the perfect partner, propose to each other, or, for those of that you that are married, simple "celebrate" their love.

Personally, neither me nor my wife are too sold on the entire concept. I like the idea, but I also believe that love is not something to be "celebrated" on ONE day - you should appreciate it on a DAILY basis. But, I understand that many of you look forward to this day - and with good reason. And if you fall into that category, you are likely looking for "that special" gift for your beloved. 

Well, one of very best gifts you can give your beloved one is the gift of LIFELONG strength, health and fitness - without any fancy bells and whistles attached. And so, to celebrate this special day, I'm going to offer you a 25% discount on my best selling Fast and Furious Fitness book. That's right - 25%. All you have to do is enter in the following coupon code "78VH98A" (without the quotes) on the order page, and you'll be all set.

My wife officially thinks I'm off my rocker on this one, so this won't last forever - in fact, I plan on pulling the plug on this by the end of this week. So HURRY - drop whatever your doing, and ORDER NOW.

But wait. That's NOT all - I'm also going to offer you a FREE copy of the Simple and Effective Diet. That's right - it will be YOURS - FREE, alongwith the book. All you have to do is use the coupon code I've mentioned, order the book, and shoot me a quick e-mail with the subject line "Rahul, send me my free copy NOW" - and you will have a copy of the Simple and Effective Diet in your inbox within 48 hours at most.

This is a savings of OVER $13 - For information that you can use your ENTIRE life - and get great results from. And again, remember this wont last forever - the early bird gets the worm. And if you're smart, you know what to do.

Order now, and thank me later.

Best regards,

Rahul

PS: Don't hesitate, dilly-dally and hem and haw. Do not fall into the trap of  thinking "it's just another offer". It's not - and an offer like this is not likely to come down the pike anytime soon. Get in while the going's GOOD, and take advantage of this NOW.

 


 

Sunday, 12 February 2012 13:00

Walking and fat loss

From time to time I get asked about my thoughts on walking. Specifically, what I think about walking as a form of exercise, and whether or not it will help them get in shape fast. 

And, I almost always give them the same answer - which is, yes, walking's great - it will HELP you get in shape - but it isn't the end all and be all of "cardio" exercise as it's often made out to be.

What do I mean? Well, I train outdoors at a local park sometimes, usually in the mornings, and I see many folks getting in their daily walk. Regular walkers these, some of them walk for an hour on a daily basis. And this is great, but you wouldn't know that they train regularly it by looking at their physiques. The average person I see there is pot bellied, bent over and most of all, EXHAUSTED - and they look it as well. And I'm not passing judgement on any of this - but I believe that they deserve BETTER results, especially considering the dedication they have to their routine.

Now before you jump on me saying that I'm wrong, and that walking's a good form of exercise, hold on. I personally walk at least a kilometer or so daily, and have nothing at all against walking. The old timers did plenty of walking as part of their daily workouts and it's something I recommend as well - as it has a host of health benefits. And yes, if one is overweight, it will help in fat loss as well.

But, and here's the point - it will HELP in fat loss. As in, it will AID fat loss - but you still need to blast your fat cells with a different sort of workout in order to achieve optimal (and relatively quick) fat loss. And this goes for folks at all fitness levels - it doesn't matter if you are a rank beginnner, or advanced trainee. Walking's great for overall health as well, but by itself, it simply won't get the trick done - and the folks in the park stand testament to what I am saying.

Note that I am referring to walking as most people do when exercising - not "power" walking, or walking at a brisk pace up a hill as I used to do daily in China. Most folks walk at a pace that is slightly above their comfort level, and maintain that for an extended period of time, say an hour or so. And while this has plenty of health benefits, it simply won't blast the fat off your body at the rate you want.

I personally combine my walking with other exercises that get the job done in QUICK time. These are all exercises that I describe in Fast and Furious Fitness. Do them regularly, and combine them with walking - and you'll start to marvel at how fast your body rids itself of unwanted fat, and the improvement in your overall health and stamina.

All for now - back again tomorrow. Don't forget to have a great Sunday!

Best regards,

Rahul

PS: For even better results, follow the type of diet I advocate in The Simple and Effective Diet. Remember that exercise is only part of the equation - diet is key as well. Get your copy NOW: - http://rahulmookerjee.com/index.php/articles/84-the-simple-and-effective-diet

 

Wednesday, 08 February 2012 07:12

Growing boys need their sleep

In school, I was always the type that ends up reading books with a flashlight hidden between the sheets when he's supposed to be fast asleep.In today's world, that would equate to text messaging or browsing the Internet on the phone - but you get the point. Different generations, same mindset.  .   .

And this wasn't just limited to when I was really young - hark back to my high school days, and I was jumping up from bed the minute my mother left the room - to take another gander at the new machine sitting on a desk in the corner - the almighty COMPUTER of all things. This might sound strange to you today, but it was a long time ago, and personal computers were still a new concept for folks back then - as were 24/7 broadband connections. And laptops? Those were wonder machines that only the "bosses of large companies" used - not kids like us.

Naturally, this meant I didn't get enough sleep on a regular basis, and more often than not, a tired, worn out version of myself would be seen the next morning - sometimes just a few hours away from my "actual" bedtime. And so, I heard the growing boys line more often than I wanted to at that point in my life. Which is probably the case for most "growing boys" these days as well.

Now, you're probably wondering why I'm regaling you with these anecdotes from my past - and I don't blame you - but there is a reason behind it.

"Growing boys" and you have a lot in common. For one, if your training hard on a regular basis, you fall into the "growing category" as well. You are breaking your muscles down during the workout - so that they can GROW - and get STRONGER for the next challenege - which is the next workout. And if you don't sleep enough, or don't sleep well enough (note the difference that one word makes), you won't recover as well as you would if you got 8 restful hours on a regular basis. This is because your body releases growth hormone during periods of sleep - and that is what allows you to get stronger, lose fat, etc etc. If you don't sleep enough, you don't give your body a chance to release enough growth hormones. It's that simple, and I've found this out the hard way many a times.

Second, for those of you that are overweight and want to lose weight, getting enough sleep is a must. Weight gain and obesity have been directly linked to lack of sleep, so if your desperately trying to lose those extra lbs, pay more attention to how much you are sleeping.

There are many, many other very good reasons behind getting enough Z's on a regular basis and I don't intend to cover them all here - in fact, I couldn't if I wanted to. But know that getting enough sleep is IMPORTANT - so important that I devote an entire chapter to it in Fast and Furious Fitness.

And it's not just me saying this - it is what Mother Nature demands. If you look at some of the strongest animals in the wild, you'll see that they spend most of their lives RESTING - and SLEEPING. And this helps them GET stronger, and STAY stronger. Take a lion for example - it'll laze around most of the day - but you don't want to be the prey it's tracking when it does get down to business.

Still don't believe me? Well, try working out hard on a regular basis while getting less than an optimal amount of sleep every night - and you'll see what I mean immediately.

So, make sure your getting enough sleep every night. 8 hours is a good rule of thumb for most folks, but everyone is different. If 8 hours isn't ideal for you, figure out what works for you - and keep doing it.

And thats the tip for the day - back again tomorrow!

Best regards,

Rahul

PS: - Note that this advice is just as applicable to you ladies out there as well. Growing boys need their sleep, but so do you ladies!

PS#2: - The exercises and routines I mention in Fast and Furious Fitness are just as applicable to kids as they are adults - so if your looking to start your kid off on the right path, grab a copy NOW.


 

Wednesday, 01 February 2012 02:49

Self image, and what this has to do with success

Getting the right results from your training program is often more of a mental "game" than anything else. Given you following the right program, doing the right exercises, and so forth - all that remains is for your brain to give you the green signal, and you'll be all set. I talk more about this in my book as well - in fact, it is so important that I actually dedicate an entire chapter to the mental aspect of things in Fast and Furious Fitness.

Yesterday, I wrote about how worrying about what others think, and "following the herd" can be a huge detriment to your success. But today,  let's talk about how YOU percieve yourself - how YOUR mind "sees" you, and what it "thinks" you can accomplish.

Your internal self image is more important than you'd think. Believe you can truly change yourself, and your life for the better, and you will naturally end up doing so. On the other hand, if, deep down inside of you, you don't think you can change, or have it in you to get the body you desire, then you will never be able to accomplish your goals in their entirety (no matter how hard you try on the "outside"). In other words, your self-image, or what YOU subconsciously think about yourself, and what you are capable of ultimately decides what kind of results you get.

I'll tell you something that might surprise you - there was once a time when I didn't believe I'd ever be able to sprint all out. I'm not a "natural" athelete, and running was never one of my favorite options. Mostly because I did it the wrong way - I'd try to do long distance running, which I hated, and which hurt me - but also because I just didn't LIKE it. Walking was fine, but running - that was always a huge no for me.

So how DID I finally start sprinting? Well, I always knew that sprinting was of great benefit. The old timers includes lots of running in their programs (boxers and other athletes do so even today), so I knew there must be something to it. And when I finally did start running, it wasn't pretty - I could barely jog at a decent pace - let alone sprint, and ended up  hurting myself so bad the first two times I could  barely walk (and thats another story for another time).

But, before I started my running program, I programmed myself to believe I could do it, though I had never done it before. I didn't wake up in the morning and ruminate on my injuries - or how I knew I could never be a good runner - or anything similar. Instead, I believed that soon enough, I would be running like the wind, no matter what. And guess what? Within a couple of weeks, I was doing my first sprint, and the rest just fell into place.

So, BELIEVE in yourself - this alone will take you a long way. If your not yet at a point where you can do 50 pushups in a row, don't just shy away from the challenge - BELIEVE that you can DO it, and then DO what is necessary to get there i.e. work up to it.

Note that this doesn't mean deluding yourself - for instance, if your not physically able to run, then it's folly to try and sprint without the correct preparations. If you are so overweight that you cannot do a single pull-up, it's best to first get your weight down, and then attempt the exercise. And so forth. Strike a balance between the two, and you'll achieve great success - both in life, and your training.

And that's that for today. More later!

Best regards,

Rahul

PS: I cover this, and other topics in great detail in Fast and Furious Fitness - grab a copy NOW.


 

 

Tuesday, 31 January 2012 08:35

Stop worrying about what others think

Fellow A (we'll call him New Bee)walks into a gym with good intentions and the best of knowlege on exercises, and a great plan. New Bee's been reading up on good stuff lately when it comes to exercise (material such as that found in Fast and Furious Fitness), and is raring to get going. Pull ups are one of the first exercises he attempts, and being he's never done them before in correct form, he's obviously having a tough time with them. He's pretty much the only one in the gym doing pull-ups (the rest are all yanking away furiously on their respective machines); so pretty soon folks start noticing what he's doing. And being that the average gym goer these days treats the gym as more of a social spot than a no-nonsense balls-to-the-wall training area, the "water cooler" talk soon starts.

"Look at that dude, what on earth is he trying to do? Why not simply use the lat pull down machine instead of trying these hard exercises??"

"Man, pull-ups are tough, and they make my back muscles feel as if they've put through a wringer. What sort of geek would spend so much time on them"

And so forth. Obviously New Bee hears what they're saying, and pretty soon, he starts to wonder if he's doing the right thing after all. Was that guy Rahul right about what he wrote in Fast and Furious Fitness? I mean how can a bunch of others be wrong on this? And pretty soon, he starts to give up on the pull-ups, and caves in to the "peer" pressure at the gym, and ends up back where he started - on the machines. His new found resolve dissolves, and he's back to square one - or in many cases, ZERO.

Now, this story might sound funny to some, maybe even comical, but it's more common than you might think. And though I'm referring to training here, rest assured that this holds true for other activities as well. Success in school, business, your profession - you name it, and I could give you a similar example.

One major reason why a lot of people fail to achieve what they set out to accomplish is that they are too worried about what others might think of their actions. They may have the best intentions in mind, but balk at action - not necessarily because it involves hard work, but because they're worried about how it would "look to others". Or, "what Jane Doe will think of me struggling on the pull-ups". Or, "how stupid will I look doing that". And so on, and so forth. The exact reasons vary from person to person, but the core thought behind them remains the same.

Most people look at me as if I'm crazy when I train. In fact, when I'm practising handstands against a tree, even the neighborhood dogs look at me with a strange expression as if to say "what the heck is he doing?". In China, folks used to look at me as if I was plumb nuts when I told them I'd get my workout in no matter what the weather was like. And in all of these cases, I continued my own merry way, and did exactly what I wanted to do. And, the results speak for themselves.

So don't worry about what others think of your training. They may not think much of what you are doing, but does that really matter? What matters is that YOU know you are doing the right thing, getting the right form of advice, and training the right way. YOU know that you are doing the right exercises. And YOU know what kind of results to expect from doing things the right way. And in the end, that's what really counts, doesn't it?

Anyway, enough for now. If you train today, make it a GREAT one, and pay no heed to what the "naysayers" say!

Best regards,

Rahul

PS: I speak more about training success and the factors that influence one's training in Fast and Furious Fitness. Grab a copy pronto HERE.


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