Displaying items by tag: exercise
My wife wondered "how much I write about her"
A month or so ago, or perhaps two months, I'm not sure - my wife made the following comment to me.
"I wonder how much you write about ME!" she said in one of those very (rare) moments of self reflection she has.
She was of course wondering that after the numerous fights, arguments and everything else that goes on both online (and especially when I'm there at home - which is why I live A-LONE for the most part) ...
And given that I rarely, if ever (at least from last year) engage in pissing contests with her (actually I didnt even back in the day), but I'd get annoyed.
Now, it's just like whatever.
Nazi feminism central continues ...
For some inane reason, that makes my wife think she's "won".
So be it.
I'm hardly concerned about winning or losing in such stupid thing - my mind is always focused on those STUPENDOUS goals which I still ain't told you about, and which you would honestly think I'm nuts if I told you!
But anyway ...
The same thing for most people, I'd say.
Bozo Buttblower Schofield (who sometimes seems like a bonafide woman instead of a "sissy man") coud well be a Nazi feminist too.
His dialogs, and the laughable garbage he left as reviews on some of my most inspirational and BESTSELLING books speaketh Volumes to that regard!
But I wonder if he knows other than here how much I "really" write about him.
He'd be SHOCKED. Hehe.
Anyway, I reveal all later ... in that regard.
But for now, where am I going with this?
A, and I've said this before, virtually anything that happens in your life is a GOLDEN opportunity to sell and make money if you know how.
And if you're a DOER.
And two, well, that discount I've been offering ends TODAY, I believe ...
I think it does - yes - I just checked - it DOES.
So if you're indeed interested in my in depth knowledge of fitness and finding out more - check out the products page.
Actually, I think you should start here - The 0 Excuses Fitness System.
Build slow, go from there!
And remember to pick up some of our great motivational reads; you'll love 'em.
Best,
Rahul Mookerjee
PS - "He cheats on his wife, so what can he do to his friends!"
Poor Bozo. The second part of that is self reflecting The first is too, except the jealousy shows from one who "can't get none if he paid for it", hehe.
Anyway, think about it. The book was Fitness Pioneer - and that was the comment he left. That, more than anything else proves why he belongs in a padded cell far away from Hannibal Lecter (for the latter's safety).
As Charles his one time friend said "A known lunatic!"
When you KNOW you're serious about FITNESS!
Do y'all on the list remember an ex girlfriend from way back in the day in New York that was traveling with me back to the ole "Sip" if you get my drift?
(Mississippi, for those that don't)
We were flying, as opposed to the Greyhound we took on the way UP THERE.
And the first thing, of course, I did when moving out of my apartment was give, give, give.
There was a lot of stuff we had bought (women seem to want to buy the whole damned store every time they shop!) that we hardly ever used - and we gave most of it away to (oddly enough up there in a little bitty town in NY State) to our Indian neighbors.
Dude wouldn't take the beer though!
So we had Miller Lite literally sitting in the garbage dumpster, hehe.
"Sad day", as a friend Rueben said.
Hey, I couldn't take those 30 packs on the plane, and I sure couldn't drink 'em all befor ethe flight either.
It's funny though.
I got a notice once from the management in that complex and a hefty FINE too for "disposing of a package" in the wrong dumpster or something.
I think I got something delivered, didnt shred the damn package or what not as the rules were, or whatever. So long ago, I can't remember!
But it's funny.
The Communist Republic of NY has it's own rules, but as you can tell (those on the list for a while) from the notices yours truly once received in China for - get this - dumping beer bottles in the TRASH CAN - Commie dictatorships are a kind unto themselves.
Oddly enough the ladies (and guys) dumping dirty diapers and empty packs of "fags" right on TOP of the damn bin, they're too lazy to open the lid apparently didnt and doesnt' get censured though ...
And of course, the great notices Bozo Schofield received for tossing beer "bottling" out of his 11th floor apartment and "bringing women of ill repute back home to lick you know what".
Ugh.
(I wonder what those poor ladies though. Bozo was a kind even they probably never saw before, and a step "down" for even THOSE ladies!).
But anyway ...
So the pink dumbbells.
I bought a set for the girlfriend during our 6 month stay in NY.
Of course, she never used 'em even once.
And they sat there, looking pretty.
When we were overweight, they were the first things to get tossed out.
Security said "put in your handbag" if you want.
"Nah", I said. "We don't want 'em" ...
The girlfriend started whining about "but those are my pink dumbbells" - and I didnt think that was the time and place to remind her how utterly USELESS They were, and how she had never USED Them int he first place.
So off we went ...
But it's funny.
I remember other instances of being "overweight" on flights.
One time I carried 45 kgs on a flight out of China to India (this was in 2005 I believe) - when the limit was 30.
Gotta love Cathay, and the ferry terminals that either never check or say "they'll handle it in HK".
Of course, Hong kong doesn't handle it either, being "they were supposedt o handle it in China".
Ah, the travel tips. LOL. should I write a book on that too?
(Actually, I've got some pretty good travelogues written, but I haven't put them in book format as yet. )
(laptop, and all that)
But anyway ... another instance where I was overweight.
And my jump ropes which weighed a bomb were the first to go, or so said the cute little gal behind the "Dragon Air" or whatever plane that was.
No way!
I tossed my clothes.
It was winter, I believe then.
And I tossed some heavy woolens etc.
"This guy is NUTS", the girls were thinking as they giggled politely.
That I AM!
But I didnt want to lose my weighted jump rope!
And to me, thats really what shows if you're serious about training - whether you do it with equipment or not.
When you're moving, you take special care to move your training stuff well.
On flights etc , you toss OTHER things away if you need to.
And, so on and so forth.
I dont know if this makes sense to you on the list, but it does to me.
Anyway, onto other things - Lumberjack Fitness (along with a cute little course on handstand pushups with variations I have NOT covered before) are the next two courses that will hot off the RahuL Mookerjee press.
Once I get a computer that "stands the test of time", hehe.
And in the former book, you'll have me telling about training with all the implements you can think of.
Heavy stones. Heavy bags. Rocks. Bottles. Gada. Jori. Chains. And (no, Bozo Schofield, no "whips and chains" here sorry) ...
And many more I will not detail for now.
Be looking for that course in a few weeks for now. I dont have the sales page up as yet for pre-orders, but will soon.
And be looking for the cutie course on handstands too.
Hey, I might well name it that, hehe.
And in the meantime, those of you looking to build brute strength like the above things imply - pick up Barnstormer Shoulders HERE.
Or, some of my great books on pull-ups, and DEFINITELY These two - Pushup Central - and Jump Rope Mania - and Advanced Hill Training - And Animal Kingdom Workouts!
They're truly ALL must have products.
Get to it NOW ,bro.
Best,
Rahul Mookerjee
PS - For inspirational fitness recollections like this one - go here.
PS #2 - If TRAVEL interests you, especially in the mighty Himalayas that I went to SO often back in the day, let me know, and I'll see what I can do! Not in the plans as of now I must admit, but I've got some many travelogues and tips and advice on that that I'm going to put it out in a book very soon! So much to do, so little time, hehe.
Why I'd rather Workout - HARD - and do tons of super stud pull-ups - than "have sexy"
My wife often gets frustrated with me when we live together (which as you know ain't all that often) not just because I dont live with her, but when I do, I dont "sleep with her".
Not as often as she would want, at least.
(God knows why she would, given the amount she complains about me, hehe)
(then again, I DO know. LOL).
But anyway, she ain't the only one.
Anne, a lovely lass I knew WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY back in the day kept asking me.
"Why you no enter me!"
And Ashley, another girl I knew back in the day would keep complaining about "is this make love!?"
Or, "I want have sexy!"
My wife made the great comment about
"We Women want STUDS in the bedroom, not in the gym! Women only care about THAT exercise!"
Reminds me of what Matt Furey's wife once told him about "not wanting a man whose a stud in the gym, but a DUD in the bedroom" .
Great, or greater minds think alike.
And given yours truly has a very "colorful" history for the most part ....
But anyway, it's true.
I'd rather conserve my seed like the great boxers and wrestlers of yore did.
Bozo Schofield trolled Pushup Central as me being "Rahul Tyson".
Poor Glyn. I can hear him CRYING in frustration in Mommy's dingy basement which she's ready to boot him out of, but hasnt because he's just so ham handed and PATHETIC - but he also made the comment "We know you write books on cucks!"
Hmm....
But he never tell me WHICH book yours truly wrote on cucks.
IF anyone can. please tell me, and I'll post it here. Might as well make more sales for it hehe.
But really - with the feeling I get that I wrote about on the other site?
Why would I want to "do hanky panky in China" (as Ann Lee once famously got upset at me about - and remember, she was a beer/hill girl) when there are far better alternatives?
As for spouses - why on EARTH would I want some when there are FAR better alternatives?
YEs, I know this sounds out there, but here is the fact.
Napoleon Hill wrote about the same thing in the chapter on Sexual Transmutation in Think and Grow Rich, that being most men do NOT succeed before 40 (thats one reason, not the only reason) because of their tendency to "sow their wild oats".
And right about now, I dont wanna sow any.
Not to mention, it saves me a fortune in potentail kids, hehe.
The one time I did recently (years ago) sow seed was a SPECIAL TIME IN my life - and it resulted in the best thing ever for me, and the BEST KID I could ever have asked for - a true GEM, a true LODESTONE, a true SHINING STAR - a true ASS KICKER - a true STUDDETTE that at the age of 7 could whack Bozo Schofield so hard he'd never get up again to troll, and sof orth ...
She is just lovely is my daughter - truly so!
And anyway, I'm out.
But you know why now, hehe.
Best,
Rahul Mookerjee
PS - For workouts that feel better than sex go HERE. Hey, even Bozo Scofield will like it - plenty of "quickies" in it.
(I heard he doesnt do quickies tho. His tongue is usually perenially "ass deep" if you get my drift. But hey, to each (her) own!).
PS # 2 - - I wonder if Bozo knows the BEAST HE UNLEASHED, and I AM JUST GETTING STARTED. YEe - HA!
Indian WasherWoman FITNESS!
Although a certain Glyn Schofield, the eternal and one and ONLY BOZO would love this book, it ain't out.
(Remember those inane wacko texts about wanting to be a "servant" he sent? The gal was like, WTF .... "why would anyone want that"!)
(and if they do, well, thats fine but Jesus,, Schofield, you take lunacy to NEW limits. But I'm lovin it, hehe. I'm waiting for a bit more trollin too ...)
and I'll probably never put out a book on washerwomen, or Indian washer women.
Well, actually I HAVE put out a book featuring both Indian vegetable sellers and washerwomen, and how!
Wacky, I know!
But the wackos dont have a clue, hehe.
But anyway, that book ain't fitness related. A certain "Miss X" would know, hehe.
Or perhaps she isn't X after all!
She didnt have the X shape though.
I did, but I worked HARD for her - pun intended - and NOT. Hehe.
Anyway, to get the X shape here is where you go and I've spoken about that before too (do a search, and you'll find it).
Yours truly is NOTHING if not very humble, always ...
But point of this?
Well, I've written about how being a "maid" in INdia is a great workout at least those ladies "of yore".
Not sure if the maids now are like that, but probably so. Some things never change in India.
The White Tiger will tell you more on that. Although I could TOO I'll stick to fitness on this site!
Now point is this.
Those "maids" (oh, and I'll stick to that other topic on the other site! ;)) - they actually "clean" in a way that give syou a great workout - and that the average molly coddlled pampered BRAT in India, including adults couldn't even begin to do.
The West as well.
China as well.
Everywhere!
Ask the modern day man or woman to get into the Squat the way I teach - - truly PROFOUND and special in a way NOT known except to "Master of yore with long Fu Man Chu beards" in Asia ... and they not only won't be able to do but they will expel FLATULENCE from both ends.
Ugh!
Now, thats why I have the position in Isometric and Flexibiity Training, which is a not so humble way of asking you to GET this AMAZIN book with HIDDEN SECRETS to TRUE and lasting STRENGTH in ways you never even IMAGINED of yore - NOW.
And why I have an EXERCISE modeled on it in Animal Kingdom Workouts that th egreats have all used.
(skating champs and dancers come to mind for one, but there are many more).
But really try WRINGING out wet clothes in that position. Or sit in a chair and do it.
You'll quickly see how it BUILDS the grip beyond anything else!
Especially if you do it in the special style "Indian washerwomen and MEN" do it.
All day long.
And thats not even getting into what they do later i.e. a hammering position with these wet clothes that will kill your shoulders in about 1 minute flat, or less if you're the nutjob wacking around on the bench, deadlift, and such and believe THAT will build strong shoulders.
Not.
It won't.
And while part of the secret is mentioned in Gorilla Grip (Advanced!) the REST of it will be let out, in future courses.
Schofield is probably salivating at "let out".
LOL.
What a beast I've unleashed.
Actually, the poor chap brought it on himself. He truly did ATTRACT, hehe.
Anyway, I'm out. Back soon!
Best,
Rahul Mookerjee
PS - Be sure and pick up the Rolls Royce, the TRUE BEAST of fitness right HERE.
PS #2 - Another secret to a CRUSHING APE LIKE GRIP - that insane KUNG FU grip - is working with rice, and I dont mean working in paddy fields (carols aid this, hehe - was a cute way of describing it) - or even EATING it - or hoisting sacks of it. No, the SECRET Is something else. Find out right HERE.
Why I LIVE by the Mr T maxim of “I live alone, and TRAIN alone!” and why I rarely, if ever (these days) discuss business with anyone, especially NOT WIVES and SIGNIFICANT OTHERS
Not that I have many of either one of the last two categories (well,not as of this moment, hehe).
The Bozo is no doubt itching to know “how many girls asked for my WeChat today”, and truth be told, some did.
I didnt give it to any though.
Yours truly caveman “gets a lot” yes, but he does so in a manner that would confuse most .. but the results count!
But anyway, that ain’t the point.
A long time, back when my wife and myself were still on speaking terms (now it’s “get away from the other person as quick as possible” and make sure to make the other person’s life a living hell if IC an (for her, not me – I just want to be left alone and I am, hehe)) I discussed biz with her.
How much was “coming in”.
Biz costs. Etc etc.
As I would a partner, actually ...
What happened from all these discussions?
A big fat ZERO.
That was when I was just starting out and had plenty of moola in the bank, so she wasn’t making my life hell.
But business wise, she wasn’t giving me any ideas on how to ADVANCE the biz. It was always "oh, we have money, so it'll be there later", and when it wasn't well ...
Not how life works my friend.
More to the point though, it ain’t just HER.
Don’t expect others to understand, my friend.
Dont expect ANYONE to understand simple facts of life and biz such as “you get what you put into it”.
My own cardinal rule (one of them) of doing biz is this.
INVEST back into the biz.
I’ve been following this rule for a few years now and oh boy. You’d think it was day and night, the difference in my results!
Sounds silly that I didnt do it from the get go huh.
But we ALL live and learn, my friend. And for someone thats always been dissuaded from doing his own thing, from “not selling” because “sales people do nothing” (what an idiotic and inane comment that was – speaks tomes as to my family’s thinking on MONEY – I mean, sales brings home the BACON my friend, and more often than not gets to deal with crappy executions etc. Not me, of course, but I’m just sayin’....)
End of the day, everyone I grew up around saw the “here and now”, but the words “do it differently” and “potential for HUGE gains”
Was NOT there in their version of Oxford, or Webster, or what not ...
Until it “happened”, of course. When I wasn’t fit, they said I’d never get fit. When I was, they hemmed and hawed, and never admitted that I was. And so forth. And we’ve all dealt with it, and back to business?
Many other little things which even most so called “Seasoned” businessmen don’t do.
Anyway, this isn’t so much about business as fitness.
I recently (and I wrote about this) received a note from a man – a warrior -whose wife doesnt get it in terms of “training”.
She keeps telling him “not to train” and that he should have stoppe dyears and years ago.
And that he’ll get a heart attack from all the training he does (this to a man that has been doing just that his entire life).
And so forth.
And I’m sure she’s not the only one saying that either, hehe. My own Dad kept telling me “I had a huge belly” (when I did) and that I “overexercised” (I didnt).
Huge belly.
Exercise less, not more?
I give up. And this from a person who hasn’t done a pushup in his entire life most likely, and would not just collapse, but likely have several heart attacks if I put him through ONE minute of what I do in Advanced Hill Training, for one.
So I haven’t, hehe.
But anyway, thats the point.
Do it YOURSELF.
No-one will understand, my friend.
Do it yourself – and enjoy the results YOURSELF.
Because, as Major General Michael once told me.
“YOU did it, Rahul!”
“Now YOU enjoy it!”
(and I did. I was having a few cold ones when he called and told me, hehe. Ah, them days. I miss 'em! )
True indeed my brother. Sage indeed.
Is it any wonder I chose my “English name” to be Michael?
I think not ..
Anyway, enough on that. Those that haven’t taken advantage of the $799 offer for the SHIP – do so now bro. The clock runs out very soon indeed.
Best,
Rahul Mookerjee
PS – HERE is where you can pick up the best compilation on pull-ups. But remember, keep it to yourself, hehe.
PS #2 – My Dad once asked me if I have “more than one wife”. I still remember him looking at the babes “out of the corner of his eye” when they went to China ... LOL. I best not go there though.
“You only have one as far as we know” ...
LOL!
A customer recently told me that “Anyway my friend I envy you as you seem to have figured out how to live on your own terms and very few men can say that, especially the married ones”.
Yes. I have. So can you, bro – maybe not at “my level”, but in terms of training, business. Oh, YES, you can!
(and for those reading, yes, I WILL continue to live life on my OWN TERMS).
On my all time favorite batter “Big Matt the BAT” and how that ties into SHOULDERS like BOULDERS that YOU WANT!
Matty Hayden a legend in world cricket, and a guy I’ve always loved.
A guy that wasn’t given a chance to succeed in India on their OWN turf and yet did it in a manner that boggled both expectation and imagination while the rest of the team fell around him like ninepins.
In cricket, you have THREE (well, mostly) sort of batters.
One, the technicians. The current Indian skipper Virat “hustler” Kohli probably falls into this category.
Then you got the swashbuckling pirates.
Sir Vivian Richards. Kevin Pietersen. Probably Glenn Maxwell in the current Aussie team, though I wouldn’t quite put him in that league just as yet. But I WOULD put him in another league I’ll mention below ...
(And Ricky Ponting, Aussie captain of yore. BOY THAT BOY COULD BAT!!)
Then of course you got the sheer MAGICIANS.
Steve Smith in the current Aussie cricket team looks closest to a magician than anyone else in the world right now!
(I’ve always loved Australia and especially their cricket team, hehe. And it looks like they’ve recovered very well from the bruising ball tampering scandal at the Newlands...)
Speaking of bruisers.
Thats the 4th category.
Massive, well built batters that just stride down the track, INTIMIDATE the bowlers, and simply smash the damn thing out of the park – or BLUDGEON would be a better word!
Matty Hayden falls into THIS category.
Big Matt the bat he was called, and for a good reason!
I dont know if you’ve seen him in his prime, and probably even now, but one look at his upper body – especially that massive chest and shoulders – well – I dont know if he knows who Doug Hepburn was, but damn – he could give ole Doug and some of the current WWE wrestlers some serious, serious competition me thinks.
Naturally strong man, BRUTE strength like my buddy from the Marines ...
Just RAW POWER!
And he smashed many a cricket ball out of the park!
I still remember a “lasting visual” of him getting into it with the Poms, James Anderson I believe it was, hehe.
And while Anderson and Paul Collingwood aren’t exactly “small characters” – well – Hayden positively DWARFED the three of them in that “stare down” (Ricky “Punter” Ponting looked positively TINY in comparison).
Anyway ...
Whats thepoint of all this, you might ask.
This (yet another) trip down memory lane. Hehe.
Especially those of you not into cricket, and more into the “Red Sox”, hehe.
Well, its this my friend.
To build that sort of shoulder strength and POWER – like Doug Hepburn – or ole “Big Matt the BAT” – then you TRAIN that way.
And you dont neglect the mental!
Hayden would often sit on a cricket pitch for hours before the game, VISUALIZING and meditating, exactly the same as yours truly and many others who “get it” do.
Not what youd expect from a man known mostly for his “strength” and batting prowress.
He also cooked “dal” (lentils) in India I believe. I think he also has a cookbook out! Hehe.
Great guy overall – and a legend of the game.
And while I dont think he has an inkling of 0 Excuses Fitness and the lot, my point is this (back to it, yes).
To build shoulder strength – SIZE – and POWER like that – well – you follow and do what the greats did.
And I’ve outlined it ALL for you in Shoulders like Boulders, and Battletank Shoulders.
Grab this now, my friend. It truly IS the “best thing” in terms of developing those imposing shoulders, grizzly like pushing strength, and of course barndoor like “bat lats”!
Best,
Rahul Mookerjee
PS – Here is what a customer recently had to say about Battletank Shoulders.
Another BARNSTORMER, Rahul!
Yet again the bodyweight guru smashes it out of the park with "the book" on building shoulder size and power.
Like Rahul's other books this one is elegant in it's "simplicity" (simplistic not easy).
If you like to "train savage" this is must have book!!!
Bravo Rahul bravo.
Indeed, my friend.
Indeed! (Review is on the Amazon UK page for you amazon fans out there).
PS #2 – Why this sudden trip down memory lane about Big Matt of all things? Well – that story about swimming with the sharks and the post I did on it – will never go away from my mind! True MACHISMO, and true “ do it yourself and save your life” kinda thang. Ole style Aussie, like it should be!
PPS – And while I have no idea if Matty Hayden did handstand pushups, I would NOT be surprised if he did. I repeat, I wouldn’t be a damn bit surprised if that wasn’t one of his favorite exercises.
And I’lltell you one damn thing – Doug Hepburn DID do them and has gone on record saying that THESE were the secret behind his prodigious STRENGTH and SIZE!
Believe me, it’s not just strength and size – it’s feeling as well! They make you feel like a BRUISER, like a KING amongst men when you do it right.
Get on the program right NOW, my friend.
Why pushups TRUMP the bench press ANY day of the week
I wonder what the ole Trumpinator would think of this, hehe.
Probably doesn’t care either way, but hey, he’d probably LIKE this email here - - and NOT for the reasons you might expect! ?
Anyway, I still remember the boobybuilder at the swimming pool, back in 2010 I think it was . . . Maybe 2009. Not sure.
Guy that was big as heck. Had all the puffed up bloated muscles, the massive chest and pelican legs . . . and very little back development to boot.
And of course the beachball biceps and so forth . . . which unfortunately weren’t helping him in the pool.
I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw this dude. I was doing my laps swiftly, and he was watching me, and I still remember him coming up to me and talking to me.
“That’s good, man! You can really swim!”
“I’m getting there”, I grinned back (which is true; I love to swim and can do it pretty well, but there’s always room for improvement!).
And then he told me the entire tale that I’ve detailed on the Shoulders Like Boulders page.
While he didn’t quite drop dead of a heart attack when he lifted his arms up to hang a picture, he almost got there.
Two bypasses before the age of 25 I think it was, or maybe 26. I can’t be “arsed” to look right now, but it’s something like that.
And all the so called strength and twelve pack abs couldn’t get him to ONE continuous SLOW . . . BREADTH of the pool.
He was literally resting for 10 minutes between each slow breadth! And this guy could pound out the weights like nobody’s business apparently before he did the smart thing and flat out quit.
Anyway, my last post on mental tip #2 (on the other site) w.r.t high rep workouts caused a bit of flutter for some people it seemed.
One person posted the following on my WeChat account: (one of the crappiest social media sites out there with some of the worst rogue nation tom tommers out there and . . . ah, but lets not get into that!)
“Maximum weight . . . add oil” was the first comment.
I have to confess I don’t know why he made the “add oil” comment. It’s a comment the Chinese often use in their own language. Translates into something like “come on”, or “keep going” or some such thing in English, and to be honest I don’t much care to delve into the specifics.
Much like I prefer calling an apartment complex an apartment complex as opposed to “garden” which a lot of foreigners seem to prefer calling it.
(The Chinese call apartment complexes “gardens” ; even in their own language. Don’t ask, hehe).
Not much of a China sympathizer am I? Well, that much is apparent from my posts, or should be . . .
And then 2 minutes or 3 later . . .
“Keep adding weight on the bench press for 1 rep with no spotter until you just can’t lift it. See how big your balls get when it’s really life or death”.
Anyway, why should that concern you eh.
Well, actually it should but we’ll get to that later.
My response to this dude was …
“Heavy singles are indeed a good method (if you lift weights). The oldtimers did a lot of that”.
And it’s true. Weightlifting done right is GOOD . . . but NOT the way most people do at the gym.
And if there was ever a more retarded exercise than the bench press out there, Id love to see it.
Perhaps the lat pulldown. . . but we’ll get into that later. I was going to talk about this to the dude, but got a bad vibe at the minute I was going to type out my response, so stopped.
No point talking to those that have already made their minds up eh. ?
For now though, here are some reasons right off the top of my head that I’d take pushups over benching any day (and bodyweight exercise OVER weight lifting, especially the puff and buff nonsense, any day of the week.
Pushups are the #1 strength and conditioning (and weight loss) exercise all in one, my friend. Truly the big dog of all exercises.
Don’t believe pushups require strength?
Lets take the 500 lb bench presser, and see how many handstand pushups he can do, or even GET into the position.
Let me tell you one thing – most CAN’T.
And the reverse isn’t true either.
Its far easier to progress into weight lifting if you’re already good at bodyweight stuff, but it doesn’t quite work that way the other way around.
And that brings me to my second point. Conditioning.
High rep bodyweight exercises, or even a set of 50 pushups done in slow, perfect form have a way of making that heart THUMP like NO other weight lifting exercise (especially not one rep, and then “rest”) will.
They have a way of making you breathe like NO other exercise will (except perhaps hill sprints).
And they build the ENTIRE body, my friend. Including the legs and core.
As for bench pressing . . . legs? Core? I don’t think so, my friend.
And I’m not just referring to pelican legs. I’m referring to the exercise itself (and hence the pelican leg syndrome that is so damned common out there - - and pathetic, really, to say the least).
The legs and core – and back are the TRUE seat of power, my friend and hoicking up a massive (or whatever you can) weight while lying prone on your back aint the way to develop any of those areas.
Especially not the way most guys grunt and groan through poor FORM while doing the bench press, an exercise which along with the deadlift is probably responsible for more shot shoulders than ANY other weight lifting exercise I’ve known.
And as for “life or death”.
There have literally been cases where people have died doing exactly what dude suggested i.e. try max reps with no spotter.
Might sound good in theory, but I doubt anyone approaches these with the goal to go out of the gym in a coffin . . .
And with pushups, the worst that can happen is nasty injury.
Circa my sprained thumb (or dislocated, actually), by far the most painful thing ever to happen to me. I’ve detailed what happened before, but basically it was freezing cold and a rainy day, and I got the urge to do fingertip handstands after a long ass workout, and . . . POP!
That thumb popped BACK in, and BACK OUT. And – OUCH!
I was told to rest it to “recover”. Never did. Kept training all throughout it, WITH the pain, and I really do think that helped me recover faster than if I were to just ice it up and “sit” on it, hehe.
Or, perhaps the busted chin (damn near) that happened when some joker let his dog get too close to me when I was doing my patented WIDE grip handstand pushups . . .
But nothing worse than that, really.
And while all of the above should be more than plenty, there are tons of more reasons, but I’ll do up another post (article, actually is what this damn thing is turning into!) on that later.
For now, lets look at what Herschel Walker had to say about bench pressing, pushups and the core. You know who he is, I’m sure!
"Almost everybody wants to look like a body builder and do 500 pounds on the bench. That sounds good, but all of sudden you've got back problems and all these other problems."
“You get the core ready, you can handle anything else”
As for pushups. His workouts (up till 3500 pushups a day) – should be proof enough!
And ANY serious combat athlete, or strongman would tell you the same thing.
Take Iron Mike Tyson, for instance. Bruce Lee. The Great Gama from India. All of them did a TON of pushups, and did NOT lift weights (and in the case of the Gama, he did, but certainly not bench pressing).
Last, but not least, if all of this ticks you off royally, well, that isn’t really the point of me saying it.
If after reading all this you’d prefer to go back to the benching station and see how many you can pump out with the bros cheering you on, by all means be my guest.
Aint my job to “make the horse drink”, hehe. All I can do is take it to the water . . .
Lifting weights CAN be good – but doing it the way people do in the gym (bench pressing, deadlifting etc) is usually more harmful than good.
As for what sort of “weight lifting” I am referring to that is good - - I’ve spoken tomes about it before on the list, but if you’re new to my list; well, hang on for a while yet - - I’ll do up another piece on that later!
And those are my thoughts on that.
Whew, that was a longer than usual piece. I’m out for now - - back later!
Best,
Rahul Mookerjee
P.S. – Pick up the best damned course there is on pushups right HERE. There truly IS NO BETTER course than this one, my friend, and that is a FACT.
Why most advice given by "laymen" on "back pain" should be ignored - and flat out forgotten!
I have been guilty of not doing the second, but then again, like the great Napoleon Hill said, there is a positive to everything. Hehe.
(and as I've always felt instinctively all my life!).
Back when I was young, I remember a conversation my father and I once had about the now patented Rahul Mookerjee SQUAT.
Mentioned in the first book on isometrics.
It was a position my wife "punished" my daughter with yesterday - for being out of line. (big time).
"Thats a great exer.. uh, punishment", I muttered as I walked past, trying to keep a straight face. It is! She hardly ever does it, of course - both my daughter in terms of the exercise except when it's squatting challenge with Papa and her mom - "punishing her".
As she moaned, groaned and sat in a position which if you make it fun she can sit in for much longer than she ultimately did, I remember the excruciating punishments we got when we were young!
A lot of those punishments could well make it to the third book on isometrics - and they probably will at some stage, along with some special isometrics I'm doing NOW.
But back to Dad, he was once complaining about his back hurting .
It was a common lament, especially after climbing a hill - a short one - once.
"Never again", he'd vow. Hehe.
But in reference to that position, apparently he sat in it for a while - not the full position - but the partial position - and his back hurt.
I remember asking him why.
"Well, you sit in that position", he replied. "Your back will hurt too".
Hmm.
At that age, I couldn't get into that position, neither could I when my wife made me do it in 2009 - "phat phocker".
Now, I could spend the whole day in it - easily.
But this comment, along with a few others ...
"Lifting pink dumbbells on each hand to "build muscle"" or whatever was told to me.
Not lifting weights if you're not wearing underwear or you'll get "hernia".
And other such gems I got while growing up, along with the "he thinks he's soooo strong" taunt that was common - its' no wonder my fitness journey never really took off despite my very best efforts until the age of 25, when Ann Lee, with that reproachful look in her eye literally kicked my RUMPUS into high gear.
'nuff said on that admirable lady!
Anyway, today my back was "stiff" .
Lots of squats last night, that 100 squat workout turned into 300, with 200 I did in the AM, that was 500 for the day.
And more.
So today, 50 squats, 10 pull-ups, some advanced isometrics in, I wasn't really loose.
So I got in the squat.
Sat there.
Moved around.
Felt my entire spine REALIGN.
Slowly, I felt the energy SURGE through my entire body.
ELECTRIC!
And then I got up, started writing this to you.
Ditto for the back bridge I explain so often in 0 Excuses Fitness, and the book on "truly the best darn exercise out there", an exercise which makes most men way past their prime "prime" feel better than anything else they have EVER - I repeat EVER - done in their lives.
Dont believe me - I understand.
Words are cheap eh.
Take a look at the testimonials page before you diss, tho ...
And these back bends are usually thought of as DANGEROUS by not just lay men but most so called "docs" out there.
The same docs who prescribe meaningless meds and repeated hospital visits and pester/trick most women into having C sections when they dont really need one, and more ...
The almighty dollar, eh.
Nothing is sacred.
People dont like me saying it.
But can anyone say it ain't true?
Long story short - save the chiro fees, and work on the isometrics, my friend.
You'll do yourself a favor - big time.
Thank me later, or not - I dont mind!
"Tis my job to bring you the best - for the best - you.
And thats what I do daily.
Back soon!
Best
Rahul Mookerjee
PS - The third book on isometrics is writing itself as we speak, meanwhile, remember, same thing for knee pain and other ailments - IGNORE what most people tell you (and especially fitness wise too).
Do I need to warm up before doing pushups and squats?
A question ALL of you (me too) have thought about, no doubt.
In 0 Excuses Fitness, and indeed with all my bodyweight writing, I often tout one of the benefits of my type of exercise programs as being "there is no need for lengthy warmups".
Indeed, there isn't - especially when you compare it to warm ups you DO need before lifting gigantic weights in sets and reps.
Think about it, if you're just out of bed, you bend down and stand back up - or you do the same thing, lift up a huge barbell, and stand back up.
Point and case, or the other way around, #2 is an open invitation to injury and worse.
I'm not quite at my wife's level who claims "dont lift anything at all for a while after you wake up".
No.
But the point - with exercise routines like pushup based programs, or squats - you just "do it".
You don't necessarily need long warm ups, or warm ups at all.
Yet, despite that being the truth "aint that the truth" (as one person recently emailed me about pull-ups) - the reality is far more complex.
Matt Furey for one, wrote in Combat Conditioning that "I dont need a warm up at all" for these exercises.
Talk to him today, he'll tell you all about warmups ...
And that was likely the case back when he wrote the book too.
Personally, for me?
I dont warm up with special exercises, or at all. With my hill climbs, I just walk up the hill to warm up!
But slowly, while I stretch out, getting the blood flowing, and with regular bodyweight stuff indoors?
It can be tough to jump straight into 500 squats without straining something, what I do is the exercise - except in lesser reps.
For instance, I might do 10 squats, then I might jump around a little, then I might (and do) do isometrics.
I've found isometrics the best way to warm up - not necessarily stretch before a workout, but some of the "get loose" movements included in Isometric and Flexibility Training - especially the "bird" movements - and some of the "leg lifts" included in "Advanced, Profound Isometric and Flexibility Training" - THESE give me the best warmup and only warm up I ever need if I do at all.
Pull-ups, I'll warm up with dead hangs, an exercise unto it's own.
Pushups, I'll do the isometric pose - or a few easy reps before "getting into it".
And so forth.
Thats what I do, my friend.
It's likely what most people do as well, although you'll see you need less and less of a warmup as you start to really "get into" all this...
Thats it for me for this one. Movement, as always is key, and is the best warmup ...
Back soon - be sure to grab your copy of the "sizzling hot" 0 Excuses Fitness System
PS - Here is what someone wrote back on the now "defunct" Linkedin Account.
"Wow, hairy chest, so sexy!"
Ugh ...
I can't guarantee it'll make hair grow on your chest.
(I dont know if that was Glyn in one of his "sissy"as he likes to call it avatars) ..
But these exercises will make men out of boys, that I do guarantee!
Why keeping it real is what its all about!
A lot of "gurus" - fitness included are guilty of not doing just that in my opinion.
A lot of so called "life gurus" or motivational so called experts as well ...
Let me ask you, the majority of these motivational speakers out there for one - how often do they focus on the NEGATIVE part of things, which to be honest makes up the majority of anyone's journey to achieving anything noteworthy?
How often do you hear "think and you'll attract" (dont get me wrong, it's true, but...) - while these people paper over the bad, often long periods of bad - in their own lives?
Maybe that is their version of marketing i.e. "saying what people want to hear".
Maybe.
To me, I'm one of the best marketers out there - in my not so humble opinion, hehe - but me aside, to me, it's about keeping it real. THAT markets better for you than any number of snazzy campaigns, ads, airy fairy tales etc could...
To me, it's about doing what David Goggins , pull-up stud - once said.
"It's about putting your entire life, no matter how fucked up it is, on a BILLBoard out there on the busiest highway out there!"
He's right.
Fitness wise, I see so many gurus - so called gurus - putting out pictures of themselves that were taken when they were doing the exact opposite of what they advocate, for one.
For instance, training with weights when they advocate bodyweight ..
Or, following super strict diets - but claiming later "diets aren't the most important thing" ...
I dont know, to me?
When I wrote Fast and Furious Ffitness in 2012, I showed myself off in the shape I was back then - certainly not the lean and mean me you see in 0 Excuses Fitness, and thats why there is a difference albeit slight in the two books, as I told you what I did then.
I still did pull-ups, handstands etc ... but the two books are different, crack them both open, you'll see what I mean.
When I wrote Eat More - Weigh Less, I had the shittiest diet ever, drank tons of beer - and still lost weight like a mo.fo on steroids - natural as ever - and I've included proof on the sales page.
When I wrote Pull-ups - from STUD to SUPER STUD - within WEEKS! - you see me doing each of the exercisesI advocate.
In my videos, my writings, everything, I've always belived the real you will shine out no matter how much you try to hide it - or not.
I never do. Hehe.
Because to me, keeping it real is what its about.
You're not always going to have the best days - or best workouts.
You're not always going to pop off 500 squats at one go, even if you have done 1000 of them at one go in the past.
You're not always going to be "feeling like doing it".
Key is lighting a fire under your arse though,and showing up daily, and doing the very best you can.
Applies to life, fitness, emails, anything you do.
Do so for a year starting today, and I'll guarantee you - that looking back, in hindsight, once the year's over - you'll see yourself getting to results you previously thought completely "ungettable".
In the trenches advice that almost no-one gives, but I'm giving it to you straight.
Just as I do in Zero to Hero and Gumption Galore! - two motivational reads with no fluff you'll want to grab NOW.
Back soon.
Best,
Rahul Mookerjee