What if you can’t do sprints?

Dear reader,

My post on sprints yesterday seems to have elicited more than a few responses via our social media accounts. Seems plenty of people are interested in sprints – or, in some cases, what to do if one CANNOT do sprints.

(By the way, if you aren’t already “following” 0 Excuses Fitness on social media, here is where to do it – –

Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/0excusesfitness.

Twitter handle: @0xcusesfitness

Youtube “channel” : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRfQncNP-R0mETIOgNKkU1w (short “snippets” may be posted here occasionally). )

Anyway, here’s an interesting email that Charles (presumably from the US of A) sent in –

SPRINTS!  What a nice idea, wish I could do them.  Osteoarthritis of the left knee put an end to that.  Seems the orthopedic industry has no answer for this condition no matter how many people suffer with it.  Funny how the smart phone industry can advance in leaps and bounds to keep us all hypnotized and staring at our phones endlessly, but the medical industry still cannot cure a condition that has plagued mankind since time began.

My response to him –

Yes, the smartphone industry has made bozos out of us all, haha. I for one would much rather we go back to the good ole “flip phone” days. Things were far more “real” back then if you get my drift …

With regard to the sprints, you’re probably not in a position to do them now as you say. If I were you, I’d start out with gentle rope jumping and Hindu squats, as well as walking (which as I said in the book is a highly beneficial, but equally overlooked exercise). The Hindu squats have an incredibly rehabilitating effect in most cases – just do them in proper form as I show you in the videos, and I think you’ll be nigh amazed at the progress you make within a few weeks provided you keep at it.

Best, and thanks for writing in!

And that, my dear reader, is exactly where you should start if you’re NOT currently in a position to do sprints, or even hard running of any nature.

And why, you might ask? How do these squats have such a rehabilitating effect in most cases?

Because they build the tendons and ligaments, and all the surrounding “supporting” musculature around the actual muscles of your knee joint, my friend.

I’ve always maintained that it’s NO use having huge muscles if you don’t have the support structure going full bore behind it – those sort of imbalances are what lead to major problems down the road.

Not only that – these squats give you incredible cardio. Let me tell you, 30-40 of these is about all the average gym goer (with good knees, at that – or at least knees that haven’t as yet shown the symptoms of doing heavy barbell squats for years) can do in proper form – and they’d be lucky if they got that many at the first go.

Key thing though is to start slow – and do so with proper form as I show you in the videos. I explain it in the book as well, but form, my friend, is crucial on many of these exercises, and none more so the squats where it’s easy to overbalance, point your feet outward more than they should be, et al.

Now, last, but not least, the contents of this email are not intended to be taken as medical advice. Always seek your medical practitioner’s advice before starting this, or any other medical program . . . but I will say THIS – I know plenty of people with bad / wonky /worse knees that have DONE these squats, and it has CURED them of knee pain within a month or so of starting them and keeping at it.

Other than the squats, the other things to do are to incorporate plenty of walks into your routine – preferably hill walks if possible.

Rope jumping is yet another thing you can do if you can’t run sprints or run at all.

So- – long answer short – – don’t despair. There are ALWAYS plenty of things you can do if you can’t do sprints (or any other exercise).

As my buddy, an ex-Marine, is fond of saying “Improvise, adapt, and overcome”. That axiom holds true for exercise and “what if I can’t” questions as much as it does to actual situations in the Marines.

 

Start slow with the squats – build from there – and write back once you get to doing these in sets (from zero) – I’ll share your stories with the world!

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – Although I’m a much avowed “anti-smartphone” fanatic (and have said as much in previous posts as well), I have to admit that smartphones are (unfortunately) the “gadget of choice” for most people – – and have made sure that the 0 Excuses Fitness System videos are ALL smartphone friendly. Heck, you can even “follow” along with me in the workout video – just put your smartphone in front of you when working out and “puff” along with me for more motivation! Here is where you can grab the System – – http://0excusesfitness.com/0excusesfitnessystem/

P.S #2 – If I missed any social media accounts up there, let me know. I’m not much of a social media fan either as you can tell!

P.P.S. – Feel free to share this post if you  like – – and write in with questions/feedback etc if you have any – – all much appreciated!

Land “Wind” sprints vs hill sprints

Dear reader,

I just got done with a major league workout and capped it off with some super roadwork – and I be a POPPING, my BROTHER.

Especially after that bit of roadwork I did – whew – sure did leave me feeling like a trillion bucks!

Anyway, I’ve received a load of questions about sprints in general over the last month or so – mostly from those that I’m coaching privately on a one – on – one basis – but also a few that randomly pop in the mailbox from time to time.

My book “Advanced Hill Training” does a pretty good of explaining what hill sprints are, but I don’t cover land sprints in detail in the book for obvious reasons. Although to be honest most of the same routines could be just as easily ported over to land as well …

Advanced Hill Training, by the way is THE course you need if you’ve a) gotten pretty good at the 0 Excuses Fitness System and b) are ready for some MAJOR league fat frying, my friend.

It’s available right here – – http://0excusesfitness.com/advanced-hill-training/

Anyway, the general theme of the questions I’ve received are thus – what exactly are “wind sprints” and what makes them different from sprints in general?

Are hill sprints better than land sprints? Which one should *I* choose? Which one is safer? Which burns more flabola? Which will give me the dude or dudetttttteee of my dreams?

And so forth. Ok, I made the last one up, but you get my drift, and today I’ll attempt to clear up some confusion on the above topics.

First off, sprints in general are an excellent, excellent OVERALL body exercise as I’ve said many times before, and a look at the bodies of most sprinters will be the “proof in the pudding” if any is required.

Sprints done correctly are one of THE most, I repeat, THE MOST valuable training tools in your arsenal. However, with great power comes responsibility as well, and the same is true for sprints.

If the only running and movement you’ve done in years is lurch from the couch to the fridge and then back before collapsing, then I do NOT recommend jumping straight into sprints. Start with slow jogs, and work up to faster jogs – then runs – then test the water with sprints.

I do NOT recommend doing these  right off the bat even if you consider yourself fairly advanced – especially not the hill sprints – always include a “break in period”.

Anyway, wind sprints are what I generally do – a form of roadwork basically – which is to alternate the speed of the run. Often times I’ll alternate between slow jogs and sudden, quick, bursts where I sprint all out – or there might be sessions I sprint all out and then jog for a bit and then go all out again.

One of my FAVORITE training “tools” is a truck that is on “clean up duty” in the park I train in.

You know what I’m referring to, don’t you? Those trucks that sweep the place clear of leaves, debris etc – and as that sucker goes by – I run FULL TILT after it, and part of the reason I’m feeling so great today is I actually outran that sucker by a country mile or so. Granted, it wasn’t exactly traveling at the speed of knots – but still!

Wind sprints can be done either on land or hills, but I recommend land when you first start.

Hill sprints, on the other hand are what I referred to in my old “Fast and Furious” fitness book as the “Mecca and Medina” of leg training. They’ll get you in shape – and FAST – but you need to work up to them, my friend.

Think you’re good at regular sprints? Perhaps you could sprint all out for half a mile or so without stopping?

Well – great – try the same thing on a steep hill, and I guarantee you’ll be humbled within less than half the distance you would normally have covered on flat land.

BOTH are great great tools for burning fat, but hill sprints done correctly are in my opinion the ultimate.

Hill sprints are sometimes also safer because the sheer incline makes it hard to get to a point where you accidentally overtrain and pull a hamstring or worse.

I’ve seen that happen before – and trust me, it ain’t purdy, hehe.

Does all that means you shouldn’t incorporate flat land training into your routine?

Not at all, my friend. You should do BOTH – as both tax the body somewhat differently, but the key thing to remember is you aren’t running a marathon. You’re running SPRINTS – and you’re doing them as part of your roadwork, which means your speed is UP there at all times.

Speed, lightning fast, demon speed as “ole Mickey” said in  Rocky, and he was spot on, my friend.

Well, my friend, those are a few “general answers” to a lot of “general” questions I’ve received on the subject. If you’ve got more questions, by all means shoot ’em in and I’ll try and answer what I can in my daily emails.

All for now!

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – The saying “eat a bear a bite at a time” is a great one, my friend, and it’s something to keep in mind when working up to sprints. Take your time working up to it.

On that note, and interestingly enough, there are MORE than one ways to skin – not only a bear – but a CAT as well, and sprints done the way “most people” or most “experts” advocate are NOT the only way to fish fry fat off your body at lightning fast speeds. Several other exercises do it just as well if not better. And if you are truly interested in getting the body of an Olympic sprinter – or better – well – BARREL on over here to get the GOODS, my friend – – http://0excusesfitness.com/advanced-hill-training/

 

The Universe is smiling upon YOU

Dear friend,

Wow. Holy SCHMOKES! I just got done with one of the best workouts of my life – probably one of the toughest as well, and yet I sailed through the routine like a hot knife slicing through butter and with as much “apparent” physical exertion.

What’s more, although ALL my workouts leave me feeling invigorated – and ready to tackle the world with VIM, VIGOR and GUSTO – I currently feel like I could go 14 rounds more if you get my drift – that is how ENERGIZED I’m feeling right now!

That’s a key right there by the way, my friends. While physical training done the right way SHOULD be hard work, it shouldn’t FEEL like it (figuratively speaking) – and it sure as heck should NOT leave you feeling “drained and dead” at the end of each workout.

A lot of “gurus” will be shaking their collective heads here.

“You’re wrong”, I hear them saying. ” A workout should WIPE you out – leave you feeling like you’ve got nothing got!”.

Well, perhaps once in a while – you give it your ALL and THEN SOME –  but unless you’re someone whose got nothing else to do other than train in his / her life, I sure as hell would not recommend the “drained and dead” routine every time or even most of the time.

Hell, even pro athletes know it’s best to go easy some days and go HARD the others. The key, and this is something I mentioned repeatedly in the 0 Excuses Fitness System is to do something daily without going to failure.

Anyhow, what on earth does all this have to do with the Universe smiling you might ask?

Good question.

I’ve mentioned before that I usually picture my goals while I’m training – and during various parts of the day regardless. In fact, I hold visualization done properly in such high stead that it is rightfully the FIRST commandment of the “Ten Commandments of Physical Success” in the  0 Excuses Fitness System

And while I did this today, I took this to a whole another level altogether – and the world literally seemed to change – and shape itself around me.

Several things occurred that would NOT have happened normally, and that I probably would NOT pay heed to if I wasn’t as attuned as I am to my senses being in tandem with the Universe and the Universal energy that is a part of us all.

A cool breeze started to flow as I pictured what I want. Butterflies for whatever reason made their way towards me – – and people just “reacted” to me differently (out of the blue, mind you) than they would normally.

And as my spine tingled with anticipation of what was to come, it was like RAW, SHEER energy was pouring off my body in waves – even though I was as still as a scarecrow when actually doing the visualizations.

And lest you think this sort of thing is esoteric, “up in the clouds” kind of stuff that doesnt apply to fitness, you’ve got another think coming my friend.

It DOES. And it applies to every area of life as well.

If you’re currently training to win a championship at whatever it is you’re competing in, hold that thought and picture in your mind as you train.

If you’re currently looking to start a new and successful business, hold the thought of having a successful business in your mind as you go about creating it.

If you’re looking to develop “shoulders like boulders” – well, hold THAT picture in your mind as you do the exercises required to build “them” shoulders.

And so forth.

I’ve used this technique MANY a times, and it’s never ever disappointed me in the slightest (if anything it’s been the opposite) and it will be the same for you too if you do it correctly.

Why? Why am I so sure this will work?

Great question, and one I’ve addressed in a manual before, and one that I’ll talk about again in future posts.

For now though –  if you train – don’t just go through the motions. PICTURE what it is you want – and train accordingly – and watch the results seemingly “materialize” in front of your very eyes.

Onward!

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – Even if you aren’t interested in physical fitness, the Ten Commandments are a MUST read for the game of LIFE, my friend – they apply just as much to life as they do fitness – and who doesn’t want to succeed at the game of life, eh?

Yeah. I thought so. Go on ahead then and grab your copy of the System right HERE – – http://0excusesfitness.com/0excusesfitnessystem/ 

When going DOWNSTAIRS can become a chore

Dear reader,

Today’s email may come as a bit of a “rude shock” to some, but believe you me, EVERY bit of what I say is true.

I spoke with a good buddy of mine a few days ago, and apparently the elevators in his building were not functioning – or flat out out of order as it were.

This dude lives on the 17th floor or so on his apartment complex, and upon first thought, that can be somewhat of a pain if the elevators are not working (although it would NOT be a pain for fitness “freaks” like me, but then again, as another good friend of mine recently told me “don’t expect people to think like you”, hehe).

True indeed on both counts.

The world WOULD be a better place if more and more people tuned into the 0 Excuses Fitness “fanaticsm” as opposed to fixated on taking selfies, shoving more fat-inducing food and beverages down their gullets (and posting about it), wasting time and energy on pointing out problems instead of trying to find solutions, yada nada schnada. You get the drift, eh?

And of course, “trudging” up 17 floors can get kind of tiresome when done multiple times a day.

In fact, the vast majority of folks in this world are so out of shape that climbing up any more than 2 or 3 flights of stairs is something that causes their hearts to pound like a runaway sledgehammer – let alone with groceries etc.

But my friend wasn’t talking about going UPSTAIRS.

No, he was talking about going DOWNSTAIRS!

At first, I couldn’t believe my ears when he told me his legs had literally turned to jelly – from going DOWN 17 flights of stairs. I mean, I’ve been out of shape at some point in my life as well, but going downstairs has always been a “breeze” for me (and so it should for everyone!) and for the life of me I couldn’t imagine how this could be possible.

Not only this, my buddy participates in the sports of boxing – and has played ice hockey in the past, which made it a tad bit more unbelievable – but upon thinking about it, something ELSE struck a bell.

Many years ago, I heard comments along similar lines from a boss of mine (at the time).

The company I worked for at that point in time was on the 11th floor of a hotel (or perhaps 14th – I cannot quite recall) – – but the elevators were jampacked around 6:00 P.M. or so, and my boss made the decision to go down the flight of stairs instead of take the elevator down.

And the next day he told me ruefully that his legs were sore and that, sad as it sounds, “even going downstairs” was exercise for him, all this said while I stared goggle eyed at him, unable to believe a word.

And just writing all this brings back so many memories. Said boss suffering from sore shoulders for days after playing – get this – a light game of badminton for half an hour or so for ONE evening.

(This guy was ex Air Force, by the way!)

Or, another guy I recently trained in doing dips – a big, huge, strong guy – with shoulders as big as barndoors, or almost, and yet this same guy could barely HOLD himself up on the dipping bar – and when he finally did for the first time, it wasn’t pretty.

He was literally shaking like a maple leaf in a tornado – boy, it wasn’t pretty, but at least it was a start.

Now, my point in telling you all this?

Well, two, actually.

One, that no matter how out of shape you think you are at this point, you are NOT alone. And no, it isn’t just couch potatoes or those that haven’t done a lick of exercise that fall into this category – many an average “gym bro” does as well.

And second, and more importantly – the key thing to remember is – that you have to start SOMEPLACE.

If you’re currently at the point where doing 100 pushups sounds like and is an impossibility, then start with doing 10 in proper form.

Heck, even doing 10 pushups in proper form is, amazingly enough, a chore for many people – and even more amazingly enough, or not so, these SAME people have gotten STELLAR results once they’ve gotten on to my patented 0 Excuses Fitness System, and implemented the exercises/routines therein.

Key thing being, and I keep mentioning this as well – – is to start someplace.

If going downstairs is a chore, strengthen your legs, my friend. Jump rope, or even better, start cranking out the Hindu Squats as mentioned in the 0 Excuses Fitness System – – a great, great exercise that, by the way.

If you’ve got excess flabbage you need to drop – and quick – start with a quick jaunt up hill – or even up ONE or two flights of stairs daily.

Might not sound like much, but this “one little thing” adds up over time, and you start doing more – and more – and MORE.

Last, but not least, drop any resistance to silly ideas of “bodyweight exercises not working” or “bodyweight exercises won’t help” (you’d be amazed, but I heard comments along similar lines from the individuals I’ve mentioned above).

Open your mind up new possibilities – and those new possibilities WILL occur – but only if you take action, my friend.

One step at a time – to a whole new YOU – and quicker than you ever thought possible.

Oh YES – it IS possible, amigo!

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – If you’re someone with whom the above examples strike a chord, well, worry not – we’ve got the right formula for you right HERE, my friend – – http://0excusesfitness.com/0excusesfitnessystem/

THIS is the one product you need if you’re truly serious about tuning out all the garbage out there in terms of fitness, and building world class levels of strength, fitness, stamina and agility. Don’t miss out, my friend. Hop on NOW.

 

Make moneeee – in ANY economy

Dear reader,

Today’s post will be a short one – and a surprise as well in that it’s NOT fitness related.

But it’s LIFE related. It’s certainly money related – and who amongst us, fitness fanatics included, wouldn’t like to talk about MONEY, eh?

Uh – huh … I thought so!

Anyway, given all the tales of the economy plunging South (regardless of where you are in the world) and all the old wives (or young ones, for that matter, hehe) tales about “the world going to hell in a henbasket”, the TRUTH is that all of us would be interested in TIME TESTED techniques to make money successfully in any economy.

Now, you’re probably thinking that I’ve got a product to promote to you here, right?

Well, yes – as a matter of fact I DO – but it’s one of the products I’ve promoted the LEAST – and one of the products, that curiously enough I came out with at the very START.

It’s a little gem, but I’ve ignored it so far for whatever reason, and it’s been sitting “waiting to be opened” in the annals, so to speak.

And what really brought it to my attention today was a few search terms that seem to be constantly popping up in the search results of the site. It appears Bing.cn (Bing China) and a few others have picked up on this little jewel of a product, and – long story short – type in the words “the ten commandments of a successful salesperson” in Bing.cn, and bingo – you’ll navigate to the very  product I’m referring to.

I haven’t yet tested on the other search engines, but you can bet that if a major search engine in China – the land of the “sales reps” so to speak, hehe, where they’ll literally sell you anything and everything willy nilly, without abandon – and a HUGE, friendly smile on their faces at that – then you better “bet your Betsy” that the other search engines will follow suit soon enough.

And I don’t blame ’em. I mean, who would NOT like to make money in any economy – selling services to clients that other, more experienced folks (with prior dealings with said clients!) could NOT sell?
Hmm? Uh huh … I thought so. I hear crickets again, hehe.
So without further ado, if you’re part of the “growing numbers” that are interested in what I have to say on this topic – and more so, advice from someone that has quite literally BEEN THERE AND DONE THAT, well – go right here, my friend – – http://0excusesfitness.com/products/10-commandments-of-successful-sales/
Grab your copy now – and watch a whole new world open up to you.
Best,
Rahul Mookerjee
P.S. – I’ll give away one tip I mentioned right here – that is to “underpromise, but overdeliver” – a mantra that ALL 0 Excuses products have at heart, and a mantra that I took “extra seriously” when doing this course up, hehe. I’ve given you not 10, not 12, not 15 – but TWENTY golden nuggets of achievements at the highest levels in this little course, my friend. Make sure to get your paws on it right HERE – – http://0excusesfitness.com/products/10-commandments-of-successful-sales/
P.S. #2 – Stay tuned for a tale of ATROCIOUS customer service I recently had (since we’re talking sales here) – and of course, more of the daily fitness tips from 0 Excuses Fitness HQ!
P.P.S. #1 – Onward – upward – with VIM, VIGOR, and GUSTO!

Foreign devil does roadwork on “Qing Ming” day

Dear reader,

Today is “Qing Ming” festival here in China – an ancient, ancient festival which in short is an opportunity (for those who celebrate it) to remember their ancestors – and all the good they did – with a very fond and loving heart.

They also call it “Tomb Sweeping” festival here in China – which again, basically boils down to honoring one’s ancestors at the grave sites (and yes, actual “sweeping” of the tombs DOES take place in many cases).

I’m always enthralled by the different cultures in the various parts of the world I’ve been to, and how folks celebrate different festivals differently – and mainland China is no exception to this rule.

Anyhow, it just so happened that today was the day this foreign “devil” (yours truly) chose for an outdoor workout – and what a great one it turned out to be, hehe.

The mainland Chinese have this curious habit of referring to foreigners as “gui laos” (Mandarin Chinese), which literally translated reads “old ghost from foreign land”).

‘Tis kinda hilarious, and I never fail to delight in seeing the onlooker’s faces when referring to myself as such when speaking my rudimentary Chinese … hehe.

Anyway, my workout, eh?

I did pull-ups. I did push-ups. I did handstand pushups – with a slight “twist” – and believe you me, that slight variation in the movement left my traps feeling like they were on fire and ready to “burst out of their casing” as it were.

And I did dips – plenty and plenty of them, just as mentioned in Shoulders like Boulders (which by the way seems to be going like hot cakes – so if you have not picked up a copy as yet – do so right HERE – – http://0excusesfitness.com/shoulders-like-boulders/ ).

But the best part of this entire workout today (done in a fairly congested park) was the roadwork I did to finish things off, my friend.

Oh YES – it was. I did my usual run at the END of my workout and hike (and if you need to know more about why I do this at the END of my workout, well, peruse the blog for an older post on it) – and it truly felt like it TIED everything together today and was the perfect icing on the cake to an otherwise already excellent workout.

Today’s roadwork wasn’t just a run done at varying paces. It was that, plus much, much more.

I stopped to do pushups in the middle of it all, and banged out 50 before I knew it – and BANG – was back at it again.

I kept up with a guy on a bicycle riding at moderate speed for part of my roadwork. I ran sprints for part of it and was actually LEADING the guy on the bike for some part of my routine.

I even dodged a few stray beggars “horsing around” in the local park (the crowds today meant this was a perfect day for them too).

Most people have this idea that roadwork means waking up at 4 A.M. in the morning, pounding raw egg yolk (a.k.a Rocky Balboa) and then hitting the pavements for a long, grueling, ardous run – which not only takes a long time, but could be boring as well.

Not to mention a “slow run”.

Believe me, I’ve heard folks use this very reason to avoid roadwork – that it’s “boring”.  Or “slow”.

Stupendous. Absolutely stupendous.

Roadwork is anything BUT boring if done right. And there are plenty of ways to skin the “how to do it” cat so it remains fresh, challenging, and interesting every time you do it.

And neither is speed a concern if you do things right.

Ever try running backwards down a hill, for instance?

Well – add on running FAST – and that in milling crowds so you’re literally looking back and having to stop every few minutes and then take off again – to avoid bumping into someone full tilt – and doing all this in reverse – at almost full speed.

Add on doing “zig zags” frontwards and backwards.

And of course pushups, and other bodyweight exercises thrown in as well.

Not only does all this tax your cardio system to the max – when done FAST – but it also takes your co-ordination like nothing else will – not to mention works ALL the muscles of your body (especially the calves and shins) together as a unit, meaning you get stronger and fitter overall.

Sure, if you prefer what Rocky did, then by all means go for it. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with roadwork done “old time boxing” style, and truth be told it has MANY benefits, not the least of which manifest in the ring.

So don’t ignore your road work, my friends – for ANY reason whatsoever. Make sure to get it in – either before or after (preferably after, but it’s your choice) your workout – but whenever it is – just make sure to DO it.

As Muhamad Ali famously once said, “”The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses – behind the lines, in the gym, and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights.”

‘Tis true, my friend. ‘Tis so true and it holds AS true for the fight of LIFE as it does a boxing bout.

Alright, my friend. I’m out for now – back again later!

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – If there is one breed of athletes with shoulders like the proverbial boulders – it’s boxers, wrestlers, and old time strongmen. And they ALL did plenty of what is taught in Shoulders like Boulders, my friend. I know you’re “raring” to find out what the secrets are – I would too – so drop everything you’re doing and grab your copy right NOW, right HERE – – http://0excusesfitness.com/shoulders-like-boulders/

Advanced triceps blasting

Dear reader,

Summer is FAST approaching in “here neck of the woods”, and I’ve been wearing T-shirts cut off at the shoulders – or, as I usually do, working out in a pair of shorts and not much else.

No sweatbands, nothing fancy – the T-shirt does the “sopping up”. Hehe.

Now, the point of me saying this is not to give you graphic descriptions of “sweat beading down my torso and forming puddles on the ground” (which happens, granted) – but to say that I’ve noticed a noticeable increase in the size of my arms and shoulders in general over the past few weeks.

Which, if I think about it NOW was to be expected, my friend.

I’ve been working my triceps even more than I normally do over the past few weeks – so much so that my workouts could probably be condensed into an “advanced triceps blaster” manual (hey – thats an idea right here – and one I might well implement if there is enough interest).

But note also that I’m a huge fan of working the triceps anyway.

Those that have been seen me banging out 250 pushups in less than 27 minutes (as I show you in the 0 Excuses Fitness System workout video) and 500 pushups for the day overall know this well already.

And truth be told, the exercise in the 0 Excuses Fitness System will do an EXCELLENT job of blasting the entire upper body (triceps and arms included) if you take up the exercises and routines mentioned therein seriously.

It wouldn’t be a stretch at all to say you can develop a gigantic upper body (not just arms) and ROCK SOLID abdominals just by following the exercises laid out therein.

(The 0 Excuses Fitness System is right here, by the way – – http://0excusesfitness.com/0excusesfitnessystem/)

But what I’ve been doing over the past few weeks takes it to a whole another level altogether, my friend. A whole ANOTHER level.

One of the keys to what I’ve been doing is what I mentioned in yesterday’s email – roadwork.

Yes – strange as it might sound, this actually helps to increase overall upper body mass when done correctly at the end of a workout.

Something else, of course is one of my favorite exercises – the handstand pushup – done in RIGHT form, and done the RIGHT way (and the right WAY is NOT how most people teach it).

Kicking up against a wall is great, but it’s NOT the ultimate in handstand pushups by far.

And the third key is an exercise I mention in Shoulders like Boulders – – an exercise that is ignored even more than pushups are by the average trainee – – and yet, is one of the few exercises that’ll have your triceps POPPING in no time.

Why all the fuss about triceps, you might ask?

Well, the triceps make up the bulk of your arm, my friend. They may not be the “show” muscles or beach muscles, but if you want huge arms – simply working the “bi’s” will NOT cut it.

If you want real strength in your arms – pushing AND pulling BOTH – well – work the triceps and shoulders like there is no tomorrow, and you’ll get it.

And so on and so forth ….

Anyway, my darn triceps are so sore I sometimes wake up in the middle of the night and switch positions just to relieve the “dull ache” in my triceps.

But it’s a good type of soreness – – the kind that causes growth – – both in SIZE and in REAL strength, my friend.

So that’s the topic of today’s post – “advanced tricep blasters”. Maybe I’ll put out a course exclusively on this topic if there is enough interest – – shoot me an e-mail if you believe this is something that might interest you, and we’ll see!

Ok – I’m out for now.

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – After 0 Excuses Fitness, the next best thing you can do in the “three level” progression to SUPER triceps and upper body is to start working on the exercises in Shoulders like Boulders right HERE – – http://0excusesfitness.com/shoulders-like-boulders/

 

Roadwork – before, or after a workout?

Dear reader,

Something I don’t talk about quite often – but do almost on a daily basis is that old favorite of boxers, wrestlers, and old time strongmen alike – ROADWORK.

We all know what roadwork is, don’t we? It’s NOT running “long slow distance” or running marathons – and neither is it purely running sprints, although you can mix those in.

Roadwork is a routine that incorporates running along with several other basic exercises such as pushups, squats, bridges, burpees and more.

I speak of such routines in the 0 Excuses Fitness System (in the workout section of the book) but I don’t quite get into “actual” roadwork in detail, and that is what I want to write about today.

While it’s fine to mix in runs and sprints with other intense exercises such as what I mentioned above, my own preferred means of doing roadwork is to go for a long or semi- long run – except NOT at a leisurely slow “pounding the pavement” pace.

I generally do this after my workout – and usually after my hill climb as well (when I do climb the hill).  I mix up my run into short intense bursts interspersed with a slower, yet still “steady” pace that keeps my heart rate UP throughout the entire run.

That’s just one of the variations. I may practice throwing punches during the run (this will kill the shoulders in no time if you do it right and for the right amount of time). Or, I may do my entire run at 70-80% capacity – arms pumping – lungs BURSTING – heart pounding – WHEW!

There’s tons and tons of variants to keep it fun as you can see.

And contrary to what we see in the movies, a long run is usually best AFTER a workout as opposed to before. Sure, if you’re a pro boxer who goes straight to bed after his run to “replenish and rest” for the ardous hours of workouts ahead, then before is fine – but for the average fitness enthusiast, it’s far better to do it AFTER your workout than before.

Why is this, you ask?

Well, first off, running this way can be extremely taxing on the entire body and if you’re doing advanced exercises in your routine like I do – well – you’d be better off doing those advanced exercises BEFORE you run – else you’ll not perform near as well as you would if you did it the other way around.

This holds true for those starting out on the 0 Excuses Fitness System as well – – do your squats and pushups FIRST and then run if you must.

Second, it’s important to note that I don’t do roadwork to burn fat. No – the exercises and routines in my actual workout take care of that. The roadwork is merely the icing on the cake in terms of burning fat – the cherry on top as it were, but does that make it less important?

Not a chance, my friend.

When you do your roadwork AFTER your workout, you literally TIE your entire body together into one SOLID cohesive, functional unit. And you’ll increase strength even more over the entire body – especially the upper body.

Though I work my chest, shoulders and upper back in each workout – the roadwork somehow makes them feel like they’ve been through that final grind – and that’s a good thing, my friend.

More importantly, when done after a workout it can serve as a cool down-cum-workout for the major muscles of the body.

Let’s say you hammered your chest and thighs in the workout – well – roadwork done correctly will get the blood flowing through those areas like never before, and will virtually eliminate any soreness you might normally feel (after you get used to the roadwork, that is).

Yet another benefit of roadwork is that it mirrors real life situations. You never know when you may need to run a brisk mile or so (perhaps with loads on your back) – so tis always a good idea to stay prepared!

Last, but not least, it also increases overall stamina in a way you cannot simply get from doing exercises on the ground.

That’s not to say that short intense bursts on the ground aren’t the real deal – they are – but it’s always good to add on the final icing to that fitness cake if you get my drift, my friend.

And lest you think roadwork can be done only on flat ground – well – think again my friend. Some of the most effective roadwork I do is done on the hills – BACKWARDS, if that makes any sense, and it’s NOT just running backwards.

The workouts and routines in Advanced Hill Training are a perfect example of what I  just mentioned above.

I constantly get stares of awe and bewilderment as I complete my routine this way, and I’ve gotten used to it.

“What is that crazy foreign devil doing”

“Wow, he’s got a huge chest!”

And so forth.

Anyway, all this by itself should be enough to tell you why I value roadwork so highly. It should also be more than enough to tell you why I stand by doing roadwork AFTER my workout rather than before it.

Well, my friend, that’s it for now. I’ll be back with more later!

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – Advanced Hill Training is something you do NOT want to miss out if you’re serious about fat burning and taking your “whoop ass ability” to the very next level altogether. Grab it right here, right NOW – – http://0excusesfitness.com/advanced-hill-training/

 

 

See yourself – at your BEST!

Dear Reader,

It’s no secret that while I’m admittedly in GREAT shape right now (and YES – I’m saying it like it is – like I always do – no sense in beating about the bush, eh?), there have been times in my life when it was the exact opposite.

I’ve been obese – well, morbidly so at a certain stage in my life. I’ve been at the stage where swimming a lap in a pool was a chore (compared to now where I can “glide” up and down for at least 15 laps effortlessly without stopping).

I’ve been at the point where climbing the hill I do NOW (despite NOT doing it daily NOW) was a workout unto itself, and though it’s still a decent workout, I barely even break a sweat while waltzing up the hill – and this even when I don’t do it daily.

And so forth. Yada, Nada, Schnada.

Point of me saying this?

Well, it’s NOT to blow my own trumpet – thats for sure – although on the other hand there’s nothing wrong with being brutally honest as I always am – BOTH with regard to current positives and negatives.

It’s not even so much to tell you what I do repeatedly in the 0 Excuses Fitness System and my other courses – that- I quite literally have BEEN there and done that. I know what it feels like to be unfit – else I wouldn’t say it on the front page of my site for starters but I also know that if someone like me could do it – then so can YOU, my friend.

But that isn’t why I’m saying this.

A long time ago, I’d look at pictures of models – or perhaps those that “were strong in my opinion” when I was myself at my unfittest, and I’d think to myself, “gosh, what if I were like that?”

Now, I wouldn’t hold the thought in my mind although I WANTED to.

The logical part of my mind would tell me “look at your now! There’s no way you’ll ever get there!”.

While the “subconscious yearning” still persisted, if you get my drift.

Little did I know that those brief flashes of thinking I’m referring to were way more important to me than anything else I ever did.

Fast forward to today, and uncannily enough (or perhaps not so) I’m in the exact same shape as I visualized myself years ago, if not better.

Astounding thing was those visualizations lasted like a second if even that. Just imagine how much quicker I’d have leapfrogged my way to superior fitness levels if I had done what I do today – which is to focus HARD on what I want myself to look like – or be like in life, for that matter!

This ONE simple key, my friend – is the key to achieving ANYTHING you want in life.

This ONE simple key is covered in the 0 Excuses Fitness System – as part of the 10 Commandments of Physical Success, and it is by far the most important.

This ONE key is – astoundingly enough – roundly ignored by folks even when I EXPLAIN it to them – including some former and current clients!

People process it from a “logical” standpoint, but they never really “believe it works”.

But believe me, my friend. Your current physical body is NOT the only thing that is affected by this – it’s EVERYTHING in your life – your overall situation if I might say so.

In short – You ARE what you “see” yourself to be.

Dr. Maxwell Maltz covered this concept in the path breaking Pyscho Cybernetics – a read I highly recommend to ALL that come across this post.

I’ve covered it to a degree in “Zero to Hero” – where I basically tell you my own story (well, part of it, at any rate).

And so forth.

If you’re currently overweight and unable to lose weight “no matter what”, chances are excellent the way you SEE yourself is WRONG.

If you’re currently unable to build muscle despite seemingly following all the right practices, well – then – the picture you have in your mind of yourself is one of someone NOT being able to build muscle – or it being a “grind” or “chore” (despite you not consciously recognizing this).

Believe me now, and trust me later – the FIRST thing you do if you haven’t gotten off the couch in years is NOT to simply “dive into the routines”.

It’s to SEE yourself as you want to be in your mind’s eye. SEE yourself as a fitness virtuoso – or a champion swimmer –  or with “lats as wide as barndoors” – or whatever – and it’ll start to flow from there.

True, this isn’t the only thing that you do need to know. You do need to back all this up via action, but again- – there is a reason – – and a very valid one that I’ve included this as the FIRST and by far most important commandment in the 10 Commandments of Physical Success in the System.

And of course, you DO need to know the right way to do things – which is NOT how most people do ’em – but then again a) we’ve got your covered in the System with regard to that and b) it never pays to be “part of the herd” – not if you’re part of the “achievers” group in life – TRUST me on that one.

Moral of today’s blurb?

Have an image in your mind – a SHARP, focused image of what it is you WANT to be – or look like – or feel like.

Then take action.

Watch the changes occur so quickly you won’t even have the chance to say “Hallejullah!”

Well, my friend – that’s it for now. Back again later!

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – If the idea of having “lats as wide as bardoors” appeals to you (not to mention shoulders like the Farnese Hercules had), then HERE are the two courses that’ll get you there – –

  1. Shoulders like Boulders – – http://0excusesfitness.com/shoulders-like-boulders/
  2. Battletank Shoulders – – http://0excusesfitness.com/battletank-shoulders/