Dear Reader,

Those of you that have been on this list for any length of time are aware of my utter disdain for the much vaunted stomach “crunch” – as well as gadgets that mimic this action, and their so called effectiveness in either building strength in the abdominal region or lose fat.

Or, in a nutshell, to get that six pack we all want.

If there is ONE exercise I could label as the #1 useless exercise of all time it would be the crunch.

Well, on second thoughts – no – the lat pulldown would probably be #1 – but the crunch would be close behind!

And while there are far, far more effective exercises you can do for your midsection, that isn’t what I’m talking about today.

I’m going to talk about the lower back – a bane – and a source of unending frustration and pain for most people – and yesterday, I took my lower back routine to a new level altogether.

I normally bridge a bit after my hill climbs to stretch everything out, and it feels great. And truth be told, this is all I’d need for my lower back – and yet – yesterday – I went one step further.

I pulled out an “old trick” from the book, and I did an exercise I hadn’t done in a LONG time -an exercise that really blasts those pesky love handles and fat around the lower back and waist.

Ladies, if you’re reading this, listen up – this might be the ONE thing you need to tone up that area as well.

So, what did I do, exactly?

A picture is worth a thousand words, and while I’m not the sort to take smartphones along with me as I exercise, I’ll have someone take a photo for me the next time I do it. For now, words will have to suffice!

Well, without further ado … the first thing I’ll have you picture is this – the yoga posture where you stand on one leg (ramrod straight) and extend the other back as far as you can – ramrod straight again – and HOLD the position.

Some prefer to make the “namaste” sign as they this. Others simply hold their hands out in front of them.

Whichever it is, that is a PALE imitation of what I did.

What I did was a dancer’s version of this stretch. I put my back leg up on a railing and while you might think the support made it easier, you would be dead wrong, my friend.

What I did in this position was keep my upper body straight – lean back – and really SQUEEZE them lower back muscles – and voila!

Man oh man, I could feel muscles ALL over my lower back working – like they hadn’t in AGES – and remember, this is from a guy that bridges regularly!

In fact, I cramped up a coupla times before I could get it right – and once I did, I breathed deeply and HELD the posture for what seemed like forever.

Once I was done, it felt great – and it also felt like someone had hammered  and squeezed my lower back with a pair of tongs, hehe.

This is just ONE of the great exercises out there that you can do to reduce fat – not just around the stomach, but the  obliques and lower back too – an area which you can’t see – but an area where a lot of fat tends to “hide” if you get my drift.

More on this in Corrugated Core – 2 – – which I’m putting together as we speak, but for now, you ask?

Well, there’s plenty of things you can do for your lower back right NOW, my friend.

A combo of Hindu pushups and bridging would be one – you’ll be stretching your back and spine out in both directions, and you’ll feel GREAT once done.

Or, simply do the “best darn exercise ever“. This one exercise alone is all you need to do for the entire body if you do it right – and if you do – for those that do – you know what I BE talking about, hehe.

Reverse pushups. Table Pushups. The list goes on and on and on, my friend  – – and I’m off to do some of ’em myself now.

Back later – as always, thanks for reading – and if you workout today – make it an awesome one!

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – If you haven’t gotten your paws on Corrugated Core as yet, what are you waiting for bro? Do it NOW – https://0excusesfitness.com/corrugated-core/

Dear Reader,

So, over the past few days I’ve been going back and forth on the phone with a customer – NOT fitness related.

It’s an old customer back “from the days” in which I still did I.T. work on a regular basis – building websites, so to speak, for those interested.

This customer was a lot of “trouble” from the get go, if I were to be honest. While he’s certainly a good man – he has NO clue on how to do business – and his constant response to any sort of price – or any sort of price tag is “can it be lower”?

He’s also involved in a startup, and while I certainly (more so than  a lot of others, I’d say!) understand the costs etc involved – the fact of the matter is this – and I’ve said this to him multiple times – that start ups simply incur costs FIRST and profits LATER – and that is just how it goes!

In other words, you have to give before you get. There is no escape from this Universal Law of the Universe, my friend – and while I’ve advised my customer on this many a times, he seems “not to get it”.

Even worse, he responds with this “Rahul, you’re good at making deals! Your deals have many layers embedded into them!”

Hmm.

What do I think of this?

Well, I take it a as a compliment, my friend. I’ve never once known a successful business person that wasn’t excellent at making/cracking complex deals – perhaps my customer does – but I don’t – and I doubt any of you reading this do either!

Those that know me in person and through these newsletters know me as a brutally upfront and honest person. If it has to be said, I’ll say it. There’s certainly no beating about the bush with me and that is how I do biz as well, my friend.

Perhaps that isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but I’d rather that than “play games” as it were if you get my drift.

And of course, all this brings me to the famous Napoleon Hill saying with regard to getting something for nothing.

The one who tries to get something for nothing usually winds up getting nothing for something. 

Sage words indeed, and as true today as they were back when Hill penned them.

Now, what does this “got to do with” fitness, you may ask.

Well, plenty, my friend.

There are scores of folks that simply  want a “magic solution” – or a “one stop fix it all” for their problems – fitness included.

I recently received a note on LinkedIn inquiring about how I lost weight.

“Through exercising right”, I responded. I’d normally be a bit more verbose, but I could tell the person wasn’t really interested in buying a product – all she wanted to do was “leech”.

“But thats too difficult for me”, she whined.

“Well, it’s either that or staying a lard ass”, I quipped.

I then sent her to the 0 Excuses Fitness System page – and true to form, no purchase.

Ah well. No skin off my nose to be sure!

So always remember folks. You have to give FIRST – before you GET – and there is NO such thing as something for nothing.

Remember this little bit of philosophy and USE it in your daily lives – and be amazed at how fast you start progressing towards your goals!

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – By the way, Corrugated Core is flying off the shelves as we speak. If you’re looking to get that fab bod for the summer reason – six packs, bikini look, whatever it is – then this is one course you really need to grab now – https://0excusesfitness.com/corrugated-core/

P.S #2 – And here is the link to the fitness System that folks all over the globe have been RAVING about – https://0excusesfitness.com/0excusesfitnessystem/

Dear Reader,

If there was one body part that you can instantly spot on a man (or woman, for that matter) – a body part that screams out RUGGEDNESS and overall STRENGTH – and health – or all of the above in one package, I’m sure you could guess which it would be.

And just in case the title of this email isn’t a dead giveaway – well – it’s them legs, my friend.

Legs and hips (and butt) – and while there are those that could make a very good case for the neck and forearms (and rightfully so) – nothing quite trumps a pair of massive, well muscled (or sleekly muscled) legs and butt in the overall “development” department.

The legs (along with the neck and forearms) are obviously a part which you can’t conceal in clothing.

Boobybuilders that look massive from the North end all try and wear them baggy jeans to conceal the “stork legs” – but it doesnt work to be honest.

And it works in reverse too. If you’ve got a solid and well developed,  athletic lower body – it’ll show.

In fact, it’ll show so much that even if you’ve got a little extra padding around your waist, that well developed lower body will give off the impression of being “not fat”.

That’s not to excuse excess pudge anywhere on the body of course, but I’m just stating the importance of well developed legs in terms of overall health and fitness, my friend.

As I climbed up the mountain today (and indeed, as I do these days) – people looked at me – and their gaze instantly swept “downwards” (NO, not there!) as I kept powering up the hill, leaving others in my wake.

One step after the other. Steady, solid steps uphill, with nary a false breath being taken – and if you can do that in extreme heat and humidity, and keep going for ages, well – then you’ve got a well developed lower body!

This, of course is part of the new “specialization” program I’m on these days. While I’m still cranking my upper body work, my new goal is to build an even more rugged pair of legs than before (legs and hips) – and so far, the work seems to be showing for sure – as evidenced above!

And more than looks – it’s about health.

Find a man with a well developed chest and upper body, and I’ll find you one with an even better developed upper body – and stork like legs that give out on a hike – or friendly walk up the stairs, for that matter.

Other hand, find me a man with a solidly developed pair of legs, and I’ll find you a man that is STRONG – overall!

Sure, there are fat folks with well developed legs – but these tend to be the boobybuilders at the gym cranking out squats with heavy weights which does very little in terms of reducing fat around the core and midsection – and on average, you’ll see that most folks with a well developed core and legs aren’t fat.

The hips and legs constitute over 50% of the muscle mass of the entire body. Work them hard, and you’ll automatically gain – ALL over your body.

And it’s amazing, but true – we hear all the hoo haa about “chest day”, for instance, but I’ve never once heard either the bros or the “average Joe” scream with delight at “leg day” – even though the latter brings huge gains in terms of the former!

Sure, building legs like I’m talking about is hard, hard work – but it’s worth it – in spades, my friend.

And apart from the overall health benefits, NOTHING, I repeat, NOTHING beats the CONFIDENCE you get from walking around on legs like these – legs that scream STRENGTH, MUSCLE and brute POWER to all and sundry.

Legs that can seemingly go forever. Legs that can hike non stop. Legs that can jump rope non-stop. Legs that can … ah, but you get the picture, don’t you?

So if there is one takeaway from today’s email, my friend – it is THIS – train the hips and legs like you mean it.

Your body will thank you for it – in more ways than you ever thought possible!

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – Walking uphill is a great way to build the legs. So is jumping rope and running sprints. And of course, that eternal favorite – Hindu squats – which can be pounded out by the dozen and more right in your living room. Find out how to do ’em here – https://0excusesfitness.com/0excusesfitnessystem/

Dear Reader,

It’s strange but true – that those who dispense advice (correct advice) – well intentioned and well meaning advice – stuff that works –  are often (unintentionally) guilty of not following that very same advice on occasion.

For instance, I talk about the importance of visualization a lot – but there have been times in my life, when oddly enough ,I stopped doing the very same thing I used to tell others to do all the time.

Oddly enough, we as human beings often forget what brought us success in the first place, and omit to repeat those same actions over and over again for CONTINUAL success … and sometimes, we plain out omit to “practice what we preach”.

Case in point, you may ask?

Well, a few days ago I posted about training to failure per workout, and why this is  NOT a good idea.

And today, as I sit here recovering from a nasty stomach bug and some form of a mild viral infection, I’m forced to ponder what I said before – and admit that I (either inadvertently or not) NEGLECTED to follow that same advice that I gave YOU, my friend.

That being, not to push to failure every workout.

A couple of days ago, something was “off” in my workout.

I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but every cell in my body seemed nigh sluggish.

The pull-ups seemed to take an eternity – and dips, one of my favorite exercise, and one that elicits a very enthusiastic “lets do more!” response from me every time I do ’em were something I just “had to” get over with.

Then of course came the hill climb, and that wasn’t “right” either. I kept feeling sluggish all throughout and WEAK, and yet I finished up – and when I came home, I ate a meal – and it all started.

From an upset stomach (big time) to a viral infection that laid me up in bed for the better half of yesterday and the entire day before that, it was my body telling me – enough is enough, Rahul.

You’ll recall I’ve been hitting it hard and heavy over the past few weeks, but I might have (probably did) gone overboard a bit over the past week or so, and when my body told me I HAD – well – I should have listened!

Yours truly is no different from the rest of you, my friend. I too need and am AS deserving of a kick up the booty as the general populace might be on occasion – and I sure got one!

Now, the other side of the coin i.e. when NOT to listen to your body – and this is one that is perhaps even more applicable to most people than above.

When you come home from an 8 hour shift at the office, grouchy, irritable and tired, the LAST thing on your mind is probably sticking to your workout session.

Your body will want to do nothing other than slump into the couch and “do it tomorrow” (exercise).

Or, if you’ve got a very slight case of the sniffles, your body’s first reaction might be to “just rest”.

If you’re seriously overweight and on the System, then your initial few months will be a test of how well you push back AGAINST your body “rebelling” as you do the exercises – as opposed to “caving in” (and sort of “listening to it”).

In times like this, and they are admittedly FAR more common than the sort of case I mentioned at the start of the e-mail, it’s prudent to remind your body that YOU are the Master of the ship – NOT the other way around.

It is also very prudent to remember that there is a time to listen to the shipmates, as it were – and then there is a time to simply take the lead and just do it.

The latter is what most of you reading will need to bear in mind, but the former is important too – make no mistake about that!

Well, my friend, that is it for today. I’ll be back again later!

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – More such “home truths” are stated in the 10 Commandments of Physical Success in the 0 Excuses Fitness System, which you can pick up right HERE – – https://0excusesfitness.com/0excusesfitnessystem/

Dear Reader,

So, this morning I had an interesting conversation with a lady whose been suffering from recurring lower back pain.

She’s not alone, of course – there’s plenty of women here in mainland China who (despite all of them NOT being overweight) suffer from this malady.

Just goes to show you that it ain’t always about how you LOOK on the OUTSIDE, my friend.

So here’s the gist of the conversation.

“I’ve been suffering from lower back pain since last night, Rahul”.

Now, I’ve never met this lady and haven’t seen very many pictures of her, so I wasn’t quite sure if she was overweight or not – so I made the “cardinal sin” of asking, hehe.

“Are you overweight?”, I asked casually.

“What mean overweight”, came the response. Well, better than a chop to the neck, I’d say …!

“Fat. A little fat”, I continued patiently. When in China, as they say …

“Oh no. In fact I’ve lost weight successfully, but my back pain never seems to go away”.

At this point I grilled her a bit about what exercise she does on a regular basis. Turns out she does a few situps daily at home – and pounds the pavement occasionally – but that’s it.

“It’s mostly sitting around”, she continued, at which point I chimed in.

“Heck yeah, it is! You need to move more – and do the RIGHT things”, I continued.

Now, a short while ago I had advised this lady to do sprints instead of pounding the pavement, and while she seemed to take the advice on board at the time, she hasn’t actually DONE the thing.

This time, I sent her pictures of me bridging, and gave her some instructions on how to do it.

She isn’t a 0 Excuses faithful as yet – but she might be soon – but as of now, she doesn’t have access to the videos, but she has access to me, and strangely enough, or perhaps not, the first words out of her mouth upon seeing the pictures were –

“I can’t do that! That’s too difficult!”

“There’s no can’t, Crystal … ”

“I had shoulder surgery twice. My shoulders aren’t strong enough!”

“Sure they are. There are progressions that you can work up to, and … people with neck surgeries and fused vertebrae have successfully used this exercise to rid themselves of lower back pain. So can you!”

“I’ll be too scared! ” (giggle, giggle).

At this point, I let her have it.

“Crystal, you keep saying NO to everything. This is typical – the human mind looks for a bazillion reasons and EXCUSES to NOT do the thing as opposed to simply saying YES and getting down to brass tacks and doing it”.

And then I went on a bit about how she COULD do it – and while I’ve got no idea if the lady will actually DO what I’ve told her to – the facts are these – a) back pain (especially lower back  pain) is pretty much becoming a pandemic not just in China – but all over the GLOBE – and b) YES, there IS something you can do by yourself to rid yourself of this pain!

And that one thing is bridging in all it’s variants, shapes, forms and guises.

If there was ever an “all in one” better exercise for the ENTIRE back and neck – and spine – and everything in between (six pack included), I’m YET to see it, my friend.

Combine bridging with a sensible eating program and regular exercise – the RIGHT types of exercise – and you will not only see fat fly off your frame at record speeds – but you’ll also rid yourself of  that pesky lower back pain – forever.

Get on the train now, my friend. It truly IS worth it.

Best,

Rahul

P.S. – No more chiro visits required either. Get on the train right now – right HERE – https://0excusesfitness.com/0excusesfitnessystem/