Another China fitness memory!
- I just remembered this one as I was ...

Well, my friend, as I was doing something I have not done in ages – I rarely do -watching live SPORTS – an India – NZ cricket match in Auckland (the series itself irrelevant with all the cricket being played these days and the different versions) – – I felt GOOD.

As I am sure y’all are – happy thanksgiving, on that note!

Eat plenty of turkey – drink up – be merry – just be sure to WORK it all off later.

I cannot remember the last time I switched on a TV, or was even near one on – it’s been …I think 2013 was the last time.

Thats not to say I dont watch movies occasionally – I certainly do – I was watching a Telegu flick “Liger” yesterday, a complete disappointment, and a joke in terms of marital arts, I was only watching it because it had Iron Mike’s name in it, but since he did not show at all even at the halfway point, I had to abandon it, like a couple of other recent movies I’ve watched.

Where are the GOOD ONES? Samaritan wasn’t that bad, but not that great either despite me being a huge Sly fan …

Anyway – I love watching cricket.

But most of the time for the past few years, these days I do it at night if I’m drinking beer, or … when I’m not working – in the morning I prefer to have my writing time, my thinking time, visualization and so forth. Those first two hours of the day are always mine no matter what, I made an exception, but then I started thinking business as always.

Anyway – during the telecast on Prime (to the idiots saying “Netflix, Netflix”, – nah, I’d rather Amazon anyday) … I saw something interesting, an Indian player (I dont know who, I haven’t watched ODI cricket in so long … )appeared to be recovering from hamstring injury.

Someone was holding a band tied to his ankles which he pulled back and forth with his legs, and judging by his expression at the end of it, it worked him quite well.

I didnt see the commentary (written) or hear it, but it brought back memories.

A long long time ago in China, circa 2003, I was (along with a cranky HR manager and a very nice real estate agent) “shopping” to set up my apartment in China.

Remember, the company was a bit cheap, so they were doing their best to put me in an apartment quickly, and truth be told, I didnt negotiate half as much as I do today, but I got lucky, I was put in an apartment owned by a guy from Hong Kong and his wife, and it was new, appliances spic and clean and so forth – and NO ROACHES!! That was the best part . . . (and what I negotiate all the time NOW).

Anyway, we were shopping – HR lady bailed.

I picked up something after the beer aisle (Chinese Walmarts have a fantastic selection of beer, for whatever reason, especially German, Russian and many other imported beers which in the US you dont see that often) …

… a rubber sort of “thingy” is all I can say.

Quite thick to grip but you could bend it.

And it was meant to be bent behind one’s back – in front of one’s chest – one of those tools I cannot “name” – that are meant to strengthen your muscles and tendons both.

Easy Peasy, I thought – remember, those were my “big” days.

I tried it.

I could barely BUDGE it behind my back.

IN front of me, I could do the exercise, above my shoulders, yes, but it wasn’t that easy.

But behind the back, making an inverted U with it – man that was tough!

Skinny real estate agent next to me who kept telling me I was “strong” … he picked it up, at one shot he bent it five times, grinned, tossed it in the cart.

I remember him patting my shoulders as I was gasping for breath carrying cases of beer up to my apartment. Always well prepared and stocked am I (I even remember my father writing me an email about “we hope you aren’t drinking it up there!”) .. Hehe.

So thats a lesson in itself, size doesnt mean anything either way.

Remember the skinny dude who carried up massive split A/C units to my fifth floor apartment, his heart almost pounding out of his chest – I could literally see it?

The middle aged Chinese ladies that would routinely carry up large bottles of water to my apartments in China, and act like it was nothing …

Thats not to say strength doesnt matter – it does.

The point is strength backed up by conditioning is what really counts.

And the point also is, how you look isn’t necessarily the best indicator – in many ways of your health and fitness.

Sure, if you’ve got a massive belly and man tits and an expanding arse – well, then you probably ain’t fit.

And if you’re so weak (my wife loves calling me that, hehe) that you can barely do ONE pushup without collapsing – then youre probably not very strong – at least not in that regard.

But if you (so the idiots say) look like a 13 year old and get taunted for it all the time by your wife and people (rightly) say “thats not a bad thing fitness wise” – and can hammer out 250 pushups per workout for one, or similar things …if you’re not FAT, if you’ve not got a big gut that spilleth over.. well, then you’re probably fit, strong and well conditioned …

(it isnt just bodyweight stuff here, lets say if you’re skinny and collapse after running up a flight of stairs, or a boobybuilder with massive bulging pecs that does, same thing)

It ain’t about the size of the dog, its about the size of the FIGHT in the dog.

Its about having less FAT – not being less “big” – there is a difference.

Same thing if you reverse the tables.

Anyway.

Enjoy your thanksgiving my friend.

I wish I could find that tool now, I’d probably promote it more just for the heck of it. A china only thing though I believe that is, but I’m sure I will find it.

And, if you haven’t yet jumped aboard the 0 Excuses Fitness System “train” do so NOW. Best way to ensure the lard doesnt pile on after the sumptous meals or what not…

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

PS – Ever notice how headphone batteries dont last – at ALL these days? Hehe.

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