Pushups vs Pull-ups – which is better?
- The debate RAGES on ...!

Dear Reader,

My apologies for the radio silence over the past couple of days. Been busier than a bee trying to build a hive – or a swarm of bees, for that matter – or a SNAKE tracking it’s prey cautiously for that matter.

Speaking of snakes, I was out there today on the hill – and saw a couple of “gardening” staff caught unawares by a largish snake – actually a pretty large one to be honest!

Although it likely was NOT poisonous, I think I’ll avoid that area of the hill in terms of my Eat More – Weigh Less workouts from now on if you get my drift, haha!

Anyway, so as you can tell from the subject line of the email, we’re back to that age old question – and one that folks debate endlessly both online and offline.

Pushups – or pull-ups – which is better, and why? Which should I do? Which is better for strength training?

Conditioning? A 6 pack – or even a 12 pack? Or a 12 inch you know what ….

OK, so I went kinda overboard there w.r.t the last comment, but you get my drift.

I’ve spoken about this topic before, but for some reason I felt compelled to speak about it today as I made my way up the hill (getting in a magnificent CORE workout as I did so – more on that later!) – so here goes!

First off and before starting this, bear in mind that there isn’t any one size fits all answer here – and neither is there necessarily any better choice.

BOTH are GREAT – EXCELLENT – exercises in their own right, and I’d say do both – as I do – and do ’em regularly!

Do ’em in sets – combos – make up your own routines – whatever – but just do ’em – and do ’em BOTH.

That said, what if I had to choose one? Or, if I had to choose one for you, the reader, that won’t be satisfied with a “both” answer?

Well, in the 0 Excuses Fitness book I say the pushup is the BIG DOG when it comes to exercise, and RIGHTLY so. 

In other words, if you had to choose one exercise to do – it would be the pushup – in all it’s shapes, forms, guises and many variations.

Why?

Well, there are tons and tons of reasons, but I’ll give you five compelling ones today (though note that none of these means the pull-up is to be avoided or ignored!).

First, and perhaps most importantly, pushups are easier for the newbie to do – and pushups lend themselves to far easier progression than the pull-up does.

It’s far easier for the average overweight adult (and I’m speaking in relative terms here) to work up to 50 pushups in a workout than it is 50 pull-ups if I might say so.

Second, pushups give you a fantastic CORE workout – and I know very few other exercises with the exception of trekking hills and swimming that do the same thing.

Third, pushups work almost every muscle – not just in the upper body – but lower as well.

Want to work the grip? Pushups have you covered.

Want to work the triceps – or shoulders in particular? Pushups again!

Want to work the CORE – the midsection – the “six pack” area – again – pushups got you covered there, and how!

Fourth … but wait.

At this point I can hear the pull-up maniacs revolting.

Wait a minute, Rahul, I can almost hear them saying. You know damn well pull-ups build the upper body in a way few other exercises can – brute strength if I may – and they give you an excellent ab/core workout!

Well, true, my friend, but here is the deal.

The core does NOT just consist of the abs.

The core is everything from beneath your lower chest to your knees. That includes your lower back, hips, hip flexors, groin, thighs and hamstrings (and anything else I might have missed including the six pack muscles, of course).

And while it is true that certain advanced variations of the pull-up DO tax the core as I’ve mentioned it above (for more, see “Pull-ups – from STUD to SUPER STUD“) – they are nowhere near as core heavy as pushups done right are.

As for strength, YES, pull-ups do build brute strength – but only in ONE plane of motion, while pushups quite literally build your body from ALL angles – and ALL directions – something that isn’t possible with the pull-up.

Fourth, pushups are TIME efficient – and there is solid ROI in terms of time invested in working out.

You’ll see what I mean when you get to the point that you can knock off 100 pushups in 15 minutes or less – or 250 odd in 25 minutes.

I don’t think you can knock off 250 odd pull-ups in 25 minutes – well, at least not the average trainee. I’m sure there are human versions of King Kong out there that can do it – but I haven’t met any as yet – and I certainly don’t think that many pull-ups is doable on a daily basis anyway.

Fifth, and this is elementary – pushups require NO equipment. Just you and the floor – and we all have that don’t we?

So there you go my friend. Five great reasons for you to start doing pushups – and a ton of them – TODAY – and if you aren’t yet on the 0 Excuses Fitness train – well – jump on right here, my friend – https://0excusesfitness.com/0excusesfitnessystem/

Last, but not least, I’ll end by throwing a spanner into the works.

If there was truly only ONE exercise I could do – again – it would be a pushup – but which one?

The handstand pushup, my friend.

Why?

Well, that is a topic for another email. For now, it’s adios – and I’ll be back again later!

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – Here is a great little course that folks have been raving about (in terms of core building) – – https://0excusesfitness.com/corrugated-core/

 

Banish neck and upper back soreness FOREVER
- ... with this one exercise and it's variants

Dear Reader,

It’s NO secret that if there’s one affliction – or malady – or “blight” – what have you – that affects the vast majority of folks out there – office workers – high school kids – housewives – and even athletes to a certain degree – it is this – neck and back pain.

A stiff neck. A sore upper back. Soreness between the shoulder blades … and most of all, of course, that niggling lower back pain that flares up every time you bend to pick up something quickly -or even twist and turn in a different direction ‘on the fly’.

In the U.S. alone people spend millions on dollars on chiropractor visits every year – for a problem that could be resolved with far less time being spent – and certainly a lot less dough.

In mainland China, the trend is to hit the massage parlors (no, I ain’t talking about the dodgy ones either!) – and get the kinks worked out – and while I could wax long and lyrical about the numerous health benefits of these massages, I’m not going to do so here.

Suffice it to say that if you’re ever been worked upon by a blind massage therapist – or a skilled foot masseuse – or just a skilled Asian massage practitioner in general – you know that you’ll be screaming in agony throughout most of the treatment (well, the green horns amongst us would at any rate!) – – but you’ll walk away feeling like a billion bucks and more.

But healthful as this practice is, what if you simply went for the health benefits and not to alleviate neck and back pain – because you didn’t have any to start with?

I’ll bet that is a TANTALIZING prospect – and before I get into it more …

So as I wrote about yesterday, I partook of a longish boxing workout yesterday – which left me feeling great, and somewhat sore in certain “interesting” parts of my body today.

Many years ago I climbed the almighty mountain I refer to almost daily in my blog posts and emails with Ann Lee (thank you again, Ann!) — and as I’ve written about in several “famous” articles – that climb left me feeling like a MACK truck ran all over me.

I was sore in my legs – upper back – upper abs – shoulders – and most surprisingly, my forearms as well!

And today, after my boxing workout yesterday I’m sore too – but NOWHERE near as sore as after that climb  – but it’s there nonetheless.

I can feel it in my shoulder blades – upper traps – triceps – lower back (somewhat) – and my HIPS as well.

All very surprising you’d say, wouldn’t you, for a guy that climbs mountains and does pull-ups by the dozen if not more (not to mention pushups galore)?

Just goes to show you that there are so many different ways you can use your muscles – and you’ll feel it the next day.

Surprisingly enough I don’t feel anything at all in my shoulder/chest area – despite getting so fatigued at a certain point that I could barely keep my jab up!

Anyway, here’s the point of me mentioning all this.

As I was training on the heavy bag, Marc noticed my stance as well as my “throwing” technique.

“Relax, man. Relax. Your upper back is too stiff!”

And surprisingly enough, it was – and it hit me right there like a flash – I hadn’t been doing the BRIDGE – something I advocate to everyone in terms of neck and upper back flexibility – as well as strength – not to mention the best darn exercise ever – for months now!

Sure, I’ve been doing pushups. Pull-ups. I’ve been training hard. But I’ve been neglecting one core exercise -and that fact hit me like a fist on the jaw as I continued through my workout.

In the 0 Excuses Fitness System I go into GREAT detail on the bridge – and ALL it’s variations.

The wrestler’s bridge – the gymnast’s bridge – and the BEST darn exercise ever – and believe you me, these exercises can – and should be done – by EVERYONE.

As Marc was loosening up his lower back before the workout – I recommended he work on the wrestler’s bridge as a better alternative to using a tennis ball to stretch out the lower back.

Tennis balls and Swiss balls are good -but nothing quite beats the sheer stretch and exhilaration you get after a good 3-5 minute wrestler’s bridge – and if you don’t believe me – the proof is in the pudding – just watch me do it after 250 pushups (500 overall) in the workout section of the videos.

And this ONE exercise is truly ALL you need to stretch out the ENTIRE back – and eliminate stiffness all over, my friend.

This ONE exercise will also do the following – eliminate excess fat around the midsection – tighten up the entire upper body – build tremendous strength in the neck and upper back region – and far, far more.

“I’m scared it’ll hurt my neck”, remarked my buddy yesterday.

“No it won’t Marc. Anyone can do the exercise”, was my response.

And it’s TRUE.

While you should work into this exercise with caution, there is no reason you shouldn’t be doing it on a daily basis, my friend.

If you remember, I was doing this exercise as part of workout #2 last year – and for some odd reason I’ve stopped doing it for months now – but I plan on getting BACK on the stick – as soon as my bridging mat gets here!

Last, but not least, remember that while bridges on the floor are great – and can indeed be a workout unto themselves, there is FAR more to it than even what I’ve shown in the book and videos. Far, far more – and at some point I’ll come out with an advanced bridging book – hit me up if y’all are interested – I’ll see what I can do if there is enough interest!

Well, my friend, that’s it for now. Start working on the bridge today if you haven’t already – and report back and let me know how you feel after a few days – or in some cases even a few SESSIONS of doing it!

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – Remember too, that if bridges on the floor scare you, you can work into it by “walking the wall backwards” – and that my friend is a workout unto itself – and is essentially what the BEST darn exercise is all about – albeit if done correctly – with PROPER breathing. Find out more right here – – https://0excusesfitness.com/products/pushups-reverse-pushups-the-best-darn-exercise/

“Zero Excuses, Mofo!”
- When there is a will - there is ALWAYS a way!

Dear Reader,

Well, so we’re in the middle of a “wet spell” right here in this neck of the woods, if I might say so, hehe.

And no, it’s NOT “that” type of a wet (or dry) spell for that matter. Mind out of the gutter, and all that good stuff …

Anyway, that said and jokes apart, it’s been pouring cats and dogs – and doing so incessantly as well over the last few days – and if there is one thing “El cat” here HATES more than anything else in terms of weather, it’s an incessant downpour.

Sure, it’s cooled things down somewhat, but I hate not being able to go out and get in my Eat More – Weigh Less workouts – or my pull-ups for that matter – and of course my hill climbs.

I did pushups yesterday at home, of course. Never any excuses to do NOTHING, but still, it wasn’t quite enough for me – and it was much happiness and satisfaction I noted last night that I had a workout planned on Thursday – with none other than Marc the African Silverback Gorilla (and in his cut off T-shirts, he looks every bit as menacing as I make it sound – you wouldn’t want to run up against him in a dark alley – that BE for sho!).

To make matters more interesting, this was a boxing workout – and given I haven’t hit the heavy bag in months (y’all will recall the fantastic workouts I had on the bag back in India) – I was raring to go – but yet, the rain this morning caused me to stop and ponder.

I sent Marc a text inquiring if he was up to it in the rain and all that. After all, it’s been a pretty steady incessant drizzle, and …

BOOM! Three text messages popped up on my phone and all three of them hit me like a jab flush on the nose as it were.

“**** yeah!”

“Get your ass on the bus, man!”

“Zero Excuses, mo***!” 

And get my arse in the bus I did – and 1.5 hours or so later I was through with one of the very best workouts I’ve had in recent times – not to mention one of the best learning sessions I’ve had.

Marc’s a superbly trained fighter – you wouldn’t believe it, but that gorilla moves around the ring like “greased lightning” as ole Mickey (Rocky) would put it – a classic case of “big doesn’t always mean slow!”

And why do I mention this here?

Well, two reasons.

First, as Marc rightly noted, there are never any excuses. There might be valid REASONS – but never any excuses, and more than what he said, it’s the WAY he said it that I loved – one could sense the passion coming off those words, and thats how it should be when it comes to fitness – or attacking goals- or playing the game of LIFE for that matter!

And second, this is precisely why I call my fitness System what I do i.e. 0 Excuses Fitness.

It truly leaves you with “0 Excuses, mofo!” and I care NOT if it’s snowing out there – or raining up a storm – or if it’s over a 100 degrees and hot enough to fry eggs on the sidewalk – there is ALWAYS a workout you can get in at home – with plenty of variety at that!

Zero excuses, and we sure made none during out workout today.

Felt great, and I got in a few Hindu pushups, regular pushups and squats before the start of it all as well.

That’s another thing about the Hindu pushups- they are a great, great way to stretch your upper and lower back out – in both directions – and increase flexibility as well.

Not to mention the fact they work muscles ALL over the body – muscles the average person probably hasn’t used in eons – if at all – much like today’s boxing workout did for me.

I can still feel it in my hips, calves and shoulders as I type this – and you gotta love that feeling. You simply have to – and I’ll sign off on that note for today.

What was YOUR 0 Excuses workout today?

Write back – and let us all know!

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – I noticed I forgot to include a link to the 0 Excuses Fitness System up there – here it is now – https://0excusesfitness.com/0excusesfitnessystem/

“I think you’re a great teacher!”
- More on coaching ....

Dear Reader,

So, I was training a lady out there in the park the other day – completely extempore and unplanned, I might add.

I’ve often spoken about folks exercising incorrectly (such as people flailing about wildly on the pull-up bars – or kipping – ugh! – or bouncing up and down during pushups).

I’ve written a LOT about it on the old site as well as on this site, so when I see this sort of tomfoolery I generally ignore it and get on with my “thang” if you get my drift, hehe (and yes it’s all PG rated!).

Moving on from that, hehe, so I was finishing up my workout a few afternoons ago. Was a nice day, bright and sunny, and a few ladies out there were sneaking “curious” glances as to what the foreign devil was doing “monkeying” around on the bars.

Da Xing Xing“, they giggled.

I kept silent, and pretended not to understand.

Anyway, after that batch of giggly women had moved on, another lady came up to the monkey bars – – and tried to hang on to the thick bars.

Now, there isn’t anything unusual about this, of course.

But there was something about that lady that made me stop – and watch what she was doing – and try and help her.

She was actually one of the few that was serious about doing pull-ups – – and given she was around 40 or so (I’d say) – that ain’t no mean goal if you get my drift given she could barely even HOLD – let alone hang – on to the bar.

I gave her some tips straight out of Gorilla Grip and the book on pull-ups.

Two of these were – 1) GRIP the bar with your THUMB and 2) The full extension “flexed hang” as I teach in Pull-ups – from DUD to STUD within a matter of WEEKS!

For those of you interested in getting better at pull-ups, those two pointers are gold nuggets, my friend – if you only take them to heart and then DO!

Anyway, I’ve been chatting back and forth with her over the past few days, and I’ve been speaking about topics other than just training – dreams being one of them.

And as the “interesting young (not really, but thats what she says, hehe) teacher” was mentioning a specific dream he had, she made the comment.

“I think you’re a really great teacher! You have a sunny and optimistic outlook …” 

And it’s true, my friend.

While the first half of that statement may or may not be debatable for some, there can be no doubting the second.

When I train – or teach (as I did in the learning center I mentioned at my last post) – I don’t just “teach”.

I don’t just go through the motions.

Sure – I’m a hard taskmaster. Harder than most, and a Sergeant General would probably have been impressed with the way I took this lady’s manicured hands and “unkindly” made her grip with her entire HAND – but guess what – she’s all the better off for it now!

But the point is this – when I teach – or train – the ONE thing I emphasize more about anything else is an “overall perspective” – and keeping an open mind.

Many folks that come to me for coaching quickly realize that fitness isn’t just about your external look.

It’s about far more than that.

It’s about you from the INSIDE OUT.

It’s about you being COMFORTABLE with who you are FIRST – – before you attempt to change the “outer you”.

And that last bit is important, my friend. It’s very important.

As I told this lady this morning,

“Yes, I’m an optimistic person – you’re right. It’s important to live each day to the fullest and enjoy life the way it was meant to be. As adults, we have a LOT to learn from young kids and how they enjoy life on a daily basis – UNCONDITIONALLY – and how young kids are absolutely comfortable at the CORE with who they are – and what they want – and guess what – they end up getting it most of the time too!” 

Dreams are one way of getting in touch with the inner you, my friend, and when you start visualizing the way I do, and get good at it, you’ll find yourself “reaching in” a lot more to “explore who you are” – and this is probably the very best thing you’ll ever do for yourself in your entire life.

I’ll have more on this later, but for now – remember this – be comfortable with who you are FIRST – in the here and now – BEFORE trying to change the “outer you”.

You’ll be amazed at how the winds of opportunity come knocking at your doorstep once you adopt the above philosophy!

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – Here is where you can apply to be a part of the 0 Excuses Fitness (and life, indeed) coaching program – – http://0excusesfitness.com/coaching

P.S #2 – Oh, and as for the book on pull-ups – here it is – https://0excusesfitness.com/pull-ups-from-dud-to-stud-within-a-matter-of-weeks/

P.P.S – – As for Gorilla Grip, monkey on over right here – – https://0excusesfitness.com/gorilla-grip-the-compilation/

The habit of doing MORE …
- ... in the right SPIRIT!

Dear Reader,

It’s no secret that in all my years here in China, I’ve been approached numerous times to teach English – many times at lowball prices – and on almost ALL of these occasions, my answer has been a firm NO.

Not just because of the rates (low or high) I was being offered, but because of the sheer “dancing monkey” nature of the biz.

And if there is one thing I pride myself on doing  – and doing well – it is serious BUSINESS.

If I’m being hired to teach, then I teach – no excuses, no prisoners taken – and woe betide anyone that tries to get in my way.

And if those “signing up to learn” throw hissies – or demand to “do it their way or the highway” – or anything of that nature, then they’re politely shown the door and asked to leave.

It’s the same thing with those that come to me for fitness coaching. The FIRST thing I tell them is that it’s going to involve work – and it’s going to involve actually DOING what I ask my students to do – and if that isn’t palatable, well …

Anyway, a few years ago I made an exception to my “no teaching English” rule, and agreed to teach a Sunday morning class at a local learning center run by a fairly friendly guy from Hunan province in China.

The pay was low – rock bottom in fact. The students weren’t exactly very regular in terms of attending classes. And the center itself wasn’t exactly run nigh professionally if you get my drift.

And yet, despite all of this, my GUT told me to sign up with them – and I did.

One of the classes I taught was a three hour long Sunday morning class – and I put everything I had into it.

Remember, if I teach, I teach seriously – and I make sure I DELIVER RESULTS – way more so than what someone else teaching there (or anywhere) would have – and certainly way more than was expected for the pay I was getting.

And why?

Because for the most part, the students that came to me to learn actually did want to learn as opposed to fool around and waste my time.

Sure, they could ALL afford to pay me more – but thats another story – and anyway, I delivered far more to them than they paid for – simply out of a genuine desire to see my students IMPROVE – and boy did they improve RAPIDLY.

One lady improved her spoken English from almost “zero” to “mid level” within the space of 3 short months – no mean feat – and there are other examples too.

And where am I heading with all this?

Well – despite the low pay – shortly after I started delivering this service – I was compensated for literally WAY MORE than I delivered by means of service – in ways I’ve never have thought possible.

In ways more so than money. In ways that only the Universe can comprehend, and the next few months were wondrous for me, as wonders literally “bloomed” in front of me – and this continued – mark my words – for until 3 years after I left that job!

And I mention this not to blow my own bugle, but to state that – and actually, it’s the great Napoleon Hill who stated it –

The Law of Increasing Returns dictates that a man who renders more than what he is paid for will soon find himself being paid for more – way more than what he renders. The law of compound interest applies here! 

And so it does, my friend.

So it does – and the above is one prime example out of many, many …

When a farmer plants a seed, it would be useless to him that if that one seed resulted in a plant with “one leaf” – or if it resulted in just “one grain of maize”.

The Law of Increasing Returns makes sure that the farmer gets “more” than what he planted- provided he does it in the right SPIRIT. 

When I taught above students and delivered way more value than I was being paid for, money was the LAST thing on my mind.

It was done out of a sincere DESIRE to help them improve – and the sheer satisfaction I personally got from said results cannot be measured in monetary terms.

And if I had done so with “money in mind” then chances are excellent or second to none that I wouldn’t have been able to deliver that same level of service – and neither would I have received any of the many wondrous benefits I did in the months shortly thereafter.

Remember the above, my friend. It is one of the most important principles you should follow in LIFE – and as for fitness – oh YES – the same applies.

When you wake up at 530 in the morning, and go for a tough hike up hills, it can be easy to “do just the bare minimum”.

When yours truly did just that, the original plan was to hike the hill twice and be done with it.

And yet, I increased that to three hikes – four – and then two more in the evening – ALL because I had to do “MORE” than what I set out to – and with NO ulterior motive in mind.

And the results?

Well – they’re in front of you – and the same will happen with you my friend, if you absorb what I’ve told you, and APPLY in your life.

The rule works for everyone and discriminates against NO-ONE – it’s just as simple as that.  And it works in reverse as well. Do something in the WRONG spirit – and it’ll come back to bite you in the ass – with compound interest I might add.

Ponder – ponder once again  – then DO – and APPLY!

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – When I created the 0 Excuses Fitness videos, I could easily have just done up a couple of videos instead of the 5 lengthy ones that are currently there, but this would have defeated the very purpose of being HELPFUL and spreading  knowledge that I believe literally has the power to change your life from the INSIDE out, my friend.  I didn’t – and the results have been mind boggling- and you owe it to yourself to find out what exactly the fuss is all about – right here –  https://0excusesfitness.com/0excusesfitnessystem/ 

If you have to lift weights …
- .... HERE is the right way to do it!

Dear Reader,

I suppose it’s not a secret whatsoever that the ONLY weight I believe you should be “pumping” (if I might use the term) isn’t one found in the gym – or the weight room – but rather the one you were born with – your own bodyweight.

It’s no secret either that you can get the workout of your lives – for your whole life – with nothing but your entire bodyweight alone but there are some who (despite believing this) “want more”.

OK, so how about we tie dumbells to our waists while doing chin-ups, they ask?

Or – drag a tyre up a hill a.k.a Herschel Walker and many other greats?

Or perhaps even tie a stone around your neck while doing Hindu squats to increase resistance as the old time wrestlers did ….

And while all of this is great, there are some that just want “weights”.

And to them I have this one answer – you CAN “lift” and “move” weights – but NOT the way you do in the gym.

If you want far greater benefits, then you lift weights that are a) unwieldy and difficult to grab and b) have to be lifted in ALL planes of motion as opposed to the utterly ridiculous “sit and pump” motion folks go through at the gym.

I’ll give you an example.

I’ve been busy as bee as of late shipping teas – running up and down five flights of stairs with packages in hand – and last night, I was faced with the “task” of lifting a particularly unwieldy and BULKY 30 kg package that felt like it had an elephant stuffed in there – up five flights of stairs – and this AFTER my regular hill workout and pull-ups – and a few long walks too.

Mark my words, it was a battle getting those suckers up narrow staircases, and it was no easy task lugging them along with other packages to the post office -but thats good – and why?

Because lifting heavy objects (WEIGHTS, my friend!) that are hard as heck to grip and grasp make your body work from every angle and direction.

They work the tendons and musculature fully, and done right (especially if you’re lugging stuff up flights of stairs) give you a HECK of a cardio workout to boot!

Case in point being once at the end of semseter when my (then) girlfriend had a “grand daddy” couch to move – and believe me, if you’ve ever gripped one of them suckers by your fingertips and moved it up and down a few flights of stairs – you KNOW how tough it is and what a workout it can give you!

Lifting heavy weights like this – more examples are sandbags – or perhap even beer kegs – are infinitely better for you than the pumping/toning at the gym, my friend.

Not only do they complement a bodyweight workout perfectly – but they give you a heck of a lot more benefit as well – and if you need proof – just look at how wrestlers and construction workers, for one are built.

Solid for the most part. Certainly not artificially “ripped” in most cases – but SOLID as heck – and STRONG – and FIT as well – and how do you think they got that way?

So moral of the story is this – while you sure as heck don’t need weights to get in a great workout – for those that feel they really have to have that option – well – us ethe ones given above – and report back!

I’ll bet it feels a heck of a lot better than sitting on your arse pumping and toning (and preening, of course) and I’ll end on that note!

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – Another great, great way to use your own bodyweight is to turn yourself upside down – literally – and work from that “base” – – as shown here – – https://0excusesfitness.com/shoulders-like-boulders/

Breathe yourself SLIM
- A hidden key to blasting those pesky fat cells off...

Dear Reader

Blink and you’ll miss it, but in the 0 Excuses Fitness System BOOK – as well as the Videos, I’ve included an example of how to stop “huffing and puffing” almost instantly after extreme exertion – – as well as demonstrated the same “live”.

You know what I mean by huffing and puffing, don’t you?

Say you’re climbing – or sprinting a hill – and it’s all you can do to get your breath back in ragged gasps as you reach the top of the hill …

At that point, the most natural thing to do, and indeed what most people do is to “suck in as much as air” as they can through the mouth and keep going.

Now, there isn’t anything fundamentally wrong with this – except – it isn’t by far the most efficient way to REGAIN your breath quicker – as well as stay calm – and most importantly, it is NOT the ideal way to LOSE weight – and that pesky fat around the belly.

In fact, prolonged mouth breathing and “sucking in air” over time actually REDUCES your capacity for performance, my friend.

True, it might seem your getting in more air (oxygen) – but the HOW is the key.

Watch how babies and toddlers breathe – NATURALLY – from their belly as opposed to the upper chest.

And this sort of deep breathing is what is called diaphragmatic breathing – and not only does it increase the size of your rib cage and the connective tissues – but it also improves lung capacity – and therefore your endurance and capacity for PERFORMANCE under stress.

And – most importantly – you can LOSE weight a LOT faster if you breathe the right way – I’d say up to 30-40% faster if not more than the usual “sucking down air” method.

Losing weight is something we all talk about  – – but have we really thought about the process?

The HOW?

Your lungs, for one are the MAIN excretory organ  in terms of weight loss – a fact that by itself would astound most that believe it’s “broken down” – or “eliminated via the bowels” – or (this is a most ludicrous concept, but it’s widely believed), “converted to muscle” – and so forth.

No. Your LUNGS are the main driving factor here – and while HOW you inhale is KEY – the exhale is really what “drops the pounds” if you get my drift.

It’s a matter of unlocking the carbon within the fat cells if I were to get technical – and the proper way to break down all the atoms, molecules etc is to breathe NORMALLY – through the nose – as opposed to the mouth.

And believe me, proper breathing isnt just something that you should be partaking of during a tough workout.

Proper breathing is something we should all pay attention to throughout the day – but don’t.

How many times have you sat up – and cleared your mind by none other than 10 slow, long, deep BREATHS – the right way?

How many times do you do this in a day – or a week – or even a month?

I’ll bet the answer is in the single digits if even that.

‘Tis a pity, because the sheer exhilaration you experience from deep breathing done RIGHT rivals and outstrips everything else.

Runner’s high – swimmer’s high – or maybe simply the high you get after a great great workout.

All great, but all trumped by what I said above, and if you want proof – well – you’ll SEE proof in the videos too!

And if you want proof that this sort of breathing is how the FAT melts off your body?

Well, that proof is there too – in the System, my friend.

In short – breathe right – make a regular practice of it both during your workouts and before and after – and you’ll see your weight loss benefits shoot through the roof shortly thereafter.

‘Tis true, my friend. Tis true, and I’ll sign off on that note for today.

Back later!

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – Along with deep breathing done right, the right exercises are key too – and here are some that will thump the fat off ASAP, and keep it from returning – – https://0excusesfitness.com/eatmore-weighless/ 

More on “getting something for nothing”
- ... there is no such thing in the world!

Dear Reader,

In Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill outlines a 7 step plan in Chapter 2, I believe it was – steps that will not only guide you to success in chosen endeavor – but riches as well if that is your goal.

These 7 steps are not only the perfect “to do” list in order to attain riches – they can be adapted to any goal you have – fitness and LIFE included.

One key part of this “to – do list” is visualization  – something I’ve talked about often in the past, and something that has worked wonders for me both in the past and in the present.

Something that will work wonders for you too if you let it – and Hill instructs the reader to visualize the amount of money the person desires daily until it becomes so much a part of you that you feel and believe you HAVE it – at which points things start to happen.

Belief, my friend, as Claude Bristol so succinctly put it is what makes things HAPPEN.

And yet – people miss another equally vital part of the equation.

In Think and Grow Rich, Hill writes,

Determine exactly what service you are going to offer in return for the money you desire. There is no such thing as something for nothing!

Sage advice indeed.

All too often, we focus on the end results – but never ever come up with a workable PLAN to attain said results – and for those that do the vast majority fall by the wayside in terms of PERSISTENCE.

And sadly, this practice of trying to get something for nothing has assumed almost Biblical proportions these days as you can tell from the number of lazy and entitled people out there.

I still remember a conversation I had with a nutter in a Walmart here a year or so ago.

The guy asked me “why you foreigners charge us to learn English”?

“Huh?”

He repeated the question, with an addendum.

“You people learn it in school, it’s natural for you! Why charge us to learn”

I was momentarily taken aback by the sheer effrontery of the question – but not for long.

“Why does Walmart charge for goods?”

“Uh..”

“If I wanted to learn Mandarin, I’d need to pay, wouldn’t I? The same thing for tai chi – yoga shmoga – or even if I were to learn an advanced martial art like Krav Maga – I’d need to pay, wouldn’t I?”

“Uh …. ”

This afternoon as I was running back down the hill at full tilt, a buffoon interrupted me.

“Hello! Where are you from?

Now, I dont know a single person in this world who wants to be disturbed with such foolishness while working out …

“We can be friends! I practice English for free with you!” this female continued.

And given the diamond seller’s example I mentioned a few days ago – and also the constant barrage of others that expect something for nothing, I figured I’d write this post.

And no, this isn’t limited to mainland China either. Folks all over the globe have become lazy and entitled – except a select few – one of them being Marc the African silverback GORILLA I’ve mentioned before (and looking at the width of his shoulders, an actual gorilla might well consider him to be part of the “pride”, hehe).

As we were engaged in a mini-sparring session the other day, he finished off by saying “You get what you put into it, Rahul. It’s like anything else!”

Sage indeed from a man whose advice I can always rely upon and a man I admire for many reasons – and something I’ve been saying all along.

Fitness wise, the reason so many people do NOT attain the goals they have is that they read books – waffle on on the Internet and with friends and “bros” about the best pumping and toning techniques – and about “how I wish I had to exercise” – and so forth – but never actually DO the thing.

For many of those that do it – they do it in a half hearted manner – and the results follow in an equally half hearted manner as well.

There truly IS no such thing as something for nothing, my friend – and the next time you’re sweating it out on a hill to ‘Eat More – Weigh Less‘, REMEMBER this – along with your goal – and remember what I just told you.

Stop trying to get “freebies” – and complain about prices etc. Look for VALUE – and QUALITY – and once you get that, LEARN – and then just DO the thing.

Remember that in life – and in FITNESS too – there is NO such thing as something for nothing.

You get what you put into it – and I’ll end on that note for now.

I’ll be back later!

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – If you’re still unsure about how to get the best results from your fitness program, and not satisfied with your current results/regimen, then its time to CHANGE THINGS UP, my friend. Stop making excuses, and hurry on over to the order page for the 0 Excuses Fitness System NOW – – https://0excusesfitness.com/0excusesfitnessystem/

Why I chuckled throughout my workout today…
- ... dont be a "lemming"!

Dear Reader,

It’s NO secret that when it comes to working out – and workout times – those times (as well as that topic) is about as sacrosanct to me as places of worship are for those that religious.

In fact perhaps more so.

I’ve spoken before about my dislike for folks that clamor to get “selfies” with me during tough sets of workouts straight from Eat More – Weigh Less, for instance, or clowns that shove their dumbphones in my face as I’m doing pull-ups – or anything to that effect.

And yet, this same guy was chuckling his way through a workout today – – so much so at one point that I almost fell off the chinning bar at a certain stage, so hard was I guffawing.

Why?

Well, it’s a long story – perhaps two – but here goes!

So last night I was talking to a diamond seller who was pestering me non-stop for info on “how to lose weight” and “how to stay fit”.

I ignored her initially, as I thought it was just a passing question – but it soon became apparent after she sent me a video that she was serious – about the question, at any rate .

The video showed her selling diamonds – covered in an “artfully” designed sweater which “covered all the curves” and the “junk in the trunk” – or so she thought, at any rate.

I told her to exercise.

No dice.

“I no like swimming and running!”

“Try cycling”, I ventured.

“No like!”

And I finally told her to get a copy of the System since it became apparent that anything outdoors wasn’t her cup of tea – and truth be told, I’d have told her that in the first instance if I thought she was “serious”.

She took a look at the page.

“How much in RMB?”

“Oh, it’s a trifling USD 149.99” , I answered. “Don’t worry – you can pay with your Union Pay card, and it’ll take care of the USD – RMB conversion”.

(NB – So if you’re living in a country other than the US – ears UP – YES – perfectly doable!)

She balked,and dug her heels in much like Jonah’s ass in the Bible.

“Then I won’t buy!”

“Why not?”

“Its too expensive!”

I changed the topic.

“How much does a diamond cost at your place”, I asked with a huge grin.

“Uh…”

“A better way to ask the question is this. Are diamonds – or the price thereof – more important than your health and the strength of your internal organs? I think NOT …. ”

“Uh …. yeah …. ”

Now this sort of cheapskate attitude is nothing new to me. I’ve been pestered by plenty of tyre kickers before who seem to think my books are too expensive – but when I told a buddy of mine later about it, it gave him more than a hearty chuckle.

Iconic example, Rahul!” was what he said.

But that ain’t why I was chuckling through my workout today.

My buddy then started to talk about the way people were behaving at a nearby mall – presumably over the latest trend or some new clothes fad, and the way he described it was nigh hilarious.

He’s one of those guys that emotes very well, and gets the details RIGHT down to a T – – and his description of the shoppers was so accurate that I couldn’t help but bust out laughing.

“There’s no class whatsoever in this mess, Rahul! It’s juvenile and unsophisticated – the amount of “mindless” consumption –  it’s this naive, dumbstruck, lemming like behavior going on … “

Believe me, I’m laughing out loud as I type this, and it’s been a day since he said it!

He’s right, of course – the way people act at shopping malls when it comes to deals etc is downright INSANE – especially when it comes to buying clothes etc.

Sheeple following the sheeple, in other words, or lemmings acting as they do – following other lemmings and making sure to strip the mall bare, all for the latest fashion – which certainly wouldn’t help them improve their lives in any way possible, hehe.

And without further ado, how does this relate to fitness, you ask?

Well, because this naive “lemming like” behavior is exactly why the vast majority of folks out there are LESS fit than they’ve ever been – and have health problems out the ass, not to mention growing obesity levels and everything that comes with it.

The average lemming would be doing well to do 5 pushups without collapsing, and that isn’t an exaggeration!

More to the point, the average Joe – or Jane – is NOT satisfied with either their fitness levels – or where they are in life – but when pointed the way and shown a clear route, they dig their heels in.

And they argue for hours as to why “their way is the best” – even though it clearly isn’t working.

Napoleon Hill was right when he said the human mind when confronted with a NEW way of doing things automatically finds a zillion reasons for why something won’t work – as opposed to having an open mind and actually DOING the thing.

If you tell the average lemming, for instance, that 0 Excuses Fitness is far better than anything he’s ever done before – and will give him far more meaningful results than pumping and toning and shmoozing at the gym, he’ll rant all night long about “how the gyms are better, because people pay and there are machines there”.

If you tell the average lemming that constantly complains about his life – and his job – to IMPROVE it – by doing something on his own as opposed to depending upon a paycheck – he’ll give you a zillion reasons to “defend” what he’s doing – all of them making exactly no sense (most excuses don’t!).

Believe, I woke up to exactly this sort of thing this morning as I saw a lengthy “stat” pulled by one of these “lemmings” that apparently believes that working full time for a company is the way to go achieve things in life – all the while while complaining non stop about it!

Anyway, if you’re done chuckling as yet – moral of the story – or stories?

Simple – don’t be a LEMMING, my friend. 

Stop following the herd.

Stop doing things “the way others said they should be done”.

Stop making excuses, and take RESPONSIBILITY for your life.

And most of all, get on the fitness train – and do it the right way – as opposed to complaining non stop about how you’re unable to lose weight and get rid of those nagging backaches, and your insomnia, for one.

You were given a brain – and a mind.

USE it – and you’ll be nigh surprised at the results that follow, if you only give it a chance!

Well, my friend, thats that for the lemmings. I’m off to chuckle a bit more myself – and I’ll be back with more later !

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – If you’re part of the group that is content to read this and remain a lemming in terms of not investing in the best darn fitness system EVER – well, fine by me, mi amigo. Can take a horse to water, but can’t make it drink, hehe. But if you’re one of the RAREST – a DOER – and someone looking to go places in life – as well as take your fitness levels to STRATOSPHERIC levels – well then look no further than the System – – https://0excusesfitness.com/0excusesfitnessystem/

Ideas, BELIEF – and SATISFIED customers!
- Think - persist - and ACHIEVE!

Dear Reader,

When I first started rahulmookerjee.com (way, way back in the day) it was a pet project that was very dear to my heart indeed.

I was working a crappy full time job at the moment that I didn’t even go to half of the time so much did I hate it – – and literally every spare minute of my time was taken up with writing Fast and Furious Fitness – yes, the book that started it all for yours truly!

Along the way, I was met with NOTHING but CRITICISM – from all quarters – and was duly exhorted to “give up something that had no value”.

And guess what – I do have to admit, that at that point, the naysayers sort of got the better of me – sorta, at least. I didn’t devote near as much effort to the business at that point as I should have, and my results started to nosedive.

This is even more incredible when you consider that I started to get subscribers signing up for my newsletter literally days after creating the website – with NO marketing whatsoever!

Thoughts truly are things my friend, in that if we STRONGLY feel – and BELIEVE – then these thoughts “grow wings”, fly out into the Universe, and return pronto, bearing exactly the sort of returns we “thought about”!

The above may sound sort of esoteric, but its TRUE.

When I got back into the fitness biz full time, and started 0 Excuses Fitness, I was met with even more ridicule and scorn – and still am, for that matter.

It’s incredible, but true – but folks have a way of discarding FACTS placed in front of them – and a business that is growing at a healthy rate is still met with the usual “Oh, online businesses! Pah! That’ll never amount to anything!”

“Oh, just fitness! We all know how to stay fit!”

And again, incredibly, most of the people making the above statements are usually unfit themselves (to put it politely) – and have NEVER ever started a business of their own, either online or offline.

Opinions are like assholes, my friend. We ALL have them – the key is to NOT let them affect you in any way, shape or form – and THIS is where the VAST majority of folks aiming at something mess up.

I’ve spoken before about the “Tell the world what you’re going to do, but show ’em first” part of this – and its best in my opinion to keep your cards close to your chest at all times until you actually achieve said goals.

You’d be surprised at how often the most intense criticism and negativity comes from folks that you’d think would be close to you – and most of it is actually unintentional.

Subconsciously folks have been programmed to believe that “online” businesses aren’t real – and amazingly enough, this belief persists in this day and age, and despite the results, well …

The point of all this?

If you have an idea – and you believe it’s right – then go out there and DO IT – and PERSIST until you get the results you desire, DESPITE what others might say!

Henry Ford was met with fierce opposition to his ideas not only when he first introduced the concept of a motor car – but also WAY after his initial successes. If there is one quality that Ford has, and has in spades – it is this – PERSISTENCE.

When Jeff Bezos started Amazon out of his garage, everyone from his former boss to his wife thought it was a bad idea – and they were not shy about telling him either.

The only folks that did support him were his parents – who pretty much gave him their life savings (this despite being told that there was a 70% probability of them LOSING said savings).

They had faith in Bezos, and today, 25 years later, the man is comfortably the richest man on the planet – outstripping all of the rest by a few million and then some!

In Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill speaks about the idea of writing a book on success based on REAL LIFE experiences that was first planted into his mind by Andrew Carnegie.

In his own words, then –

The favorable break came through Carnegie – but what about the DETERMINATION, DEFINITENESS OF PURPOSE – and the DESIRE TO ATTAIN THE GOAL, and the PERSISTENT EFFORT OF TWENTY FIVE YEARS? It was no ordinary DESIRE that survived disappointment, discouragement, temporary defeat, criticism, and the constant reminding of “waste of time”.

It was a burning desire – an OBSESSION!

He goes on to state that –

Gradually the idea become a giant under its own power, and it coaxed, nurse and drove me. Ideas are like that. First you give life and action and guidance to ideas, then they take on power of their own, and sweep aside all opposition. 

And so it is with FITNESS – or any goal you set in life, my friend.

Back in the day, if I had let the buffoons that constantly clamored “Rahul will never get fit” “get to me” – then I’d never have gotten into the shape I am today, and I’d likely not even be doing a lot of things that I am today business wise.

Same thing for the nitwits, tyre kickers, and nutjobs that claim “fitness businesses don’t work”  – – or “that idea is too outrageous” – or those that have plenty of time to COMMENT, but no time to ever actually DO.

And its the same thing for you, my friend – and that is why I mention it today. If you’ve got a goal – then set your mind to it – and just do it – and the results WILL COME – as sure as the sun setting in the West and rising in the East.

As they say, be careful what you set your heart upon, as you surely shall obtain it!

Last, but NOT LEAST, I’ve been speaking a lot as of late about the green tea that I’ve been getting for those that are interested – the tea that I’ve touted, pimped, and PROMOTED – and RIGHTLY so – as the WONDER POTION that you simply must take on board in terms of your weight loss routines.

Green tea – jasmine tea – and all other forms of organic tea have so many benefits that it would take a tome to list them all, bu when it comes to weight loss, the bottom line is this – if you’re working out regularly, and if you want an instant BOOST – a shot in the arm – then green tea is your best bet.

And we’re talking REAL green tea here – NOT the stuff you see in the supermarkets! 

I’m talking the REAL deal – imported straight from mainland China – tea as you can see here –

And here is what Imran, a long time customer of mine had to say about the tea –

“Hi Rahul! The maojian tea you got me for very good! I feel a lot better after drinking it for cold!”

‘Tis true, my friend. ‘Tis true. Green tea (and in this case JASMINE green tea) DOES have proven health benefits, and I’ll speak at length on these benefits in the future.

For now, if you’re interested – get thee “buns” over to the following URL – https://0excusesfitness.com/shop/ – and place your order – and you’ll see what Imran – and other satisfied customers – BE raving about, my friend.

Well, my friend, that is it for now. A rather lengthy dispatch, but worth every word.

Think – believe – persist- and ACHIEVE!

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – Along with the tea, don’t forget to pick up a copy of the pathbreaking 0 Excuses Fitness System right here – – https://0excusesfitness.com/0excusesfitnessystem/