Dear Reader,

As I was finishing up a workout today, soaked in sweat – the friendly security guy that climbs the hill on an almost daily basis made a comment that he makes on an almost daily basis.

“Shang bi hao!”, he commented – pointing at my shoulders.

Roughly translated into English, this means “upper arms good” – and he makes this comment on a nigh daily basis.

As I clambered down the hill for my final jaunt back UP – I saw the old man that I’ve referred to so often make his way up the hill – gamely as ever, clad in a vest and shorts – and climbing BAREFOOT of all things!

I’ve often mentioned the cast iron grip this old man – not to mention the rugged shoulder development he has – and ’twas but natural for me to go over and make the same comment to him.

“Shang bi Zhuang!” I commented (strong upper arms!)

And while I’ve already mentioned the secret behind this old man’s iron shoulders – today’s post isn’t about that.

It’s about thick – ruggedly strong HANDS – and correspondingly, a grip of STEEL – which virtually every grip maniac, gym goer or even regular men and women want, but few HAVE.

Why?

Well, as I was finishing up my pull-up – I saw a worker near me – an old lady of perhaps around 50 or so with a solid rake.

She was raking up the mud (its been raining here for the past few days) – and other than her posture, which builds immense strength throughout the entire core – her HANDS stood out.

In fact it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say her hands were STRONG – THICK, STRONG fingers that could probably outgrip most of the bros at the gym that shrug with straps and claim to hoist heavy poundages … again, with straps and belts, etc!

Folks – you don’t NEGLECT a weak area – you STRENGTHEN it! 

Common training lore has it that you can lift more with straps.

Perhaps, but you’re neglecting your grip – and the tendons of your hands – and wrist – and forearm – and you’re only as strong as your weakest link, my friend.

Now I’ve spoken about how the ladies that delivered my water in China have much the same look to their forearms – and their HANDS.

Try lugging up 20 liter bottles in your hands – holding the bottles by their “snout” all day long for a living. It ain’t easy.

If there’s one thing wrestlers, boxers, REAL strongmen (hint – most today are NOT really strong) – “ironmen” – pull-up fanatics – and even the tiny Chinese masseuses I’ve written about in the past have in common, it’s a strong grip – and fingers that look – and feel – like IRON CLAWS, my friend.

And they all have another thing in common.

They work with THICK bars – or thick handles implements – and they do in a manner that doesn’t resemble anything you do in the gym.

Believe me, when you have a hoe with a long, long handle, and a diameter of about 4 inches or more – you’ll FEEL it in your arms when you work with it – not tom ention do timed holds, levers etc with it.

That’s one the tips in Gorilla Grip – and a highly effective grip builder. I put it at the end of the book for a reason – its a toughie and you’d be best advised to work up to it!

Want more examples?

Well, I’ve spoken about the 6’1″ man mountain I met in China – an ex Marine, and a strong man if there ever was one – and he’s got hands like an ironmonger as well – and how did he get ’em?

Carrying heavy equipment. Handling THICK bars – and weapons his entire life. Doing pull-ups – on THICK bars! And wrestling in high school.

And so forth …

Moral of the story is this – if you want a thick, ruggedly strong grip- and fingers like iron claws – and forearms pulsating like Popeye’s might, well – then – you simply HAVE NO OTHER OPTION than to include thick bar work into your routine – and bodyweight work as well!

And if you HAVE to workout with weights – try heavy water bottles – or beer kegs – or sandbags – or something unwieldy that you gotta STRUGGLE to even HOLD.

Believe me, it’ll build a heck of a grip – one you won’t get in the gym – and certainly NOT by using straps!

Last, but not least, none of this means you cannot have “well maintained” hands.

Nothing of that nature. My own hands are fairly well maintained, but there is no disguising the calluses (“rocks” as my little girl terms them as!!) – and yes, they’ve split open multiple times while training – and that still happens occasionally.

All part of the game, my friend.

All part of the game if you want to truly get RUGGEDLY strong – and thats the note I’ll end on today!

If you workout today – make it a great one – and include some grip work in there as well!

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – Along with gripping, there is another aspect to a strong grip that is usually ignored – FINGERTIP work – and to learn more about this – crack open the Gorilla Grip compilation which you can find right here – – https://0excusesfitness.com/gorilla-grip-the-compilation/

Dear Reader,

Today I’ll talk about something that plenty of people have already spoken about – but I’ll tackle it from an angle that hasn’t been widely discussed before – not that I can tell, at any rate!

It’s raining cats and dogs here in Southern China here, and due to one of those odd “amalgamations of circumstances”, I haven’t been able “refuel” my system for over 15 hours as of the time of writing this

My last meal was at around 10 P.M. or so last night (which alone is a mind bender for most people given all the literature out there about “eating late makes you fat”) – and it’s about 3:25 P.M. here at the time of writing this.

So it’s perhaps 15 hours – maybe a bit more – and I felt compelled to touch upon this very topic today – so here goes!

Fasting is something most people know about, of course – but not everyone does it.

Some just can’t stick to any sort of fast. Others have been “programmed” to believe that eating less causes your metabolism to slow down – and therefore fasting must make it slow down even more, right?

And of course, we’ve got all the studies about how “eating 8 small meals a day” ramps your metabolism up – yada, nada, schnada, and keeps you “feeling sated” – and yet – a cursory examination of most who follow this sort of a regimen reveals the exact opposite.

And before you jump at me for “disregarding medical advice” – or something to that nature – consider the following.

Animal in the world go DAYS without food at times – sometimes water as well – but especially food. 

Mr. Tiger doesn’t exactly hunt daily – and not all his hunts are successful as well.

When he DOES make a kill though – what does he do?

He sits down – has his fill – and then some – and then SLEEPS – for a good few hours before waking up to “do the rounds” again, which usually involves returning to the prey at some point and feast a bit more.

Wild tigers show no sign of lethargy – or weakness – or less flexibility – or anything of that nature we’ve been programmed to believe that fasts cause – and now, let’s look at a tiger in “el zoo”.

I don’t know if you’ve ever seen a tiger – or panther – or jaguar – or any big cat in a zoo, but it looks like a sorry imitation of it’s wild cousins – and this WITH three regular meals a day.

The worst I’ve ever seen was a jaguar in the New Delhi Zoo – bloated, stuffed, and clearly without the space it needs to exercise it’s considerable bulk – and build strength etc – and most of all, the LAZY look in it’s eye that you NEVER ever see with a cat in the wild.

Our ancestors never ate daily either.

Mr. Caveman, for instance would often go days without food – you know, them days without Micky D’s and smartphone apps … And yet, I don’t think I’d pit even the most fearsoms of UFC fighters, for instance, in a cage match with our ancestors of yore!

When I dropped my weight down from 120 kgs to 60 kgs – I did TWO things that NO-ONE “in their right minds” (yeah, right!) would even consider doing.

One, I worked out on an empty stomach – long and intense workouts – REAL intense.

Two, my first meal of the day was often at 6 P.M. – or later – and my last one was usually around midnight.

Sounds like sacrilege, and yet, I can tell you this – some of my best productivity and fitness gains came from following exactly THIS sort of a routine – and I’d often go in for a bridging workout before dinner as well!

If you look at athletes in tremendous shape, Herschel Walker is a guy that jumps to mind instantly.

3000 pushups and 1000 pull-ups daily and that is just for starters. BEAST, no??

And he built that incredible bod of his – yes – one meal a day – a SIMPLE meal – eaten – yes – at around 530 or 6!!

As for “if I still follow this regimen”?

Well – no – but when I’m forced to – such as today – I feel no ill effects whatsoever. In fact I feel even more energetic than ever, and if the darn rain would just stop, I would go run up a mountain or something – and then some!

So – – that is a long answer to a short enough question.

Ponder – “assimilate” – and let me know what you think!

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – And neither is eating more occasionally bad for you, my friend. In fact, those fasts are often followed by “pigging out” – but guess what – with the right workouts – you won’t gain a lick of fat from all them pizzas, soft drinks and late night snackolas, my friend. Learn more right here – –https://0excusesfitness.com/eatmore-weighless/

Dear Reader,

One of the most important and indeed most telling reasons a lot of folks are unable to or don’t get to their fitness goals – or life goals – or goals in general isn’t just that they don’t “just do the thing”.

While Emerson correctly stated that “Do the thing, and you shall have the power” – there is more to it behind that.

It isn’t so much WHAT you do – as HOW you do it – and the BELIEF – and FAITH behind the actual doing!

I don’t know if you’ve read “The Science of Getting Rich” by Wallace D. Wattles. It’s an excellent read, and it matters NOT if you’re interested in getting rich or not – the points covered in there hold true for achieving any goal you have – and one of the things, and indeed the MAIN thing he emphasizes throughout the course is it’s about doing things – a certain WAY – as opposed to doing “certain” things.

There is a difference, my friend!

Unless your actions are backed up by positive thoughts and BELIEF – and FAITH in that belief, then you’ll likely not achieve whatever goal you are looking to achieve – at least not in the way you would like – if at all.

Napoleon Hill, the greatest (in my own opinion) self help author penned an entire chapter on Faith in “Think and Grow Rich“, and what he has to say is as applicable to fitness as it is getting rich.

“Faith is the starting point of all riches”, he says, and goes on to explain that OPEN MINDEDNESS is imperative for the state of mind known as belief to be omnipresent in one.

Closed minds, as Hill correctly puts it, do not inspire faith, courage and belief.

Truer words were never spoken, my friend.

This morning I was speaking to a lady who claimed that certain “different” proclivities in the bedroom (if you get my drift, hehe, I’m keeping this PG rates) – was “weird”.

Not anything to jump up and down about, of course, but the CLOSED MIND behind the comment was on display for all …

You hear the same thing in terms of those who rail against same sex marriage, for instance – and when asked for LOGICAL answers as to why acts of “passion” or “love” between consenting adults should be outlawed, you get nothing but vague responses.

“It’s not normal”, they chime.

Well, what IS normal, I ask – a question that when “probed” stymies even the most closed mind of them all.

In terms of fitness, the very idea that you can get fit – super fit – without weights and machines – and gym memberships – and treadmills – and long slow distance cardio is sacrilege to most.

Its not surprising of course – most of us, if not all of us have been brought up to believe that the above are the only ways to get – and stay fit – and any other way doesn’t work.

As Claude Bristol says in the Magic of Believing …

Repetition of the same chant, the same affirmations, the same incantations, leads to belief, and once that belief becomes a deep seated conviction things begin to happen.

He goes on to state that belief can be used for GOOD as well as BAD purposes – and what I’m saying about fitness above is one of the pointless purposes that serve no-one except the businesses that own the gym.

‘Tis a fact, Jack, but most gym goers are unhappy with the way they look – a fact that you cannot say is true for dedicated bodyweight practitioners in general.

Not only that – most gym memberships lie unused for the most part – gathering dust – resources that would have been better off used in other regards (for the most part, anyway).

But again, it all comes down to changing that erroneous BELIEF.

And an OPEN MIND is imperative here!

Without an open mind, nothing in your life will really change, my friend – fitness results included.

When I was 120 kgs, and obese (to put it lightly), NO-ONE – I repeat, NO-ONE, including my most ardent well wishers would have punted on the fact I’d get myself down to 60 kgs shortly thereafter.

I did though – – and despite what I actually did in terms of working out – the belief behind what I did was what caused this “miracle” to manifest, my friend.

As Dr Maxwell Maltz clearly states in Psycho Cybernetics, it matters not how many folks you have chanting your name in the bleachers – if YOU yourself aren’t present.

Conversely, it matters NOT if NO-ONE except you is backing you.

‘Tis true – – YOU, my friend have to have that belief and BACK YOURSELF to achieve the seemingly impossible – and that just wont happen without an open mind – in any regard!

So if there is one takeaway from today’s post – it is this – keep “thy” mind open, my friend.

Keep an open mind – back yourself – and go out there and just do it.

Watch the results roll down the PIKE!

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – Repetition is the only real way of developing belief in any regard, and my weight loss journey was no different. And I’ve mentioned an example – or two, or more, I believe of this in the System – and in the 10 Commandments of Training Success – – here is where you can read all about it – – https://0excusesfitness.com/0excusesfitnessystem/

Dear Reader,

In some of my writings and musings (non fitness related), I often refer to “the look in the eye”.

While these writings are all non fitness related, fitness wise,I’ve written about the look in the eye before – the Eye of the Tiger as well, if you get my drift!

It’s the initial impression you get when you see someone that is lean, MEAN – hungry – and a bonafide “boot to ass” butt kicking MACHINE, my friend.

And it’s also about the impression that a “man that is defeated inside” gives of internally.

In Rocky III, as Rocky faces off against his opponent, “Clubber Lang”, Lang takes one look at him before “trading gloves” and goes “Dead Meat!”

Rocky at that time (in the movie) just didn’t have that eye of the tiger – and he lost – and the same holds true for life as well.

In addition to the look in the eye, the NOD of APPROVAL – albeit often times silent and tacit is worth a mention or two.

Flashback to the Rocky series again (yes, I do talk a lot about that series, don’t I?!) – Rocky IV to be specific.

That movie is all about Rocky’s friend Apollo Creed taking a brutal beating at the hands of “Ivan Drago” – the 6’5″ behemoth who Rocky ultimately squares off against while seeking “revenge”.

Unlike the previous franchises, this movie makes it very clear that Rocky is “on his own” out there while training in the vast Russian Tundra.

While  his trainer is “there” – there is little he actually does, and he says as much.

“I know you’ve got to do almost everything alone up here!”

And as Rocky pounds out pull-ups, with about a year’s worth of growth (not really, hehe) – – and as the sweat literally pours off him as he does pull-ups first to the front of the neck and then the back – the trainer nods – approvingly.

As I was out there today completing a “reverse” workout from Eat More – Weigh Less, a man passing by me looked at me, and smiled – and as he looked at my calves, straining to complete each “excruciating” (again, not really, hehe) step  – – the nod came out.

That silent nod of approval. That nod that says “hmm, this guy has GOT it!”

And these are the sort of workouts you too should be partaking off, my friend. More pertinently THESE are the sort of workouts that get you results.

THESE are the workouts that really get you the six pack you’ve always wanted – and shoulders like the proverbial boulders for instance.

The “X” taper. The “corrugated core” – and so forth – and THAT IS WHY they also garner the silent, unspoken NOD of APPROVAL!

And again – THESE – my friend are the workouts you should be partaking of – on a nigh regular basis at that – if you want results – REAL results – and want ’em quick at that!

So drop the gym memberships now, my friend. Drop the fancy treadmills replete with a holder for a mugga and your dumb phone – the treadmill to nowhere, in other words.

Drop the long and drawn out routines.

Instead get a head start on routines that will get you in the best shape of your life – and do so right here – https://0excusesfitness.com/0excusesfitnessystem/

I look forward to welcoming you on board!

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – Here is that link again – – https://0excusesfitness.com/0excusesfitnessystem/

Dear Reader,

I’ve done up plenty of posts on training in COLD weather – – plenty and plenty of them if ya’ll have noticed, so today I thought I’d go one different and talk about HOT weather – and how to train in hot weather – for optimal benefits.

And when I say hot, I MEAN hot.

I mean – as in the sun blazing down upon you in all it’s full fury as you workout – and humidity levels that approach 97% or thereabouts. 

Doesn’t sound too pleasant, does it?

And yet, those (minus the humidity which admittedly hasn’t reached the peaks I’m referring to – – as YET, that is!) were the conditions I got a workout in in today, and right now, as I sit here (thanking whoever invented the air-con, hehe), I’m feeling on top of the world.

As I made my way up the hill for the third time – as opposed to the 4 or 5 climbs I’ve been getting in as of late, something told me it was ENOUGH.

And enough it was – I was literally leaving a “trail of sweat” behind me as I walked – literally dripping like a wet sponge – and as I saw others abandon the climb mid-way, I thought I’d write about how to train in hot weather – outdoors – and how to make it a roaring success!

So without further ado, here goes.

One, and as in cold weather, make things brief and SNAPPY. Don’t dally forever between sets – this is especially important in COLD climes, since your body “cools down” in that time – especially if you’re training in REAL cold conditions.

Its’ important in hot conditions too though. Remember, you’re sweating every minute you’re out there – and if the sun is blazing down – and if you’re doing tough, tough routines – such as those in Eat More -Weigh Less, then you run the risk of getting fatigued before you even finish your workout if you “linger” too long in between sets.

Second, limit the “long distance cardio” – if you really must do it at all. I don’t count my hill climbs done briskly as part of LSD but even so, I called it a day at three quick climbs – that was all I needed, especially in this heat!

Unseasonal weather here, I must say – and on that front,  I’m pretty sure the cold is lurking around the corner for “one last go” as it were – but until that time, I’m going to limit myself to three climbs per workout.

Last, but not least, the TIME you workout is vitally important – doubly so if you’re working out outdoors.

Being the crazed fool I am, I end up training during the hottest part of the day, hehe.

I’ve written before about how I clambered up that hill at MIDDAY no less at a certain point in my life – 2005, to be precise, and literally felt like I was breathing in FIRE with every breath, so oppressively hot and humid it was out there.

I still workout in the afternoons as that works best for me – but you, my dear reader, would probably be best suited by taking a different approach.

The hours between 11 AM and 4 PM are best avoided if you’re working out outdoors during hot weather – so if at all possible, workout either before or after those times (my moonlight sprints in India are a perfect example of “adapting” in this regard).

And as always – stay hydrated – doubly – and triply so – in hot weather – that one is self explanatory!

Alright, my friend, that is IT for now. All common sense tips, but you’d be surprised at how many people don’t have what you’d consider to be “common” sense, hehe. Ain’t all that common if I might say so!

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – The best part about the 0 Excuses Fitness System is this – you can get ALL the fat burning effects and overall workout benefits as mentioned above – without stepping foot outside your living room, my friend. ‘Tis true – ’tis indeed true – a quick gander at the videos in the System will let you know how to quite literally turn your living room into the workout center you’ve always wanted – with  SPEEDYRESULTS to boot – – https://0excusesfitness.com/0excusesfitnessystem/

Dear Reader,

If I were to ask you to list out three body parts (in no particular order, by the way) – that truly scream ATHLETICISM to all that “catch a glimpse”, what do you think they would be?

As for catching a glimpse … this is perfectly PG rated, so don’t worry!

3 body parts – BOTH for men, and for women.

Most people would answer “shoulders” – or “upper back” – and of course the usual culprits would be “chest” and a “sixpack”.

The first two are not necessarily wrong, but here’s the thing – while it’s hard to conceal broad shoulders and a massive, muscular upper back (that you get from doing the almighty PULL-UP on a regular basis) in any type of clothing – there are three OTHER body parts – that are IMPOSSIBLE to conceal.

If these parts are weak, you’ll find it hard to conceal – and if they’re STRONG – MASSIVELY so – then you’ll find that fact to be equally hard to disguise, regardless of the clothing you wear.

And these three parts are – in no particular order – the CALVES, FOREARMS – and the NECK!

While most men will likely pooh pooh at this suggestion and scream “chest” and “shoulders” – and “abs” – take a minute to think about it.

Boxers have massive chests, sure – but do elite swimmers?

Sprinters have MAMMOTH thighs – but do rock climbers?

The special forces are filled with supremely fit men or women – and yet “massive” anything isn’t necessarily a requirement or even an after-effect of the excellent sorts of training they do regularly …

And yet – what all these four (and more) groups all have in common – both from a male and female standpoint.

The three body parts I mentioned – and that is why I mentioned them!

You CANNOT be truly strong and athletic without having a muscular, flexible and well developed neck, for instance (note though I’m talking muscle – not size).

You CANNOT be as strong as you would like – you simply CANNOT – without a pair of rugged, “vein popping”, Popeye like forearms!

And last, but certainly not least, the calves are a dead giveaway in terms of indicating how much intense physical activity a person does.

And the right way to develop all these parts is not the machines they’ve got set up at the gym, my friend.

For instance, I’ve got those “diamond shaped” calves people so hanker after without stepping foot in the gym, and many a gym goer has asked me the secret behind it.

Well – it’s not really a secret for you 0 Excuses Fitness guys out there – and those that have invested in Eat More – Weigh Less are well cognizant of the “secret” as well, but for those that aren’t – one of the best things you can do in this regard is add NATURAL slopes (think hills etc) into your training.

And while climbing them repeatedly is good, there is so much more to it, my friend. So much more to it …

As for the neck, the very best practice you can engage in w.r.t this is the BRIDGE – in all it’s variants, shapes, forms and guises as I show you in the System. Work into it carefully – its a toughie – but it’s also an exercise that responds well to continuous training, and you’ll be nigh amazed at the progress you make – and the “bull neck” you start to develop after steady practice.

And as for the forearms?

Well – the very best and only thing I’d tell you do in that regard is to grab a copy of Gorilla Grip – the compilation – and do so PRONTO while copies last, my friend. I may not be offering this at the price it is for much longer, so if you want the secret to that “kung fu like” grip I keep referring to – well – it’s right there for the taking – for you!

And that is that for this email. Lots to ponder – do so – and if you workout today – make it a super one!

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – Another course that has been going like hotcakes as of late is Corrugated Core – check it out (if you have not already) right here – – https://0excusesfitness.com/corrugated-core/

Dear Reader,

As I finished another ball buster of a workout up there on the hill – people “passing by” stared at me with a mixture of awe struck looks – and looks where the awe was mixed in with sheer BEWILDERMENT – and approval as well – especially when I was completing the last portion of my Eat Less – Weigh More routines.

It was a look that plainly said “Wow – what IS that foreign devil up to” – and as the sweat poured off me, the number of people that gave me this look increased exponentially.

‘Twas to be expected, of course, and IS to be expected until February 10th when the Chinese New Year holidays officially end. We’re towards the end of the holidays (officially, at any rate), and there are still hordes of people out and about …

Anyhow, as I finished climb #4 up the hill – non stop – I saw a little girl and her mother out there.

The little girl was probably no more than 2 years of age – maybe 3, but certainly no more – and while she was literally doing all she could to get up the hill, even outpacing some of the paunchy adults doing their version of an “ancient steam locomotive puffing its way up a particularly steep hillside” – – her Mom was the exact opposite.

Every few steps, her mother would stop – rest – and call out to her little girl to do the same – but she wouldn’t.

Every time her mother told her to “man yi dian” (walk slowly) – she’d increase her pace! 

And she kept this up until she reached the top of the hill – a bedraggled Mom in tow – and raised her hands up in the air triumphantly – a kiddie version of what Stallone’s character Rocky does in all the Rocky movies.

Twas a nice thing to see – and it brought memories FLOODING back to me – 2016 to be precise, I believe.

We were on a trip to the Indian Himalayas, and decided to step away from the beaten path – and decided to hike a hill – that turned into another – and another – and another – and kept going on until we could see snowy peaks in the distance (literally!).

And leading the way for the most part was my little girl – then 3 – exhorting us to “keep going” – and she made the cutest picture, replete with a stick to “scare the wild animals off” – and every time I heard her say “come on, Daddy”- I couldn’t help but wonder about ONE thing …

… that being, that we as adults have so much to learn for young kids and toddlers – bloody minded perseverance being one!

My little girl was damned and determined to climb ALL The hills that day – and much like the first little girl I mentioned, she would well have done so if it weren’t for the fact that we’re talking the Himalayas here as opposed to ONE hill!

Have you ever noticed that when little kids want something – they usually up getting it?

It’s no accident that they DO – and while NO, I’m NOT recommending you as an adult to throw a hissy to get what you want,  it’s worth noting that little kids keep at it – and keep at it – and keep on keeping on, in other words, until they get what they want – or accomplish what they want!

If there is ONE thing that  the Ford’s, Rockefellers, Jobs’, Bezos, and Edison’s of the world (to name but a few) have in common – aside from a host of admirable qualities – it is the quality of PERSISTENCE – in SPADES.

Backed up by a fierce desire and the determination to keep on keeping on no matter what, bloody minded perseverance breaks down even the most stubborn of obstacles on your path to whatever goal you choose – and results in eventual and LASTING SUCCESS!

Read the above carefully, my friend. There is no escape from the FACT that this applies to any goal you set – fitness – life – relationships – or anything in general.

And talking about fitness, specifically?

Well, since we’re on the examples train …

Many years ago, there was a sickly little boy with a severe case of asthma, that wouldn’t go away no matter what.

The doctors tried everything – all the medication available at that time – but nothing seemed to work. If anything, the boy seemed to cough even more, and the docs gravely pronounced that this boy would need to be on medication his entire life – and also that he’d never be able to do anything “strenous” – or close to it.

In fact the doctors actually WARNED his parents against allowing him into any sort of even remotely strenous physical activity.

When this kid heard the doctors say what they did, something SPARKED inside of him.

He REBELLED internally – and the next day he slipped away from home a bit earlier than usual, and started to RUN.

It was hell, of course. He was panting and out of breath pretty soon – and his lungs were burning and so were his legs – and soon all he could think of was to sit down and take a breather.

But he didn’t.

He kept pushing himself to go further – hit certain yardsticks during the run – and keep surpassing them – and hell though it was, he MADE it through the first day.

The second day was even worse, as his entire body was racked with pain from the run.

But he kept at it, mile by bloody mile, he  KEPT AT IT! 

As he did, he noticed something beginning to happen.

His asthma improved – bit by bit – until it finally disappeared!

The little boy went on to be a fierce high school Greco Roman wrestler – and as an adult, he not only wrote Dinosaur Training – one of the “eternally evergreen” training manuals out there  – but also won no less than FIVE national bench press championships – drug free by the way.

That little boy was Brooks Kubik – a man I first came to know in 2004 when he published a little routine I sent him “Rahul’s hill walking workout from China” in his daily newsletters – and I still remember what he asked me.

“Are you from the miltary? Thats a great training routine!”

Often times, when I climb the hill – or do a 1000 pushups – or engage in one of my long “endurance-strength” workouts – I’m tempted to quit.

I was today when I was out there, for that matter, and the looks the people were giving me as I clambered up the hill yet again didn’t help one bit.

But I remembered the little girl. I remembered MY little girl as well.

I remembered Henry Ford, poor and penniless, a man that stood by his dream until he got what he wanted, and then some.

And I remembered the VALUE of perseverance – and I completed my workout – tough as it was – as I have all these years! 

I don’t know if you remember or have seen the Steve Austin starrer “Chain of Command”, but there is a part where Austin’s character is seen berating a man that betrayed the team.

He goes on to tell the man in NO uncertain terms about his past military career – and an encounter with the Taliban where the soldiers were greatly outnumbered, and taking bullets from all sides.

One of the guys got hit and couldn’t move – and Austin’s character goes on to say how he braved the bullets – “took one in the gut” , “took one in the shoulder” , ” took several rounds to the ….” (all quoted verbatim” … “but he did his damn JOB!”

In other words, he got the damn job done – and if there is ONE note I can end this rather long email on, it is THAT!

So that’s that for today. Several stories for you to read- and ponder – and learn from – and then apply!

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – By the way, if you haven’t grabbed “Eat More -Weigh Less” by now, why not? What are you waiting for, my friend? Hurry on over HERE to grab the little gem – https://0excusesfitness.com/eatmore-weighless/

 

Dear Reader,

So I was talking to an old friend of mine – he from the Marines, he who I’ve spoken about a lot before in my daily emails and posts – and he who is mentioned very prominently at the start of Gorilla Grip, if just for the grip related comments he made when he first met me.

All TRUE comments, and while they may not exactly be sugar coated – or “sweetened” – and while there’s plenty of caps and RED LETTERS in the comments both in the book and on the sales page – guess what – all of it is TRUE.

It’s real, and TRUE – and its written in my style – a style I’ve been roundly castigated for over the years – and urged to DROP – supposedly for my “own good” – and a style I never have, and never will drop.

“You need to tone it down, Rahul!”

“You need to be less frank! Less brutally honest!”

“You need to learn how to play the game! Play “office politics!”

And other such nonsense, which I’ve roundly ignored as being a bunch of B.S. advice from lily livered poltroons (thanks, P.G. Wodehouse!) that know no better – and it’s in this vein that 0 Excuses Fitness was written.

Fitness info that works – brought to you in a brutally frank manner. It sure ain’t for everyone – and neither is the Gorilla Grip compilation – but if you can handle FACTS – and if you can handle reality, and want RESULTS – well – these are the best fitness related investments you’ll ever make, my friend.

But wait a minute. This was about putting “boot to ass”, wasn’t it?

Well, a few days ago, my buddy from the Marines joined the “tone it down Rahul” bandwagon.

Actually he’s been on it for a while now, but his latest comments were along the lines of “You’re the most abrasive and BRASH ********* I’ve ever met – and yet – your style is REAL – and HONEST – and I respect that!”

He then went on to say that he had a similar sort of style when “he was my age” and putting “boot to ass” as it were.

Put it another way, kicking ass -and taking NAMES.

Well – I don’t know if – and I seriously doubt if I’ll ever change the way I am – but hey – as I woke up this morning, I was heartened to read the news about Jeff Bezos, and the nigh explosive tweet he sent, and the BLOG POST he wrote.

Y’all probably know the mess w.r.t Bezos, the worlds richest man – a SELF made man – that literally founded Amazon from his garage – and today – that company is consistently ranked between #1 and #4 on any sort of rating system or list that matters.

A lot has been made of the guy’s personal life and his divorce. Folks have been wondering if Amazon will be the same after the divorce. A lot of what if’s and buts’. A lot of money at stake. And so on and so forth.

Lots of pressure you’d say, even for the world’s richest man, and his response?

Certainly not to keel over under the forces that want him to (and they’ve backed by some serious muscle, mind you, if you get my drift).

He said it all – and CALLED their bluff – in a NO NONSENSE, 0 Excuses, come and get me if you can way – and much as I admire Trump’s own “say it like it is and give no you know what’s about what people think” – he’s got it wrong this time.

Blackmail is never, ever right, and the Enquirer for one will probably learn this fact the hard way.

Lets not also get taken away by the eternal question of “is cheating right”.

It never is – and it happens – we’re all humans –  but blackmail is always worse!

Saying it like it IS though – regardless of consequences – is ALWAYS right though – and kudos again to Bezos in this regard!

Long time readers of this list know that the Napoleon Hill classic Think and Grow Rich is one of my all time favorite reads – a book I’ve perused literally a thousand times, and as Hill says in his publications, “made a lot of that book my own” (in that I can literally repeat the book’s philosophy and exact words in my sleep).

And if a modern day version of it were to be written – Jeff Bezos would be right up there with Henry Ford – as would Steve Jobs as well.

Both men I greatly admire – both men that withstood a barrage of naysayers to found empires – global empires that helped billions of folks globally – and empires that last today (in Jobs case, long after the founder himself is gone).

Self made men.

Men that knew the meaning  and value of PRACTICAL DREAMING.

Men that knew, as Napoleon Hill says – the fact that practical dreamers do NOT quit! 

Men that knew that whatever the mind of man can conceive, and believe – it can ACHIEVE!

And most importantly, men that knew the value of PERSISTENCE!

All admirable traits – and all traits you need in your fitness journey as well, my friend.

So thats what todays post it all about. Say it like it – kick ass, take names – or put BOOT to ASS if I might – – and then go out and just do it – and keep doing it until the results pour down the pike, my friend.

That is really all there is to it!

Ok – that is IT for now. I know I’m gonna have a great workout in a few hours – and I hope you do as well!

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – Results won’t be long coming down the pike at all in terms of weight loss if you follow the NIGH revolutionary advice given in Eat More – Weigh Less. This truly is information NO-ONE else is willing to put his cojones on the line for. Yours truly has though – – in typically blunt fashion – check it out right here – https://0excusesfitness.com/eatmore-weighless/

P.S. #2 – And no, I’m not saying the men mentioned above didnt have their flaws .Then again, dont we all? Ponder upon that as well as you read this, my friend …

Dear Reader,

It never ceases to amaze me. My word, it sure doesnt … the number of people that seemingly “want to go places in life” – but are not willing to take even the most elementary of steps to actually attain those “places”!

I don’t care if you’re talking fitness or life – or even making money – or starting a new business – the same thing seems to apply for the vast majority of people out there.

What do I mean?

Well, this morning I was talking to a lady who has read Think and Grow Rich, the Magic of Believing, and probably every other self help book there is out there under the sun.

Her own life isn’t where she wants it to be – and yet – astoundingly enough – despite having read all these books, and despite wanting to read MORE of them – all she does is to “argue” the points made in the books (all very valid points) and attempt to disprove them with a cynical bent of mind.

“Believe – and you will” – I told her in response to a certain question – which led to a flurry of “it doesn’t work” – and “how can it work” – and “this Universe stuff is all nonsense” – and other such “rhetorical responses”.

I then proceeded to give this lady a step by step PLAN as to how to achieve what she wanted.

Actually, it would be more accurate to say I pointed her to Chapter 2 in Think and Grow Rich – a suggestion which was roundly “pooh poohed”.

“Oh, that stuff! Those are just word that don’t really work!”

Now normally I don’t bother wasting my time trying to convince people of things that they are determined not to believe in from the get go.

If you’re a cynic, for example, and if you aren’t a DOER – then all the books and knowledge in the world – and all the help I give you, either through my coaching sessions, books or emails ain’t gonna help you.

As Napoleon Hill said, the state of mind has to be FAITH – backed up by an unwavering BELIEF!  It is only then that you hold the REAL key to accomplishing what you want – the golden passkey as it were.

Without that state of mind, you might as well forget about it. The Universe does no business by proxy – you either go direct – and the right way – or not at all! 

Anyway, I gave this lady a very practical suggestion that she could start implementing NOW – and guess what happened. I don’t think I need to spell it out, do I?!

This brings to mind something that happened a few months ago in India.

You’ll recall the case of the guy that wanted to get better at pull-ups. The guy that saw me hammering them out under a moonlit sky one night – and tried to do ’em – and I wrote about this as well before.

And though he did try that first day – it was apparently also the last day he tried ’em.

A few days later, he said he took up running (although I never actually saw him run).

After that it was a “gym membership” – which he did go to – but it didn’t quite bring him the results he wanted.

This is another classic case of accepting defeat before you even START!

And here it’s important to mention persistence. I’ll quote one of my favorite Napoleon Hill sayings here –

The word has no heroic connotations, but persistence is to the character of man what carbon is to steel. 

Truer words were never spoken, my friend.

If there is ONE quality that differentiates the Fords, Edisons, Steve Jobs, and other achievers from the ” rest of the pack” (in addition to what I’ve mentioned above) – it is PERSISTENCE – and the gumption to keep on keeping no matter what – – with a firm belief that the results WILL COME!

This SAME thing applies to fitness as well, my friend. The SAME thing.

If you want to do a 100 pull-ups per workout, and are currently unable to do ONE – chances are excellent and second to none you’ve already set yourself up for defeat – in your own MIND!

If you want to bang out 500 Hindu Squats in a row – dont keep questioning the ifs and buts. Get the System – and follow the instructions – and then just do it!

If you want to change your life – and attract GOOD things into your REALITY – then think about those good things at a deep level – – and BELIEVE that good things will happen – and they will!

The point I’m making is this – it’s real simple. Reading all the books in the world ain’t gonna matter if you don’t implement what the books tell you – and if you don’t back that up with BELIEF and bloody minded persistence.

Sure, some authors dont know their you know what from a hole in the ground – but for those that do – those that have solid RESULTS to back up what they say – well – you’d be silly to question what they’re saying, my friend.

If you want to lose weight – fast – and around the midsection specifically (and this is just an example, by the way) – then don’t “question” the techniques laid out in Eat More – Weigh Less – and the System.

Get both – read – absorb – read again – implement – make mistakes – try again – and in short – just do it!

Life’s too short to worry about endlessly debating the “what if’s”.

Rather than try and find a 1000 reasons as to why something wont work – why not spend that time BELIEVING that the way being SHOWN to you right now WILL work?

Ponder that as you sip your morning latte – afternoon cuppa – or evening brew, hehe.

In closing – have faith – believe – and then just do it!

There truly is no other way, my friend.

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – If you enjoy motivational tips such as this, Gumption Galore might be just the product you’re looking for – https://0excusesfitness.com/gumption-galore/

 

Dear Reader,

So, as I was completing my conditioning routine out there today, I had memories flooding back – of last year, around this time (except perhaps a week or so later I believe it was last year).

Chinese New Year is on in full swing here around this neck of the woods as it were, and last year as I worked out on the hill – I had some of my most memorable experiences in recent times as I took the pictures for Eat More – Weigh Less – a product which quite literally was created in the mayhem of Lunar New Year, if I might say so!

With it, of course are the CROWDS – and that holds true on the hill as well, although most of them aren’t there to work out, of course.

Anyway, the weather is markedly warmer right about now than it was around this time last year. It’s the warmest New Year we’ve experienced in 66  years from what they say in Hong Kong (a short distance away from where I am at) – and it sho does feel like it!

And as I sweated my way up the hill, I saw emergency services and security ready with bottles of water and first aid kits – ready to help if need be.

This isn’t uncommon during “peak times” of the year – I’ve written before about how I’ve seen people literally keel over and faint on that hill – especially during summer.

It’s by no means Everest if you get my drift, but its a pretty darn tough climb even if I say so myself …

And the MAIN reason I see people collapsing isn’t so much exhaustion – as it is heat stroke and DEHYDRATION (the second often exacerbates the first as well).

Once these folks have had a few bottles of H2o (warm, mind you, even in summer – hey – what can I say – this is China!) – they’re usually good to go.

And I’ve venture a guess to say that the main reason they did collapse in the first place was a) lack of prior conditioning and b) more importantly, lack of HYDRATION.

It’s amazing, but true – that the very best “drink” out there for our bodies – and indeed one of the best ways to lose WEIGHT – is nigh ignored, and roundly so.

Folks – and I’ve mentioned this in the Simple and Effective Diet too – a “few sips of water” throughout the day does NOT equate to “proper hydration”.

Most adults  in the US and indeed the Western world – and it would seem Asia too these days – are severely dehydrated, and it matters NOT if they exercise on a regular basis or not.

Conventional advice says 8 large glasses of water, and I’ll roll with that if you don’t workout a lot – or at all – but if you workout – and if you engage in INTENSE workouts (as you should) – up that to 10 – or 12 – or more.

Believe me, it can seem very tempting to down a beer – or Coke to quench that thirst – but that is COUNTER PRODUCTIVE! Alcoholic drinks as well as sugary drinks do nothing but dehydrate you further.

As for Gatorade, and other sports drinks – those are goo d- but nothing beats good old water – spring water, if you have access to it.

There was a standing joke when I was young about “Rahul keeping a cup to his lips at all times” – and while it was funny to a degree, I’m glad I do that. I’ve ALWAYS been a huge water drinker, and its one of the reasons I stay as well as hydrated as I do.

The other, of course is green tea, and I am sipping – or guzzling that throughout the day as well.

The very first thing I do upon waking up is guzzle a good 2.5 liters of pure water – and about 1.5 or so AFTER my workout – whether I “feel like it or not”.

It’s a habit – and I keep a bottle of water ready by my bedside when I sleep as well.

YES – it IS that important – and it IS one of the reasons I can perform as well as do during my grueling workouts – and guess what the best part about all this is?

It’s a simple enough “trick” – we ALL have access to clean drinking water, I’d say!

There are other reasons for staying well hydrated and I’ve mentioned some of them in the Simple and Effective Diet. I’ll be getting into this topic in detail more later as well, but for now … it is …

… adios – and I’ll see you tomorrow!

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – Here is where you can grab your copy of Eat More – Weigh Less – one of the MOST unconventional training manuals out there, but boy does it work …!? You be the judge, my friend- – https://0excusesfitness.com/eatmore-weighless/