Mark Twain stated that to succeed in life you need two things; "ignorance and confidence". This is very true, however the success part of the equation, comes from balancing between the two. Let's look at both.
Ignorance- Obviously this is the one you want in the smallest capacity. You do not want an ignorance against learning. Life is about lessons and failure. Each happens to us every day. Someone is teaching us a lesson and we fail at something everyday. It is how we react to this acquired knowledge and how we respond to our failures. I have told my two sons that failure is part of life, ignorance to adapt and overcome failures, will lead to more failure. You can apply ignorance here. Be ignorant of failure. Take it as a lesson; then adapt and overcome. Also be ignorant of negative forces. If someone is constantly telling you that you cannot do something, it is your choice to accept their belief. Confidence from others cannot ever outweigh your own self-confidence.
Confidence- Confidence is not conceit. If you believe in yourself, you can accomplish something special. It shows in your every mannerism. You will carry yourself with pride and conviction. Also, you will have the diligence to learn from every failure with a renewed since of accomplishment. And that is exactly what failure is, an accomplishment. You have achieved a ceiling in your mind, body or soul. The character of a man is how he build confidence from within and challenges those ceilings to rise above his failures.
To conclude, simply be ignorant of others confidence in you and be confident in yourself. You will find that learning from your failures will allow you to reach your goals much faster.
-Alex
bb.com
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Machines Versus Free Weights
While some machines are beneficial, especially when rehabbing an injury, they are more like a crutch.
The more your use them the more you depend on them.
Let's face it, a machine does some of the work for you. Is that not the opposite of the reason you come to the gym? I believe that the word "work" is in workout. So to make your body into an unstoppable machine, you must try to stay away from the machines. You will find that your body will respond with quicker gains.
Your joints and skeletal structure will receive a greater workload and stress resulting in a better "frame" for muscle growth. And remember if you want to lose weight, a quick way is to add muscle. It takes more energy to operate a muscle cell than a fat cell.
So start today and change your routine.
Train to Failure Everyday
-Alex
The more your use them the more you depend on them.
Let's face it, a machine does some of the work for you. Is that not the opposite of the reason you come to the gym? I believe that the word "work" is in workout. So to make your body into an unstoppable machine, you must try to stay away from the machines. You will find that your body will respond with quicker gains.
Your joints and skeletal structure will receive a greater workload and stress resulting in a better "frame" for muscle growth. And remember if you want to lose weight, a quick way is to add muscle. It takes more energy to operate a muscle cell than a fat cell.
So start today and change your routine.
Train to Failure Everyday
-Alex
Monday, September 26, 2011
Goal Setting Part One - Will Power and Failure
Will Power
Friedrich Nietzsche believed: "that Will Power is the main driving force in man; achievement, ambition, the striving to reach the highest possible position in life; these are all manifestations of the will to power."
It is with this in mind that I set my goals. Simply put, I believe that I am the only road block to my success. Therefore when I set a goal I do it with a Will that Powers my ambition and achievement. I visualize success and make sure that when I am in the gym my mind is focused on the task at hand. So make sure you are fixed on your athletic goals when you train. Do not be thinking about a football game, a movie or a girl. It is only an hour or two a day, so don't cheat your self and concentrate.
FAILURE
Nietzsche also said "that which does not kill us, only makes us stronger".
This is the best way to view failure. We need to fail every day. We learn from failure and our bodies do as well. Do not always think about numbers when doing sets, instead push yourself to failure. If you do this everyday you will break down barriers you thought were impossible.
Train to Failure and Will your self to success
-Alex
Friedrich Nietzsche believed: "that Will Power is the main driving force in man; achievement, ambition, the striving to reach the highest possible position in life; these are all manifestations of the will to power."
It is with this in mind that I set my goals. Simply put, I believe that I am the only road block to my success. Therefore when I set a goal I do it with a Will that Powers my ambition and achievement. I visualize success and make sure that when I am in the gym my mind is focused on the task at hand. So make sure you are fixed on your athletic goals when you train. Do not be thinking about a football game, a movie or a girl. It is only an hour or two a day, so don't cheat your self and concentrate.
FAILURE
Nietzsche also said "that which does not kill us, only makes us stronger".
This is the best way to view failure. We need to fail every day. We learn from failure and our bodies do as well. Do not always think about numbers when doing sets, instead push yourself to failure. If you do this everyday you will break down barriers you thought were impossible.
Train to Failure and Will your self to success
-Alex
Start a Journey
Monday's first step toward a new change is evaluation.
This may come as a shock, but if you have been working out in a gym, health club, spa or other workout facility, you have been in a laboratory. There are many types of experiments going on that you have not even noticed. You have had a wealth of information at your finger tips, you just did not know how to read it. Here is an example.
There is a guy in your gym that does not do any lower body, guaranteed. They are everywhere. My first strength coach called them "light bulbs". Big on top, chicken legs down below. It is not that they can't work legs, it is because they won't and most times they are just too lazy. Why else would you ignore a muscle group that makes up over 60% of your muscle mass. Now take a good look at this guy the next time you are in the gym. I will bet that he slightly stoops over with a small but growing hump in his upper back. This is probably due from so many pushes, his chest has grown but outside the rib cage, but not inside.
Do you want to know what is the best exercise for expanding the chest, and promoting overall championship level chest development?
SQUATS!! Nothing makes you breathe deeper and expand that rib cage to allow for bigger chest gains.
Now this is just one example of the information at your finger tips. Find a member of your gym that you want to look like and ask him what they do for a workout. And if you want to be a "light bulb" by all means go for it. But I would much rather be up against a man that can bench 315, then a man that can power clean 225. Do not waste your time and evaluate what you are doing. If your body has not changed or responded to your current training. Then now is the time to change.
Train to Failure
Alex
This may come as a shock, but if you have been working out in a gym, health club, spa or other workout facility, you have been in a laboratory. There are many types of experiments going on that you have not even noticed. You have had a wealth of information at your finger tips, you just did not know how to read it. Here is an example.
There is a guy in your gym that does not do any lower body, guaranteed. They are everywhere. My first strength coach called them "light bulbs". Big on top, chicken legs down below. It is not that they can't work legs, it is because they won't and most times they are just too lazy. Why else would you ignore a muscle group that makes up over 60% of your muscle mass. Now take a good look at this guy the next time you are in the gym. I will bet that he slightly stoops over with a small but growing hump in his upper back. This is probably due from so many pushes, his chest has grown but outside the rib cage, but not inside.
Do you want to know what is the best exercise for expanding the chest, and promoting overall championship level chest development?
SQUATS!! Nothing makes you breathe deeper and expand that rib cage to allow for bigger chest gains.
Now this is just one example of the information at your finger tips. Find a member of your gym that you want to look like and ask him what they do for a workout. And if you want to be a "light bulb" by all means go for it. But I would much rather be up against a man that can bench 315, then a man that can power clean 225. Do not waste your time and evaluate what you are doing. If your body has not changed or responded to your current training. Then now is the time to change.
Train to Failure
Alex
Two Keys to Youthful Cellular Growth
Keys to Cellular Growth
Resveratrol and ubiquinol are not new compounds and supplements. But the accepted list of benefits seems to keep growing. I have known about the Anti-Cancer and Cardiovascular effects of Red Wine and the stem cell activity realtionship with CoQ10, but I was skeptical of both until I took the plunge and started to supplement them both.
I must say I was impressed and the Ubiquinol seemed to take effect much quicker than I expected. The first place I noticed a difference was my skin. The tone and pigment seemed to start to looking more healthy (could not bring myself to type younger, but that is what I was aiming for).
Below are some of the new benefits either backed by studies are are currently being studied. Keep them both in mind the next time you get ready to check out at bb.com or wherever you purchase your supplements.
Resveratrol
- Neuro-protective effects- Reduces the formation of Brain Plaque.
- Anti-inflammatory effects- Inhibits accute and chronic inflammatory process
- Cardio-protective effects- French Wine Paradox, Inhibition of vascular cell adhesion
- NO Stimulation - Stimultes the NO Synthase in the body
- Anti Diabetic effects - Possesses hypoglycemic and hypolipidimic effects
-Antiviral effects - Has proved effective against many viruses
Ubiquinol
Cardiovascular effects- can as much as double the ejection fraction, this measures the ability of the heart ventricles to pump blood
Antioxidant- Only lipid soluble antioxidant synthesized in the body.
Neural Health- Has shown to slow development of Parkinson's disease.
Anti-Aging and Anti-Inflammation - Because of high absorbtion rate the antioxidant levels help to fight aging deterioration of skin cells and inflammation.
-Alex
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Training for Goals
Have you ever trained for a specific goal? Have you put in the many hours of sweat to get your body ready to compete in something, only to fail because of the gray matter between your ears?
Well I am going to tell you why you failed. You were isolating muscles for training put not working on the mental will power to succeed. I have had many coaches that told me never to go into competition without knowing you were the best. This is no bravado or arrogance, but a confidence that you can achieve anything.
I am 5' 7" and was always a horrible jumper. I just had no vertical lift or height in my jumps. I began to train on more challenging box jumps and kept reaching a plateau that was unacceptable. So like I always do, I inspected and reviewed my training and progress, so I could reassess.
Here is what I found, I had no confidence that i could jump higher. My mind was the only limiting factor. Once I eliminated failure as an option, my jumps soared higher every week. I can now from flat footed, reach a 52" high box jump. And that is not half bad for a 39 year old. So in summary, you must eliminate failure from your mind to achieve your goals.
Train to Failure Everyday
Alex
Eating More or Less
First, there is no biological reason to eat three meals a day. You have heard it before, you tend to eat too big of a meal and usually are overweight and have digestion problems. That was me. Not I worked out everyday, played rugby and was very active. But except for my post workout protein shake, I ate just three more times a day. My weight was always fluctuating and had constant heartburn. I had a good friend who suggested the following:
Your stomach is still a muscle controlled organ that uses calories to digest food. When you overfill the stomach and the enzymes and muscles are over worked, you pump in more acid to aid the digestive process. So split up the meals make the stomach work all day and watch weight disappear. I eat 10 times a day. I eat every 2-2.5 hours. Depending on what my goal is I average between 200-400 calories per meal.
Try it for a month and I promise you will have more energy, lose weight and have less stomach discomfort.
Train to Failure Every Day!!
Alex
- Diligently write your meal times out and track calories for a week.
- Average out you total calorie intake for each day.
- Now split that same calorie count over 6-8 (preferably 6 or more).
- Now watch your metabolism rise and lose weight without any additional physical work.
Your stomach is still a muscle controlled organ that uses calories to digest food. When you overfill the stomach and the enzymes and muscles are over worked, you pump in more acid to aid the digestive process. So split up the meals make the stomach work all day and watch weight disappear. I eat 10 times a day. I eat every 2-2.5 hours. Depending on what my goal is I average between 200-400 calories per meal.
Try it for a month and I promise you will have more energy, lose weight and have less stomach discomfort.
Train to Failure Every Day!!
Alex
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Saturday Afternoon Supplement Spotlight: Go Green
Today's must have Supplement of the week: Green Tea
Around six years ago I tried my first green tea. It was one of the Lipton Diet Citrus and I was hooked. Well as you can imagine that got expensive. So I decided to experiment with brewing my own and came up with a great batch that is strong and makes two gallons. I go through around 6 gallons a week.
I substitute a minimum of 40oz a day of my water with green tea. Experiment even if it is just a hot cup of green tea each day. Ideally try to have a glass around 90 minutes after you have finished your workout. I promise the energy and fat loss will amaze you (all other things being equal).
Alex
Start a Journey
Have you been a diligent gym goer for years?
Are you in good shape, but you look the same as you did last year?
Do the same workout and exercises every week?
Well let's start a journey to "re-boot" your body and start to reverse the clock and change your physique. If you are ready for a mental and physical challenge that will send shock waves to your body and wow your friends, then stay tuned. But first lets start by looking at traditional Isometric based workouts versus Compound movement based workouts.
Let's first look at life. Is life made up of single Isometric movements? Do you only use your lats when you start a lawnmower? No, of course not. You engage your legs, back, core and even neck muscles. So if this is the case then why would your workout be made up of solely Isometric movements? There is no reason, it is just simply "how we were taught". I am not taking away from the benefits of a bench press, but there is no reason to do it every week. There are hundreds of other movements that target the chest, but add an additional muscle group, thus making it a compound movement. When you realize that your body and more specifically your muscles are like cogs in a machine, the better off your workout mentality will be. You will begin to do things you could never do before. I am 39 years old and regularly do box jumps of over 48 inches. Am I a special athlete, no. I am just a guy who wanted to jump higher and looked at what I needed to do to accomplish this.
Personal trainers cost a fortune and I see them in my gym everyday, watching me. It is really funny, they will even imitate the movements that I have created. I take this as a complement, and strive to work even harder. Think of me as your R and D department. I have done the research, and with your motivation can turn you from a V6 to a V8. Below is a link to my Bodyspace page where you can see my transformation over the years.
http://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com/arrakis_rugby/
IF YOU FOLLOW THIS BLOG YOU MUST OPEN YOUR MIND. A good deal of what I will describe is against conventional weight lifting theory, but the results are real. If you want to change you body then stay tuned for the Smart Body Initiative Blog.
Train to failure everyday!
Alex
Are you in good shape, but you look the same as you did last year?
Do the same workout and exercises every week?
Well let's start a journey to "re-boot" your body and start to reverse the clock and change your physique. If you are ready for a mental and physical challenge that will send shock waves to your body and wow your friends, then stay tuned. But first lets start by looking at traditional Isometric based workouts versus Compound movement based workouts.
Let's first look at life. Is life made up of single Isometric movements? Do you only use your lats when you start a lawnmower? No, of course not. You engage your legs, back, core and even neck muscles. So if this is the case then why would your workout be made up of solely Isometric movements? There is no reason, it is just simply "how we were taught". I am not taking away from the benefits of a bench press, but there is no reason to do it every week. There are hundreds of other movements that target the chest, but add an additional muscle group, thus making it a compound movement. When you realize that your body and more specifically your muscles are like cogs in a machine, the better off your workout mentality will be. You will begin to do things you could never do before. I am 39 years old and regularly do box jumps of over 48 inches. Am I a special athlete, no. I am just a guy who wanted to jump higher and looked at what I needed to do to accomplish this.
Personal trainers cost a fortune and I see them in my gym everyday, watching me. It is really funny, they will even imitate the movements that I have created. I take this as a complement, and strive to work even harder. Think of me as your R and D department. I have done the research, and with your motivation can turn you from a V6 to a V8. Below is a link to my Bodyspace page where you can see my transformation over the years.
http://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com/arrakis_rugby/
IF YOU FOLLOW THIS BLOG YOU MUST OPEN YOUR MIND. A good deal of what I will describe is against conventional weight lifting theory, but the results are real. If you want to change you body then stay tuned for the Smart Body Initiative Blog.
Train to failure everyday!
Alex
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