“Hypocrite - A person who professes certain ideals, but fails to live up to them.”

We live in a world of abundance. An incredible time that could only be fathomed by science fiction writers and visionaries. But such abundance, convenience and safety is bad. We are somehow supposed to work for centuries to advance our group/tribe or the individual, only disdain the fruits of our labor. As if being rich, healthy, nourished, safe and happy is a bad [immoral] thing. We should somehow hate what we’ve become.

I for one, welcome our technology and science overlords. I still dream of Transporters and Starships. I think each bend of life’s river is a Brave New World.

Take a simple bottle of water. A fairly modern invention. Do you doubt me? Look at photos of the Jack Dempsey-Jess Willard fight. It’s in 1919, JULY4, in Toledo, Ohio. Estimate of temperature is over 100 degrees with between 80,000 and 100,000 in attendance.  There are LOTS of straw hats. Not too many Fiji Water bottles in evidence. How can that be? How can humans not walk around with a water bottle?

So we have this wonderful convenience of portable, clean, water, which certain parts of the earth don’t, yet now it’s a BAD thing? Why is it bad? Here is an experiment. Get into your car on a hot day and take a swig of lukewarm water from the bottle resting in your cup holder. The person next to you will yell, “Don’t drink that!!! It’s poison!!! Somehow they believe that a few ounces of water in a mildly warm, plastic bottle is toxic. Yes, the very water that any impoverished child would beg for on the other side of the planet is loaded with Xenoestrogens and plastic byproducts that have been converted by ultraviolet radiation to a toxic soup guaranteed to drop your testosterone levels from 911 to zero. Your testicles will be shrinking faster than Gary Busey looking for a restroom at the House of Blues. All from a sip of water! So there is a worldwide water shortage, but water is BAD.

“Human beings are a species splendid in their array of moral equipment, tragic in their propensity to misuse it, and pathetic in their constitutional ignorance of the misuse.” – R. Right

If you have ever traveled in the Western US, there can be miles between gas stations. Such gas stations are outfitted with bathrooms, sometimes showers, and most certainly food, coffee, microwaves, tables, chairs, etc. I think this is fantastic. It’s convenient and makes travel fun. You can essentially have a full meal at a gas station and wash/change clothes. But this is bad because fuel companies are bad. Big Oil is evil. How can that be? You all drive cars that use fuels based on oil, don’t you? If Big Oil is so evil, why do you embrace it and the convenience it gives to your life? Doesn’t your motorcycle and boat use oil too? I thought Global Warming and Climate change were a product of man’s obnoxious desire and greed for more. So if you are owning or driving a car, aren’t you part of the problem? I mean you can choose between a melting polar cap and a Ferrari, can’t you?

“So convenient a thing is it to be a reasonable creature, since it enables one to find or make a reason for everything one has a mind to do.” — Benjamin Franklin

There seems to be this double edged sword where if a product or service is designed and it benefits us, then something is not right. We simply can’t accept that microwaves or heart bypass surgery or pizza is fine. We have to do one thing and say another. We use it quietly, but condemn it publicly. Examples you ask? Sure,..

• Golden Rice is a Genetically Modified Organism. It is high in Vitamin A. I didn’t know this till recently but an average of 670,000 children under age 5 die each year of Vitamin A deficiency. The promise of Golden Rice is to reverse this. For those who HATE anything GMO,.. I hope you fall asleep to the cries of those children.
• Insulin for Diabetics. We formerly used pig insulin which can cause allergies. Now we use Humulin, which is a GMO. So if GMO’s are all bad and should not be allowed, what do we do with Diabetics? What about Juvenile Diabetics?
• Gluten is bad. This is a great statement. A test to see HOW bad it is could be constructed by getting a group of people around FREE pizza. As strongman Mark Henry said, “The only thing better than food is FREE food!” The fact is that  the same people who will condemn a really good food that nourishes a large part of the planet,will jump at a chance to stuff their pie-hole for free.
• Big Pharma is the devil. Yes they are. They have lobbyists and supposedly withhold cures for cancer [cancer is a generic term]. Then again, after having GMO-free, GLUTEN-free, PESTICIDE-free, lunch at Whole Foods, the family will jump into their gas guzzling SUV, drink from their Fiji Water bottles, [where did the H-Bomb get tested at by the way?] and head off  to the hospital. They are going to see Grandma who has ovarian cancer. However she’s receiving chemotherapy that just passed FDA approval [we KNOW how evil they are!] that has improved remission rate from 70% to 90%. That means Grandma is going to live and get to be a Great Grandma. But remember, Big Pharma is evil.
• Vaccinations and Immunizations are deadly. It is so because you read it somewhere on the internet. You saw a meme on Facebook. Because Government, particularly the US government is evil and controlling. But fear can change that. Ebola has hit the shores. Now you are thinking about a Zombie Apocalypse for REALZ! “Do something!” you yell. Don’t they have secret government labs and Captain America to handle this stuff? I mean,.. I didn’t vaccinate my children because the ladies in my drumming circle told me NOT to, but the evil Ebola will kill us. I want a shot or pill to protect me and my kids!
• The internet and smartphones have changed the way we interact. We don’t talk anymore. Well, yeah,.. you are right. I have friends all over the earth right now. Some I’ve never met. I talk to them all the time. Email, messaging, Skype, text. It’s just another tool. The idea of it being different is correct, but telephones changed everything. So did messengers and the pony express. Why is Skype bad or impersonal and Pheidippides, the first marathon runner/messenger good? You applaud the heroic history of Greece, yet hate how often people glance at their phones? What’s the difference? People were glancing at the horizon for messengers thousands of years ago. Was that impersonal?
• Artificial Sweeteners will kill you,.. so I’ve been told. They do bad things to your gut and they are neurotoxic. In fact at recent visit to Starbucks I was ready to tear open some packets of Equal to sweeten the expensive coffee. A woman saw me and yelled, “DON’T!! I think she even locked and loaded her Glock 19 at my temple. As I carefully turned to face her, I found out that her forehead did not move. AT ALL! Apparently it was injected with Botulinum toxin. Essentially a biological weapon. [ http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=193600 ] So this woman has a chemical that eradicate life as we know it on planet earth, festering in her forehead and I’m Satan for having damn cup of coffee with Equal?

But since it is much harder to be fair than to seem fair, and since laziness is built deep into human nature, humans more often choose appearance over reality. -Machiavelli

The point is that we speak one way and act another. Food manufacturers make food taste good. I know that is shocking. Yet they are bad since we can’t say “NO!” to an Oreo Instead of one or two, we eat a tractor trailer full of them. We can blame the cookie companies, not our lack of will.

We have supplement companies that claim the FDA is evil, yet when an outbreak of salmonella takes place, it’s the FDA and government agencies that warn us. Certainly if we eliminate the FDA, these supplement companies will take over inspection of meat, produce, drugs, livestock, etc.

In China, I believe, there is a limit to the amount of children you can have. Try that in the USA. No one tells us what to do. But we have an exploding population. It needs to be fed. How are they going to be fed?

According to a very vocal group of US Citizens-

• Vaccinations are bad.
• Wheat is bad. Probably corn and soy too.
• Meat has bad hormones in it.
• Chicken has bad hormones in it.
• Fish has mercury in it.
• Pesticides are deadly. We have to let insects eat all our veggies. Bye bye Caesar Salad!
• Big Oil is bad. That means no cars or only electric vehicles.
• Big Pharma is bad. No medicine. EVER.
• No preservatives. Shelf life will be cut dramatically. Better shop fast and bring a gun to the store. We’ve all seen the post hurricane footage of looting for food with firearms.
• All TV, except government supported educational TV is bad and reduces intelligence.
• The internet and smartphones make us a bunch of impersonal worker drones.
• Water bottles create poisonous water.

So according to this, most of you will not be eating, drinking, calling, driving, taking medicine, watching TV or using your phone/computer.

BUT YOU WILL BE DOING ALL THOSE THINGS. BECAUSE YOU ARE A HYPOCRITE.

Humans tend to judge others by their behavior, but think they have special information about themselves – that they know what they are “really like” inside – and thus effortlessly find ways to explain away selfish acts, and maintain the illusion that they are better than others. –  Epley, N. (2000-12-01). Feeling “Holier Than Thou”. Journal of personality and social psychology, 79(6), 861-875.

The post You Are Hypocrites appeared first on Tom Furman Fitness.

I like pizza. It’s probably the most enjoyable food I eat. Most, however, associate pizza with the term, ‘junk’ or ‘bad’ food. They are labeling something they have NO idea about. Food is made up of macronutrients. Protein, Fat, Carbohydrates and Water. We can throw alcohol in that mix too. Like there are three primary colors with no morality attached to them [is blue evil?], there is NO morality to chemical substances. When you expose the planet to the deadly botulism toxin,.. you can end life. When you shoot it into the face of a woman in Boca Raton, you get paid a lot of money. Everything in context. Even pizza.

According to the book, “Blue Zones”, the people of Sardinia live longer on average. What component is a genetic marker that is more consistent in this island population. The other is the lifestyle, including diet. Strong family ties, relationships, physical activity and stress reduction are all deemed important. Their diet is the classic, “Mediterranean” diet.

. Here is a description from the “Blue Zone” website.

Eat a lean, plant-based diet accented with meat. The classic Sardinian diet consists of whole-grain bread, beans, garden vegetables, fruits, and, in some parts of the island, mastic oil. Sardinians also traditionally eat pecorino cheese made from grass-fed sheep, whose cheese is high in omega-3 fatty acids. Meat is largely reserved for Sundays and special occasions.

Drink a glass or two of red wine daily. Sardinians drink wine moderately. Cannonau wine has two or three times the level of artery-scrubbing flavonoids as other wines. Moderate wine consumption may help explain the lower levels of stress among men.

So based on at least one long lived, healthy, group of people, pizza with wine fits very well into this diet. Rather than order out, I think making it at home is both time efficient and economical. There is also value in the stress reduction associated with cooking Italian food and sipping some wine as you do so.

Here is a recipe that has been varied over the years. It’s very modular, and is designed to be modified. I’d love to hear others suggestions.

1. Pre Made pizza crust. Boboli, Mama Marie, etc,.. many varieties available in your local market.
2. Spend some money on a good sauce,.. I like Basil in my sauce,.. you may like garlic or vodka.
3. First layer of cheese is either goat, blue or gorgonzola.
4. About a pound of protein. In this case, chicken breast cooked in wine, olive oil and ample spice.
5. A layer of cooked spinach, sun dried tomatoes, garlic and onions.
6. I top it with fresh whole milk, mozzarella cheese.
7. It cooks quickly at a high heat. [about 6 minutes at 400 degrees] Let cool for 3 minutes, then slice and eat. Drink lots of red wine for the polyphenols and stress reducing components.

Enjoy.

The post Pizza May Be The Ultimate Food appeared first on Tom Furman Fitness.

“Ignore the outcome and do the work”

Kenny “X” is a client. He has a high stress job and practices Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. The combination of facing security threats and errors in international banking on a daily basis was punctuated by showing up on the mats and having “friends” [opponents] try to tap you out or choke you out. There is a saying that the ultimate stress is death, but there are many rungs to that ladder. Adopting a philosophy that takes you from portly code writer to grappling fanatic can be an unwieldy mission. Being objective is not easy when you are the one on fire.

Fortunately objectivity can be found in the form of coaching. Not a guy with a cigar yelling at you as you do burpees. Not a knee socks wearing, weekend certification, sycophant. Just someone with similar knowledge and an awareness of outcomes. Then choosing a path to get there. That path should stimulate, not annihilate. It should improve and do no harm.

The emphasis is on feedback, communication and offering distinctions in behavior. Then there’s the evidence. Spinning your wheels is not good. It burns gas and leads to frustration. Measurable changes are what need to happen.

Kenny X’s previous experience was in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Starting Strength, Powerlifting and EATING. He also like a drink or two. Nothing wrong with enjoying life if your goals are realized and you sleep well. That was not the case.  With some simple guidelines, diet and training,.. he changed it all and will continue to change.

Date Weight Waist (at navel)
3/21/2014 225 41.5
4/28/2014 213 36
5/26/2014 207.8 34
7/21/2014 197 33
7/28/2014 197 33
8/15/2014 194 32

So that is a loss of 31 pounds and nearly 10 inches off of the waist. Better sleep, better at the job, better Brazillian Jiu Jitsu and better at life. What’s interesting is we have never met and I’ve never watched him train. 100% of this training is via internet and phone.

If you are looking for similar results, contact me.

The post “Punch The Clock” Equals Results appeared first on Tom Furman Fitness.

“When I played football, I was lifting weights, but when it came to doing Tarzan, I wanted to be really cut and trim and sculptured. I didn’t lift any weights, but I did calisthenics. I did the same routine every day to get in better shape –  rather than upping the number of repetitions, I cut down on the time so I was doing things faster and it gave me a more sculptured look like to make it more believable when I did athletic things in those movies. I think the movies speak for themselves – I did all my own stunts.” — Mike Henry, Tarzan. 

 Jock Mahoney using the Charles Atlas system from his boyhood. The only difference being, he did more of the pushups, situps, and deep knee bends to play Tarzan. Woody Strode said Mahoney was Charles Atlas! Mahoney did not have a bodybuilder’s physique with exaggerated and useless muscle. His was the lean physique of a hunter/warrior. There was no superfluous flesh anywhere. This is what you’d expect Tarzan to look like if he had been a real person. — From Transformetrics forum and verified via Jock Mahoney’s bio. 

French actor, Christopher Lambert was hired to play, “Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes. To get Lambert in shape to be the legendary Edgar Rice Burroughs character, the studio enlisted Dreas Reyneke, a London based, Pilates instructor. On observation, Christopher had a badly curved upper back. This had to be corrected before harder trainer was allowed. The training to become Tarzan took five months. Here are the results from a page out of “Ultimate Pilates” by Dreas Reyneke. 

The point of this biographical training information is NOT to dispel the idea of progressive resistance training by use of barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, machines or odd implements. Rather to see the adaptation of the human body to a simplistic training methodology that can basically be done in the jungles of Mexico, a small studio in London or in the wilds of India. Christopher Lambert overcame spinal curvature. Mike Henry overcame an infected chimpanzee bite. Jock Mahoney almost died from dysentery and dengue fever, losing 40 pounds and filming fight scenes with 104 degree temperature. They did not have a trailer full of weights, dieticians, proper rest, calm conditions or the latest exotic PED’s. They simply did what they had to do along with a certain amount of natural talent and physical gifts.

I’ve seen trainees quit gyms because a special piece of equipment was not available that they felt was crucial to their goals. Then there are others who can look around them and use their knowledge and thinking skills to make the best use of time and environment. They simply exercise two vital skills, decision making and discipline to arrive at an outcome they desire.

Too many complain about lack of money, lack of equipment, lack of motivation, lack of will and lack of direction. Then oddly, one of the screens most enduring icons, Tarzan, can be created with little or no special demands. It’s about showing up.

The post How Did Tarzan Train? appeared first on Tom Furman Fitness.

gen·e·sis
jenəsis
noun
the origin or mode of formation of something.
“this tale had its genesis in fireside stories”
synonyms: origin, source, root, beginning, start

If we look at the genesis of an idea or method, we can sometimes view it without addition, modification or ornamentation. The is nothing good or bad about variation or evolution. It’s not about morality, it’s just sometimes refreshing to see the beginning of thought and action.

For example, Pavel Tsatsouline and Dan John wrote a book called Easy Strength. It’s a fairly large book full of thoughts, ideas, examples and explanations about the process and idea of “Easy Strength”. There is a quote by Dan John that is vivid and basically the genesis of the book, summed up in his words.

“Years ago, when I first met Pavel, he challenged me to do a “40 Day Workout.” I followed his simple instructions to a “T:”
“For the next forty workouts, pick five lifts. Do them every workout. Never miss a rep, in fact, never even get close to struggling. Go as light as you need to go and don’t go over ten reps for any of the movements in a workout. It is going to seem easy. When the weights feel light, simply add more weight.”
So, I did exactly as he said. On the 22nd workout, alone in my garage gym, I broke my lifetime best Incline Bench Press record that was 300 for a single. Without a spotter, in a frozen garage, I benched 315 for a double. All the other lifts went through the roof and I was as amazed then as I am now.”
—- http://danjohn.net/2011/06/even-easier-strength-perform-better-notes/

Rather than think about the workout, I wondered where Pavel’s idea came from. Then it struck me. I was around in February 2002 at the second RKC in the frozen north. Others included Brett Jones, Mike Mahler and Rob Lawrence. Shortly afterwards a “Tactical Strength Challenge” was being organized. It would be, Pullups with a 32k ‘bell. Pistols with a 32k ‘bell. Snatches with a 32k ‘bell. The thoughts on how to train this were filling up the old Dragon Door forum on a daily basis. Brett ended up following some of the early and most basic rules. The genesis of much of what is used today.

• Fresh But Frequent
• Same But Different
• Density Training
• Breathing Ladders

How did this look on paper?

• 5 to 6 days of training
• Two sets, maybe three on pullups
• Train the event, specificity
• Low reps, sometimes higher on pullups
• Same but different. Include variations of each drill
• Use density and/or breathing to develop specific snatch endurance.
• Have a plan, but be flexible

Brett’s article can be seen here – http://www.dragondoor.com/articles/tsc-training-2002/

I don’t want to mislead you. Best to read Brett’s own words.

As per Density Training, this has probably been around for many years, however the process has been solidified by Coach Ethan Reeve. This is his original post from the forum. It was saved on Brett’s blog and bears repeating here. It’s good stuff.

“To all concerned,
This may be a little different training than many are accustomed to:
I have had many types of athletes have great success increase their strength
as well as strength or power endurance doing what I term “density training”
For instance, let’s say your goal for the 2 pood kettlebell clean-n-press is to do
12 reps in a row. First, you want to use double the voume of your goal which is
24 reps. You will only do this workout twice per week. You will start out
doing 12 sets of 2 reps in 12 mins. Meaning you start a new set every 60 secs.
At first your rest periods will be about 50-55 secs. After this becomes easy to
you move to 8 sets of 3 reps in 8 mins. When this becomes easy move to 6 sets
of 4 reps in 6 mins. When this becomes easy move to 5 sets of 5 reps in
5 mins. You will notice by now your rest periods become shorter as your reps
increase. After this becomes easy move to 4 sets of 6 reps in 4 mins. When this
has become easy for you I can promise that you will be able to do the 12 reps
goal on the clean-n-press. Using this formula I have had many, many athletes
perform between 30-45 reps on chinups in a row. I had one wrestler do 600 chinups
in 63 mins., he was a 3-time state champion.While I have had many other
athletes do between 400-500 chinups in 90-120 mins. Our goal at UT Chatt.
was to have 90+% of our wrestlers do 10 sets of 10 reps on chinups in 10 mins.
We started with 20 sets of 5 in 20 mins. then working to sixes to 7′s to 8′s
to 9′s until we reached 10 sets of 10 in 10 mins. This took a period of 3
months to reach.
However, we then did the 100 reps each day throughout the season along with
our rope climbs, and 3x’s per week power cleans, front squats, rdls,
standing presses, bent rows,dips, etc.

Let’s say your goal is to do 2 pood kettlebell snatches for 40+40. The total
volume will be 80+80. Do this only twice per week. First you might do 40
sets of 2+2 in 40 mins.
When this becomes easy move to 26 sets of 3+3. Then move to 20 sets of
4+4 in 20 mins. Notice that at first your workout might only be snatches.
However, as you spend less time on the snactches you will be able to put
more lifts into your program.Then move into 16 sets of 5+5. Then 13 sets of
6+6 in 13 mins. After this becomes easy do 11 sets of 7+7, resting one minute
after completion of each set. Then work on 10 sets of 8+8, resting one mins.
after completion of each set. Once you have reached the 10′s decrease the
volume to the goal volume because now you are going for pure quality. So,
you will do 4 sets of 10+10 with one mins. break after completion of set.
Then move 4 sets of 11+11. Then to 3 sets of 12+12. Then to 3 sets of 13+13.
Once you have reached 2 sets of 20+20 WITH ONE MINS. BREAK AFTER COMPLETION OF SET
you will be very close to the 40+40 goal. My caution to you is that you will want to do
this only twice per week. It can be very taxing. Density training is basically
squeezing alot of volume into a short period of time to make it more quality.
If you have any questions, please reply!
In Strength,
Ethan Reeve”
– http://appliedstrength.blogspot.com/2007/11/here-is-original-density-training-post.html

The variation that Brett employed as I remember back to his posts of 12 years ago is a reduced volume of daily work to build more overall physical endurance.

His other method was Breathing Ladders. This was a training idea from Rob Lawrence. This quote sums it up, but the link to the article is provided as well.

“1. Do one snatch left, one snatch right, take two breaths. 
2. Do two snatches left, two snatches right, take four breaths. 
3. Do three snatches left, three snatches right, take sixth breaths. 
4. Etc. …”

http://www.dragondoor.com/articles/breathing-ladders/

The exercises, as I stated, were the Pullup, Pistol and Snatch. Brett included an upper body push. At the time it was a bench press, but I remember him using a kettlebell press or a one arm/one leg pushup to stimulate total body tension.

This workout, done 4 to 6 times per week will provide ample stimulation to the abdominal area. If you want to add anything, a few simple roll outs with the abdominal wheel or hanging leg raises will suffice. Do this at the end of the workout.

I’d suggest a back off or deload, every fourth week. You can also vary the lift and do a one armed long cycle clean and jerk if you like or even heavy swings with a thick handled kettlebell.

In Armor of War I have many variations of the single leg squat, upper body push and upper body pull. Any stage can be skipped or augmented with added weight. The weakness of body weight programs is the lack of a strong posterior chain movement. This BRETT2K2 workout takes care of that with ample snatch volume.

For a good source of pre workout mobility - http://www.tomfurman.com/downloads/10-exercises-that-will-de-age-your-body-by-10-years/

For a guide to relaxing your muscles for stretch - http://www.tomfurman.com/downloads/activate-your-dynamic-range-of-motion/

And the source for body weight training, Armor of War, look no further than here - http://www.tomfurman.com/downloads/armor-of-war-augmented-bodyweight-training/

The post Genesis appeared first on Tom Furman Fitness.

Max Shank’s long awaited book is here. While you have heard others talk and decipher movement, muscle and moxy, Max is putting his money where his mouth is. Certainly anyone who can toss around ‘bells, do Highland Games and practice Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai is worth listening to. His mentality and non military approach could probably be the right medicine for those who are interested in massive improvement rather than masochistic weekends. 

Master The Kettlebell
How to Develop High-Level Skills in Movement, Power Generation and Strength—Using the World’s Single Best Tool for the Job

The post Shank, Max Shank. appeared first on Tom Furman Fitness.

Some more of my collected notes from the training log of Eddie Kowacz, the Green Ghost. His wish is that all his data and training advice is for FREE. Below is from his training journal. It is an upper-lower split. If you are unfamiliar with this former Marine and SWAT operative, the time frame of this training was after 12 knee operations and before total knee replacement. Sports, 40 years of martial arts and managing violence as a correction officer took a toll on his knee. The point is,.. it didn’t stop him from training,…. hard.

—->Upper/Lower Splits

Fri -Lower
Swing Snatches done with 88 for 10 sets of 3/3.
45 seconds rest between sets.
Abs on Swiss Ball.

Sat – Upper
Dips and Chins Superset. 10 sets of 5/5.
30 seconds rest between sets.
5 Dips + 5 Chins 30 seconds rest and repeat 9 x
Brutal but great! Thumbless grip used as always.

Sun – Lower
Deadlifts – 315 3×3 , 405, 455, 495.
Standing Ab Curls w/ JS Blue Band.
Bodyweight 190.

Mon – Upper
Dips with 100 lbs. 5 sets of 2 reps.
Chins with 100 lbs 7 singles.

Tues – Lower
Swings with fat handled 105 for 5×5. All reps head high.

Wed – Off

Thur – Upper.
Dips with 70 lbs for 5×5
Chins with 70 lbs for 5×5

Fri – Lower
Clean High Pulls with 150 KB 10 x 5 60 seconds rest between sets.
Standing Ab Curls with JS Blue Band.

Sat – Off

Sunday – Upper
Bodyweight Dips/Chins superset. 10 sets of 5/5
5 dips / 5 chins and 30 second rest and repeat 9X

Mon – Lower
Deadlifts using 405 for 1 set of 5 reps. 455 for 5 singles.
Standing Ab Curls using JS Blue Band for 5 sets of 10 reps.

Tues – Off

Wed – Upper
Dips using 105 for 5 singles.
Chins using 105 for 5 singles.
1 set of Pullups using 90 for 4 reps.
JS Band Presses

Thursday – Lower
1 Arm Swings using Fat Handled 110 for 5×5.
Dead Snatches using 88 for 5 sets of 3/3. 60 sec. rest between sets.
Standing Ab Curls JS Blue Band. 10 x 5

Friday – Upper
L/C 2 KB Dead Clean + Presses using 70s for 10 sets of 3 reps.
60 seconds rest between sets.
JS Band Presses

Sat – Off

All I ingest is Meat, Black Coffee , Spring Water, and little butter. Never felt better! Vitamins and Minerals as well.

The post Green Ghost Chronicles: Upper/Lower Split appeared first on Tom Furman Fitness.

A Goblet is not a Holy Grail, however it can be a tool that has many uses.

When one individual slowly carves a methodology with a tool on one coast and gets great results. It’s a good thing. When a person on the other coast is unknowingly doing the same thing and getting superior results, our ears perk up. That’s what happened. I first read in Easy Strength, by Pavel and Dan John about Mark Toomey’s Goblet Squat program. Mark’s squatting max was around 315 x 5. He could keep it in that range with a Goblet Squat program. Here were the ingredients.

• Every fourth day
• Volume day was 8 to 10 sets of 10 reps
• “Heavy” day was 5 sets of 5 reps

That’s it. Quick and dirty. Adjust the weights when they become “easy” and progress again.

That workout stuck in my head. If someone promises, “something for nothing”, I’m careful to protect my wallet, but I was intrigued.

Here is commentary from the Strongfirst forum by Mark himself on what exactly happened. It’s rather vivid.

“I had struggled to get through 315 on a back squat until I used the goblet squat as part of a continuity of training. Squatting repeatedly in an effort to get over 300 had probably led me to over-training (yes, it’s a problem for all of us). The goblet squat enforced in my training something I had really neglected to focus upon and that was very tight abdominals in both the negative and the positive power drive. The goblet squat also taught me to use a slightly wider stance than I had been using before. My left knee was pretty badly damaged back in ’83, to the point they almost took my leg from the knee down. Surprisingly, a wider stance not only made the squat possible, but for the first time in over twenty years, I could train heavier with a bar than I had previous to my injury. Now, I had gotten up to 315 before, but it was one of those, “I got here, wrecked my body doing it, so let’s never go here again” and I never was able to work up past three reps in a set. Now, here’s the funny part. Using heavy goblet squats helped my barbell back squat, but they really helped my deadllift. How? Two reasons, first the ab thing, but then, the 48kg goblet squat really forced me to recruit my traps, something I had been lacking in my deadlift prior. I’m convinced that getting my traps “turned on” (not a very scientific term, I know) is what took me over 500 lbs on the dead.” [ http://www.strongfirst.com/topic/question-for-mark-toomey-about-goblet-squat-routine-from-easy-strength/ ]

Months later I was corresponding with the Green Ghost, Eddie Kowacz. After years of knee surgeries [12 of them] he elected for total knee replacement. He went through rehab and is now training hard. I asked him about the knee and he said it’s, “not like a real knee and he’d never go through that again,..”. Then I asked him how he was training now that his lower body work was not isolated to density, volume, deadlifting. Here is his answer-

Just tonight I did 10×10 Goblet Squat using the 70 lber.  Next workout will be 5×5 with the 150 lber.

Going heavy with DLs 1-2 times weekly is ideal!

Grinds are either 1 arm KB presses or close grip push-up handles with weight vest! Other pull day is usually DB dead cleans using 80s.

So lightening strikes twice? Interesting. Two, grizzled strength guys using a simple workout to cover their needs. Maybe this was something to look at.

I also became aware of the rehab journey of Strongfirst’s Mark Reifkind. He too had a total knee replacement. He had a background in gymnastics, biking, running, bodybuilding and powerlifting, Westside Style. He had access to every tool and this is the workout he was choosing. Count the sets, look at the volume too.

Goblet squat
16 kg x 5 x 2
20 kg x 5
24 kg x 5
32 kg x 3 x 5 sets
24 kg x 5 x 5 sets

Definitely a PR since I’ve never done this workout before but it was cool. Could have easily done the 32 for 5′s but the idea was not to push it.

So a quick summary of the, “Goblet Squat used for developmental or maintenance versus mobility” program.

1. Two days or an A and B workout.

2. Volume Day. Density Style. 8 to 10 sets of 10 reps.

3. “Heavy” Day. Not “Squat” heavy, but heavy for Goblets. Do this 5 X 5.

4. Frequency is every third or fourth day.

5. Conditioning would be secondary so don’t rush it. Rest periods however are another variable when training this way.

6. Try 90 down to 30 seconds of rest depending on your needs.  

The devil is in the details and in this case, the Goblet. If you do an image search on Bing or Google nearly 90+ percent of the photos that come up are WRONG. They simply use a dumbbell or kettlebell as a counterbalance. It’s like it’s a substitution for a back squat or front squat. The idea of the goblet squat is to ALLOW movement to occur that builds perfect squatting form. The knees are pushed by the elbows for both stretching/mobilizing and to get used to the torso fitting between the thighs. At the bottom of the squat, along with “prying” and stretching the adductors, the hips can circle or do figure eights to “create space” in the gluteal area.

For the definitive article about the Goblet Squat, I’d recommend Dan John’s T-Nation article. He covers all the bases and it’s easy to understand and implement. —  http://www.t-nation.com/training/goblet-squats-101

Realize too, that the Goblet Squat has been around for eons. My Indonesian Martial Arts instructor. Harold Koning, PhD. used it in his conditioning program for decades, without the addition of weight. Here is a photo, I believe of Iyengar doing an extreme “prayer squat”. This only shows that lots of sharp people looking for solutions often arrive at similar destinations.

So if your body is in a current state of protest over heavy squats,.. Give the Goblet Squat, Heavy/Volume Program a look.

The post Is This The Answer? appeared first on Tom Furman Fitness.

“Nothing will work unless you do”. — Maya Angelou

Diamond Cut Abs is a book by Danny Kavadlo. He’s a fitness author and instructor from New York and what he’s done with this book is very good indeed. Danny, and his brother, Al, are known for bodyweight training methods and a strong splash of style. When you put those things together, you end up with a great product. But seriously, there are a lot of great books on fitness training, strength training, bodyweight training and especially abdominal training. You can Google the words, “abdominal training” and get a couple million hits. So what sets this book aside from the others?

• Danny doesn’t take himself so seriously as a GURU. He has fun. That is a breath of fresh air.
• He starts with a sensible guide about eating. NO, it’s not a nutritional science course. It’s common sense.
• There is bit about Danny’s history. I like it because it lends perspective and ALL of us can relate.
• Common sense approach to aerobic lifestyle versus, “metabolic burn” and all that crap.
• There is NO moralizing about “good” and “bad”. It’s about choice and outcome. That’s refreshing.
• Graphic design rocks. Danny’s photos are fun, clear and anything but boring.
• Good progression. Similar exercises of course, there is only so many ways to move, but the integration is sound.
• This book is more about lifestyle than about pounding yourself to the point of injury.

OK, What didn’t I like? Not much. The lead photo to this review would have been a cooler cover, but it’s extreme and really doesn’t represent the “lifestyle” of fitness. It’s not what Danny or proper training is about since it’s a stunt,.. but cool none the less.

Truthfully if I did a book on abdominal training and the fitness lifestyle, it might be like this. I’m not into the fasting or juice fast world, but fully embrace the coffee and wine,.. but I digress. My advice is to click the link and buy it. It’s worth it and simply showing up and following the advice will change you. CLICK HERE ——> LINK

The post Diamond Cut Abs by Danny Kavadlo appeared first on Tom Furman Fitness.

“But you have to be durable. REAL durable. Most ain’t”. — Actor William Smith as Jack Wilson in “Any Which Way You Can”

The post Bamboo Gods, Iron Men & Rubber Bands appeared first on Tom Furman Fitness.

So I go to the Doctor and tell him, “It hurts when I go like this”. He tells me, “Well, don’t go like that”.

As funny as the joke is, it’s 100% true. Telling that to an athlete who has specific requirements to win a title or earn an income, may be another matter. That is not most of us though. We approach exercise, strength training, flexibility, nutrition and endurance training for either self protection [maintaining health] or self preservation, [we want to look good naked]. Rarely is doing anything SO critical that we can’t make an adjustment. There seems to be some obsessive streak in us to do the very thing that keeps us in pain. As if limping or sleeping with a stomach full of ibuprofen is a badge of courage. We seem fascinated trying to trying to fit square pegs in round holes.

What follows seems like sarcasm, but they are actually simple solutions to comments heard every day in cyberspace.

Q – My shoulders hurt from bench pressing. What should I do?
A – Stop Benching. Of course you won’t because when you die and go to heaven, the strongest bench pressers get the best accommodations. Beyond that, get GOOD coaching. If that fails and your x-rays look like the film, “Faces of Death”,.. then try dumbbells, a machine, overhead presses or even types of push ups. Unless you are competing in a bench press competition, you can, gulp, NOT bench press. You may also try board pressing and reduce the range of motion.

Q – I have to use one of those, “Bane-like” masks to sleep. Do you have any ideas on sleep apnea?
A – How much do you weigh? 500? 400? 300? 275 lbs? What did you weigh in high school? Is there a difference in the quality of sleep between then and now? Here’s a revolutionary idea, lose weight. Is this a 100% cure? NO. Will it reduce the risks of cardiovascular disease dramatically? YES. Losing weight is also FREE and in fact will save you money.

Q – When I get near my max in the deadlift, I get injured. What could be the problem?
A – “If you seek your limits, you will find them”. Of course hiding under the bed is much safer, but boring. So let us avoid the extremes and find common ground. Once again, if you are NOT competing in powerlifting, why not just do sets in the 70 to 80% range? Why the need to approach 95+%? Is some number in a notebook more valuable than your spine? You will still get big and strong. Probably stronger than alot of your friends. Then you can be like your friends who don’t lift weights and not have aches and pains everyday.

Q – Heavy squatting gave me hemorrhoids. What can I do?
A – See a doctor. He’ll use some form of surgery, laser, etc to fix it then tell you to, “avoid straining”. Remember, he really doesn’t give a damn about how your legs look in shorts. In fact, if you are genetically predisposed to this issue, you might think long and hard about this. Even heavy leg presses will create pressure. What to do? Single leg lifting, hack squats, step ups, heavy kettlebell swings, higher repetition deadlifts and variations. Also sled pushing, farmers walks, stair climbing, sprinting, hiking or kicking Thai pads. You see, there is NO winning lotto ticket for doing squats. You don’t get a better table at your favorite restaurant either.

Q – You don’t understand me. I like to eat. What should I do?
A – I like to eat too. I just don’t medicate with it. Stuffing your pie hole is the second cheapest anti depressant. Think about that. What’s the first you ask? Exercise.

Q – The Workout of the Day says to do “kipping pull ups”. My shoulders hurt so bad after those that I can’t get my wallet out of my back pocket. What should I do?
A – Carry your wallet in your front pocket. Seriously find another gym, do regular pullups, rows, TRX rows, Kroc rows. Why do you want to be in pain?

Q – I bought minimalist shoes and started running with them. I have some pains that started in my feet and have worked up to my knees, hips and back. Do you have a recommendation?
A – Stop running. Really. You can bike, row, swim, walk on treadmills, push a sled or use an elliptical. Do you place value at being in pain? But I digress. Get different shoes, take some time off and build back gradually. Or ignore internet advice like I’m giving and actually go to a doctor.

Q – I’m fat!
A - You’re ugly too.

Q – I’m trying to avoid chemicals in my diet. Could you suggest some chemicals that might be in food I should be aware of?
A – Yes. Avoid CHO, H2O, Amino Acids, Pyridoxine, Riboflavin and Ascorbic Acid. Get back to me in a few months and tell me how you are doing.

Q – I know that certain artificial sweeteners can give lab rats tumors. What do you think?
A – You are not a rat. Chocolate will kill a dog yet people still stuff their faces with it. Why is there a difference? Lab rats getting tumors seems scary but dogs checking out is not?

Q - I just lost 40 pounds and want to keep it off. Have any suggestions?
A – Yes. Give away your “fat” wardrobe. I don’t believe in burning bridges, I believe we should carpet bomb them. That way, when you gain weight, it will cost you lots of money for a new, “fat”, wardrobe. Of course their are people who have tricks to disguise their weight. For women, it’s called Spanx. For men, it’s either a sport coat or large shirt or overshirt. Back in the day, we called this the “loose t-shirt trick”… Simply wearing a large shirt can hide twenty pounds of avoirdupois.

Q - I’ve heard that as you age, you weigh more. Is this true?
A – Yes it is. As you age, God turns up gravity. Life is unfair that way.

Any questions you want answered? Send them my way. Physicalstrategies@gmail.com

The post Primum non nocere,… First Do No Harm appeared first on Tom Furman Fitness.

Here are the 5 reason you should schedule a phone consultation. 

1. You are overweight and nothing has worked.

2. You want to achieve your goals and haven’t so far.

3. You do not want to age prematurely.

4. You are overwhelmed with training and diet information.

5. You have no time to waste, but want incredible results.

If you’d like to have a phone consultation, email me at Physicalstrategies@gmail.com

Include your reason for seeking consultation, phone number, and the best time to speak. Once we agree on a date and time you’ll simply deposit money into my Paypal account.

Please have a list of questions and method of taking notes. We will be covering the topics with as much detail as possible.

[use Physicalstrategies@gmail.com].

$75 for a 30-minutes.
$125 for a 60-minutes.

All consultation calls shall apply to enrollment into online training. That’s right, I’ll subtract the cost of telephone consultation from the first month of training with me. Schedule NOW.

The post The BEST Gift You Can Give Yourself appeared first on Tom Furman Fitness.

While there are an infinite number of motions that the human body can attempt, the gross, common or main movements can be summed up in just a few. Dan John likes to summarize them this way. 

• Upper Body Pull
• Upper Body Push
• Squat
• Hinge
• Weighted Carry

My preference is to call the last one, “bracing”. That way you can walk with a weight, crawl with a weight or climb with a weight and your body has to stiffen to accommodate the load and maintain body stability. That is true, “core” conditioning, a term I loathe, but will use in this context. 

I do believe we are missing one major movement in this list. It’s “FOLDING”. Basically flexing the torso towards the legs or the legs towards the torso. We do practice doing, “leg raises”, tucks, etc.. but they are usually done in as an after thought to get good abdominals or simply because some magical entity put that move in the WORKOUT OF THE DAY so you can function across broad domains, yadda yadda. 

We can refer to antiquity, …. notice how I slice a logical fallacy in there,… by looking at legends of the past. Here is martial arts icon, Bruce Lee, training in the 1960′s. He’s doing a leg raise as part of his abdominal or “Anterior Chain” conditioning. 

Here is another with the Cuban Myth, bodybuilder, Sergio Oliva at the old Gold’s Gym, also in the 1960′s. 

In some sports, there is, believe it or not, very little squatting and certainly no chains, bands, Safety Squat Bars or Box Squats. In Thai boxing there is rope skipping, running and FOLDING. Thousand and thousands of intense repetitions from a variety of angles. This is achieved by kneeing pads, kicking pads, kicking bags and some bodyweight drills for the legs. There will be exceptions in modern camps with some weight work, but the bulk of leg development comes from the driving into the opponent [posterior chain] and folding the body [anterior chain]. Thai legend, Buakaw with over 300 fights since age 8 has no shortage of thigh development or athleticism. 

The idea is not to drop all squats or deadlifts, but to be vitally aware that you may be missing half of the game by not training the front side of the body in this manner. It’s not about good or bad, black or white. That is adolescent thinking at best, it’s just another tool to use for improving your performance and fitness. 

However if squatting is no longer of interest due to disc/spinal issues, don’t despair,. Focusing on alternative tools can still provide good results. I’ve mentioned actor/producer/stuntman, Brad Harris here before. After training heavy in his youth, he felt that squatting after 12 or more hours doing stunts on a movie set in a remote location was not the wisest action. He started to substitute explosive athletic activity, like stair running, on a regular basis to develop his legs. He also developed a pair of slings for his arms to enhance traction on his spine and further isolate the abdominals and hip flexors. He called that device the Ab-Original as seen below. [You can purchase one at http://www.aborigionals.com/ ]

By the way, Brad is now over 80 and still trains, DAILY. His lower body routine is thus.

• Day 1 – Sprint the Stairs or Bike Sprints.
• Day 2 – Ab Originals 4 sets of 40 reps. [variety of moves].

You can hardly argue with his success of over 60 films and 60 years of training. Below is a photo from a few years ago.

One caveat about training the anterior chain is to statically stretch it afterwards. While stretching is controversial currently, we spend much of our time in the flexed position in front of computers, phones and steering wheels. A bit of prevention goes a long ways towards balance and better living. Holding the McKenzie Stretch, by propping on elbows with shoulders packed and not collapse for THREE minutes is one of the best things you can do. 

I featured an image of figure model, Denise Milani, at the beginning of this post. While her image grabs attention, there is a point to be made. She’s not only attractive, but fit. Her waist is a miniscule 19 inches when she’s very lean. That part is largely genetic. If you want to change your genetics, you can’t hack them. You need to choose your parents more carefully. However her waist is flat and very muscular. That part is training. You have control over that and neglecting “Folding” or anterior chain work can be the missing link. So whatever you do, “Please Fold”. 

The post Please Fold! appeared first on Tom Furman Fitness.

After the holidays there is a rush to, “lose weight”. Almost everyone worries if they picked up extra poundage over Thanksgiving and Christmas. As if dieting in January, after those same old resolutions are made, has a different effect than dieting in July.

The truth is, “losing weight” is a non exact term. You want to lose fat. I’ve said that to people and have them reply, “Oh I don’t care what I lose, I just want to weigh less”. As if some magical figure on the scale determines health, mobility and long life. People can manage numbers, but when you start talking about components of the body, calories, activity, fat vs lean, etc, their eyes glaze over.

Here are some general concepts about dieting, exercise and fat loss that will educate you.

1. Both muscle and fat burn similar amounts of calories at rest. This is from current research. Muscles at 6 cals per pound and fat at around 2 to 3 calories per pound. The difference is 3 to 4 calories.
2. When you lose 20 pounds of fat, your metabolism will be slower. 20 x 3 is 60 calories less burned.
3. Gaining muscle is hard, so gains come slowly.
4. Adding 10 pounds of muscle would only make you burn 60 more calories.
5. So losing 20 pounds of fat and gaining 10 pounds of muscle in theory would cancel each other out. It would also be very hard to do since losing fat and gaining muscle don’t occur like, “Before” and “After” photos lead you to believe.
6. For those who are not aware.. a pound of fat is 3500 calories. Most people don’t consume that much food in a day.
7. So by not eating at ALL, you wouldn’t lose a pound of fat in a day.
8. You could lose WEIGHT. That would be primarily water, bowel content, glycogen in the muscles and liver and a bit of fat.
9. Extreme low calorie diets lack ample protein which slows muscle loss in a negative calorie balance.
10. Exercising to “burn off what you ate”, is a misnomer.
11. Running a mile burns around 120 calories. Less if you are a woman or smaller.
12. Therefore you would have to RUN around 30 miles to burn off a pound of fat.
13. Remember too, a Burger King Whopper is 650 calories.
14. A pound of muscle and a pound of fat each weigh one pound. [Shocking, yes I know].
15. The most biologically active components of the body are the organs. Heart, kidneys, brain, etc.
16. A sound strategy for FAT loss would include resistance training to maintain muscle mass, aerobic activity to mildly increase average, weekly, caloric, expenditure and a reduced calorie diet that is balanced in macronutrients and generally higher in protein.
17. BodyWEIGHT is an inaccurate assessment of body composition, but measuring weight, waist size, caloric intake, strength increase and cardiovacular output [distance, duration, mode and heart rate] are all simple tools to achieve sensible goals when used together.
18. Male athletes are around 6 to 13%. Female athletes will be higher due to hormones.
19. Obesity for adult males is 25+ % bodyfat. For women it is, 32+%. Morbid obesity is 100 pounds over ideal weight.
20. Group support and coaching are often effective means to adherence.

The post It Ain’t The Weight appeared first on Tom Furman Fitness.

Very clearly, years ago, I was reading the MMA.TV forums, called the “Underground”. There was an area for Defensive Tactics specialist, Tony Blauer, of Canada to post to those interested. He repeated a methodology that he did not invent, but for some reason. when he said it, the idea stuck. “Examine your outcome and your behavior. If your outcome isn’t what you want, change your behavior”. 

The problem with this, is that it works. The other problem is that we are subjective with our own behavior and usually not objective. We know the answers, we know the questions, we know the technology. We fail to implement because we fail to believe in our decisions. We doubt. We’d rather be led or coached or validated externally. It’s a kind of agreement. When you make a decision, you want feedback. That is essentially what coaching is. Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard will always be a more effective combatants than Angelo Dundee.  However the ability to be objective and offer distinctions is what makes Angelo such a powerful coach. 

Examples you ask?

Below is “Josh”. The first photo is taken when he was lifting and had pain in his back, knees and left shoulder. He was following the, “Scrawny to Brawny” Program. Over months and phone calls and offering distinctions in training and eating.. we implemented changes in behavior that altered the outcomes. This is not, “Lose Fat, Gain Muscle Fast”. This is a change in lifestyle that is sustainable. [Click photo for detail]

The last photo is deceptive.. a bit of water loss dropped him from his fairly level weight of 190 lbs. We are currently gearing towards 195 lbs with comparable leanness. 

Another good example is “KennyX”. Most people would say, being male, being tall, being active is all you need. That would be the “correct” behavior. However the lack of measurement and objectivity seeped into the behavior of this IT Tech, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner and kettlebell devotee. We joined forces, worked on measurement and adherence. Then we altered small things as time went on. You literally see a different man, both inside and outside in the last photo. 

Below you see a young KennyX. He looks like a body double for a Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game” music video. Then he got serious with both eating and Mark Rippetoe’s Starting Strength. He focused on the extremes and avoided middle ground. 

Then we decided to team up and make some changes in behavior to achieve a different outcome. Apparently it worked. 

Realize, we have only begun. He’s already dropped a FOOT of his waist. There is more muscle and leanness to come. 

People ask, “How fast can I get results?”. I reply, “The rest of your life”.  Literally. This is not about “quick fix”. It’s about training for life. 

I have a female client with a high pressure job, thyroid issues and dealing with the sale of a home. She’s a powerlifter as well. So far in a couple of weeks, these are the numbers. A shift in diet, consultation and coaching resulted in an apparent increase in muscle size and loss of body fat. Of course changes in water balance, glycogen and bowel content effect these measures, but a week to week trend is happening and it is by plan, not chance. By the way, she’s stronger too.

1/5 –

Weight: 178.4

Waist: 37.25

Hips: 42.5

1/26 -

Weight: 179.8

Waist: 36.00

Hips: 41.75

2/2

Weight: 177.6

Waist: a little over 35.5

Hips: 40.75

So the bottom line is this. If you are not happy with your outcome, change your behavior. If you haven’t been successful in the past, evidence would predict you won’t be successful in the future. That’s where I come in. The power of teamwork, coaching, support, but mainly objectivity will be what you need to be better than you are now. 

Contact me at Physicalstrategies@gmail.com now. Don’t wait. Spots are limited and they fill up quickly. 

The post How To Be Better Than You Are Now appeared first on Tom Furman Fitness.

“Who’s the bigger idiot, the idiot or the idiot who gets fooled by the idiot?” — Orson Welles

In our current time, discussing subjects and ideas on Facebook or internet forums has replaced, to a large degree, the interactions that occurred in person. There is still ample debate, discussion and outright arguing a social occasions, by phone, in coffee houses and certainly in facilities that sell adult beverages. It doesn’t have to be one way or another, it is both.

The art of debate, outside of debate clubs is like this open mixed martial arts tournament where people with strong beliefs and little science or logic try to sway mob opinion through logical fallacy and memes. Occasionally someone well researched in their fields, avoids emotion, save for humor, and presents evidence and avoids logical fallacy in this discussion.

There are some fundamental errors in thinking that plague many. I am far from expert, but simply by both engaging and by viewing more masterful debaters,… I’m slowly improving.

Common themes are, as I said above, the use of Logical Fallacy. This is the concept of making an error in reasoning.

Some basic ones are -

Ad Hominem. This is simply attacking the persons character, looks, wealth, etc.

Moving the Goalposts. Changing the rules of the discussion as you lose. Like telling someone you never get beaten at miniature golf. Then when they lose,.. they say, “Oh, I meant, REAL golf”.

Strawman. Creating a separate argument. Politicians do this often on talk shows. The question, “Should guns be outlawed?” Then the politician says, “Well the REAL question is, “How do we deal with the guns that people own already?”

Appeal to Authority. Claiming you are right because you are a Doctor, Lawyer, Cop, Soldier, Scientist, etc.

Rather than make an endless list, this wonderful page exists that is worthy of some study. http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Main_Page . It’s quite informative and uses plain English to educate and make us aware.

The real sad part is, that people believe that personal experience or anecdote/testimony has value as evidence. For them if it is self evident, it is therefore the truth. To challenge their experience is personal and they get threatened. They start using statements like, “well, all I know” and “you can’t tell me!”. That certainly seems like a gateway to enlightenment, don’t you think? I mean everyone knows someone who has seen Bigfoot, Ghosts and UFO’s. Not much in the way of evidence at all, but they saw it, so it must be real. 

One of the real issues is that many topics or ideas or beliefs are emotionally charged. When they are, the discussions return us to an adolescent thought process of “Black and White Thinking”. It’s the idea of avoiding middle ground and also of moralizing things. We want to apply the religious or philosophical context of morality to things like molecules, food, man made vs natural and so forth. As if there are only two sides. This version of arguing represents a lack of thinking. So rather than source out, study and make decisions based on evidence. You pick a side. Democrat vs Republican, Christian vs Muslim, Black vs White, etc. You literally don’t have to think. It is really efficient. You just pick a side and parrot their answer to everything. 

I’ve had several online discussions with medical professionals that I found startling. I’ll be truthful about my educational background. My high school grade point average was 2.8. My education after high school was 21 months of electronics geared at repair of TV’s and 8 track tapes. Computers were new and we were just understanding things like Basic and Cobol language. Neither of my parents finished high school. That was my background and I have no complaints. 

One “Doctor” locally in Fort Lauderdale stated that Aspartame was dangerous. He was big on quoting Mercola dot com. That’s the doctor who says that HIV doesn’t cause AIDS, btw. However the local doctor made the statement that a metabolic by product of ingestion of Equal/Aspartame was methanol or wood alcohol. I asked him if he knew of other consumables that did the same thing. He replied, “No, Equal is artificial and therefore BAD for the body”. Then I told him that TOMATO JUICE converted to wood alcohol too. It was natural and made by God. Of course he didn’t like that. He said that Equal was indeed, NEUROTOXIC. [citing the website of the guy who said HIV did not cause AIDS]. Then I said, well potatoes are NEUROTOXIC. They contain SOLANINE. In fact, enough SOLANINE can kill you. Well he wasn’t too happy about that. He said I was a shill for the FDA. I can’t be certain of that since the FDA hasn’t been sending me any checks. 

Another Physician was saying that in her practice she noticed hormonal changes in women. Those women at times ate CHICKEN. Chicken had hormones. Therefore CHICKEN WAS CHANGING THEIR HORMONES! I wrote the following. She doesn’t like me any more either.

1. Your practice is made up largely of women in Perimenopause or Full Menopause. They are likely to have hormonal issues.

2. Using hormones for chickens is illegal in the United States. 

3. If Growth Hormones were used they would be useless. Growth Hormone is breed specific. 

4. Oral ingestion of these purported hormones would break down GH. It’s a peptide. That is why we give shots of GH vs pills. 

5. Middle aged women often lack in protein consumption and chicken represents an economical, low fat, high protein source. 

So after this the Physician won’t talk to me. She’s selling face cream now and iodine at double the price from her office. 

Lastly one component of the Black/White thinking is this nonsense of Man Made vs Natural. I strongly feel that this is a byproduct of movies and television. Remember the themes of drama. Man vs Nature, Man vs Man, Man vs Himself, etc. We like the idea of good vs evil. Manmade just sounds PURE evil. ‘NATURAL’ sounds good. From the earth.. better yet, from GOD. 

Here is an interesting list -

• Botulinum
• Ricin
• Sarin 

—- All natural and ALL extremely deadly. These chemicals from nature could kill millions. 

• Golden Rice
• Humulin [insulin]
• Humatrope [growth hormone]

—-All are Man Made, GMO’s. These chemicals from man can save millions. 

“DON’T MORALIZE MOLECULES” — Tom Furman

The post Arguing on Facebook and The Internets appeared first on Tom Furman Fitness.

“Many trainers and coaches often claim they don’t use bodybuilding concepts because they don’t want their athletes to become like bodybuilders. We feel this view lacks common sense because anyone in their right mind knows damn well that doing some biceps curls and leg extensions won’t turn you into Ronnie Coleman anymore than running hill sprints and wearing 80′s sweat bands will turn you into Walter Payton!”– Nick Tumminello

Years ago the concept of “bodybuilding” had both good and bad associations. Building one’s body to be stronger and healthier was a good thing. Somehow, though, people associated exercise with not having spent enough time doing hard labor at the job. Statements such as, “Oh if you want exercise,.. I have some logs that need moving”, were very common. Improving one’s appearance and health by “lifting weights”, was considered vain and frivolous as well. There was not an association between improved health, longevity, physical strength, orthopedic efficiency, cardiovascular function and just leading an average life. People who trained in the very few gyms that existed were often considered freaks and narcissists.

While there were certainly iconic figures in strength training and fitness world like Bob Hoffman, John Grimek, Jack LaLanne, Steve Reeves and Joe Weider, the man who changed everything was Arnold Schwarzenegger. He, with his charisma, charm and ability to endlessly answer ignorant questions from talk show hosts, single handedly, gave permission to lift weights, get strong and look better. It was OK to improve yourself. Arnold strongly believed the focus that allowed him to become the best, also allowed him to become a major actor, author and governor of California. 

Realize as well that there was some stigma attached to taking action to improve oneself. Heroes in movies, history or mythology were always pictured as more muscular and athletic. We must somehow believe that they arrived this way through perfect genetics, a lightening bolt from the Gods or perhaps the “Super Soldier Formula”, in Captain America’s case. To actually set goals, work hard, rearrange priorities and manage our lives by weightlifting or bodybuilding wasn’t fair. Of course at that time, training for sport was considered, ‘not fair’. You simply showed up and tried hard. If I won, I was better than you. For you to practice was cheating. This drama existed between brawling and Asian Martial Arts. It also existed in rock climbing when climbing legend Tony Yaniro specifically trained for his assault on “Grand Illusion” in 1979. He set up specific routes on his training for to build the specific strength necessary for this 5.13D route. At the time, other climbers simply climbed and smoked weed.

With the era of Pumping Iron and to a smaller degree, Nautilus gyms via Arthur Jones, lifting weights to get bigger and stronger became mainstream. In fact, the “Rise of the Machines”, allowed for a 20 minute workout with no loading of weights on a bar. Nautilus Machines had a pin that you moved up numbered weight stack. How efficient is that?

Then as time went on, there was a difference of opinion. As Spinoza said, “No matter how thin you slice it, there is always two sides”. In the lifting world there was a group who trained for looks and a group that trained for strength. Remember, years ago these men had limited facilities and trained side by side. They both did similar exercises, but the emphasis was slightly different. Some athletes competed in both strength and bodybuilding. Take a look at the photos and see if you notice  anything but athletes working hard.

You see, if you are working hard, progressing towards your goal and focusing on positive outcomes, why is it, “Non Functional”? Why the need to moralize physical movement with the application of resistance towards a goal of better health, better performance or even quality of life? Is there some specific need to limit choice or somehow eliminate the idea of self expression? Certainly not.

Some examples of those who crossed the scary line between body shaping and function? Sure. How about a Pro Wrestler who came from a family of pro wrestlers. He’s a former college football player who flirted with playing in the Canadian League. Now he is an action movie star. In between films he still wrestles and during Wrestlemania he tore a adductor and abdominal muscle off the bone. It required surgery. I’m sure due to his masculine nature and career choices he jumped into Wall Ball and Mud Races to do rehab. What do you think?

Then there is a man considered by many to be the strongest human to walk the earth. He competed in Highland Games, Strongman Competition and Powerlifting. As we well know, the deadlift or any clean or carry puts tremendous pressure on the biceps. So his response was Kipping Pull Ups or Muscle Ups? Well, maybe instead an old standard.

The bottom line is that “building the body” is not a bad thing. Your purpose or outcome is specifically up to you. Don’t stigmatize exercise. Don’t moralize movement. It’s FAR harder to actually think for yourself than train on blue machines with cams or Rx a WOD in knee socks and tattoos.

The post When Did Bodybuilding Become a Negative Thing? appeared first on Tom Furman Fitness.

“Black and White Thinking”, as defined by Wikipedia — , “In psychology, a phenomenon related to the false dilemma is black-and-white thinking. Many people routinely engage in black-and-white thinking, an example of which is someone who categorizes other people as all good or all bad”.

Perhaps a part of the adolescent thought process of good vs evil or good guys and bad guys the concept of “black and white” thinking is an attempt to simplify or vilify the subject. If it is NOT good, it therefore must be BAD! However life is not like this. That type of thinking avoids the middle ground. It’s convenient, but not correct. 

The photo above of actor, Mr. T is an example of an entertainment image and branding for media. Mr. T was in fact both religious and philanthropic. While completely familiar with violence and protecting people from danger, he employed his own bodyguards, Cliff Stewart and the late Larry Hartsell, when fans and celebrity attention increased in intensity. Hardly black and white thinking!

Years ago, author and strength, Pavel Tsatsouline wrote an article for the now defunct, Muscle Media 2000. It was called, “Drills That Rule and Drills That Drool”. It was later published in his collective strength book, “Beyond Bodybuilding”. 

The idea, is that some exercises are bad and some exercise are good is a clear example of good vs evil. If one thing is valuable, the other must be worthless. This is not a criticism of Pavel. Magazine editors like adversarial approaches, lists and good vs bad scenarios as much as we did watching cartoons and cowboy movies on Saturday morning in our youth. However that is NOT reality. There is NO such thing as a bad exercise. There may be BETTER choices in your case or for others. The risk/benefit ratio is another issue. However to simply stack the choices on either side of line is a lack of critical thinking. Following is the drills from the article and my thoughts and examples. 

1. Abdominals. The CRUNCH is supposed to drool, while Janda Sit ups Rule. 

Pavel developed the Pavelizer to supposedly enhance the effect of the Janda Sit up. The original Janda Sit up demonstrated ample action in the hip flexors as shown in this study. 

Juker et al. (1998) helps resolve this issue. “They found substantial electrical activity in the psoas major muscle in all sit-up exercises, while curl-ups had minimal effect on these hip flexors. Activity in the psoas increases compressive and shear forces on the joints in the lower back, which is not good for people with bad backs. Fit individuals should be able to handle them, though.
The authors concluded that there is no single best exercise to train all the abdominal muscles. The safest exercises that maximize abdominal activation and minimize hip flexor activation are probably curl-ups, cross-curl-ups, and isometric side support”.

This next quote by Dr. Stu McGill is in Hardstyle Abs by Pavel. It’s an explanation in the footnotes. I quote-

“Also,the tolerable volume of training is modulated by the spine posture. Repeated bending of the spine reduces the tolerable volume—for example one could tolerate much more volume in “stir the pot” on a ball vs situps”

Based on the study and the input of Dr. McGill, I’d rate the “Stir the Pot” at the top of the heap,.. but NOT exclusive as a tool of abdominal development. If overload is needed. Add a weight vest.

2. Obliques. The Sit up with a Twist is supposed to drool, while Suitcase Deadlifts rule.

I have no qualms with this. I’d think that weighted carries, either Farmer style or racked would be better than doing another type of deadlift for most trainees. It is a strong stimulus to the quadratus lumborum. When that muscle is paralyzed, walking becomes impossible, so this unseen muscle group is of high importance.

Realize too, that NO ONE of any great importance used a “twisting motion”, to any great degree, save for this Austrian guy.

However with current research and a bit more practicality, I’d suggest using a Slam Ball on a Rope for overhead, “Helicopter Type” spinning. Once again. Dr. Stu McGill employed this with MMA fighters and others. Forcefully stiffening the torso and “pulsing” at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock for rounds seems to be both brutal, portable and useful.

3. Glutes. The Fire Hydrant exercise, according to Pavel, drools. “Pull Throughs” with a cable, rule.

I wonder if this is opinion or evidence based? I guess the assumption is that floor based drills are hard to load and the Pull Through is loadable. However don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater. According to “The Glute Guy”, Bret Contreras, “The glutes seemed to be highly activated by certain simple bodyweight movements such as quadruped hip extensions, single leg hip thrusts, bird dogs, and quadruped hip circles”.  Amazing. Bodyweight movements work! If loading is a problem, then Pull Throughs have an upper limited based on the type of cable machine you use. Why not use a fully loadable glute drill like the Hip Thrust? It can be loaded to 400 or 500 pounds.

4. Low Back. The “Sissy Deadlift” drools. [I have no idea what a Sissy Deadlift is]. Lockouts or “Top Deadlifts”, like Frank Zane did, rules.

Here is a stiff legged deadlift. I don’t know if this guy is a sissy, but he’s fairly developed.

The idea that Top Deadlifts or Heavy Partial Deadlifts develop the low back are not in question. The need to do overloads in particular ranges of motion depend greatly on the effect they have on the trainee. Some swear by them. Some swear at them. My choice for the BEST low back exercise is the same machine/drill that can cure Ebola and Third World Debt. The Reverse Hyperextension designed by Louie Simmons.

 5.  Quads. Any machine exercise drools. The squat of course, rules. Realize that if you don’t squat, you will get cancer and your sexual orientation will be in question. So wonderful to know that Dr. Jonas Salk probably never saw a squat rack yet saved have the planet and is having his sexuality questioned.  Whenever the word, “Squat” shows up, other than “Dr. Squat”, Fred Hatfield, the name, Tom Platz is mentioned. He set the standard for lower body size, definition and ability. Here is a look at this work out. 

Tom Platz Leg Routine
Squats 8-12 5-20
Hack Squats 5 10-15
Leg Extensions 5-8 10-15
Lying Leg Curls 6-10 10-15

OK. 75% of his workout is on machines. How can that BE?? Machines drool! Perhaps time blurs the memory so I pulled up a photo of Tom Platz showing how inadequate his primarily machine based workout was.

However to be fair.. Squats are a powerful tool and certainly exploited by Mr. Platz in a most amazing way. However if Tom were training for competition nowadays, he might try this alternative for his quads.. the  Reverse Sled Drag.

6. Hamstrings. Leg Curls drool and Good Mornings rule. OK. I’m not a genius in physiology, but the Leg Curl is leg flexion and the Good Morning is hip extension, right? Aren’t there muscles that only do leg flexion? Of course there are.

“Both heads of the biceps femoris perform knee flexion. Since the long head originates in the pelvis it is also involved in hip extension. The long head of the biceps femoris is a weaker knee flexor when the hip is extended (because of active insufficiency)”. — Wikipedia

Then there is this piece of research to, “The hamstrings has very different muscle architecture from one another, with a range of fiber lengths, pennation angles and physiological cross-sectional areas. Training the hamstrings with a range of different loads and speeds may therefore be necessary. – Chris Beardsley, Research Review

So the short head and to a degree, the long head need leg flexion. Doing just the Good Morning or just the Leg Curl would be insufficient for full development. Remember, we are avoiding “Black and White Thinking”. My choice for an alternative would be, “Loaded Slideboard Leg Curls”. They both flex the leg and extend the hip and are loadable. [Loading can be done by placing weights on the sliding cloth under the heels or by using bands]

7. Calves. Standing Calf Machine drools. Negative Accentuated Toe Press rules. The failing grades given to the standing calf machine had to do with spinal compression. If that were the case we could eliminate squats, top deadlifts, good mornings, Janda Sit ups, etc. The Negative Accentuated methodology can be seen in Vince Gironda’s 10-8-6-15 routine as demonstrated by Don Peters. It was popularized by Arthur Jones of Nautilus fame for use on MACHINES. Interesting that a drill made popular by HIT Jedi’s is contained in this article. My vote for an alternative calf workout is from Louie Simmons.

“ I would also have the guy do a lot of sled- dragging wearing a weight vest while staying up on his toes as another exercise to build the calves”. — Louie Simmons

8. Lats. Pulldowns Behind the Neck drool. Pull ups on Rings rule.

I won’t argue with the comfort of the rings when they accommodate individual shoulder, elbow and wrist mechanics. However the unstable nature of “STILL” rings brings them into the realm of squatting on stability balls. You are focusing on not moving versus adding lots of overload. The Pulldown Behind the Neck is described as being only for Olympic Lifters or Gymnasts. The man below isn’t either, but it appeared to work pretty well.

Perhaps the idea of safe, stable and heavy can be merged a bit. I elect the Kroc Row as the go to move for both overload and safety. It’s certainly worked well for Mr. Kroc.

9. Traps. Smith Machines Shrugs drool. Barbell Shrug with a Hip Thrust rules. Ummm. They are both shrugs. I don’t see too many people use a Smith Machine for shrugs unless there is no free barbell, but whatever. Using a hip thrust to increase the weight used has value and it has flaws. One would measure the risk/benefit ratio if the exercise were THAT MUCH BETTER THAN THE REST. The answer is,…. it isn’t. Here is a comment on the effect of the exercises and their effect on the traps.

“Finally, although I was aware the upper traps got worked through a variety of shoulder exercises, I had no idea as to the magnitude of upper trap activity that was involved in typical shoulder exercises like military presses and lateral raises. I mean, the cable lateral raise topped the charts in peak upper trap activity, BEATING OUT HEAVY SHRUGS! [Emphasis mine] — Bret Contreras

If you don’t believe Bret, you might want to listen to Jack Reape. He had this to say-

“Don’t waste your time on barbell shrugs. Powerlifters sport traps that would make a Silverback gorilla envious, yet the barbell shrug is not part of most powerlifting training programs. The reason is that the shrug doesn’t duplicate the skill or build the strength for pulling a heavy deadlift to lockout”. –Jack Reape

So skip the shrugs and do some laterals at the end of your workout. They might be safer than hip thrusting too.

10. Pecs. Cable Crossovers drool. Powerlifting Bench Presses rule.

Once again your sexual orientation will be threatened by doing Cable Crossovers. Amazing that the man below is not only one of the most popular wrestlers of all time, he was a college football star and currently a movie star. His Dad was legendary wrestler Rocky Johnson and his Grandfather was Peter Maivia. He hardly can be called a sissy. He does crossovers.

The drill that rules is the Powerlifting Bench Press. For some reason attaching, “Powerlifting” to the Bench Press makes it better. I wonder what type of bench presses are done the man regarded as having the best pecs in history, Serge Nubret?

Not exactly a typical competition bench press. By the way, where is his suit? I digress, one alternative also offered is nail bending to “bring out cuts”. OK. You have to constantly buy new nails and “cuts” are a product of nutrition, not nail bending. The reality of  ”what exercise does what” can be argued with EMG. It’s not perfect, but it’s better than assumption. Here are the results of Bret Contreras’ tests-

Here are the top three exercises in terms of mean and peak activity for each muscle part:
Upper Pec
Mean: Mid Pulley Crossover, Band Push Up, JC Band Press
Peak:  Dumbbell Incline Press, Guillotine Press, JC Band Press
Mid Pec
Mean: Dumbbell Bench Press, Floor Press, Fly
Peak:  Guillotine Press, Dumbbell Bench Press, Fly
Lower Pec
Mean: Weighted Dip, Blast Strap Push Up, Guillotine Press
Peak:  Guillotine Press, Fly, Weighted Dip

So I didn’t see, “Powerlifting Bench Press” among the winners. My recommendations, take your pick from above.

11. Shoulders. The Seated Barbell Press drools. The Arnold Press rules. According to Pavel, “The big guy knew what he was doing”. Ummm, OK.  Yes I guess he did.

12. Biceps. Zottman Curls drool. One Armed Dumbbell Curls rule.

No one can argue that direct work, in the form of curls has not been the formula for most all trainees. Unfortunately the One Armed Dumbbell Curl is not at the top of the pack. Here again is an EMG by Bret Contreras-

Biceps results-
Mean: Weighted Wide Parallel-Grip Pull-up, Weighted Chin-up, Barbell Curl
Peak:  Weighted Chin-up, Weighted Wide Parallel-Grip Pull-up, EZ-Bar Curl

The formula seems to be some type of weighted pull up/chin up and a type of barbell curl.

13. Triceps. Dumbbell Kickbacks drool. Close Grip Bench Press rule.

“The long and lateral heads won’t work without a respectable load” — Pavel.

I really think that the Close Grip Bench Press is an amazing tricep drill. Certainly for powerlifters and also with the variation of doing it off of boards or telephone books. I don’t see how a tricep can’t fire doing a kickback although it’s not the heaviest of exercises. Here is some more EMG testing of the triceps this time.

Tricep results-
Mean: Rope Extension, Cable Extension, Weighted Dip
Peak:  Rope Extension, Cable Extension, Band Extension

So some type of cable/rope extension is necessary.  I mean, what did the icon’s of the sport do? [Cue Sergio and Arnold]

14. Forearms. Wrist Curls drool. Suitcase Wrist Curls rule.

The suitcase or one armed wrist curl is just a variation in theme. Different strength curve. Wrist curls hardly drool. I mean Bill Pearl did them with 200+ pounds on a low bench. That is where Larry Scott got the idea from. Look at these forearms.

But times are changed and we like variety. It fulfills our Attention Deficit Exercise Disorder. So here is a drill used by Sly Stallone as designed by his trainer, Gunnar Peterson. Do your Lateral Raises with Fat Gripz on the dumbbells. Here is what it looks like in Expendables fashion.

Pick your sets and reps carefully and remember that this drill activates the traps better than shrugs! Whether it works or not is up to you. Here is some visual evidence. Sly strolling down the street.

Really ANY program works and any drill has value if it fits into your program. As long as you are progressive, consistent and not getting injured it is certainly of value. The idea of “Black and White Thinking” is incorrect and only feeds the idea that only certain things work or that exercises or programs are based on morality or Good VS Evil.

I conclude with two quotes. Take your choice based on this article [please understand sarcasm and tongue in cheek] and your critical thinking skills.

“There are many more fine bodybuilding exercises and even more exercises that suck”. –Pavel

“Don’t moralize in the weightroom”. –Dan John

At last, the END.

The post “I Pity The Fool” appeared first on Tom Furman Fitness.

Several times, as with many people, I was threatened by someone online. Usually this is a silly disagreement, but the person just happened to irritate me and lived locally. I told them, “I’m easy to find”. Truth is I am. Yet clients, friends, peers and associates often don’t realize that most of us in fitness have material that is all over this thing the kids call, “The Internets”.

Below is a list of articles and podcasts from various sources. Enjoy!

https://www.t-nation.com/all-articles/authors/tom-furman
T-Nation

https://www.onnit.com/academy/strengthening-the-hip-for-mma-hip-strength-workouts-exercises/
Onnit.com

https://fightcampconditioning.com/the-ultimate-aerobic-protocol-by-tom-furman/
Fight Camp Conditioning

http://superstrengthshow.com/tom-furman/
Super Strength Show Podcast

http://robbwolf.com/2015/02/10/episode-257-tom-furman-training-improving-dynamic-range/
Robb Wolf, Paleo Solution Podcast

http://www.mikemahler.com/blog/live-life-aggressively-podcast/ep-96.html
Mike Mahler/Sincere Hogan Life Life Aggressively Podcast

http://www.dragondoor.com/articles/rear-wheel-drive/
Dragon Door

http://www.amazon.com/Bamboo-Gods-Iron-Rubber-Bands/dp/1503067246/
My book, Bamboo Gods, Iron Men and Rubber Bands on Amazon

http://www.tomfurman.com/downloads/
My Ebooks and DVDs

The post “I’m Easy To Find” appeared first on Tom Furman Fitness.

“Move, bitch!” — Ludacris

The above pattern or asterix is also a diagram for movement. In Indonesian martial arts, this footwork or stepping is called Langka. There is NO reason to debate this. If this pattern were shown to certain groups of martial artist.. they would universally say -

- “That pattern is not complete.”

- “We have that too!”

- “You don’t know the secret footwork.”

- ”I disarm terrorists with plastic guns. Where are my cigarettes?”

If the above drills were shown to certain groups in the strength training community, they would universally say-

- “You gotta squat to be jacked!”

- “One legged movements can’t support enough overload for proper stimulation.”

- “Bro, only women do lunges!”

- “I have bad knees. Girls like big gunz anyway.”

Regardless. As “Dalton” said in the movie, “Roadhouse”,…”Opinions vary.” Perhaps it is more important to focus on improvement rather than validation.

One thing that stepping or moving or having mobility does is help us survive. Break an antelope’s leg in Africa and it will be eaten or die. Go hiking in a remote location and smash your pelvis,.. you will probably die. When you are unable to get off the couch or walk around the block, your days may be dwindling. If you are in the field of combat and you are flat footed or immobile.. you severely limit your capacity to survive. In fact, there is a statement that “flexibility is youth in movement and life.” I’d like to change that to “mobility is life.”

The Movement/Lunge Pattern is my organization of the stuff I have collected from martial arts and fitness. I don’t see a firm division between the two. Perhaps a blurry line. It is basically 8 directions. If you want to slice it so thin that there is only one side, there could be thousands. Why complicate things? It will involve nothing but STEPPING. The difference here is this pattern, unlike the Crossfit workout, “FRAN”, is very, very, scalable. If you can walk to the bathroom, you can use this tool.

1. We move or generate power by manipulating height, width and depth zones.

2. Boxing and Thai boxing take advantage of depth and width zones very effectively. When they add manipulation of height zone, [sitting into your punch] we get Jack Dempsey, Mike Tyson or Bas Rutten.

3. Domination of the height zone would be grapplers. Takedowns, throws and submission, using leverage and the marriage of gravity with bodyweight.

4. The first stage is to simply step in each direction. Right foot first. Left foot first. It’s like dancing but you will look more like Baloo from Jungle Book, than Fred Astaire. Take your time. Walking/stepping is a simple, efficient, way to transport yourself. It’s the first method of footwork recommended by Australian edged weapons expert, Ray Floro.

5. The second stage is lunging. This increases the overload on the thighs. You can lunge forward, or lunge stepping back. You can lunge to the side or to forward and backward angles. You must also learn to lunge laterally by crossing one leg in front, then behind the other. This drill can be done in an organized pattern or in a sort of free form.

6. The third stage is kneeling/ground. Some of the movements are found in grappling and some in Southeast Asian martial arts. This type of drilling not only builds leg strength, but a strong measure of active flexibility.

7. The fourth stage is adding a fixed weight. This can be done by holding a barbell plate to the chest, using a light barbell on the shoulders or even a weight vest. [perhaps best of all]. This makes the drill progressive by augmenting a bodyweight exercise or skill set with increasing resistance over days, weeks, months and years. The addition of weight can be applied to ANY of the above stages. That helps those with compromised joint integrity, lack of conditioning or advanced age in scaling their workouts. This type of activity over long periods of time, done slowly and without explosiveness can strength connective tissue, increase hypertrophy and greatly improve the range of motion and strength in extreme positions.

8. The fifth and last stage is unique. It involves a mobile weight. This can be a sandbag or kettlebell or Indian club. The idea here is that you can clean the weight with your left arm, do a lunge with the left leg, then transfer and repeat with the right leg. You can hold the weight in the rack position near your shoulder or actually do your lunging with the weight pressed overhead in the lockout position. This usually satisfies all the needs for adaptation of the core muscles. You can also start in low postural positions with the weight held in lockout and come to standing between each grouping of lunges. Repeat this with both arms. Getting off the ground without use of the hands is an indication of youth for what it’s worth. An excellent resource for this material is my friend, Jeff Martone of www.tacticalathlete.com . His “H2H” or Hand to Hand series and S.H.O.T. series will give you ample ideas.

“The usefulness of a cup is in its emptiness.” — Ed Parker

For a second we need to realize our ego is not our amigo and to have an open mind. If the UFC proved anything, it proved that a fight is a fight. [empty hand, edge weapon, impact weapon, flexible weapon or projectile weapon] A stand up Thai boxer had an almost synergistic improvement by studying Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. The same with the grappler studying boxing and kicking. It doesn’t require too sharp of an eye to see the transfer of classical martial arts, Shotokan in Lyoto Machida’s case or Kenpo in Chuck Liddell’s methodology, that ANY tool is valuable if practiced against resistance.

Below is a Youtube video of Cecep A Rahman of Indonesia. He’s demonstrating movements of Silat ["to fight"]. Hopefully you will not be mesmerized by the twirling, edged, weapons and focus on his lower body. This dynamic, skillset cannot be underestimated for improving leg strength, mobility, youth or simply the ability to, “Move bitch, get out the way”.

The post The Movement/Lunge Pattern: Fitness and Combat appeared first on Tom Furman Fitness.