Itagaki's "Go-Go Mode" Workout

Itagaki Manabu is fast.  Really fast.  When he really pushes himself in the ring, it's like everything else just slows down around him.  He perceives his opponent moving in what is essentially slow motion. This workout is about speed, reaction, and reflexes. The workout might be a little less volume than Itagaki's KBG Workout, but it's intensity is cranked to the max. You should be pushing hard on every sprint and every hard round.

GO, GO, GO!

Itagaki's "Go-Go Mode" Workout

Morning

1. Sprint 100 Meters
2. Jog 100 Meters
3. Back Peddle Sprint 50 Meters
4. Back Peddle Jog 50 Meters

--10 Rounds, then

1. Run 2 Miles, as fast as possible
2. Shadowbox 30 Seconds

Afternoon (4-6 hours later): Rest 1 Minute after each Exercise

1. 3 Minutes Footwork Practice (Warm-up)
2. 3 Minutes Speedbag Practice (Warm-up)
3. 3 Minutes Double-End Bag Practice (Warm-up)
4. 3 Minutes Jump Rope (Warm-up)
5. 30 Seconds Moderate/30 Seconds Hard x 6 Rounds Foot Work Practice
6. 4 x 3 Minutes Moving Speedbag Practice
7. 4 x 3 Minutes Double-End Bag Practice
8. 30 Seconds Moderate/30 Seconds Hard x 6 Rounds Heavy Bag Work OR Shadowboxing
9. 4 x 3 Minutes Dodging Punches
10. 4 x 3 Minutes Heavy Bag Work, Mitt Work, OR Sparring 
11. Recover 5 Minutes
12. 20 Seconds On/10 Seconds Off x 8 Rounds of One of the Following: Shadowboxing, Jump Rope, OR Heavy Bag Work
13. Recover 5 Minutes
14. GO-GO MODE: 3 Minutes All-Out Shadowboxing OR Heavy Bag (Keep moving!!)

Notes:

• You should be able to move fast in any direction. The first portion of the workout is designed to build your dashing and retreating speed. You'll push yourself hard and then recover for the same distance.  When you finish the sprint intervals, run 2 miles as fast as you can and then bust out 30 seconds of super hard shadowboxing. You'll be spent, but you won't have to do anything for 4-6 hours. 
• The first four rounds of the second workout are just for warming up. Go at a relatively easy pace for all four rounds so you're ready for the full-force work later in the session. 
• For the footwork practice, think about every possible way that you can move during a fight. Forward, back, side to side, circling, shuffling, bouncing, half steps forward in multiple directions, changing footwork and direction mid-movement. Don't even think about stopping. The ability to move as quickly as you can in any possible way while on your feet is your only goal during this time.
• Moving Speedbag Practice is merely moving around the speedbag while you hit it. It will definitely challenge your reaction time and your timing. You'll need to decide if you will change your punch to adapt to the direction of the bag that's already in play or if you will attempt to hit the bag from another angle in order to change its direction. This will be very hard at first. You will fail quite a bit. However, this will do amazing things for your reaction time, your timing, and your hand-eye coordination.
• Double-end bag practice is essential. You need to be able to hit, dodge, and hit again repeatedly. Start slowly as to not hurt yourself, but eventually you should be able to hit the double-end bag quickly and respond in kind, perhaps even while moving around it. 
• The High-Intensity Intervals found in the 30 Seconds Moderate/30 Seconds Hard Rounds are designed to push your conditioning and get you used to moving at a high rate of speed.  Don't spend too much time thinking. Just move. You may have to start with simple 1-2s in order to keep from tripping over yourself, but, eventually, combinations will flow from this controlled chaos and you will feel more comfortable at this break-neck speed.
• When you are dodging punches, you should start slowly and begin with simple attacks. Avoid going too fast or using a lot of combinations until you are very accustomed to this training. Wear gear and gloves, of course. Use head movement, swaying, footwork and parrying to avoid being hit. This is not the time to block. We're trying not to get hit at all. If you get hit, that's fine. Reset and start over.
• The four rounds of shadowboxing, bag work, or sparring can be at whatever pace you need. If you need to work on technique, go for it. If you need some hard sparring or power work on the bag, now's the time. 
• Use the recovery time. Slow your breathing down. Walk around. Drink water (which you should have been doing throughout the whole workout). Stretch a little if you need to. We're going to go all-out and your body needs to recover to be able to put the most amount of effort into these full power bursts. 
• This first burst is in Tabata Format and is only 4 minutes long. However, it's a LONG 4 minutes, because the 20 seconds of work are at as near 100% as you can get yourself. 
• USE THE RECOVERY TIME!
• This last round is GO time. You put every last ounce of speed and power into 3 minutes. You are the God of Time, living in a realm of speed no mere mortal can hope to keep up with. Feel free to collapse at the end, because for 3 minutes, there should not be a single moment where you stop moving and hitting.

That's all for today! Until next time, good luck and train hard!

Itagaki Manabu is fast.  Really fast.  When he really pushes himself in the ring, it's like everything else just slows down around him.  He perceives his opponent moving in what is essentially slow motion. This workout is about speed, reaction, and reflexes. The workout might be a little less volume than Itagaki's KBG Workout, but it's intensity is cranked to the max. You should be pushing hard on every sprint and every hard round.

GO, GO, GO!

Itagaki's "Go-Go Mode" Workout

Morning

1. Sprint 100 Meters
2. Jog 100 Meters
3. Back Peddle Sprint 50 Meters
4. Back Peddle Jog 50 Meters

--10 Rounds, then

1. Run 2 Miles, as fast as possible
2. Shadowbox 30 Seconds

Afternoon (4-6 hours later): Rest 1 Minute after each Exercise

1. 3 Minutes Footwork Practice (Warm-up)
2. 3 Minutes Speedbag Practice (Warm-up)
3. 3 Minutes Double-End Bag Practice (Warm-up)
4. 3 Minutes Jump Rope (Warm-up)
5. 30 Seconds Moderate/30 Seconds Hard x 6 Rounds Foot Work Practice
6. 4 x 3 Minutes Moving Speedbag Practice
7. 4 x 3 Minutes Double-End Bag Practice
8. 30 Seconds Moderate/30 Seconds Hard x 6 Rounds Heavy Bag Work OR Shadowboxing
9. 4 x 3 Minutes Dodging Punches
10. 4 x 3 Minutes Heavy Bag Work, Mitt Work, OR Sparring 
11. Recover 5 Minutes
12. 20 Seconds On/10 Seconds Off x 8 Rounds of One of the Following: Shadowboxing, Jump Rope, OR Heavy Bag Work
13. Recover 5 Minutes
14. GO-GO MODE: 3 Minutes All-Out Shadowboxing OR Heavy Bag (Keep moving!!)

Notes:

• You should be able to move fast in any direction. The first portion of the workout is designed to build your dashing and retreating speed. You'll push yourself hard and then recover for the same distance.  When you finish the sprint intervals, run 2 miles as fast as you can and then bust out 30 seconds of super hard shadowboxing. You'll be spent, but you won't have to do anything for 4-6 hours. 
• The first four rounds of the second workout are just for warming up. Go at a relatively easy pace for all four rounds so you're ready for the full-force work later in the session. 
• For the footwork practice, think about every possible way that you can move during a fight. Forward, back, side to side, circling, shuffling, bouncing, half steps forward in multiple directions, changing footwork and direction mid-movement. Don't even think about stopping. The ability to move as quickly as you can in any possible way while on your feet is your only goal during this time.
• Moving Speedbag Practice is merely moving around the speedbag while you hit it. It will definitely challenge your reaction time and your timing. You'll need to decide if you will change your punch to adapt to the direction of the bag that's already in play or if you will attempt to hit the bag from another angle in order to change its direction. This will be very hard at first. You will fail quite a bit. However, this will do amazing things for your reaction time, your timing, and your hand-eye coordination.
• Double-end bag practice is essential. You need to be able to hit, dodge, and hit again repeatedly. Start slowly as to not hurt yourself, but eventually you should be able to hit the double-end bag quickly and respond in kind, perhaps even while moving around it. 
• The High-Intensity Intervals found in the 30 Seconds Moderate/30 Seconds Hard Rounds are designed to push your conditioning and get you used to moving at a high rate of speed.  Don't spend too much time thinking. Just move. You may have to start with simple 1-2s in order to keep from tripping over yourself, but, eventually, combinations will flow from this controlled chaos and you will feel more comfortable at this break-neck speed.
• When you are dodging punches, you should start slowly and begin with simple attacks. Avoid going too fast or using a lot of combinations until you are very accustomed to this training. Wear gear and gloves, of course. Use head movement, swaying, footwork and parrying to avoid being hit. This is not the time to block. We're trying not to get hit at all. If you get hit, that's fine. Reset and start over.
• The four rounds of shadowboxing, bag work, or sparring can be at whatever pace you need. If you need to work on technique, go for it. If you need some hard sparring or power work on the bag, now's the time. 
• Use the recovery time. Slow your breathing down. Walk around. Drink water (which you should have been doing throughout the whole workout). Stretch a little if you need to. We're going to go all-out and your body needs to recover to be able to put the most amount of effort into these full power bursts. 
• This first burst is in Tabata Format and is only 4 minutes long. However, it's a LONG 4 minutes, because the 20 seconds of work are at as near 100% as you can get yourself. 
• USE THE RECOVERY TIME!
• This last round is GO time. You put every last ounce of speed and power into 3 minutes. You are the God of Time, living in a realm of speed no mere mortal can hope to keep up with. Feel free to collapse at the end, because for 3 minutes, there should not be a single moment where you stop moving and hitting.

That's all for today! Until next time, good luck and train hard!

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

The Crystal Gem Workouts

The Crystal Gems from "Steven Universe" have a variety of abilities and are very strong. These workouts are designed to mimic the look and movements of Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl... and Steven! Garnet is primarily about strength, Amethyst's workout focuses on her carefree attitude and how much she jumps around, Pearl's is centered around graceful movements.

They'll always save the day.

Garnet

1. 21 Thrusters @ 95#
2. 15 Front Squats @ 95#
3. 9 OHP @ 95#
4. 6 Sumo Deadlift High Pulls @ 95#
5. 3 Barbell Curls @ 95#

--AMRAP in 10 Minutes

Amethyst 

1. 25 Meter Bear Crawl 
2. 25 Meter Cartwheels
3. 25 Meter Long Jump Burpees
4. 25 Meter Sled Push-Pull @ 2 x BW

--AMRAP in 10 Minutes

Pearl

1. 100 Meter Run
2. 50 Meter Walking Lunge to Single Leg Deadlift w/Bar (see notes)
3. 25 Meters Skipping

--AMRAP in 10 Minutes

Steven

1. 5 Minutes Walking
2. 30 Seconds High Knee Marching
3. 30 Seconds Raise Arms-Lower to Sides-Calf Raise
4. 30 Seconds Side Bends
5. 30 Seconds Dumbbell Deadlift to Side Lateral Raise @ 5#/Hand
6. 30 Seconds Holding Dumbbells Out to Side w/Squat @ 5#/Hand
7. 30 Seconds Jogging
8. 5 Minutes Walking

--Complete at an easy pace


Notes:

• These workouts can be completed one after another or separately. 
• Make sure you keep good form, even if you are trying to go fast. 
• Make sure you alternate your cartwheels.
• When you go to jump on the burpees, you'll need to jump as far a possible forward before completing the next rep. 
• On the walking lunge to single leg deadlift, hold the bar in the front rack position. Lunge forward and, as you stand,  bring the bar down until it is down at your hips. Bending at the hips, keep one foot on the ground and the other straight out behind you so that your body is parallel to the ground and the bar is near or touching the ground. Return to standing, clean the bar back into position and repeat on the other side until you complete the listed distance. 
• Steven's workout is meant to be very easy. 
• For the third exercise, raise your arm over your head, then lower them to your sides like in a jumping jack in an easy motion. Then perform a calf raise. Repeat until the time is up. 
• Make sure your hands are over your head during the side bends. 
• Pick up the dumbbells in in front of you, perform a side lateral raise and then lower the dumbbells back to the ground. 

That's all for today! Until next time, good luck and train hard!

The Crystal Gems from "Steven Universe" have a variety of abilities and are very strong. These workouts are designed to mimic the look and movements of Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl... and Steven! Garnet is primarily about strength, Amethyst's workout focuses on her carefree attitude and how much she jumps around, Pearl's is centered around graceful movements.

They'll always save the day.

Garnet

1. 21 Thrusters @ 95#
2. 15 Front Squats @ 95#
3. 9 OHP @ 95#
4. 6 Sumo Deadlift High Pulls @ 95#
5. 3 Barbell Curls @ 95#

--AMRAP in 10 Minutes

Amethyst 

1. 25 Meter Bear Crawl 
2. 25 Meter Cartwheels
3. 25 Meter Long Jump Burpees
4. 25 Meter Sled Push-Pull @ 2 x BW

--AMRAP in 10 Minutes

Pearl

1. 100 Meter Run
2. 50 Meter Walking Lunge to Single Leg Deadlift w/Bar (see notes)
3. 25 Meters Skipping

--AMRAP in 10 Minutes

Steven

1. 5 Minutes Walking
2. 30 Seconds High Knee Marching
3. 30 Seconds Raise Arms-Lower to Sides-Calf Raise
4. 30 Seconds Side Bends
5. 30 Seconds Dumbbell Deadlift to Side Lateral Raise @ 5#/Hand
6. 30 Seconds Holding Dumbbells Out to Side w/Squat @ 5#/Hand
7. 30 Seconds Jogging
8. 5 Minutes Walking

--Complete at an easy pace


Notes:

• These workouts can be completed one after another or separately. 
• Make sure you keep good form, even if you are trying to go fast. 
• Make sure you alternate your cartwheels.
• When you go to jump on the burpees, you'll need to jump as far a possible forward before completing the next rep. 
• On the walking lunge to single leg deadlift, hold the bar in the front rack position. Lunge forward and, as you stand,  bring the bar down until it is down at your hips. Bending at the hips, keep one foot on the ground and the other straight out behind you so that your body is parallel to the ground and the bar is near or touching the ground. Return to standing, clean the bar back into position and repeat on the other side until you complete the listed distance. 
• Steven's workout is meant to be very easy. 
• For the third exercise, raise your arm over your head, then lower them to your sides like in a jumping jack in an easy motion. Then perform a calf raise. Repeat until the time is up. 
• Make sure your hands are over your head during the side bends. 
• Pick up the dumbbells in in front of you, perform a side lateral raise and then lower the dumbbells back to the ground. 

That's all for today! Until next time, good luck and train hard!

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

The World Martial Arts Tournament (AKA: The Tenkaichi Budokai)

 Who is the strongest fighter in the world? (Click the link to donate now!)

Is it you?

Fans of Dragon Ball will recognize the Tenkaichi Budokai (or World Martial Arts Tournament) as the pinnacle of martial arts display.

The goal of this project is to attempt to re-create the Tournament in a real-life setting, bringing fighters from all around the world (hopefully) to compete on a large, raised, open platform tournament. The tournament will ideally consist of an application round, a series of preliminary matches, and the main 8 man-tournament. The rule-set will have to be modified from the original rules in the series, but will be as close as possible, given any legal limitations.

Exactly What is the Money Being Raised For?

The $20,000 goal listed for the creation of the project will take care of the rental of the grounds for 1 to 3 days (depending on how large the tournament is), the acquistion of seating, audio and lighting equipment, payment of officials and tournament workers, video equipment for the creation of the Tournament DVD, promotion of the event (in the form of a website, radio spots, and other ads), and prize money for the winning participant. The more that is raised, the better the event and the prizes will be for the winner and runners-up. Everyone who makes it to the final 8-man tournament will recieve a prize, but not necessarily monetary in nature.

Long-Term Goals of the Project

Hopefully, upon the success of the tournament, we will immediately begin planning the next one, with the goal of seeking out stronger and stronger fighters to determine the strongest fighter in the world and increasing the prizes available to the fighters. The eventual goal is to create a promotion that will fairly compensate its fighters, while providing top-notch, action-packed matches for all in attendance and viewing at home (via DVD, streaming, or otherwise.)

There are many fighters who put a lot of work into their craft and fight hard for the fans, but aren't able to train as they'd like, due to monetary issues. One of the long-term goals of this promotion is to fix that problem.

We Want to Give Back

10% of the profit made from the ticket sales and sponsorships of the tournament will go to help the homeless and those affected with PTSD, particularly veterans.


We need your help to get started! (Click the link to donate now!)

 Who is the strongest fighter in the world? (Click the link to donate now!)

Is it you?

Fans of Dragon Ball will recognize the Tenkaichi Budokai (or World Martial Arts Tournament) as the pinnacle of martial arts display.

The goal of this project is to attempt to re-create the Tournament in a real-life setting, bringing fighters from all around the world (hopefully) to compete on a large, raised, open platform tournament. The tournament will ideally consist of an application round, a series of preliminary matches, and the main 8 man-tournament. The rule-set will have to be modified from the original rules in the series, but will be as close as possible, given any legal limitations.

Exactly What is the Money Being Raised For?

The $20,000 goal listed for the creation of the project will take care of the rental of the grounds for 1 to 3 days (depending on how large the tournament is), the acquistion of seating, audio and lighting equipment, payment of officials and tournament workers, video equipment for the creation of the Tournament DVD, promotion of the event (in the form of a website, radio spots, and other ads), and prize money for the winning participant. The more that is raised, the better the event and the prizes will be for the winner and runners-up. Everyone who makes it to the final 8-man tournament will recieve a prize, but not necessarily monetary in nature.

Long-Term Goals of the Project

Hopefully, upon the success of the tournament, we will immediately begin planning the next one, with the goal of seeking out stronger and stronger fighters to determine the strongest fighter in the world and increasing the prizes available to the fighters. The eventual goal is to create a promotion that will fairly compensate its fighters, while providing top-notch, action-packed matches for all in attendance and viewing at home (via DVD, streaming, or otherwise.)

There are many fighters who put a lot of work into their craft and fight hard for the fans, but aren't able to train as they'd like, due to monetary issues. One of the long-term goals of this promotion is to fix that problem.

We Want to Give Back

10% of the profit made from the ticket sales and sponsorships of the tournament will go to help the homeless and those affected with PTSD, particularly veterans.


We need your help to get started! (Click the link to donate now!)

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Itagaki's KBG Training

Itagaki's Kamogawa Boxing Training is similar to his pre-gym training, but a little more difficult. The volume is up and there's a little more intensity, so it is good to use as a hard day, if you're new to the workout or use Itagaki's earlier training as an easy day once you're used to this workout.

Even geniuses need to work hard.

Itagaki's KBG Training

Morning

• 3 Mile Run, 7 Sprints Throughout (Shadowbox 15 seconds at the 1, 2, and 3 mile marks.)

Afternoon (4-6 Hours Later)

• 20 Push-ups
• 20 Sit-ups
• 20 Squats

--5 Rounds, then

• 3 x 3 Minute Footwork
• 3 x 3 Minute Shadowboxing
• 3 x 3 Minute Heavy Bag Work OR Mitt Work OR Sparring
• 3 x 3 Minute Jump Rope
• 3 x 3 Minutes Speed Bag Work

OR

• 4 x 100 Meter Sprint (15 seconds rest between sets)
• 30 Seconds on/30 Seconds off x 5 Rounds Speed Punching
• 3 x 200 Meter Sprint (20 seconds rest between sets)
• 20 Seconds on/20 Seconds off x 4 Rounds Speed Punching
• 2 x 400 Meter Sprint (30 seconds rest between sets)
• 15 Seconds on/15 Seconds off x 3 Rounds Speed Punching
• 800 Meter Run (1 Minute rest between sets)
• (CONTINUE ONLY IF 800 METER <  3 MINUTES)
• 10 Seconds on/10 Seconds off x 2 Rounds Speed Punching
• 1600 Meter Run 
• Speed Punching to Failure

Notes:

• You have the option of skill work and conditioning or speed work and conditioning.
• This workout is very similar to the Itagaki's last workout, so use that as a guide.
• For speed punching, your goal is to throw as many punches as possible in the listed time. 
• Speed punching to failure means that you punch at high speed until you can't handle it anymore. 
• If you are unable to complete the 800 Meter Run in less than 3 minutes, finish the workout and do not continue to the next exercise. 

That's all for today! Until next time, good luck and train hard!

Itagaki's Kamogawa Boxing Training is similar to his pre-gym training, but a little more difficult. The volume is up and there's a little more intensity, so it is good to use as a hard day, if you're new to the workout or use Itagaki's earlier training as an easy day once you're used to this workout.

Even geniuses need to work hard.

Itagaki's KBG Training

Morning

• 3 Mile Run, 7 Sprints Throughout (Shadowbox 15 seconds at the 1, 2, and 3 mile marks.)

Afternoon (4-6 Hours Later)

• 20 Push-ups
• 20 Sit-ups
• 20 Squats

--5 Rounds, then

• 3 x 3 Minute Footwork
• 3 x 3 Minute Shadowboxing
• 3 x 3 Minute Heavy Bag Work OR Mitt Work OR Sparring
• 3 x 3 Minute Jump Rope
• 3 x 3 Minutes Speed Bag Work

OR

• 4 x 100 Meter Sprint (15 seconds rest between sets)
• 30 Seconds on/30 Seconds off x 5 Rounds Speed Punching
• 3 x 200 Meter Sprint (20 seconds rest between sets)
• 20 Seconds on/20 Seconds off x 4 Rounds Speed Punching
• 2 x 400 Meter Sprint (30 seconds rest between sets)
• 15 Seconds on/15 Seconds off x 3 Rounds Speed Punching
• 800 Meter Run (1 Minute rest between sets)
• (CONTINUE ONLY IF 800 METER <  3 MINUTES)
• 10 Seconds on/10 Seconds off x 2 Rounds Speed Punching
• 1600 Meter Run 
• Speed Punching to Failure

Notes:

• You have the option of skill work and conditioning or speed work and conditioning.
• This workout is very similar to the Itagaki's last workout, so use that as a guide.
• For speed punching, your goal is to throw as many punches as possible in the listed time. 
• Speed punching to failure means that you punch at high speed until you can't handle it anymore. 
• If you are unable to complete the 800 Meter Run in less than 3 minutes, finish the workout and do not continue to the next exercise. 

That's all for today! Until next time, good luck and train hard!

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

"Fishing Boat Makunouchi" Workout

Ippo was in shape before he began his boxing journey. His strength and stamina were cultivated in his daily work at his family's fishing business. Makunouchi's leg strength and balance were built by loading and carrying heavy coolers of ice for his fishing customers and by standing on a moving boat. This workout is designed to mimic the type of training that Ippo endured during this time.

Do you even lift, Itagaki?

"Fishing Boat Makunouchi" Workout

Early Morning, before any Roadwork

1. Farmer's Carry- 25 Meters x 10 Sets
2. Back Squat OR Front Squat- 10 Reps (use choice for remainder of workout)
3. Weighted Carry- 100 Meters
4. Weighted Walking Lunges- 10 Reps each side
5. Dumbbell Deadlift- 10 Reps (same weights as Farmer's Carry)

Notes:

• This workout is to mimic loading and carrying the coolers for the Makunouchi Fishing Boat.
• The farmer's carries should start off at a relatively light weight and you should gradually add weight over the course of many workouts. For this workout, you'll want to add weight only when you are able to do all 10 sets of Farmer's Carry with the same weight with about 1 minute rest in between sets. 
• For the squats, you can unrack the weight from the squat rack or you can clean it into position (with as push press to get it to your back for the back squats.) The weight will be less than your 10 Rep Max, so that you are able to control the weight throughout the remainder of the workout. Make sure your form is good and get as deep in the squat as possible. 
• For the weighted carry, make sure that you keep your core tight and your steps sure so you don't slip or trip on anything. Try to do this in an area that is uncluttered and uncrowded. 
• With the same weight as the squats and the carries, you'll perform 10 walking lunges on each leg before putting the weight down or re-racking it. 
• The same weights will be used for the DB Deadlifts as for the Farmer's Carry. The weights will be in front of you or right beside your legs. Break your hips back and squat down to the weights. Drive your hips forward and heels through the floor to lift the weights.  Repeat for 10 reps to end the workout. 
• It is best to start light, especially if you are doing this workout in conjunction with other Ippo workouts or as part of the Hajime no Ippo Training Program.

That's all for today! Until next time, good luck and train hard!

Ippo was in shape before he began his boxing journey. His strength and stamina were cultivated in his daily work at his family's fishing business. Makunouchi's leg strength and balance were built by loading and carrying heavy coolers of ice for his fishing customers and by standing on a moving boat. This workout is designed to mimic the type of training that Ippo endured during this time.

Do you even lift, Itagaki?

"Fishing Boat Makunouchi" Workout

Early Morning, before any Roadwork

1. Farmer's Carry- 25 Meters x 10 Sets
2. Back Squat OR Front Squat- 10 Reps (use choice for remainder of workout)
3. Weighted Carry- 100 Meters
4. Weighted Walking Lunges- 10 Reps each side
5. Dumbbell Deadlift- 10 Reps (same weights as Farmer's Carry)

Notes:

• This workout is to mimic loading and carrying the coolers for the Makunouchi Fishing Boat.
• The farmer's carries should start off at a relatively light weight and you should gradually add weight over the course of many workouts. For this workout, you'll want to add weight only when you are able to do all 10 sets of Farmer's Carry with the same weight with about 1 minute rest in between sets. 
• For the squats, you can unrack the weight from the squat rack or you can clean it into position (with as push press to get it to your back for the back squats.) The weight will be less than your 10 Rep Max, so that you are able to control the weight throughout the remainder of the workout. Make sure your form is good and get as deep in the squat as possible. 
• For the weighted carry, make sure that you keep your core tight and your steps sure so you don't slip or trip on anything. Try to do this in an area that is uncluttered and uncrowded. 
• With the same weight as the squats and the carries, you'll perform 10 walking lunges on each leg before putting the weight down or re-racking it. 
• The same weights will be used for the DB Deadlifts as for the Farmer's Carry. The weights will be in front of you or right beside your legs. Break your hips back and squat down to the weights. Drive your hips forward and heels through the floor to lift the weights.  Repeat for 10 reps to end the workout. 
• It is best to start light, especially if you are doing this workout in conjunction with other Ippo workouts or as part of the Hajime no Ippo Training Program.

That's all for today! Until next time, good luck and train hard!

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

What is "Team Kratos??" -Plus Deadlifts

This is a video from my good friend Mike's YouTube Channel, Ironback Fitness.  In this video, Mike talks about his new non-profit venture to help homeless veterans and people suffering from PTSD. At the end, Mike talks us through the conventional and sumo deadlift forms (as I demonstrate).

MIke is a retired Marine with PTSD, so he's completely aware of the stresses placed on the men and women who serve in the military, and he wants to use his channel as a way to give back to veterans. If you guys like lifting and supporting veterans, specifically those who are homeless and with PTSD, go ahead and subscribe to his channel and stick with him. He's got some serious plans in the future.




That's all for today! Until next time, good luck and train hard!

This is a video from my good friend Mike's YouTube Channel, Ironback Fitness.  In this video, Mike talks about his new non-profit venture to help homeless veterans and people suffering from PTSD. At the end, Mike talks us through the conventional and sumo deadlift forms (as I demonstrate).

MIke is a retired Marine with PTSD, so he's completely aware of the stresses placed on the men and women who serve in the military, and he wants to use his channel as a way to give back to veterans. If you guys like lifting and supporting veterans, specifically those who are homeless and with PTSD, go ahead and subscribe to his channel and stick with him. He's got some serious plans in the future.




That's all for today! Until next time, good luck and train hard!

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Anime Training Theory, Episode 1: Why Weren't The Saiyans the Strongest?

This is the first episode in our new series "Anime Training Theory."  Do me a favor and share the crap out of it so I'll know that we should make more of them.



This time, we discuss why the Saiyans weren't very strong, despite their potential to become Super Saiyans and beyond.







That's all for today! Until next time, good luck and train hard!

This is the first episode in our new series "Anime Training Theory."  Do me a favor and share the crap out of it so I'll know that we should make more of them.



This time, we discuss why the Saiyans weren't very strong, despite their potential to become Super Saiyans and beyond.







That's all for today! Until next time, good luck and train hard!

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

The Daily Grind: Why You Don't Need a Rest Day

Do you need rest days?  Do you need days where you do absolutely nothing?  We've been told that rest days are necessary, and your body certainly does need to recover, but I think we've been going about this entirely the wrong way.

What images pop into your head when you think about a rest day?  Is it going for a nice walk in the park or the beach or is it you laying on the couch with dried cheese snack powder (you know the one) and a soda the color of radioactive sludge?  Whatever the case is, it's probably not what you should be thinking.

You've got this perfectly good day and you're not training?

(*too)  That's a damn shame.

At this point, I've probably got you wanting to comment or write me a nasty e-mail telling me about Overtraining Syndrome, DOMS, lactic acid, and micro-tears in the muscles.  That's fine. Write the e-mail if you need to: I'll be here when you get back.  However, wait to push send until you hear me out okay?

Recovery is Important

I'm not saying that recovery is not important. Of course recovery is important. We eat the right amounts of good, nutritious foods and drink a river of water to recover properly, relax when it's time to relax during the day, and sleep like a baby for 8-10 hours a night (if you're not sleeping, you're not recovering).  That's not even counting things like massage, ice baths, supplements, PEDs, compression, foam rolling, and however many additional things people do to speed recovery on a daily basis.  You have all of those things and you're telling me that I need to skip a day where I could be training?

I'mma go ahead and say, "No."



If you are doing all of those things, there should be no reason for you to take a day off from training, as long as you are doing the appropriate amount of work at the appropriate intensity. Obviously, if you train to the point that you can't even move the following day, you're going to have to take a day off. However, if you've pushed your body to such a point, you're no longer training effectively.  The purpose of training is to stimulate growth, not annihilate your body to the point that you can no longer use it. Acute overtraining keeps you from being able to continue your training and improving.
And the entire point is to continue improving.

One time, in middle school, I remember that I did legs so hard that I literally couldn't walk the next day. It was some stupid amount of volume like 6 sets of Squats, 8 sets of Leg Press, 4 Super-sets of Leg Extensions and Leg Curls, 4 sets of Calf Raises, 4 Sets of Weighted Bench Step-ups, and all of these were like 10-12 reps sets. I wasn't prepared for the volume by any means, but more must be better in a single training session, right?

Not at all. Unfortunately, because of that training session, I couldn't train at all for two or three days.  How much of a set back is that?!  I want to have the opportunity to improve something every single day.

Always Be Improving

There is always something that you can be working on. Think about all of the things you can improve during your training: strength, endurance, flexibility, mobility, technical skills, agility, balance, stamina, accuracy, coordination, and power.  You don't need a rest day, you need to work on something else. It really depends one what type of athlete you are or what your goals are that will determine how you change up your routine.  The times when you feel as though you've done too much of one thing, you need to work on other aspects of your fitness that falls into line with your goals.  Having an easy day of working on something is not the same thing as a "rest day," in my opinion, because you're still drilling motor patterns and working out the stiffness in the muscles and joints.  You don't need rest, you need to stop skipping important training days.

Athletes have been doing this for decades.  Training splits where an athlete trains different body parts is something that is seen in bodybuilding and various strength sports.  In team sports, athletes split up speed work, agility training, strength training, and skill work to develop every aspect of whatever game they are playing. With the every day athlete, however, you have so many more options, because you're not limited to improving performance for a game. If you find that a training session leaves you incapable of working on some aspect of your fitness, either by accident or design, merely switch to a different component of your fitness and train that.

Splitting up body parts and changing up the components of fitness are two ways that you can continue to improve while pushing your limits on a daily basis, but they are not the only ways. And that's where the next part comes in:

The Daily Grind

If you are specializing in something to any degree, be it strength, skill, or whatever, you would do well to adopt the concept of "The Daily Grind."  You see it in the training methodology of the Shaolin Temple and martial arts around the world and in various strength training camps from powerlifting to Olympic lifting. The concept of day-in day-out physical exertion bringing about an increase physical abilities is not a new concept.

I remember working on construction sites during summer and winter breaks throughout high school and college.  Even though I stayed in shape during the school year, the first week back doing hard framing or roofing was always hell.  Everything hurt and you just felt beat up.  Two weeks into it, though, you didn't even notice anymore and you're already back to doing your normal workouts on top of hard 10 hour days in the hot sun.  Your body is enormously adaptive and capable of so much more than we give it credit for, as long as we give it the tools and the time necessary to improve.

There are things that you could do every day that seem hard right now, but in a few weeks will just become another routine part of your life. In order to push yourself in your training, think about what things you could do. I'll give you some examples of training programs and workouts:

1. Cory Gregory's Squat Every Day- At first glance, this sounds insane. Squatting heavy, in some form or another, every day of the week. And, yet, there are athletes around the world who do just that and make monumental gains in strength, size, and mobility from doing just that.  The argument is that the squat is a primal human movement and we were made to do it, just like walking. It follows a plan of using 11 variations of the barbell squat in a relatively short session every day. It really is quite amazing how your legs feel. Cory Gregory did not invent the idea of squatting heavy every day, but he's certainly spreading the news about it. If you're a strength athlete, I recommend you look into it.  I've recently begun adapting it to the Gravity Room Method, myself. 
2. Narushimo Ryo's Basic Training- If you are a martial artist and not practicing your techniques every day, you are doing yourself a disservice. That doesn't mean that you have to practice them all or that you have to be beat up all the time, but it does mean that you should be training them. Starting off with a smaller number every day and then gradually adding volume to your skill work is a great way to improve without overdoing it by trying to jam 100,000 reps into two hours.  Life is not a montage.  These things take time. 
3. Kamishiro Yuu's Basic Training- Drilling your techniques will make you better. Drilling them tens of thousands of times will make you a master. You will have to start slowly, but you'll be able to do more and more over weeks and months of training. 
4. Saitama's Training- There are some basic movement patterns that we just do all the time. Push-ing yourself off the ground, sitting up from laying down, squatting down, and running are some of the most basic things that we can do.  As a beginner, those things can be a little daunting, but in just a few months, those movement become as natural as breathing and you wonder how you ever lived your life so sedentary. Here's a video to show you options to increase the variety of your training. 
5. The 72 Arts of Shaolin- (Look under "Retsu Kaioh") These specialized exercises are the pinnacle of the Daily Grind. Taking a very simple exercise and using it to gradually turn your body into a weapon is trademark of the Shaolin Temple, kung fu, and martial arts in general. The author of the "72 Arts" recommends that you do not try to do them all, but instead commit yourself fully to two or three training methods to achieve greatness. (I've not yet posted all of the parts to this.)
6. The Self-Imposed Rule- Pushing yourself in your daily training comes in many forms.  The Self-Imposed Rule is a way to push yourself when you aren't meeting your own standards of performance. Your mental and physical prowess can become much greater when you set your mind to the idea that you can always train yourself beyond your failings and limitations. 

Using these methods directly or as an example, you can take your normal program and push it into the realm of extraordinary.  Starting gradually and adding volume and intensity over time will allow you to take simple movements and techniques and absorb them into your very being. Bruce Lee said, "If you always put a limit on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them."

You don't need a rest day: You need consistency, proper nutrition and sleep, and the drive to always be improving, even if it's just by one more rep. If you push yourself a little too hard in a training session, remember that you can always train another aspect of your fitness. 

That's all for today! Until next time, good luck and train hard!

Do you need rest days?  Do you need days where you do absolutely nothing?  We've been told that rest days are necessary, and your body certainly does need to recover, but I think we've been going about this entirely the wrong way.

What images pop into your head when you think about a rest day?  Is it going for a nice walk in the park or the beach or is it you laying on the couch with dried cheese snack powder (you know the one) and a soda the color of radioactive sludge?  Whatever the case is, it's probably not what you should be thinking.

You've got this perfectly good day and you're not training?

(*too)  That's a damn shame.

At this point, I've probably got you wanting to comment or write me a nasty e-mail telling me about Overtraining Syndrome, DOMS, lactic acid, and micro-tears in the muscles.  That's fine. Write the e-mail if you need to: I'll be here when you get back.  However, wait to push send until you hear me out okay?

Recovery is Important

I'm not saying that recovery is not important. Of course recovery is important. We eat the right amounts of good, nutritious foods and drink a river of water to recover properly, relax when it's time to relax during the day, and sleep like a baby for 8-10 hours a night (if you're not sleeping, you're not recovering).  That's not even counting things like massage, ice baths, supplements, PEDs, compression, foam rolling, and however many additional things people do to speed recovery on a daily basis.  You have all of those things and you're telling me that I need to skip a day where I could be training?

I'mma go ahead and say, "No."



If you are doing all of those things, there should be no reason for you to take a day off from training, as long as you are doing the appropriate amount of work at the appropriate intensity. Obviously, if you train to the point that you can't even move the following day, you're going to have to take a day off. However, if you've pushed your body to such a point, you're no longer training effectively.  The purpose of training is to stimulate growth, not annihilate your body to the point that you can no longer use it. Acute overtraining keeps you from being able to continue your training and improving.
And the entire point is to continue improving.

One time, in middle school, I remember that I did legs so hard that I literally couldn't walk the next day. It was some stupid amount of volume like 6 sets of Squats, 8 sets of Leg Press, 4 Super-sets of Leg Extensions and Leg Curls, 4 sets of Calf Raises, 4 Sets of Weighted Bench Step-ups, and all of these were like 10-12 reps sets. I wasn't prepared for the volume by any means, but more must be better in a single training session, right?

Not at all. Unfortunately, because of that training session, I couldn't train at all for two or three days.  How much of a set back is that?!  I want to have the opportunity to improve something every single day.

Always Be Improving

There is always something that you can be working on. Think about all of the things you can improve during your training: strength, endurance, flexibility, mobility, technical skills, agility, balance, stamina, accuracy, coordination, and power.  You don't need a rest day, you need to work on something else. It really depends one what type of athlete you are or what your goals are that will determine how you change up your routine.  The times when you feel as though you've done too much of one thing, you need to work on other aspects of your fitness that falls into line with your goals.  Having an easy day of working on something is not the same thing as a "rest day," in my opinion, because you're still drilling motor patterns and working out the stiffness in the muscles and joints.  You don't need rest, you need to stop skipping important training days.

Athletes have been doing this for decades.  Training splits where an athlete trains different body parts is something that is seen in bodybuilding and various strength sports.  In team sports, athletes split up speed work, agility training, strength training, and skill work to develop every aspect of whatever game they are playing. With the every day athlete, however, you have so many more options, because you're not limited to improving performance for a game. If you find that a training session leaves you incapable of working on some aspect of your fitness, either by accident or design, merely switch to a different component of your fitness and train that.

Splitting up body parts and changing up the components of fitness are two ways that you can continue to improve while pushing your limits on a daily basis, but they are not the only ways. And that's where the next part comes in:

The Daily Grind

If you are specializing in something to any degree, be it strength, skill, or whatever, you would do well to adopt the concept of "The Daily Grind."  You see it in the training methodology of the Shaolin Temple and martial arts around the world and in various strength training camps from powerlifting to Olympic lifting. The concept of day-in day-out physical exertion bringing about an increase physical abilities is not a new concept.

I remember working on construction sites during summer and winter breaks throughout high school and college.  Even though I stayed in shape during the school year, the first week back doing hard framing or roofing was always hell.  Everything hurt and you just felt beat up.  Two weeks into it, though, you didn't even notice anymore and you're already back to doing your normal workouts on top of hard 10 hour days in the hot sun.  Your body is enormously adaptive and capable of so much more than we give it credit for, as long as we give it the tools and the time necessary to improve.

There are things that you could do every day that seem hard right now, but in a few weeks will just become another routine part of your life. In order to push yourself in your training, think about what things you could do. I'll give you some examples of training programs and workouts:

1. Cory Gregory's Squat Every Day- At first glance, this sounds insane. Squatting heavy, in some form or another, every day of the week. And, yet, there are athletes around the world who do just that and make monumental gains in strength, size, and mobility from doing just that.  The argument is that the squat is a primal human movement and we were made to do it, just like walking. It follows a plan of using 11 variations of the barbell squat in a relatively short session every day. It really is quite amazing how your legs feel. Cory Gregory did not invent the idea of squatting heavy every day, but he's certainly spreading the news about it. If you're a strength athlete, I recommend you look into it.  I've recently begun adapting it to the Gravity Room Method, myself. 
2. Narushimo Ryo's Basic Training- If you are a martial artist and not practicing your techniques every day, you are doing yourself a disservice. That doesn't mean that you have to practice them all or that you have to be beat up all the time, but it does mean that you should be training them. Starting off with a smaller number every day and then gradually adding volume to your skill work is a great way to improve without overdoing it by trying to jam 100,000 reps into two hours.  Life is not a montage.  These things take time. 
3. Kamishiro Yuu's Basic Training- Drilling your techniques will make you better. Drilling them tens of thousands of times will make you a master. You will have to start slowly, but you'll be able to do more and more over weeks and months of training. 
4. Saitama's Training- There are some basic movement patterns that we just do all the time. Push-ing yourself off the ground, sitting up from laying down, squatting down, and running are some of the most basic things that we can do.  As a beginner, those things can be a little daunting, but in just a few months, those movement become as natural as breathing and you wonder how you ever lived your life so sedentary. Here's a video to show you options to increase the variety of your training. 
5. The 72 Arts of Shaolin- (Look under "Retsu Kaioh") These specialized exercises are the pinnacle of the Daily Grind. Taking a very simple exercise and using it to gradually turn your body into a weapon is trademark of the Shaolin Temple, kung fu, and martial arts in general. The author of the "72 Arts" recommends that you do not try to do them all, but instead commit yourself fully to two or three training methods to achieve greatness. (I've not yet posted all of the parts to this.)
6. The Self-Imposed Rule- Pushing yourself in your daily training comes in many forms.  The Self-Imposed Rule is a way to push yourself when you aren't meeting your own standards of performance. Your mental and physical prowess can become much greater when you set your mind to the idea that you can always train yourself beyond your failings and limitations. 

Using these methods directly or as an example, you can take your normal program and push it into the realm of extraordinary.  Starting gradually and adding volume and intensity over time will allow you to take simple movements and techniques and absorb them into your very being. Bruce Lee said, "If you always put a limit on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them."

You don't need a rest day: You need consistency, proper nutrition and sleep, and the drive to always be improving, even if it's just by one more rep. If you push yourself a little too hard in a training session, remember that you can always train another aspect of your fitness. 

That's all for today! Until next time, good luck and train hard!

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Master Post for Hajime no Ippo Training Program

1. The Hajime no Ippo Training Program- Part 1
2. The Hajime no Ippo Training Program- Part 2
3. The Hajime no Ippo Training Program- Part 3
4. The Hajime no Ippo Training Program- Part 4
5. The Hajime no Ippo Training Program- Part 5

Parts will be added as they are finished/I have time to add them.  This program is an example of the type of program you would receive if you purchased a Personalized Training Program.

Make sure you have a mouthguard when you're training!

1. The Hajime no Ippo Training Program- Part 1
2. The Hajime no Ippo Training Program- Part 2
3. The Hajime no Ippo Training Program- Part 3
4. The Hajime no Ippo Training Program- Part 4
5. The Hajime no Ippo Training Program- Part 5

Parts will be added as they are finished/I have time to add them.  This program is an example of the type of program you would receive if you purchased a Personalized Training Program.

Make sure you have a mouthguard when you're training!

reade more... Résuméabuiyad