UNCAGE THE ANIMAL — Page 7 — RELEASE THE ANIMAL RAGE TODAY

THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM

April 23, 2014 By GURJOT 2 Comments

Have you worked so hard for something that you felt was reachable and you were so determined, come hell or high water to get it, but for reasons you couldn’t quite explain it eluded you?

You just couldn’t figure out how or why. The doubt starts to set in. Did you really do everything you could. The little voice in your head goes off on a tangent and starts eating away at the very fibre of your being, pushing you to ever closer to your breaking point. It just eats you up inside.

You’re probably wondering Why the hell I am I telling you all this?

Let me explain.

For a long time I tried so hard and pushed myself to reach a new level of skill, strength and durability when it came to my training. (Especially martial arts and believe me, I’m still constantly striving and pushing to reach new plateaus). All in the pursuit of reaching a “higher level.”

The hours, weeks and months I spent hitting my heavy bag with my bare fists. That’s right ladies and gents, no gloves, mitts, hand/wrist wraps. No damn protection whatsoever. Just skin coming into contact with vinyl.

The storm within me raging. The intention was crystal clear.

I wanted to make my fists like iron. I wanted to develop the power in my punches to the best that was humanly possible for me.

Note: I don’t claim to have the greatest, most powerful punch in the world, nor do I care to. I simply want to train my body to the best I can get it.

For a long time my hands would bruise, turn red and the skin would tear. (If you didn’t get the picture already. Yeah it dang well hurt a lot too).

At first I would throw in the towel and walk away. Let the hand heal, I figured. 3-4 days later I’d be out again doing the same thing.

Slowly my pain threshold grew and I endured more, lasting longer and longer each time, but it still wasn’t good enough. (At least to me at the time). No matter what I did the pain would be too great to deal with and I felt disappointed. If only there was a way to manage it. To work through it.

One particular day as I walked out into my garden to hit the heavy bag, expecting the usual to inevitably happen, I started up, took my stance and began hammering away at the bag. Sure enough the pain started to develop with the onslaught and flurry of my punches.

But then suddenly a weird, unexplainable calmness filled my body and mind. Suddenly, I really didn’t care about how hard my punches were, or how much it hurt.

I didn’t care anymore and that’s when the magic happened. It was as if my body shut out the pain, all the thoughts, feelings and emotions. All the reasons for hitting the bag become insignificant. It was as if I’d been able to let go of all the things holding me back.

I lost track of time, space, maybe even reality. Nothing mattered. I continued pounding away at the bag, with no thought. No emotion.

When your mind becomes so clear. So empty. When you become immersed in the movements and actions.

It feels strange writing this and was insane at the time. But I’d actually found peace in the fact that I didn’t care about reaching my goal or anything for that matter.

I ended up having one of the best power bag sessions I’ve ever experienced and at the end of it my knuckles weren’t bruised. There were no cuts, blood or any trace of swelling/inflammation.

Just a bit of redness over the knuckles, which was to be expected. It was about 10 mins or so after I’d finished working on the bag, that the pain finally registered. But it didn’t hurt as much as it had on previous occasions.

It’s an odd feeling that I can’t explain. I just like to call it “THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM EFFECT.” And man is it wonderful. (You’ll only be able to relate to this when you experience it for yourself).

You’re probably thinking cool story but what’s the whole point of it?

Well, keep your shirt on we’re getting to the good stuff.

If you want to take your training to the next level, the answer doesn’t always lie in consciously forcing yourself to add more weight or grind out more reps. Just try to connect and flow with the movement. (Easier said than done, right?).

That’s why before every training session I mediate to eliminate all the useless garbage that floats around in the mind. I also do it before I start each and every day. It’s a very empowering feeling.

Sometimes you’ve got to completely free your mind of every darn thought and feeling towards every damn thing you’ve worked so hard for. It sounds bloody insane, and it’s downright difficult, but not impossible.

I believe when you’re pushed to a certain threshold, a certain level of mental and physical stress, (that more often than not is self created), due to the intense desire and longing inside of you to reach a goal.

Eventually you’ll likely reach the tipping point and lose track of said goal. You just won’t care about achieving it anymore. When you get to that point, your breaking point, your limit, that’s when crazy things happen. That’s how I experienced it.

It’s like the more you think and strive for something the further it gets from you. (Sounds like a damn paradox).

LET THAT SINK IN FOR A SECOND. RE-READ IT AGAIN IF YOU HAVE TO!!!

Let me give you another example you’ve probably heard of this situation occurring dozens of times. Heck, maybe it’s even happened to you.

Ever been in a situation where you lost your house or car keys. You get all pent up and frustrated looking for the sucker and you just can’t find it anywhere. Then you forget about it, you just stop thinking about it and then presto, out of nowhere you end up finding it. Usually they were right where you left them, in plain sight.

The point is, when you block out all your desires and thoughts and learn to stop being overly consumed by your goal, you’d probably end up reaching it a lot sooner and with a lot less hassle and stress.

Don’t take that the wrong way, you still obviously have to work hard and strive to achieve your goals, but when it takes over you to the point that you lose sight of everything else, particularly your enjoyment in life. You’re probably over obsessing.

We’ve got a tendency to over think and analysis everything. It does nothing except complicate situations and lead to unnecessary stress and anxiety, making things harder than they need to be.

Hey!! “Sometimes you’ve got to take a step back to move two steps forward.”

MIND-BOGGLING, ISN’T IT?

ACUITY AND MENTALITY

THE TRAINING TIMEFRAME: HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU TRAIN?

April 20, 2014 By GURJOT Leave a Comment

To train or not to train? — How often should you train? That’s the question

It’s a question raised often. How often should you train in a given week? The honest truth is that there is no solid, definitive be all and end all answer that will satisfy all tastes. We’re all individuals at the end of the day, each with different requirements and goals.

Simply put, there’s too many damn variables/options available to group everybody together under one category. Some train 3 days, 4 days, 6 days, hence the large number of different programs that cater to that.

It all comes down to the individual. It really depends on how your body feels and responds your training frequency. By no means am I saying that an individual that trains 3 times a week trains less intensely and effectively than someone training 6 times a week. (And vice versa).

I personally prefer training with weights 3-4 times in a given week. However, I also engage in other physical activities outside of those “training days.” including sprinting, practicing martial arts, heavy bag work, stretching, yoga and calisthenics. (A rest day to me is simply a day where I don’t meditate with iron).

I view these activities as more of an outlet. Leisurely activities that I like to participate in and find joy doing. In fact I’m pretty much involved in some form of physical activity/training every day of the week.

Call them “rest days” or “active recovery days.” Whatever you like, it really doesn’t matter.

I’ve gotten to the point where I don’t seek to train merely for aesthetics. I train to be more athletic and to prevent injuries. Above all I train to make myself a better, more resilient and disciplined individual.

THE POINT IS I LIKE BEING ACTIVE!!

Don’t get me wrong!! If I feel I need additional “rest days” with little to no activity I take them. Only when the need arises. I always listen to my body.

Truthfully, it doesn’t really matter how many days you train, as long as you’re enjoying it, you feel great, it doesn’t eat into your recovery and recuperation capabilities, but most of all, you’re getting the desired results.

Overtraining is not something I’m overly concerned with, because I’ve never really felt or been over trained. (At least in my mind).

I don’t rely on anybody to tell me how my body feels and responds to the loads I place on it. I know my own body and that’s the key thing.

You’ve got to consciously, understand your body and the signals it sends you. Get in tune with yourself.

In this day and age we rely too much on others to tell us what’s good for our bodies. There’s so much conflicting information out there that people are bombarded with.

Nobody can tell you how your body will respond to a particular frequency of training. You alone have to judge that for yourself.

Remember, no one on the face of this planet knows your body better than you.

People may look at what I do and say, yep definitely overtraining. I don’t give a damn though. I train according to how I feel and that’s good enough for me.

Train insane and enjoy the ride.

IRON AND SUBSTANCE

THE BODYWEIGHT DEBATE

April 3, 2014 By GURJOT Leave a Comment

Bodyweight training has become increasingly popular nowadays and with good reason. While weight/resistance training is fantastic, there’s a certain bodily strength and development that you can only get from bodyweight or calisthenics training.

Take a look at gymnasts, some of the strongest athletes the world has to offer, and virtually all that strength has in some way been developed through bodyweight training. (Of course in its very advanced stages).

Don’t get me wrong. I love weight training as much as any one else, but recently I’ve been incorporating more bodyweight exercises into my training and I love the freedom and feeling.

In fact, before I actually got into weight training I used to do numerous bodyweight/free hand exercises. Pretty much the first six months of training that’s all I did. It was a precursor to the iron that was to follow.

If you actually break it down, bodyweight is a form of weight training. The ‘weight’ part of the word is the giveaway.

As of recently I’ve added various forms of pushups, pull-ups/chins and dips, both weighted and regular to my routine. Not forgetting pistol squats, L-sits, inverted rows and handstand pushups etc.

I’m slowly working up to higher progressions and it’s a real pain. (Figuratively and literally speaking).

Truth is, bodyweight training requires, more focus, intensity, discipline and patience than pumping iron. (Yep, you read that correctly). You see it isn’t easy trying to progress to a higher, more advanced variation of an exercise. It’s easier to do with weights than with your own body.

Want to get progress on a bench press, just add on another plate each side and get to it. (Not to downplay how hard you still have to train). With bodyweight it’s not that simple.

To get to the next progression, you’ve got to physically train your body to prepare it for the next level. It takes time. In many cases you have to practice the move over and over to finally be able to do it. It requires a lot of patience, something many people just don’t have.

If you can endure it though, it’s worth it. You’ll develop body strength, coordination and balance that you won’t otherwise get from lifting. Not to mention you’ll get some attention. (Always a nice side benefit).To top it of it’s also a great way to give your joints a break from heavy lifting.

Now, you’ll find certain individuals that think you can’t build muscle with bodyweight training. To all those people, I say, think again!!!

Of course doing endless basic pushups, pull-ups and dips will only get you so far, so they are partly correct. Sticking to the same basic bodyweight exercises constantly will eventually lead to result stagnation. That’s where advanced bodyweight training and progressions come into play.

Instead of doing a regular pushup, move your hands further away from your body and see how damn hard the exercise gets. If you find regular pull-ups a breeze, slap some weight plates around your waist, do some plyometric variations or work your way to a perfect form muscle up.

With bodyweight training you’ve got to continue to push the boundaries. Never get stuck in a rut. You have to get a little creative.

Just as there are those who knock bodyweight training, there are those who exclusively train with their bodyweight and knock all forms of extra resistance. (Weight training/bodybuilding etc).

Human beings are quite funny that way. They seem to feel that they have to choose one form of training over another. If you can get benefits from both and have access to both, why not do both? (Injuries/time commitment issues aside).

Ultimately it all comes down to preferences and personal choice. But never knock something till you’ve tried it.

Here’s a quick circuit I like to do from time to time.

Chest/Triceps/abs (perform 2-3 circuits)

10 regular pushups/ 10 sec V sit

10 wide pushups/10 sec V sit

10 diamond pushups/ 10 sec V sit

(Perform each round of the circuit in nonstop fashion. Rest about 60-90secs after each round).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ete9gaFvmHs

Hannibal. The man is a master of bodyweight. A one of a kind type of guy.

PAIN AND GAIN

Image credit: Marines

NUMERO UNO

March 14, 2014 By GURJOT 4 Comments

He doesn't need anyone to tell him he's number 1. — He doesn’t need anyone to tell him he’s number 1.

WHO’S NUMBER ONE?

ME.

That’s the response you should give to anyone that poses such a question. (Or something to that effect).

It might sound abrupt, maybe even immodest, but that really is (should be) the truth.

When you rise each day, tell yourself you’re number one. Repeat it until it’s ingrained in your psyche. Write it on a post it note and stick it on your bathroom mirror or refrigerator. Somewhere you’ll be able to see and remind yourself of it daily.

Bottom line. JUST GET IT IN YOUR HEAD!!

In this life I’ve realised you’ve got to take yourself seriously, demonstrate and actually have some damn respect and think highly of yourself.

Does that mean going around and being a self-gloating, boastful prick?

Of course not.

There’s no need to impose yourself on others. That’s a sign of insecurity.

If that’s what you take from this, then you’re getting the wrong message completely.

Have a little faith and belief in yourself. Don’t purposefully belittle and undermine yourself in front of others. Don’t think negatively of yourself.

As you think so shall you become.

At the end of the day, only you can be your own hero and salvager. The greatest enemy is that of the self.

One of the biggest issues is that we constantly seek approval from society.

If you value the opinions and influences of others above that of your own gut, then you really don’t value yourself. That to me is a massive sin.

It’s a form a mental castration. There’s also nothing more demoralising than the feeling of no self worth.

That’s one of the biggest problems with modern society. Instead of accepting the situation and trying to push on, we demote ourselves, because we worry about what others think of us.

Besides, no one will think highly of you if you don’t think highly of yourself. When you have self-respect and high self worth, people will automatically catch the vibe and treat you with respect.

Pull yourself together and start seeing yourself as the champion you are and should be. Don’t let someone talk crap about you and make you feel inferior.

You’re in charge of your reality. Never let anyone try to take that away from you, or make you think and feel otherwise.

Convince yourself that you’re number one and let the rest happen.

DIGNITY AND RESPECT

THE SECRETS OF A SUCCESIVE DIET

February 27, 2014 By GURJOT 2 Comments

It’s a topic I haven’t gone into great detail on. That is until now!!

It seems people are always on a diet. They chop and change from one to another, nitpicking this and complaining about that.

Most people’s definition of the word is synonymous with starvation, cabbage soup with carrots and a whole bunch of other garbage perpetuated by nutrition “gurus.”

Diet is in essence is just what you shove down your throat daily, whether it’s twinkies and cake or chicken and rice.

While the former is all junk, the latter is more nutritious. Diet, at the end of the day is relative and comes down to personal preference and matter of opinion.

It goes by many names i.e “eating plan” or “nutrition.” “Diet” just sounds simple.

In this article, I’m going to first address some of the typical, nonsensical advice that’s floating around.

As you’re probably aware, if you’ve been into training and fitness for any length of time you’ll most likely have heard all the classic codes and conventions. (The internet is full of it).

1) Eat 5-6 small meals a day. It stokes your metabolism

Eating 5-6 small meals a day is a personal choice.

Can you lose fat, get ripped and build muscle doing it?

Absolutely.

To its credit, it can work. It gets you into the discipline of eating “healthier” and managing portions. People have built better bodies following this method. (If it didn’t work it wouldn’t receive so much attention).

However, in a fast paced society like the one we’re all accustomed to, for a lot of people it just isn’t practical. You probably have tons of other things that you’d rather take care of, then to cook, eat and clean six times a day.

When you add up all the time that goes into that, unless you don’t have any other hobbies or interests, it hardly leaves time for you to do anything else.

As for the metabolism-stoking thing, that’s pretty much been debunked. It doesn’t matter whether you eat 3000 calories over 6 meals or 2-3. The results are going to be the same either way. You’re not going to lose more fat with one approach over the other, in an equal caloric and macro nutrient scenario.

The other problem with this approach is that it can create and lead to unnecessary psychological stress. Planning, preparing and watching the clock so you can tuck into your next meal.

The real issue here is, what’s practical, sustainable and suitable to you and your lifestyle.

If you can do it and find it enjoyable, satisfying and it fits your lifestyle. You know what to do.

That saying, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is applicable in this instance.

2) You need 1.0 -2.5 grams of protein per pound (lb) of body weight

The simple reality is you could get by with about 0.8 and in some cases 0.6 grams of protein per lb.

I generally do stick with 1 gram, just as a rule. I’ve been doing it so long and I’m so darn used to it. I don’t see it changing anytime soon.

Some days I get less, some days more. I don’t really care about all the niggly details.

Could I get by on less and still build muscle?

Yep.

Do you need protein powder to build muscle?

No, it’s not an essential requirement. You can still build muscle without it. Half of them taste like crap, and are full of all kinds of nasty things. They can still help however, sort of like an icing on the cake, type thing.

You’ll hear some recommendations of 2.5 grams of protein per kg of bodyweight or 1.5 grams per lb of bodyweight. While that quantity of protein most likely won’t hurt you physically, it certainly might hurt your wallet.

If you can afford it and you’re seeing results, keep doing what you’re doing.

In truth, there’s a limit to the amount of muscle your body will be able to put on naturally. Constantly shoveling more protein down the ol’ pie hole isn’t going to work forever.

If it were that simple, we’d see a lot more freakishly muscular individuals roaming the streets like an army of hulks. (That’d be a sight).

3) You need to avoid carbs and fats if you want to get lean

This is nonsense. Seriously. Ditching the carbs can cause you to lose some fat, (more water weight though), but it’s not a sensible long-term solution.

When you cut carbs very low, (I’m talking below 100g daily) you’ll find your strength and energy take a plunge. Your muscles will most likely look flat due to glycogen (Carb energy stored in muscles and the liver) depletion.

If that didn’t hit the spot, to top it off, your sex drive will plummet, you’ll screw with your natural testosterone levels and you’ll just be a damn pain in the ass to be around.

I personally like carb cycling. For example, I’ve done three days low carb and on the fourth high carb. Currently, I eat lower carb during the day and eat the majority of my carbs at night. Both approaches work well for me and I like them. You’ve got to find what works for you and stick to it.

You’re probably well aware of the importance of fats, particularly unsaturated, poly-unsaturated and even good old saturated fats.

Should you go around consuming a whole jar of peanut butter everyday?

NO.

But you can and should still eat your egg yolks, fat from meats etc. Don’t sweat over the natural fats that come from real, whole, natural foods.

Fats are important in natural testosterone production, joint health and cushioning and even the health of your hair and skin.

Not to mention fats add to the satiety of foods, meaning you’ll be fuller for longer and less prone to excessive food binges, which can really lay on the lbs.

I’d say that makes them pretty damn important.

I’m not going to get into all the health talk on carbs and fats because that’d make for a whole article itself.

So is it worth eliminating them from your diet in the long run?

You be the judge.

This is just barely scratching the surface. There’s tons of useless guidelines and impractical advice out there concerning nutrition.

The solution for most people is simple. Start focusing on eating more natural, whole foods.

If you’re into fitness, you just take it a step further. Do a bit of math and calculate the amount of carbs, protein and fats you need, add some veggies into the mix and presto.

HUNGER AND RESOLVE