Battling Ropes are a great tool to use when it comes to becoming bulletproof. They are perhaps the perfect "play" tool:
1. They are fun. Yes, they are brutal, but it is a fun brutal that keeps you coming back for more. If you've ever picked up a rope and performed velocity waves, you know what i'm talking about. I've never met anyone who wasn't shocked by how taxing the velocity drills are and yet they always have a smile on their face.
2. They are safe. It would be very hard to get hurt performing Battling Ropes. Think about it, you're pretty much playing with a big string! If you let go of the rope, it lets go of you. No harm, no foul.
3. They are perfect for conditioning. I don't know of anything, or any form of interval training, that can get your heart rate up like Battling Ropes can. Not even the kettlebell can crank your heart up like the ropes will.
4. They are perfect for strength training. Yes, you can get strong with Battling Ropes. You could even get huge, if you wanted to. The Pole Pull system is a great way to strength train.
5. There is no learning curve! There is no real need to worry about form. The ropes allow you to move in the way your body wants to without fear of bad form.
6. Anyone can train with Battling Ropes. Any fitness level, any gender, any athlete from any sport, any age. The ropes are suitable for all populations and all fitness goals.
7. They could be the perfect fat loss tool. Training with Battling Ropes burns calories more effectively than almost any training tool I can think of. Couple that with their safety factor and they are very hard to beat for fat loss.
8. The Battling Ropes can even teach you how to relax under stress and manage your breathing. There is a whole article here for another day, so for now, just trust me.
The list of benefits does not stop here. There are many more benefits to training with the Battling Ropes System. If you have never trained with Battling Ropes, you should check them out. They are a perfect tool for your "play" days. You can learn more about them here: Battling Ropes
If you have trained with them, let me know what you think!
Tim
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Strength Training does not have to happen in a gym
The words "strength training" probably make you think of several images; like the bench press, squats, deadlifts, pull-ups, or whatever. Many people don't strength train because they may feel like they just don't know how. Maybe they don't have the energy to learn or maybe they are just intimidated by the images strength training conjures up.
Strength training is good for you. Everyone could stand to be a little stronger, or at least strong. Strength training does not have to happen in a gym though. Strength training does not have to involve dumbbells, kettlebells, barbells, or any kind of traditional strength training equipment. A person can strength train simply by learning how to move their own body. Simple things like crawling, climbing, jumping, running and playing can make a person extremely strong. Yes, just moving your body the way it was intended to move can make you strong and healthy.
If you are doubtful of this, you should try it. At the very least, you will start to move and feel better. At the most, you will build strength. Take the pushup for example, why would a person bother with the bench press when they can't even do a good looking pushup? A pushup can make you strong! A bench press can give you the illusion of strong. Or, take the body weight squat - it is good! Why would a person put a bar on their back and do squats when they can't even do a good looking bodyweight squat? Learning how to move your body can really lay a great foundation for strength.
Not only that, you can actually become freakishly strong by just learning how to use and move your body. Don't believe me? Here is a one legged, one arm pushup. It takes strength to do this, and it took learning how to move my body to get the strength to do this. All the weight lifting I've done in my life, never gave me the strength to do this:
Learn how to move your body! It is great strength training!
Tim
Strength training is good for you. Everyone could stand to be a little stronger, or at least strong. Strength training does not have to happen in a gym though. Strength training does not have to involve dumbbells, kettlebells, barbells, or any kind of traditional strength training equipment. A person can strength train simply by learning how to move their own body. Simple things like crawling, climbing, jumping, running and playing can make a person extremely strong. Yes, just moving your body the way it was intended to move can make you strong and healthy.
If you are doubtful of this, you should try it. At the very least, you will start to move and feel better. At the most, you will build strength. Take the pushup for example, why would a person bother with the bench press when they can't even do a good looking pushup? A pushup can make you strong! A bench press can give you the illusion of strong. Or, take the body weight squat - it is good! Why would a person put a bar on their back and do squats when they can't even do a good looking bodyweight squat? Learning how to move your body can really lay a great foundation for strength.
Not only that, you can actually become freakishly strong by just learning how to use and move your body. Don't believe me? Here is a one legged, one arm pushup. It takes strength to do this, and it took learning how to move my body to get the strength to do this. All the weight lifting I've done in my life, never gave me the strength to do this:
Learn how to move your body! It is great strength training!
Tim
Monday, July 18, 2011
Setting the Foundation
Becoming Bulletproof is a template, or system, for setting the foundation towards building a resilient body. The goal is to be physically capable of performing any task, or participating in whatever activity you enjoy, without getting injured or fear of injury. Or, being able to do whatever you want to because you are not injured and you have no movement limitations. Either way, Becoming Bulletproof is all about building a solid foundation on which to lay a strong, healthy, resilient body upon.
Some people have asked me, what comes next? Can you integrate your strength training with your play sessions? Yes, yes you can. In fact, the Beyond Bodyweight Training System DVD John Brookfield and I made is the next step. Yes, the DVD came out before the book. As it turns out, filming a DVD is a lot quicker and easier than writing a book. Even a short book!
If you want to know more about the Beyond Bodyweight Training system check out this youtube clip. This is just a taste of what is inside the DVD. This is how you build serious strength as you "play". This is Becoming Bulletproof part 2 - 5!
Tim
Some people have asked me, what comes next? Can you integrate your strength training with your play sessions? Yes, yes you can. In fact, the Beyond Bodyweight Training System DVD John Brookfield and I made is the next step. Yes, the DVD came out before the book. As it turns out, filming a DVD is a lot quicker and easier than writing a book. Even a short book!
If you want to know more about the Beyond Bodyweight Training system check out this youtube clip. This is just a taste of what is inside the DVD. This is how you build serious strength as you "play". This is Becoming Bulletproof part 2 - 5!
Tim
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Obesity is Getting Bigger in the U.S.
I found this article on CNN.com: Obesity is Getting Bigger in the United States. I know that is no new news. But I thought the article was interesting because it talked about how we have built our lives around comfort and convenience. Much like I discussed in Becoming Bulletproof.
Our society is moving further and further away from what we were made for: movement. Our diets and our inactivity only add gas to the fire. We are headed down the wrong road. We need to move!
If you have a job that requires long periods of sitting, get up at least once an hour and do some cross-crawls, stretch, walk, or something. Do something. If you drive for many hours at a time, schedule movement breaks every hour. Find ways to schedule movement breaks! If you can perform the Becoming Bulletproof movements, even better! What ever you do, make time to move.
Tim
Our society is moving further and further away from what we were made for: movement. Our diets and our inactivity only add gas to the fire. We are headed down the wrong road. We need to move!
If you have a job that requires long periods of sitting, get up at least once an hour and do some cross-crawls, stretch, walk, or something. Do something. If you drive for many hours at a time, schedule movement breaks every hour. Find ways to schedule movement breaks! If you can perform the Becoming Bulletproof movements, even better! What ever you do, make time to move.
Tim
Sunday, July 10, 2011
A great "play" session
If you've read Becoming Bulletproof, you know we believe people should take the time to go outside and play. The following is a great play session that can make you feel really good, burn some calories, and build some muscle:
Walking cross-crawls for 60 yards.
Rocking for 10 to 15 reps.
Spider-man crawl for 60 yards.
Skip for 60 yards x 2 trips
Sprint at 1/2 speed 60 yards x 3 trips
Sprint at 1/2 to 3/4 speed 60 yards x 3 trips
Sprint at 3/4 speed 60 yards x 3 trips
Sprint 3/4 to full speed 60 yards x 3 trips
Walk back to start between sprints
Cool down with walking cross-crawls for 60 yards
Spider-man crawl for 60 yards
This can be a great family play session. Take your kids, they can help you learn to skip! Or, maybe you can teach your kids how to skip. You could even turn the sprints into a game of chase!
Enjoy!
Check out Becoming Bulletproof at www.BecomingBulletproof.net to learn more.
Have a play session of your own that you want to share? Feel free to let us know!
Go play,
Tim
Walking cross-crawls for 60 yards.
Rocking for 10 to 15 reps.
Spider-man crawl for 60 yards.
Skip for 60 yards x 2 trips
Sprint at 1/2 speed 60 yards x 3 trips
Sprint at 1/2 to 3/4 speed 60 yards x 3 trips
Sprint at 3/4 speed 60 yards x 3 trips
Sprint 3/4 to full speed 60 yards x 3 trips
Walk back to start between sprints
Cool down with walking cross-crawls for 60 yards
Spider-man crawl for 60 yards
This can be a great family play session. Take your kids, they can help you learn to skip! Or, maybe you can teach your kids how to skip. You could even turn the sprints into a game of chase!
Enjoy!
Check out Becoming Bulletproof at www.BecomingBulletproof.net to learn more.
Have a play session of your own that you want to share? Feel free to let us know!
Go play,
Tim
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Still Becoming
So, last Wednesday, Mike and I released Becoming Bulletproof. We were not quite sure how it would be received, but we were sure that the material in the book could help a lot of people.
All I can say is that I have been blown away by the feedback we are getting. Not only are people taking a chance to buy the book, but complete strangers are taking the time to give us their feedback. And so far, the feedback has been very positive!
Mike and I have both been humbled by the way in which Becoming Bulletproof has been received. This whole experience has just been so Amazing. I have told my friends that this book started when I asked God to teach me how to become a better trainer and how to connect the dots with all the information that is out there. From there, a great friendship started with Mike along with some great conversations.
God has blessed this whole process: I asked for guidance, I made a great friend, we wrote a book together, people are enjoying it, people are learning what we learned, and we are making new friends because of it.
God is Good.
If you haven't checked it out yet, here it is:
www.BecomingBulletproof.net
All I can say is that I have been blown away by the feedback we are getting. Not only are people taking a chance to buy the book, but complete strangers are taking the time to give us their feedback. And so far, the feedback has been very positive!
Mike and I have both been humbled by the way in which Becoming Bulletproof has been received. This whole experience has just been so Amazing. I have told my friends that this book started when I asked God to teach me how to become a better trainer and how to connect the dots with all the information that is out there. From there, a great friendship started with Mike along with some great conversations.
God has blessed this whole process: I asked for guidance, I made a great friend, we wrote a book together, people are enjoying it, people are learning what we learned, and we are making new friends because of it.
God is Good.
If you haven't checked it out yet, here it is:
www.BecomingBulletproof.net
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