To Keep Going Until The End Of Time

 Certain aspects of training can be put into perspective when you look at it from a certain point of view. In most of my workouts with the Dopa Band, I set a stop watch and see how long it takes to do 10 rounds with the only break marking off the circuit. Sometimes it goes 13 minutes, at times 20 or more minutes but my intention is to always do 10 Rounds or more with little to no rest. It keeps me in shape and its great for rehab if it came down to it. Conditioning is an asset that many underestimate or don't know the true understanding of how useful it really is especially as we get older.

One of my favorite styles of training is to set a time and do a superset continuously until the timer is up. Just focus on the exercises, don't worry or rush the rounds or sets and just hammer out the reps as best as you can until your time is up. The objective is to not stop, adjusting is one thing because you may slow down a bit after a period or tune up the band so to speak as you keep going but you don't stop. That's a test of mental toughness and endurance. I tried this style yesterday doing 4 exercises with the dopa band for 30 min without stopping. No checking off or walking it off, I kept going at a clip that was comfortable for me to where I wasn't getting sloppy but I wasn't going Sonic The Hedgehog either. 

It's about doing what you can to keep your levels up and teaching your body to not get tired or have some gas left in the tank when you're done. It's not about pounding your body into an oblivion and being so damn sore you can't move the next day. Training for the most part is to progress with intent and being aware of what your body can do without needing to go to extremes. As time goes on, we adjust to what we can maintain for life long health. Having strength is never a bad thing but we don't just want our strength to be temporary, it's critical to have it last for as long as we can. 

Conditioning is a component of training we can't afford to lose. If you want to play with the kids, go on hikes, swimming, climbing flights of stairs without issues, taking a stroll through the park; conditioning needs and should be a part of all that in order to live a quality life. Use your energy when it calls for it, be able to keep going when others get tired, harness that gas in the tank mentality to do the fun things in life.

Keep being amazingly awesome. 

Dopa Bands: More Than Just An Arsenal For Wrestlers

 

Wrestling has been a great test of man's physical and mental abilities for eons. From the time of ancient tribes to competitive sport at the highest levels, it tests your will and your ability to do things you didn't know were possible. Many exercise systems are inspired by wrestling and all its forms. When it comes to systems like the Dopamineo Bands, it can take on a life of its own especially when it goes beyond the realm of a workout for a wrestler or fighter.

You don't have to be a wrestler or in MMA to get the benefit of these bands, they can be just as effective for workouts that get you in fantastic condition that also saves you time and is healthy on the joints. In most cases, a workout within 10-20 minutes is more than enough for most people and when you can do that on average of 3x a week, you're getting more done than the general population. Most of my workouts with my band don't go more than a half hour and on average is roughly 15-20 minutes. My objective is to rest as little to almost zero during the entire workout because I want to not just keep my cardio up but at the same time keep the intensity as best as it can go or as high as it can be without needing a break. 

Some people especially in the beginning would need to recover cause the exercises can be intense as hell and it's important to be as efficient as possible when you train. You're working muscles you normally don't use and with the combos you can use, it brings your heart rate up at a good clip. Start out learning the techniques and as time goes on, you gradually increase speed and intensity. Do you have to go hard all the time? No, you don't need to set a record every workout, the real objective is to progressively increase the capacity of your body's abilities without getting injured or tired. I always believe that you should have gas left in the tank after a workout. If you go too hard, it's going to take longer to recover.

Karl Gotch once said "Conditioning is your greatest hold" and that holds true not just in wrestling but in life as well. When you can develop a level of conditioning where getting tired is barely a concept or even the possibility, you're going to find out that being able to do things when it counts the most can be either very small or a major moment in your life is worth having. Intense training is not just what you think you're capable of, it's the measurement for what you may need when the time comes when it will be needed the most. That's what makes the Dopa Bands so incredible, it can do things for you that you may not understand now but with practice and time, you'll start to understand why they're crucial to your development and quality of life. 

It doesn't matter if you're 6 years old or over 60, the Dopa Bands can do wonders for your body that can create amazing results and develop abilities that are critical and important in life. From just having fun and learning the exercises to developing joint health and muscular strength & endurance for performance and overall physical fitness goes a long way. Make them work for you but also treat it with respect. Let it help you find the right ways to get in bad ass shape but also learn to control yourself so you don't get sloppy and hurt. It's a tool like anything else, treat it right, it will do wonders. Treat it badly, it will bite back so be wise and learn. 

As always, don't forget to use my discount code POWERANDMIGHT to get 10% OFF your order whether its for one band or a bundle for your friends/family, school, athletic program or personal training. Be amazingly awesome and get your hands on one of the coolest systems on the market today. 

500 Step Ups A Day

As you know, Step Ups are a main form of my leg training and for good reason. I've kept a solid level of hitting at least 500 reps in sets of 25 per leg. Sometimes I'll do up to 600 and every now and then go for 1000 but most days I keep it around 500. What have been the benefits of doing this? I don't get sore, my legs are looking more athletic, maintaining or losing a bit of weight here and there and it keeps my stamina up.

That's just part of why I do them. I mainly do them cause for one they're enjoyable and two, it helps mix in my training with the Dopa Band I work with. Some days, I start out with Step Ups and do a Dopa Workout later, others I'll do a Dopa Workout in the day and then do Step Ups at night and one time I started a workout with 500 Step Ups as a "warm up" and then went into a Dopa Workout so the entire session was around 45 minutes or so. That's the beauty of them, they can be incorporated to whatever you want to do.

I keep my timing of 500 between 20-25 minutes. I don't try to go for a speed record because no matter how fast I try to make it, eventually will hit a wall and the faster you go, the more chances of making a mistake that could result in an injury. It's not a sprint, its a conditioning exercise to be done at a solid pace that keeps you going without going Speedy Gonzales on it. It's meant for cardio that also has a strength element to it by having strong, athletic and conditioned legs. Bob Backlund would do thousands upon thousands in his workouts and he was one of the most conditioned men of his time. You don't have to go that route because all you're doing is just adding more reps to a long ass workout that takes up a ton of time and not everyone is able to workout on exercises like that for 2 hours or more. 

It's an idea, that's all it really is and can be a part of your leg training on squats if you want to do that. Some athletes will do 500 or more squats to keep their conditioning up, that's awesome, it's not for me, not anymore. I like to mix the two exercises together when I'm in the mood and do 500 Step Ups & 250 Squats within about 35 minutes or a couple times doubled those numbers and finished within 80 minutes. 500 Step Ups is still beneficial for developing awesome endurance and building strength because the muscles used are primarily in the thighs and hamstrings. If you can't do 500 yet, that's ok. Build up to that little by little by doing sets of 10 per leg and climbing the ladder so to speak progressively. If you want to do no more than 50 per leg to get to 500 that's awesome too, you're still working hard. Be mindful and don't let ego get the best of you. Train effectively and with intent. 

Step Up and do what's possible. Train for health, not to break world records all the time. 

Cardio Is Boring AF

 It can be depending on what you do and what you've been taught as. I never liked doing the treadmill or trying to run for miles on end (not that I can anyway because of certain metals in my legs) plus when you have a form of ADD, its important to understand how your brain keeps firing doing things that keep you going. 

Cardio doesn't have to be boring though, there are ways to utilize it so you can keep your stamina up. One of the best ways is through circuit training either with Bodyweight or with Bands like Dopamineo. With bodyweight, you move from one exercise to another and work different muscles instead of doing just one thing the entire time at a steady clip. You can do Hindu Squats or Step Ups by working a number of reps in a row. Some like to do 300-500 Hindu Squats, I'll do 500 or more Step Ups, its a preference. I imagine climbing up a mountain or a bad ass skyscraper when I do them, makes things interesting.

There's also HIIT style training which is a form of cardio but doesn't take up a ton of time. It could Sprinting, Band Work, Bodyweight, using weights, hell it can be on a Rogue Bike, as long as you go hard for a short amount of time and rest two to three times as long. Some workouts are so intense, you go hard but only rest half the amount. I'll do that with the Dopa Band where I work an exercise for 30 seconds but only rest for 15, this amplifies my conditioning where I can keep going and not rest as much. 

Most aren't taught how to use cardio to an advantage, its always "you have to do this and its the only way", fuck that lol. If you're going to do cardio, make it worth while and make it interesting. The key thing here is to not go so hard that you can't walk out of it at the end. Always have gas in the tank, there's a difference between breaking a PR and killing yourself in the name of fitness. Workouts should enhance the attributes you're attempting to achieve, if you're a world class athlete, that's a whole different style of training. If you try to do the same or similar style of fitness like Lebron James or Jordan Burroughs or hell even Seth Rollins or John Cena you're in for a rude awakening. Do things that are challenging but not to the point where you need 3-4 days to recover or even longer. 

Cardio takes on many forms but it should never be boring otherwise you won't get results you desire. Your mindset has to stay fresh and interested and not so forced it becomes a chore. When I do my Dopa Band circuits, my goal is to keep going until its over but also create a game out of it so I can keep my mind focused. Make your cardio count, don't just go through the motions, anybody can do that, make it work to the degree where you can go and do things that seem crazy to the average person but it keeps you strong and resilient.  

Be amazingly awesome and get a cool discount on Dopa Bands by using the code POWERANDMIGHT to get 10% OFF your order regardless if it's a bundle or a single band.  

Dopamineo: Wrestlers & Fighters

 It's a fact that Wrestlers & Fighters are a different breed. In all fairness, they're some of the most conditioned athletes in the world, they do things in training that would make the average person puke their guts out. Personality wise, like anybody else there are assholes and good people in the sport but at the end of the day, you have to respect the craft and what they go through to be the best in their field. 

In my last article, I wrote that when it comes to the Dopamineo Bands, Wrestlers & Fighters use them as a post practice workout to amplify their conditioning. That's what separates them from good fighters to insanely tireless superhumans. It's already crazy enough that these athletes are practically superhuman as it is but to keep going after brutalizing their bodies on drills, sparring, calisthenics and weights to do an extra 15+ minutes with a band that can be deceiving looking but is an ass kicker is just unfathomable to comprehend. 

The Dopa Bands are based on the Russian method of using bands to enhance the drills in wrestling in order to perfect and continually train the muscles and reflexes to shoot quicker and have faster results in takedown technique, shadow wrestling, locking up and moving the opponent and other things. Today, the same concept applies but can also be used for other fitness related endeavors to help others get in shape in a short amount of time with watered down exercises and drills that anyone can work on. If its still done today, its incredible but one of the most time tested methods in wrestling to condition an athlete is to have a wrestler take on several other wrestlers one at a time for 5 minutes each for up to an hour or longer to get a feel for how each wrestler moves differently and changing up tactics in beating them. In India, this would go on for hours with various wrestlers. 

Can you imagine doing this method and then go and do a workout with the Dopa Bands, that's purely psychotic. Now you want to talk about a what if...When Kurt Angle did a session with the University Of Iowa, Coach Gable had his guys do just one match but the periods were 10x the usual amount in an official NCAA contest so instead of 3 min and then 2-2 min periods, they were 30, 20, & 20. If anybody knows the type of conditioning those guys did, you know they were the very best for a reason. Kurt's training for the Olympics is the stuff of legends. Now what if you added something like the Dopa Bands into the mix with a workout like that? This would kill somebody if they're not in shape and if you were in shape, you may still be afraid because training in this manner throws a lot of logical ideas out the window.

Karl Gotch has said that "Conditioning is your greatest hold" and it's true. Being in condition in any sport or in life can make a huge difference in how you win or lose. This is where the Dopa Bands are crucial because despite certain things you may see, they're extremely effective in how you train the body to be prepared for what life throws at you. They're tough as hell and workouts can be very intense even if its for 20 minutes, they'll have you testing your mental toughness and your physical abilities. I've written what kind of workouts I do and although they're basic exercises, they kick my ass which is what I want and test my cardio because I do do my best to not rest very much and be effective in whatever else I do when opportunities arise. 

Get your hands on these bands and get an idea of what wrestlers and fights use to make themselves the best possible. You don't have to be a wrestler to get the benefit from them, they can be done in a variety of ways; slow, fast, methodical and/or as intense as you want but at the same time it's important to respect these bands and use them to your advantage in your fitness journey. Get the right band for you and make the most of it, learning the exercises in the video library when you order or learn some on Youtube to get an idea of what you're getting into. Get 10% OFF your order when you use my discount code POWERANDMIGHT at checkout. Be amazingly awesome and stay healthy.    

Keeping Up With The Basics With Dopa Band

Workouts are short but they get the job done. Whether it be circuits are HIIT style training, the Dopa Band is a hell of a piece of equipment that any athlete would love to have in his arsenal. Although there are advanced movements especially if you're an aspiring wrestler or fighter, sticking to the basics always works best. Some of these guys mimic drills in wrestling practice to embed the skill sets into their brains for fights or matches on the mat whether it be for Division 1 Tournaments, World Level or Olympic Level. 

The basics however seem to create more of a stride and keep your conditioning in tact while also keeping the joints healthy. Some of the exercises are as follows....

Chest Press

Rows

Alternating Side Pulls

Squats

Lunges

Curls

Overhead Triceps Extensions

Ski Jumps

Jumping Jacks

Waves (Two-Handed or Alternating)

Sprints

That's more than enough for most people and you can switch them up and use them however you see fit. There are youtube videos that demonstrate all of these and more which give you an idea on how simple yet challenging you can make them. You can do certain combinations of them like a 2 in 1 type movement for example the Chest Press & Squat combo that works both the upper and lower body so you don't have to sets and reps of one or the other. 

I prefer to keep the reps at a minimum of 10-20 reps in a circuit of 5-6 exercises and time myself to see how fast I can get 10 rounds in, depending on the adjustment and focusing on the right order and not skip one or the other accidently because at times you get so into it that your mind goes to a different place. I also focus on keeping form at best as possible because if you're sloppy, the band will let you know about it and it won't be pleasant so keep at a pace where you can keep going but you're in control the whole time, never let the band control you.

The basics are always ideal and they're the backbone for your conditioning, coordination, speed and durability. You can do HIIT type training, I've done it a time or two keeping at a clip of a few rounds of an exercise for 30 on, 15 off. Just a few exercises with that protocol and you can get in a great workout that can be really intense for 15-20 minutes and then be spent.

The mere fact that top wrestlers use these bands at a very high level AFTER their practice, not before or during and those wrestling workouts are some of the craziest in the world. Imagine how insane you'd have to be to go that hard and then work with a band for an extra 15-20 minutes. You're looking at superhuman athletes with a hint of cookoo for coco puffs in order to become the very best. To the average person looking in on that, you would hurt just by looking but if you took that mentality and just put it towards the bands not the wrestling practices, you may understand the idea to get in awesome shape in the shortest amount of time. 

Just working the bands alone can be tough, so learn how to wisely utilize your fitness level to how you work the bands. Some days for me they're fairly easy to get through depending on how I'm feeling that day but other days, it's so intense that I don't even know how I pulled it off. That doesn't mean they're a chore and you HAVE to go so hard, just playing with them and getting into a rhythm can feel easy yet look like you're killing yourself to an outsider. 

Grab a band or a set of bands for you and friends/family who love to work out and have fun with them. There are special deals you can find at Dopamineo that have family bundles, bands for kids, team bundles, bands for female athletes, groups in mma schools or personal training and more. As a bonus, no matter what deal you find, you can get an extra 10% OFF of that when you use my discount code POWERANDMIGHT. Even right now, even with my discount, you can get a deal on getting 2 extra bands and a carry bag for FREE. Be amazingly awesome and keep up with your journey and hit your goals with a vengeance. 

Step Ups Or Split Squats?

Aren't debates fun? Maybe not presidential debates since it's mainly who's got the bigger dick or brains to "run" the country but when it comes to fitness, debating on a good leg exercise can spark either something controversial or a elementary whinefest of "my dad can beat up your dad" mentality. To it's extent, both have their pros and cons and they work the leg muscles in similar but different aspects to work the lower body.

Now, when it comes to Step Ups, unless you utilize weight or some form of variation, I see it more of a conditioning type exercise because the big objective is to work the cardio effect of the exercise. Maybe not to the extreme level of high reps Bob Backlund does but Step Ups can be a continuous strength movement because you're moving the legs upward in a higher elevated capacity as opposed to walking up a flight of stairs which is only a few inches off the ground. When you're working a step around average of 12-15 inches high, you're utilizing most of the leg muscles (roughly the quads and hamstrings) and working the hips in a longer capacity. Going for high reps isn't easy but it does save pressure on the knees and you can keep going for an extended period of time depending on how many reps per leg. Some do a 3x15 per leg approach but others like myself work each leg to a minimum so we can keep going for sometimes up to a half hour or longer. 

With Split Squats, IMO, it's more of a strength based exercise because whether with bodyweight or even with dumbbells in each hand, you don't have to do a ton of reps to get the effect and it hits a lot more of the quads along with the repeated movement for the knees. You're going to be more sore from these than from Step Ups because although both are unilateral movements, SS focus more on elevating the lactic acid effect in the quad muscles. You can do high reps per leg if you wish but you're not going to feel all that great the next day and you're putting greater pressure on the knee joints than you would with Step Ups.

I utilize both in some capacity although I prefer Step Ups because it works better for my previous leg injuries. When I do Split Squats, I either use my strap to put one foot in and work a few reps that way or do them Isometrically which strengthens the joints and avoids the lactic acid buildup. Split Squats are my least favorite leg movement but I do see the value in them in some form while others are fanatical about them with a love/hate relationship. I would never do one or the other to failure because for one, that can lead to an injury, two, I want to be able to walk upright the next day and not feel like an 80 year old man wanting to die and three, I want to have that strength and lung capacity to keep going without tiring when I need to do something that's important or staying active without being in horrible discomfort. 

Both have their place whether for bodybuilding, sports training, rehab or whatever. Just be smart about how you do them and not let ego get the best of you. Trying to break records all the time will only cause pain and agony, let them be effective so you can stay strong in the long run. If you need more than a couple days to recover from either one, you're pushing too damn hard. Be objective and focus on making both work to your advantage and progress without needing to do a ton of recovery. The most I would ever do for Split Squats would be a few sets of 10-15 per leg and that's it. I'm not trying to go so hard that I can't walk right afterwards, that's just not my thing. For Step Ups, I pick a number I know I can do for an extended period of time and do that per leg and keep going, At the end, I'm able to do on average around 300-500 total in a workout, around 700 in just over 30 minutes and get in 1000 within 41-45 minutes. This works for me and it keeps me in solid condition and be able to hike, ruck, play and other things without gassing out quickly. You always should have some gas left in the tank after every workout. 

So which one should you do? I say go for both in some capacity but if you had to pick just one, do what gives you the best benefit. Either one will. Be amazingly awesome and work them legs. 

I'll Always Have Family

 How many times have we heard that in the Fast & The Furious Franchise? Probably more times than we care to count. But nonetheless, it is a good notion to have in your mindset. You don't always have to be related to someone to consider family, it could a best friend or a great group of people in your life. If you happen to be related, it can be a toss up to being a bonus or not depending on how you grew up or and were around. 

Family is important after all, especially if you want to set an example for kids whether they're your own or grandkids, nieces/nephews, much younger cousins or whatever. Having good habits especially when it comes to fitness and health goes a long way. Training is not always about looking good, as a matter of fact, looking good in most cases is secondary in comparison to being in shape for the things that really matter. From being able to play with the kids, to having fun with your wife/husband in your later years along with making the most of what's possible to be in good condition for those tough days and using exercise as an outlet for getting shit out of your system.

One of the great things about the Dopamineo Bands is that they're not just for adults, but for young kids as well, especially when they have all that energy to burn and not getting them hopped up on soda and candy. If you got a kid that is into sports or needs a good program to use that energy as an outlet, the bands can be extremely beneficial. When you workout as a family, it can build strong bonds and encouraging each other with friendly competition or being together and doing something productive, hands on and build healthy relationships. 

Dad's struggle at times to be in shape because in a lot of cases, they work hard and do what they can to make a living supporting their family. The bands can be a great system for dads because when they can stay in shape, they have that energy to be with with the wife or husband and their kids and keep up with demands. For moms, whether they're a stay at home type or a career woman or whatever, the bands can have a profound impact on their health and well being along with being able to have that drive and strength to tackle many obstacles they face in their lives. 

Training using the bands can also be a tribute to building mental health and strength because having a family isn't easy and you always want the best for those little ones to become strong and resilient as they grow. Fitness is about coming together and making choices that affect everyone later on or even now. Grab the Family Bundle at Dopamineo to kickstart the habit of training together to grow together. At a 15% Discount, you get the Fly, Feather, Light & Stretch bands. Want to save even more? Add in my Discount Code POWERANDMIGHT to get an extra 10% OFF; that's a huge 25% Discount for your family to start training and getting into the habit. If dad is a little bigger than the light bands, you can grab a PAIR of the middle and heavy bands if needed. You have options for you and your loved ones to get in awesome shape together and being a team to develop healthy bodies and minds. You can always create a bundle here as well to grab what you need.

Invest in yourself and your family, be a part of the journey that builds strong individuals and groups of people together. We all deserve to be in peak physical condition and have great mental health. This is one way to help you get there. 

Conditioning Circuits With Dopa Bands

Circuit Training has been one of my go to methods for developing a good level of conditioning and maintaining my strength that lasts. Due to the workouts I've done with Darebee's Style of training with Bodyweight, it inspired me to work on that style with the Dopamineo Band. 

In most cases with those workouts, I would pick 5-8 exercises with the Band and see what is possible to do within an amount of time. Now, I may not move as fast with the Band as opposed to bodyweight training because with bodyweight, you don't have to adjust as much and jump in from one exercise to the next just by footing or hand placement or positioning pretty quickly, with the Band however, it can be a bit tricky and the exercise change can be either quick or you have to adjust things a bit slower so the timing might vary. 

My goal however has always been to hit 10 Rounds with any circuit I do because that's just the number I want to accomplish, some will hit 5, others beyond 10 and whatever number they want to achieve but 10 for me is the cutoff point. I also try to keep it within 30 minutes or less. Depending on the adjustment and positioning of my body with the Band, sometimes the workout will go over 30 minutes but as long as my rest is minimal and I can keep going, I'm all good. Regardless, doing circuits with Dopa Bands in my opinion is one of the best fitness methods you can do. You don't need to do tons of reps per exercise, just a bare minimum but you keep going and with little rest, you're actually developing a great level of cardio that means something. 

Keeping to the basic exercises is ideal. If you're more advanced, you can do harder exercises if you wish but the rep count may be a bit less than the basics unless you're training for competition or training to enhance your status with your group. The main point is to not let your ego get the best of you, keep your objective to train at a level where you can come out of it with gas left in the tank than to crawl on your hands and knees just begging the universe to kill you. My main goal with my 10 rounds of work is to be efficient as much as possible, work at a speed that is comfortable to me where my form isn't compromised and to only rest by marking off the circuit and keep going with that until the 10 rounds are done because I never want to be tired or slow down so much that I have to reduce my speed by a big margin. You want to be able to go at a pace that keeps the heart rate going but you're not slowing down or getting sloppy by the end. 

Here's a workout I did yesterday that was not difficult but it wasn't easy either. The reps may not sound like much but when you're cruising through and the speed is pretty hefty, it becomes more than it seems....

Conditioning Circuit

10 Rows

10 Curls

10 Chest Presses

10 Uppercuts

10 Tricep Kickbacks

10 Squats

10 Side Shoulder Pulls

This took just over 25 minutes to complete 10 Rounds. It felt great, I had a hell of a heart rate going and the speed was just right. The first round was tricky because I was adjusting to the pace of the exercises but once I got the rhythm, it just went really smoothly. The great thing about circuits is that you can get a lot done in a short amount of time along with building your level of conditioning, agility, mobility and other attributes rather quickly. The other great thing is that you can do the same exercises but change the workout from a circuit to an HIIT type workout where you set a time for the work and then rest for each exercise. My style lately has been to do exercises at a clip of 30 seconds on, 15 seconds off for 4 rounds which roughly hits around 3 minutes per exercise. If you were to do a total of 5-6 exercises, you can do a full workout within under 15-20 minutes that will develop lasting strength, cardio and speed efficiency.

You don't have to go so hard that you can't do another circuit and there's no point in trying to match workouts with the wrestlers and fighters that do these. The crazy thing is, they do circuits like this after their practice when they're already fatigued and pushed themselves. That's a whole other level of mental and physical conditioning. Imagine doing 2 hours or more of drills, sparring for god knows how long and going over technique over and over until it's planted into your brain, not to mention warm ups that would be a full workout to the average and then doing a circuit after all that. You'd be a fool to try to keep up with that. That's world class level and that is to be respected.

Keep it to a level of fitness that keeps you healthy and at a level that works for you. Don't try to keep up with anybody else, follow your own path and train effectively along with reducing injuries. Stay amazingly awesome and keep at it. Don't forget to use my Discount Code POWERANDMIGHT to get 10% OFF your order and get some of the most durable, flexible and strongest bands on the market today. Train practically anywhere and you can customize your order to suit your programs of Youth Groups, MMA Training, College Wrestling, High School Programs, Olympic Training, World Championships, Upcoming Fights, Boxing Conditioning Programs and more.   

The Uppercut To Squat Exercise

 One of those exercise combos that comes along that is interesting and tricky at first to try out can become a great move to add to the arsenal. You don't need to do a ton of them to get the benefits but just to practice it and learn the mechanics has perks in itself. One of them is the Uppercut To Squat Combo using the Dopamineo Band.

When I first learned this move, it wasn't easy to pick up on and the coordination with the movement of the arms and the band working with you can be stingy but I wanted to learn it since it's one of the staple movements with that system of exercise and physical fitness. I've seen wrestlers, Judo players and boxers do it and the effortlessness is unbelievable. For wrestlers, it's to utilize a blocking technique or part of pummeling which is a basic practice for wrestling drills. 

The way to do it is to uppercut the arms like in boxing but at the same time, coordinate to underhook the band so it lands on the triceps and going around the armpit area. Weird I know but if you start slow with the pull and then up and over with the elbows, it can rub on the body but you get used to it to the point where with speed and technique, you'll barely even feel it. Add in the Squat and you got yourself a hell of a conditioning exercise.

After getting used to it, I did a couple workouts where I added it in and either did 100 total reps or utilize a 30 seconds on, 15 seconds off for 4 rounds protocol I use for other exercises to work on my stamina. It's a pretty fun move once you get the hang of it. The objective isn't to stretch the band out to its peak and do it, that's not the point of the exercise to formulate strength and to use ego to see how strong you are with the band, it's about explosiveness, coordination and relaxing the move itself without making the band so loose that you can't do anything with it. The real objective is to pull enough to keep it firm but not to have it so tight that you can't wrap the arms around effectively. With the squat, that's just part of the process with a basic outlook.

Those that practice it for drills are incredibly fast and just explosive with such power that it gives you an idea not to fuck with athletes of this caliber. You can learn more about the exercise from the guys at Dopamineo and on their instagram there are tons of clips. Below is a video I made, demoing my best version of it. It's a hell of an exercise and doing it enough times in a row will get your heart rate up and work you like crazy. Doing 10 is a good start, once you start hitting 25 or more gearing up to triple digits either in a row or total, you got a great workout. 

Don't forget to put in my discount code POWERANDMIGHT to get 10% OFF your order of these bands. Get one for yourself and/or friends, family. There are extra discounts when you create a custom bundle that would be great for those who want to train athletes in MMA Schools, Youth Programs, Group Classes, Wrestling Practice, BJJ Drilling, Boxing Techniques, Conditioning For Competition and all sorts of stuff. There are bands that work well for young kids too as young as 6 years old. Kick ass and keep being amazingly awesome. 

A Sandbell Leg Workout That Is Simple But Brutal

 I like to test out different things when I train, find a creative way to do things or get ideas and mold them to my liking. One such idea was combining an animal movement with squats using the 70 lb Sandbell. The idea is to duck walk with the Sandbell for distance and then without putting it down, do squats. 

I tested this out by doing a 5 yard Duck Walk with the bell and then do 5 Squats, rest and repeat. Managed only 3 sets before I just wanted to die, it was that nasty. It's one thing to bear hug and carry something like that like a "normal" person but to be in a full squat and walk in that position and do squats immediately after is a whole other level of crazy. The sheer burn or lactic acid in the legs along trying to breathe with a sandbag to your chest. This type of leg training builds some serious strength and muscular endurance. Add this to your arsenal or just as a stand alone and you'll feel it right away. 

Start out with a lighter weight like a 20-25 lb bag and work your way up, it's not as easy as it looks, the less weight, the more sets you may be able to do, once you get past 50 lb or more, it's going to work you with incredible prejudice because you're not just fighting gravity, you're also trying to coordinate and stay balanced while handling something awkward. It's both a strength and cardio exercise. Not to mention trying to hold the damn thing with your arms and your grip will make you stronger too so you're getting a full body workout.

Give it a go, use a Sandbell or just a heavy sandbag and see how you do. Workouts don't have to be very long and when you do something like this, rest well between sets. If you can do this with a heavy bag without stopping the entire workout, you may not even be human. It's a good challenge if you got the grapes to try.  

Why Do I Focus A Lot On Conditioning?

 In a nutshell, being in condition is not just about challenging my body's abilities to take on some crazy workouts or finding a way to enhance my muscular and cardiovascular endurance, it's about lasting in the things that are important in my life. I want to utilize that energy to be active, to make a lasting impression on myself by taking what works and understanding what I need to do in other endeavors. Being in shape is being able to shovel snow in the winter and not get winded or tired during, to be explosive at any given moment whether it's working out or playing with friends, it's to keep up with kids younger than me playing ball or hanging out with buds and their kids, it's to keep up with the physicality when you're needed.

For all intents and purposes, my idea of training these days is to be ready for whatever lies ahead. It's not always easy, it's not meant to be but when you have certain things going on in your life that sometimes have a life of their own, it's important to be in the best shape you can. I'm not in competition with anyone or trying to be some extremist with a compulsion to train so damn hard all the time that my body wears down, sure it's ok to back off every now and then in order to regain yourself but take into consideration  on what is the reason to be in shape. 

I do a lot of step ups, micro workouts, band training, isometrics and training with sandbags but that's all part of the puzzle to piece together your ultimate goal and that is to have strength that lasts and has meaning beyond just exercise. It's one of the reasons why I love training with the Dopamineo Band, it challenges me but doesn't put me into a state where I need to recover for days on end or make me so damn sore that I can't do anything else. It gives me the type of conditioning I can continue to use when it counts. There are so many exercises you can do that despite all the exercises displayed on Dopa's Website, there are many many more that can be created to enhance your chances of developing a level of fitness very few achieve. It is inspired by wrestlers and fighters but it's also a workout enhancer to harness that level of human abilities that is unique. Wrestlers from all styles have used similar bands for decades especially in Russia but in this day and age we don't have to be so hardcore like those guys in order to better ourselves. 

I've always believed training is about self-discovery and creativity to take your fitness to levels that are unbelievable. Being in condition is not about looking pretty or just strong, it's about lasting when it counts the most, to fight and not get winded. There's a funny trend on tik tok where women who train have this voice over which is a very stereotypical Russian accent that says "I don't want to be strong like man who look pretty, I want to be strong like bitch that fight bears in the forest." That's an example of being in condition, it goes beyond the idea of trying to seem like you have this particular look as if you're fit by outer appearance when in reality, if you can barely stand and hyperventilating after a few seconds, your outer appearance isn't jack shit. You need to be able to handle things that are important and last as long as needed. 

There are many reasons to be in real world shape yet only a few have true meaning, that's what you need to figure out because I can't just generalize what the important factors are, we're all different with different reasons to do things. My reasons for being in condition is to be able to go on hikes without tiring, shovel snow without wanting to keel over, to be there for my family, to protect who I love, play ball, to keep up with nieces, nephews and cousins who like to wrestle, chop wood so a fire can be made while camping, swim and have the energy of a person i their late teens and 20's as much as possible. Just some I can come up with.

Conditioning is not just for sport, it's to maintain things in life and being ready on command. It's to keep up with what you do in everyday life and to factor in what is possible for you to do. 

Take a gander at the Dopamineo Bands and see what is possible to enhance your fitness, health and condition. There are over 300 Exercises and dozens of workouts to choose from as a bonus with your purchase. Grab some bands for your martial arts school, wrestling room, group classes and/or sports conditioning program for your athletes by going to the Custom Order Area. I'll even throw in my discount code so you can save some bucks instead of whole price by entering POWERANDMIGHT at checkout to get 10% OFF your order. Keep being amazingly awesome and be in the best condition for your life and to inspire others.  

Simple Supersets Aren't Always Easy

The overwhelming amount of information out there today have made fitness routines look and seem so damn complicated that it turns many away who are doing what they can to better themselves. Very few people even teach and preach the simplicity of exercise anymore. Even when it comes to calisthenics, they often show the more advanced exercises that aren't sustainable for realistic health and strength. It really is a pain in the ass. 

Why make exercise so damn hard to understand? Mostly due to marketing and catering to a specific audience that is gullible enough to buy into the crap that many try to pan off as the ultimate program and you'd be a fool to not get your hands on it. The truth is, many "influencers" today don't have a fucking clue what real simplistic training is, hell I can guarantee that more than 95% of people who "teach" fitness today care more about how their ass, arms and abs look in comparison to knowing and understanding the training principles of past strongmen and women. For men, look to guys like Brooks Kubik, Arthur Saxon, Otto Arco, Maxick, Bill Pearl, Reg Park and a few others. For Women, the list might be a bit less but if I had to pick one woman of the old timers that represented strength, femineity, power and grace it be someone like Peggy Stockton. In today's world of women's fitness, less than a handful really have the ability to showcase realistic strength and the three I can think of are Kirsten Tullock, Melody Schoenfeld and Tera Scott. 

Now, when it comes to simplicity and a good routine, a favorite of mine is doing Supersets or doing exercises back to back and continuing that for a period of time instead of just sets and reps schemes. It's a different dynamic to formulate a workout that doesn't take a ton of thinking but it does take a certain mentality and the ability to harness a good level of conditioning that's foundational. In this case, it takes inspiration from one of the greatest pro wrestlers and that's Bob Backlund. I've written about him a time or two so I'm sure you can find those. This routine is based on his foundational exercises; the Step Up & the Ab Wheel. He would do hundreds of these exercises a day sometimes more than an hour each in the same session and it made him one tough son of a bitch and one of the most underrated conditioned men of his time. 

You can do different formats of training with these exercises but some of my workouts lately have been just doing a few reps of each back to back but I keep going for an extended period of time. This is by doing 10 Step Ups per leg and immediately do 5 reps of the ab wheel. Sounds too damn easy right? After all that's really a pathetic looking superset meant for beginners but I can assure you, it's anything but. It's one thing to do a few sets, it's way different when you continually do it without taking a break for up to 20 minutes straight or longer. When you're going that long, the reps not only add up but you're testing your strength and conditioning as well. They become more than just a few reps each, they become a brutal aspect of a session you wouldn't expect to be hard to do. Give it a go, try for ten minutes and see what's possible. The objective is to keep going without a break or even with as little rest, for this case, if you need a rest, you only have 10-20 seconds per set. Work at a pace that isn't Speedy Gonzales but enough to get the heart rate up and keep going. Speed will come naturally but the longer you go, tougher it can become.  

There you have it, no complications, no need to think too much on what to do, you just do it and see what you're capable of. You can do more reps of each per set if you wish but also keep your form as smooth as possible so you don't hurt yourself. The faster you do these exercises, the greater risk to becoming sloppy, it's not a sprint. Again, let the speed come naturally, form doesn't have to perfect but it does make a difference in how you apply the tension and the awareness of the exercises themselves. If you really want to take it to another level, take a deck of cards (Black Cards for Step Ups, Red For Ab Wheel Rollouts) and do these until the deck is done. Try to do a total of 500 Step Ups & 250 Rollouts, that's really going to test you. 

Have fun and keep being amazingly awesome. 

A Simplistic Approach For New Resolutioners

 Day 4 of the New Year and most likely the New Year Resolutioners are still out in droves just itching to go over the top to only fail after burning out quicker than a Camp Fire. It's the overwhelming expectations we have on ourselves or others expected of us to do better and to create habits in a forceful and unrealistic manner. This is especially true for those who want to get fit and become stronger. Getting fit and stronger is about the journey, not trying to reach the end like fast forwarding a movie, it doesn't work that way and many never seem to get the memo. 

What if there was a simpler approach to things that not only help you stay consistent but actually give you realistic goals to reach and have a new found sense of purpose to be fitter and stronger using progressions that dig into the very soul of training. One of these methods is using the old school style of weight training used by the men and women that pioneered the industry before steroids and PEDs. I'm talking about working with simple exercises and progression systems based on the writings of Brooks Kubik whom by far is one of the greatest writers and physical culturists of the modern era. He takes what made bodybuilders and strongman of the past the fittest than many even fit folks today. His style of what's called Dinosaur Training has paved the way for achieving real strength that actually has real world applications, not just in the gym. Learn the treasured secrets and training programs of the all time greats from Arthur Saxon to John Grimek. 

If your approach is more bodyweight based, no problem. Bodyweight Training is a great approach to fitness that not only is more versatile but can be done anywhere and anytime. A great style of Bodyweight Training is through circuit training where you go through a series of exercises in a single set, rest and repeat for as many sets a circuit requires. The very best place to learn about circuit training is Darebee where you can find all kinds of workouts that range from beginner to advanced levels and be able to work around these workouts to your own fitness levels. Best of all, it's completely free so you can save thousands upon thousands of dollars in fees. They have themed based workouts that cater to those who have a knack for things in nerd culture and fun things based on Yoga, Mythology, TV Shows, Films and even Video Games. You can always substitute certain exercises so you can progress to ones you're capable of achieving to do the full workouts. There are even places to find research on nutrition, meditation, if you've had previous injuries and where you can start. 

If you're still into Bodyweight but want a different approach like working with minimal equipment like Suspension Training, that's a great option as well and the best courses out there today on the subject is from the Red Delta Project with books and youtube videos showing a simplistic approach to strength training and muscle building using your own bodyweight. I would say this type of method with what RDP brings to the table is the bodyweight equivalent to Dinosaur Training. 

These are just ideas you can use and not get overwhelmed with all the craziness that most fitness trainers today try to force upon you. These methods aren't easy but they teach you things that make you feel a bit more at ease with formats that aren't complicated or have confusing aspects to what you should or shouldn't do. They get down to the nitty gritty with exercises that are very easy to learn but make you earn the results you want. These programs aren't watered down and BS entities that others try to push you away from, these are real, time tested methods that show you what real strength and fitness can be. You don't have to spend hours on end to do them either, they teach you how to realistically apply them to the degree where you'll perform exercises that dig into the very muscles you want to work and often use your whole body as a unit. You don't have to do a bunch of exercises either with tons of sets of reps, just a few of them with sets and reps schemes that get the job done and can have you be done within 45 minutes or less so you can go about the rest of your day doing what you need to do. 

I want you to have the best year yet and be in the best shape without the hassle and stress that many put on today. Do simple things to get the best results possible. Be amazingly awesome.  

Happy New Year 2024

 A new year has begun and things will change but will you adapt to the change or come up with something that will be an excuse not to change? This is the time to take your world by storm by taking small steps leading up to large footprints in your journey. 

Resolutions suck, period. Instead, set goals to create a new and better version of yourself. Learn new exercises, test out workouts you've never done before and be aware of what you strive to become. For me, it's to be in even better shape than the year before because not only do I want to get better, I want be better by the time my birthday rolls around in which I will turn 40. Make the workouts count and keep them alive by making them interesting. 

Things are constantly moving, always in motion is the future as Yoda would say. Training is no different, you train your body in various ways but you're always finding a way to do them. Fitness is not always about looking good, that's merely secondary, it really is about self discovery and creativity. There will be days where you won't have the energy to do all the things you want to accomplish so you do what you can. Do micro workouts, don't push so hard that you end up hardly able to move the next day and find your balance to achieve your goals.

Not going to reveal what my actual goals are but I do want to get better at certain methods like Dopa Band Training and be a bit more consistent with Isometric Training. Be able to play with movements that don't take up a ton of time and write a bit more often. That's the idea for the moment. The Dopa Band will be one of my go to systems of exercise where I can develop my conditioning while maintaining muscle and it can go with me anywhere I can hook it up. Although it's a mainstay for wrestlers, football players, MMA Fighters and other forms of athletics, this thing took me to places in my training that I haven't had in previous years. The only limit is the imagination. 

Look to the horizon when you go for the goals you want to achieve, it won't be easy and sure as hell won't happen overnight but taking small steps and being progressive and adaptable, you'll achieve things this year you didn't think were possible. I believe that for you. Make things happen and do the best to your abilities to create what you want for yourself and those around you. 

Happy New Year everyone and make this one the best yet because life is too damn short to waste what isn't worth doing. Get your hands on some of the best bands on the market today and achieve levels of fitness that aren't the norm and developing a conditioned body that lasts. Get 10% OFF your order when you punch in the Discount Code POWERANDMIGHT. No harm saving a little to achieve something massive. Be amazingly awesome and continue to grow. 

2 For 1 Sprint Training With The Dopa Band

 Always experimenting and finding exciting ways to train, I wanted to give something a go that would put that extra spring in the step and give off nasty fat burning vibes. Last night after a fun date night of Red Lobster and seeing The Iron Claw (great movie BTW, might write a review on the next post) I got in some at home Sprint Training to shed off some of the Holiday Feasting this past weekend and start creating new goals early for the coming year. 

Tying myself to the Dopa Band, I wanted to try something new (at least to me) and really tackle some Explosive Conditioning by doing a Superset of Bear Crawl & Bipedal Sprinting. The idea is to do a Bear Crawl Sprint, walk back and do a regular sprint. The two different sprints is the equivalent to 1 rep and you repeat it as many times as you can, in this case I did 5 Reps per set. Totaled 6 sets of 5 Reps for a total of 30 or 60 Sprints all together. 

This actually felt really good and somehow didn't feel I overdid anything and still had gas in the tank at the end. You may not get very far because of the band but when you explode out and keep doing it for a short period of time, it can be a bit crazy. Sprint Training is not always done out on a track, hill or grassy area, you can do them at home doing modified versions that can still give you a run for your money (pun intended). It is always good however to get Sprints going outside whenever possible 2-3x a week but if you want to kick your ass at home, you have that option as well. I believe it's a great option because when you're done, the shower is within feet of you, you don't have to drive anywhere, you can get it done within minutes and take a nap or rest on the couch and put on a movie or something right there. For some that sounds lazy but if I can get a workout in and then have things I need right there afterwards, why the hell not?

This doesn't mean your home is the only option to do this, you can do this workout at a park, in your hotel room, at the beach or wherever you can hook the band up (safely and efficiently). Being outside is ideal and training in an area where you breathe fresh air and have a good time while focusing on your goals is always important. That's the beauty of this thing, it can withstand quite a bit because of its flexibility and durability along with being very difficult to break. What are the benefits of this workout: It gets you in rugged shape fast with consistency, it develops a great level of explosiveness, mental toughness, takes only minutes to complete, gives you greater options and places to train, can be modified to your level of fitness, could help reduce injuries, enhance HGH levels, produces spikes in Testosterone, burns fat like crazy and hell of a calorie burner. 

Sprint Training is a favorite of mine and when it's warm out, I would hit the hill or the field by the house. Winter isn't always ideal although it does build a different level of toughness but at the same time, it can be slippery out there and you could be asking for a disaster if you're sprinting hard and hit some ice that is slicker than cooking oil. This also could be useful for those who've had previous injuries and helping you with your posture for regular sprinting. For me, it reduces certain acts of pain in my shin and ankles. When I do Sprint on a hill, it can be discomforting to the point of slight pain because of the rod and pins in my legs so I do have to be careful with that but with the band, it lessens those things and I can go hard without feeling any discomfort or pain. I have a small threshold for pain but when it becomes too much, I can't be at my best. So if you need to modify, do so but don't let it get to a point where you can potentially end up in the ER or worse. 

This also can be done for people who are new to Sprint Training and get a feel of what's possible so when they are going out and hitting a hill or track, they have some of the mechanics embedded into their brain. It's still important to know the basics and mechanics of sprinting with or without using a band because although there are similarities, some techniques are different so learn the proper techniques to get the most out of it. Overall, it's a great workout to test yourself on and only has to be done no more than 3x a week, 2x a week is great for most people but if you're ambitious than do it 3x a week. 

Have fun and get those legs cooking man. Be amazingly awesome. Get 10% OFF the Dopa Bands by punching in the Discount Code POWERANDMIGHT when you checkout. Grab one for yourself or create your own custom bundle.  

70 Pounds Of Fury

 Xmas is right around the corner and this year, one of the cool gifts I got was the 70 lb. Sandbell Pro. I've been wanting to increase the weight from my 50 lber that I've used for years now. It came yesterday and just immediately wanted to play with it. Even to go as far as doing a demo video showing what I can do off the bat including a one arm clean and press. You can view it below.....

I love testing my capabilities and seeing what's possible. With this bad boy that I call Beasty cause that's what it is, the possibilities to build strength and conditioning are only limited by the imagination. Carries, Bear Hugging, Slams, Presses, Curls or whatever I choose to come up can aid in my quest to get stronger. This thing is no joke and it can be a nasty bastard depending on what you do. 

Always said that training is about self discovery and disciplining yourself but also to make it interesting and consistent. Do you have to have a Sandbell, no you can always go cheaper and get a unfilled bag that fills up to 100 lbs and work things that way. I like the bells because they're just different and fun to use. For years now I've slammed, pressed, carried, squatted and other things for thousands upon thousands of total pounds moved and I'm going to continue with Beasty here. Sandbag Training is an old school form of strength training that works and is not meant to be easy. 

There are a lot of things you can do with Sandbells but the heavier you go, the more you prioritize which exercises are important to build strength because you can't do everything with a 70 as oppose to exercises with a 20 or so. It's strength that matters, not for the sake of looking good but to help others and being strong as you age. The older we get, the more reason to stay as strong as possible while still being mobile and flexible. You can be as strong as an ox but if you're stiff as a board and have bad joints, what's the point of having that strength? Not saying to go so heavy you wreck yourself but train to a capacity where you can go without sustaining injuries as much as possible and keeping the muscles, tendons and ligaments healthy. When it comes to Sandbag work, I probably wouldn't work with more than 100 lbs because there's no reason to keep going higher unless you want to challenge yourself. 

Sandbells are a lot of fun and they add a different variety to a training regimen than typical weights like a dumbbell, barbell or even kettlebell. They're safer in most regards and do many things just from one implement plus they wouldn't wreck the floor when you drop them or slam them. They can be great conditioning tools and can build some serious strength especially in your grip and your core. You don't need to be as crazy as me with this heavy of a bell, you can stop at 50 or 20 if you want but Sandbells are a great addition and has a boatload of exercises to choose from for anyone from a complete beginner to world class athletes. Get just one and see what you can do.  

Workout System With Dopa Band That Promotes Heavy Conditioning

I do my best to keep my workouts to a minimum for maximum results that I can produce. Never waste time doing things just for saying you did something. I want to accomplish the best workout I can to get in better shape little by little each time. When your life can be a whirlwind at times and the people in your life depend on you, it's important to take the time to make an effort on your training so you can be strong and fit for those that need you. 

Experimenting with the Dopa Band has been wonders and testing out workouts has been awesome. One of the things I've come up with to get the most out of my workouts lately with the Band is to do interval training by going for a good period of time while resting only half the amount. This has led to doing a 30/15 For 4 Protocol that I enjoy doing because I can go hard, rest half the time and get in a few rounds per exercise to get whatever I need done. The idea is to work an exercise for 30 seconds, rest for 15 and repeat for a total of 4 rounds. Pick up to maybe no more than 6 exercises (you can do more if you want but the point is to be efficient and getting a workout in within 20 minutes or less) and do what you can with them. 

The most common exercises I would do are rows, chest presses (sometimes adding a squat to make it a combo), waves, sprints and lunges but also at times I'll throw in Bear Crawls, Duck Walks and shooting drills like in wrestling to really tackle the lungs. I'll even throw in the Sandbell doing a Clean & Press or a Slam by combining either a sprint or Bear Crawl to it. Doing this type of training a couple times a week will be more than enough, hell you're working more than resting and testing the limits of your body's abilities. Be sure to recover well between workouts and maintain a good level of mobility and flexibility training. This can feel like hell and it's very intense. 

I've done a few workouts with this protocol, even doing one after "warming up" with a Deck Of Cards Animal Workout that takes me roughly 16 min to complete. Do the deck, take a few breaths and went into the Dopa Workout with a vengeance. Went hard but not to push to the limit of a possible injury, you're not trying to break records here. I've only done that the one time and I wanted to sleep it off afterwards, the endorphin high was crazy. I rested as little as possible between exercises of the Dopa Workout only to mark off a set or putting tying the band around my waist. The most rest I would take is around a minute or so. 

I'm no wrestler or even a world-class athlete but I do admire the training these guys go through and want to test myself to see what I can do. I never thought I'd be doing this type of training in my late 30's going into my 40's, if I was able to do these back in high school or in my 20's, who knows what kind of shape I'd be in but certain things have led you on a path to this point and I'm able to train at a level most people in my age group think is fucking nuts. It's heart breaking seeing people my age or younger dying because of the dumb shit they put themselves through or what they put in their bodies to create this illusion of health at a rate that's scary to think about. All I care about is doing the best I can while lessening the amount of injuries. We can't 100% avoid an injury but we can reduce the chances by doing things in a smart way while challenging ourselves. The band has done wonders for me and I love what it can do to make workouts more interesting and taking less time to train for maximum results. 

Get one yourself or a bundle deal for friends, family, group classes, youth groups, wrestling/MMA school or whatever and take in the benefits of being able to train with top quality equipment that you can carry in a bag. Use my discount code POWERANDMIGHT to get 10% OFF your order. Train hard, train with intent and kick ass in whatever sport or fitness endeavor you're in. We all deserve to be in great shape. Be amazingly awesome. 

Are Resistance Bands Really that Effective?

 For decades, Resistance Bands have been a part of workout regimens for many people from Weekend Warriors to World-Class athletes. The big reason? They're pretty easy to use, about as versatile as you can get and very effective in developing muscle while also conditioning the body. Regardless of your fitness level, bands such as Chest Expanders & Dopamineo Bands are awesome for working the muscles that other pieces of equipment aren't always able to touch.

The simplicity however is not to be underestimated. There's a great way to use bands to get their muscle-building benefit. Let's go over a few tips to help you out....

Depending on the type of band you get, the amount of force to stretch the band will work the muscles like with Free Weights or Machines. Now, the latter two uses the same weight in every direction you work with but with bands, the big difference is the more you stretch it, the heavier it goes. It will literally fight you to prevent you from stretching it. 

For the muscle building effects, there was a study done in 2019 that shows similar strength gains that conventional gym equipment provided. Bands may not look like much but they can strengthen the body and build a more natural physique. In a lot of ways, bands create greater tension on the muscles and are able to work them longer during certain movements. 

 Although bands are incredible for rehab and strengthening the body to work through injuries, they've also become a great deal to those who practice certain sports even such as bodybuilding to condition the body in a capacity where they don't have to rely on big equipment to get the job done, they can do it at a park, in a hotel room, at the beach, in their backyards and many other places. For the Dopamineo Bands, these are extremely effective in getting in serious condition just about anywhere and can be used for a variety of ways and also because of the elasticity, has a longer life span than most bands out there today. 

Bands are incredibly adaptable because even with a shift change in a movement, you can make it harder or easier. Some bands you can be very explosive with but with others, you can make them slow as well and have almost an isometric component to it. Whether shortening or lengthening a band, the resistance can be tough as hell or have you working in a greater capacity such as cardio type training. Like I said above with being able to train just about about anywhere, that's because the majority of bands are extremely portable, meaning you can stuff them into a duffle bag or suitcase and be able to travel with them. Hell if you want to get a micro workout in at the airport you can (I would recommend shorter bands because I don't think you want to be sprinting or doing longer distant exercises towards people using a Dopa Band). Besides, bands are better at getting past security than a kettlebell or barbell ever will.

When it comes to cost, bands are perfect for those on a budget and depending on the type you get, you can basically put an entire gym into a carrying sack. I've got my Dopa Band and TNT Cables in one bag that weighs less than a couple pounds and able to carry and travel with. Some bands are more expensive than others but when it comes to the comparison of a machine or a set of dumbbells, its a fraction of the cost. 

For the final tip, it's important to stay focused on the technique. No matter what band you use, don't ever get so sloppy that you're going to end up hurting yourself. The great thing about this is, bands force you to utilize technique in order for an exercise to be effective. They help keep your posture in line otherwise the band won't move as much or will snap back at you. They're a hell of a coach in that regard. It's also important to not put so much tension on a band because you want to be able to move as smoothly and with precision as possible to have an effective workout. With the Dopa Band, it can stretch a great deal but it's not about just stretching it, it's about working with the resistance at a level that you can do well even if it's challenging. If you screw up, the band will let you know so pay attention. 

So are they that effective. I've been using them for way longer than a decade and have used them to heal injuries. You read about how the Dopa Band helped me get over my sciatica? If not, go find that article and see for yourself. Bands are top notch when it comes to training with minimal equipment and working with your body in ways bodyweight and other forms of equipment can't match. Don't forget to use my 10% OFF Discount on Dopa Bands when you enter POWERANDMIGHT at checkout. Have fun and enjoy the journey.  

DopamineO Sprinting

Taking on a challenge can be very rewarding especially if it's through a workout. On Friday, I wanted to test Phil Campbell's Sprint 8 Protocol with my DopamineO Band just doing Sprint Outs. The protocol is going hard for 30 Seconds and resting/active recovery for 90 seconds and repeating this for a total of 8 rounds. This was brutal but I really enjoyed it. You sprint out as much as the band can handle, walk backward to the starting and repeat the sprint until the 30 seconds are up. During the rest, do marches, side to side jacks or focusing on deep breathing.

This type of training builds explosiveness, added resistance to target more of the muscles during a sprint, conditioning, fat burning and a hell of a calorie burner. I felt it but it was a great challenge to me. Unless you're in a sport or training for competition, you don't see a ton on Sprint Training using bands for typical workouts. You usually find this type of conditioning in Wrestling, MMA, Football, Soccer and other sports. Did some research on it and with the knowledge I have on Sprinting, I wanted to see what I can do. Safe to say it was a success.

Today, I wanted to try the protocol with Bear Crawl Sprints. These are more for Wrestling & Football so I wanted to see what I was capable of. These weren't as challenging to me but it was still one hell of a workout. If I wanted to push it, this would be more on the 30 On, 30 Off approach but for most people, the 30/90 would be nasty to them. I did feel I got a lot out of it and during those 30 seconds, I would get in a total of 5 Sprints at a time so by the end I would be around 40 total Bear Crawl Sprints. It's still brutal because you're going against the resistance and you're running on all fours as fast as you can. This is for really getting in rugged condition hitting practically every muscle in your body. 

I've only found a few videos on this type of training and the Dopa Website shows the exercise but not always in a full workout format (at least from what I gathered) and what other videos show is more of a shorter band and you crawl back instead of walking, I like the walking back cause it feels more natural to me. For the most part, you will notice things right away doing Bear Crawl Sprints; where your weaknesses are, your balance, your speed and how quickly you use the arms. It still burns many calories even after the workout and because you're fighting the band, you're hitting more muscles than in a regular sprint in that position. Builds muscle, generates a crazy level of HGH and you're getting optimal rest so when the next set comes you're exploding out as if you're hunting down a jack rabbit. 

Doing these workouts no more than 3x a week can yield many benefits including fat loss, weight loss, the afterburn affect which has you burning more calories even hours after a session, high levels of energy, a rugged physique and building a powerful set of attributes including strength that lasts, speed and cardio. I've used this protocol with different exercises so these are just another outline of what the possibilities are. Workout like an animal and feel the surge of that animalistic strength and power. For a great discount, enter POWERANDMIGHT at checkout to get 10% OFF your order, get a bundle and save more.