Learning Kickboxing from Home

Since the Global Covid-19 Pandemic that started in 2020 it has never been more important to be able to function well at home. Particularly being able to workout at home and stay healthy increased in importance. As many Gyms faced closure during the Pandemic.

That Kickboxing Combos Web App (Below) can help you in keeping fix at home or when you are travelling on the road. Just simply select how many Rounds and the pace. Along with the style of training you want such as using Boxing Combos only or more Power moves. After hitting play away you go! Just folow your virtual instructor on your screen and move to the music.

Working out doesn’t have to always be a chore. Kickboxing Combos can help to make it a fun task to do at home.

Do you even lift?

“Do you even Lift?”

It’s the ultimately douchebag line.  It stops people in their tracks and makes them think.  It’s extremely difficult to have a comeback to the line.  Aside from “Do you?” which doesn’t seem to have much counter punch

Here a bunch of fun ways you can use the Do you even question.  These scenarios are a great exercise of your Douchebag skills

Lifting and Furniture – Do you even lift?

Moving is a good time to use the “Do you even Lift?” line. As it acts as an immediate statement of humiliation for the other party.  Since they likely already winded and tired.  You can emphasize this by actually not holding your side of the load as easily.  Alternatively demonstrate some incredible feat of strength to hammer in this point.  However that requires that you in fact lift.

For instance :

– Your buddy picks up one set of boxes.
– You grab 5 just to outdo him.
– As you drop the boxes, stare at him for about 5 seconds.
– Wait until he looks at you and says “What?”.
– Shake your head in disappointment and ask “Do you even lift?”

After a fight – Do you even Lift?

No better way to use this line after a fight.  It could be a friendly wrestling match between friends.   Also it could be a serious streetfight.  DISCLAIMER : ONLY USE THIS LINE IF YOU ACTUALLY WIN THE FIGHT. OTHERWISE YOU CAN BE DUE FOR ANOTHER ASS KICKING.

Scenario :

– Get in a brawl with another dude
– After it’s all good and done and you’ve won, help him up.
– He might to start to complement you on your fighting style and strength to make the peace.
– Laugh and jest with him to smooth over the situation and release all tension.
– His facial expressions will reveal that his emotional guard is down again.
– Put your hand on his shoulder showing sympathy.  Look him in the eye and say “Bro…I gotta ask you…Do you even lift?”

At nightclub when you’re trying to steal away a guys girlfriend – Do you even lift?

Nightclubs are a great way to fight douchebag fire with fire.  It’s the ultimate place to pray on the insecurity of wannabe tough guys.  Mind you that people are drinking here.  So the liquid courage might be a little higher.  So you might end up in a fight.  But after you win the fight you can always utilize scenario #2 of using “Do you even lift” after winning.

– Enter a nightclub.
– Scan the room for hot girls.
– Find a girl who looks like she is with her boyfriend.
– If they are in holding hands or embracing even better.
– Approach the girl and start flirting at her.
– The boyfriend might start to stare at you in disgust.
– Return his stare briefly and continue to talk to the girl.
– If you feel the interaction is going well, you can try to make out with her or ask for her number.
– At this point the boyfriend might get in your face and start to puff his chest at you
– Slowly look at him up and down.
– Pause for 2 seconds then smile.
– He might then ask you “What are you smiling at?”
– Then is the perfect time to say “Do you even lift?”

When a buddy is complaining how sore he is from a workout – Do you even lift?

When people workout and complain about how sore they are it’s a badge of honour.  As we like to be able to show off to our friends by how hard we are working.  Along with rubbing in our face on how they are better than than us.  Even if they are lifting this line is worth saying. Because it makes them feel insecure they are not working hard enough.  Even better if they say they ran 10k or swam 200 miles.

– Having a beer with your friend.
– He moans and massages his arm in soreness
– He starts discussing how hard he worked out.
– Burst into hysterical laughter. See examples of how Tom Cruise laughs. With a loud HA HA HA that crescendos into different levels.
– After your laughter dies down.  Look at your friend quiet seriously and say “Do you even lift?”

These are just some ideas on how to take the spring out of someones step.  How to ruin their day when they have been working so hard.  Being a douchebag can be tons of fun.  However end of the day it’s all in good fun.  Make sure to let people know you are really just joking 🙂

Mike Mentzer

WHO WAS MIKE MENTZER?

mike-mentzer-with-brother

Mike Mentzer pictured here with his brother behind him (Ray mentzer)

There weren’t very many people like Mike Mentzer.  With the influence he had on others, both as a bodybuilder and a thinker.  He challenged our current conventions of exercise science.  Trailing over his influence on how we accept principals in our lives as a whole.  Mike Mentzer never settled for the unexamined life.

While Mike Mentzer is no longer with us, the remnants of his work still remain.  With the modernized versions of his training program.  Such as the Neural Isometric Power program.  Whereas the Neural Isometric Power allows you to body build at home, utilizing isometric exercises without the use of weights.  Arguably obtaining superior results, since  you are training the muscle more specifically to the anatomical position of the muscle.

The influence of Mike Mentzer started with personal journey as a competitive bodybuilder.  During the 1970s high volume training was in vogue.  Where completing a high number of sets per bodypart with a high frequency was common place.

Mike Mentzer was trying to escalate on the competitive bodybuilding circuit.  As a result he started to increase the frequency and volume of his training.  With the intention of speeding up his results and breaking through his current plateau.  He did not find increasing the frequency of his training did not give him beter results.  In fact it actually made him regress, by losing size and strength.

Mike Mentzer then met Arthur Jones, founder of the Nautilus company.  Arthur Jones argued that bodybuilding exercise should be brief and infrequent.  Since it is not possible for anyone to be training with intensity for a long period time.  Chances are if your workouts are long, they aren’t HARD enough to stimulate sufficient growth.

Jones theories of high intensity exercises also extended into his develop of the Nautilus machines.  When many common barbell exercises would not have sufficient intensity at crucial parts of the movements.  Such as the standard barbell curl exercise, which lacked adequate resistance at the peak contraction portion of the exercise.

Young Mike Mentzer in his early days without the signature moustache.

Young Mike Mentzer in his early days without the signature moustache.

Utilizing Arthur Jones high intensity principals, Mike mentzer progressed his  physique even further.  Ultimately winning the Mr. Universe with a perfect score.

Even in these early days, Mike had some of his own ideas.  Particularly on nutrition which his approach was considered unorthodox to most.  Where he published his diet plan in his Heavy Duty Nutrition book.

Mike Mentzer diet didn’t seem to emphasize protein the same most other bodybuilders of his time did.  Arguing that Muscle was mainly comprised of water.  The actual protein needs of a bodybuilder are not that much higher than the RDA.

Mike then went onto for years with good success in the competitive bodybuilder circuit.  Ultimately finding himself at the 1980 Mr. Olympia.  Which set the stage for the rivalry with

Mike then went onto compete in the 1980 Mr. Olympia.  He did not win that event and had a run in with Arnold Schwarzenegger.  As Mike was adament that Arnold Schwarzenegger did not deserve to win the 1980 Olympia.  in his opinion he only won by virtue of  politics.

The loss at the 1980 Mr. Olympia was a bitter defeat for Mike Mentzer.  At the age of 29 Mike had decided to retire from bodybuilding.  He disappeared from the bodybuilding world, nobody knew what happened to him.

He then returned in the early 90s.  Training clients on his own version of the High Intensity Program of Arthur Jones called “Heavy Duty”.  Working with notable bodybuilders such as Dorian Yates and Roland Kickinger.

The middle aged Mike Mentzer

The middle aged Mike Mentzer

He didn’t look like the same Mike Mentzer that we remembered at the 1980 Mr. Olympia.  He was middle aged now, yet his greatest muscle was his mind and that was even stronger.  Where he wrote articles on the theory of high intensity for magazines like Muscle & Fitness and Flex.

His version of High Intensity training evolved from the original ideas of Arthur Jones.  Particularly his ideas on how much volume was required to stimulate growth.  Where Mike Mentzer stated that one set per exercise at the appropriate intensity was enough.  He took this idea even further when he later decided that ONE REP was enough with his theory of Static Contractions.  This theory was further extended with Neural Isometric Power program.  Where it was discovered that one rep didn’t have to be even done with weights.  They could be isometric contractions without the requirement for any equipment.

Mike Mentzer challenged people to not just be bodybuilders, but to study the area of philosophy.  He was a fan of Ayn Rand and would often speak about her influence on his thinking.  Encouraging bodybuilders to spend more time reading and pursuing critical thought.  Since ultimately High Intensity training would give you more time to pursue other endeavours.  This was because the workouts although intense were very brief and infrequent.

Unfortunately Mike mentzer passed away on June 10th 2001.  As a result of heart complications.  We always remember his memory and what he taught us.  To be always be inspired of the modern day Howard Roark not satisfied to tow the line of convention.

You can see some of the modernized teachings of Mike Mentzer at www.powerathlete.info

 

 

Developing Explosive Power in MMA

Explosive Power

Developing Explosive Power in MMA doesn’t have to be confusing with the Neural Isometric Program

Developing explosive power in Martial arts can be an important thing. We have all seen someone who doesn’t look very strong. But yet can hit very hard. In martial arts it’s about how well you can accelerate into your punch. Not necessarily how much you can bench press.  Since the bench press doesn’t move or fight back.

I stumbled upon the Neural Isometric Power website. It was a great resource on how I could develop my power in martial arts. Using a specific Negative exercises with weights in an explosive manner. Along with doing Isometric exercises based on the anatomical function of the muscle.

I really felt a difference in the amount of snap in my punches and kicks. Moreover I could finally do that Bruce Lee once inch punch thing. Where I could generate allot of punching power in close ranges. I particularly noticed this when my opponents would get me in a clinch. I would have a little surprise for them when I would get in close.

The best thing about this website is the information is all there for free. It has videos and articles detailing the exercises. Apparently it’s built from the theories of Mike Mentzer and his high intensity training. Kinda more of a modernized version of the program. Applying it to athletics instead of just bodybuilding.

Check it out the Neural Isometric Program Website.  I think most MMA athletes will enjoy great results.  You can see the Neural Isometric Program at www.powerathlete.info

Boxing Training with an App

Boxing Training App

Boxing Training App Screenshot

Boxing is a great way to stay in shape.  Usually Boxers have a method of keeping their fitness by shadow boxing.  Shadow boxing is an exercise where you perform boxing movements in the air.  This helps to simulate what it’s like to be in front of an opponent.

However the problem with Shadowboxing it can be particularly boring.  Also if you are not very advanced in boxing, you may not know what combos to string together.  That’s where the Boxing Combos app for Google Android can help you.  It is an app that act as a virtual boxing trainer.  Calling out Boxing Comboinations randomly from your phone.  So it helps to train your reflexes by performing boxing combos on cue.

The great thing about this app is that it is FREE.  You can get a paid premium version which gives you more features.  Such as being able to control the pace of the combos.  Along with having more moves that includes kickboxing techniques.  So it’s a great tool if you are an intermediate boxer wanting to advance your skills.

Check it out you got nothing to lose!