Sometimes I get asked my opinion on Cardio Boxing so I figured I'd just write about it. Short answer is NO. I don't think it's useless. I'll admit that there was a time when I thought it was, but that was at a time when I was more immature and I failed to ask one of the most important questions in fitness? WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS? I mean not everyone is willing to get punched and kicked for real? It hurts and isn't the most pleasant experience. Believe me, I've been punched and kicked countless times. That being said, it…

Working out can be an addiction. We love the way it makes us feel. We love the way it makes us look. We love the increase in strength, speed, flexibility, etc. But unfortunately like any addiction, we can often push too hard for too long a period of time. And doing this can lead to burnout and overtraining, the complete opposite of why you started!   One thing I'll always be grateful for is the training I had in Powerlifting. In Powerlifting we understand that you can't train all out all the time. That's why we train in cycles. Typically these are…

This is a workout I call Triple Threat! Take three exercises, do each one for three reps, and do it three times. All this counts as one set. Repeat for as many sets as desired. It's tough but effective as always!   For this example I'm doing Squats, Pushups, and Chin Ups. But you can pick any exercises you wish! Here's a link for the video. https://youtu.be/vPj8o5nXT-A

The weapon is an extension of the person who wields it. This is an extremely important concept in the martial arts. After all, hand to hand fighting systems have their origins in weapons. You can take straight punches, hook punches, and uppercut punches, and you can see all of them in the staff. The key difference is that with weapons, everything is larger. Steps are larger, body rotation is larger, etc. But when we switch to hand to hand fighting, things become much tighter and closer. This is why we sometimes like to say "TRAIN BIG, FIGHT SMALL".   Take a look…

"Real World Strength" is a term that Chinese martial arts icon Bruce Lee used. He didn't believe in simply building up the body to look a certain way or to only lift weight in a specific way. He believed in training in a way to build your strength and fitness that would translate to real applicable situations. Machines have their place of course, but nothing can truly replace free weights, bodyweight exercises, and functional movements.    That's the purpose of this video is to cover some ways to develop this. For this exercise, I'm taking a punching bag and doing squats and…

Personally I love smoothies. From a very young age, I've always associated smoothies and various shakes with vibrant health. You can mix it up in so many ways, there's just no limit to the possibilities. In fact, it's possible to replace some of your meals with smoothies. A good protein powder mixed in with plenty of fruits and vegetables is tasty, nutritious, and it will prevent you from giving in to hunger and going for junk food. There have been many times when I knew I wouldn't have time to sit down for a meal, so I just drank a good…

You know the old expression "Too much of a good thing"? Unfortunately it also applies to health and fitness. I've heard it countless times over the years. "I love the way working out makes me feel. I want to do it every day". There's also "I just need to workout every day. My day just isn't complete without it". And of course we have "It's been months since I ate any junk food. I love the way healthy eating makes me feel. I don't ever want it again".   At first glance, someone might ask "What's the problem?". Let's look at these…

When most people think of cardio, the first image that comes to mind is someone walking on a treadmill day in, day out, every day. To be honest, if I had to do that I think I'd go insane. It may sound hard to believe, but in all these years (actually decades) of working out I've never done that. There are so many better options, why would I?   First, what is cardio and what is the purpose of it? It's really quite simple. It's a workout for your heart and circulatory system. By raising your heart rate for a sustained period…

Setting up a good home gym can be one of the most rewarding things you can do. No longer do you have to worry about driving to the gym, changing into your gym clothes, working out in a crowded gym only to change back into your street clothes and drive back home. No longer do you have to worry about when the gym is open. Your home gym is always open no matter what time of day you choose to workout. But what do you need for a good home gym? Of course it's possible to get a great workout…

The I GO, YOU GO WORKOUT is a great partner workout you can do. The specific exercises you do aren't important. It's all about the workout structure. Each of you will take turns doing sets of 10 reps for either 4 or 5 sets. The catch is that the only rest you get is the time it takes your partner to do their set! It's a fast paced workout for sure, but it definitely works. I've got 2 examples below. One is with bodyweight and one is with weights.   BODYWEIGHT Punisher Squats Pushups Wideouts (pop squats) Kickouts (the exercise I'm doing in the photo) Close Grip…

It's been a great summer, but now it's time to get back to working out! Today's workout is 5 exercises and each one is done for 5 sets of 10 reps. The key here is the rest time. Limit it to only about 30 to 40 seconds and then go again. It's a fast paced tough workout, but it's definitely effective. Here are the exercises.   Seated Cable Rows Dumbbell Bench Press Lateral Raises Front Barbell Squats Hanging Leg Raise   Watch the video to see what it's all about and for information about personal training, click here  

I find these to be excellent for shoulder and arm exercises. Check out the video to see three of my favourite moves to do with them. There are different types of chest expanders available. Some have metal springs and some are rubber. I find the rubber ones to be much better both for safety and also for feel. I bought mine from Lifeline USA. However any type will do. As with all resistance band exercises, you must maintain tension at all times and not let it go slack. This will allow you to get the most benefit from it. Anyway here's…

The battle ropes are a very versatile piece of equipment. They're great for strength, endurance, body connection and coordination, and even for training sport specific skills. On top of that it provides am amazing cardio workout and can really help melt those pounds off. In this video, I cover my favourite exercises on the ropes.    One thing to keep in mind always is that you must use the body as one unit. In the Chinese internal arts, we like to say "One part moves, All parts move". With the ropes it's very difficult to not do this. For if you don't then…

This is an everything workout using the Lebert Equalizers, Dumbbells, and Battle Ropes. Each piece of equipment is done for 3 circuits before moving onto the next piece of equipment. A very solid and effective workout!   For more information about In-home or online personal training, click here  

Jumping on the trampoline is one of my favourite types of exercises. It's fun, it's simple, and it has tremendous health benefits. One major benefit is it helps you feel youthful. Look at kids running, jumping, and playing. They're so light on their feet and moving easily. Unfortunately it doesn't take long before you start to stiffen up and most adults have completely lost that supple feeling. It doesn't have to be that way however. Trampoline jumping is one of the best ways to get that feeling back. Another benefit is that it promotes lymphatic fluid flow. Jumping up and…

Forms practice is a very large part of the traditional martial arts. They serve many purposes. One is that in the old days it served as a glossary of the techniques of a martial art. The majority of the population was illiterate at that time and forms were a way to physically pass down the techniques and spirit of a martial art. Another is that it helps to ingrain the techniques into your subconscious improving muscle memory. And a third is that they are good exercise and in fact great for cardio as well as coordinating the body.   However for our…

Often when people stretch, they do it at the beginning of a training session. It's just very common to do it this way, but unfortunately it's incorrect. Static stretching is done to relax muscles and essentially put them to sleep. Therefore it should be done at the end of a training session, not at the beginning. To start a workout, it's best to use dynamic movement such as running in place, jumping jacks, perhaps some gentle rotational exercises, etc. The idea is to get the body moving and raise your core temperature. If you're doing sport specific training, then you…

In our society, many people have been trained to feel helpless. As if they have no control over things. If something is wrong with your health, take a drug. If you suffer from Depression take a drug. If your back hurts there's nothing you can do about. You're old and that's just the way it is. Or you could take a drug for it. If you're diagnosed with Diabetes take a drug. If you have High Blood Pressure, take a drug. Do any of these remedies involve taking control of your life in a a healthy way. These are all legitimate…

Never before have we had so much information about diet and exercise and never before have we had so much bullshit at the same time! Seriously when I think back over the past 30 plus years that I've been doing this stuff, I've seen the entire fitness industry change from being thought of as a weird activity for health nuts to the point where everybody, even kids, are discussing things like the Keto diet, Paleo diet, etc. You know the old expression "A little knowledge is a dangerous thing"? Well it's certainly true when it comes to nutrition.    Honestly it was…

These energies were taught to me as The Eight Energies Of Wing Chun. However, I've come to realize that they are universal to all martial arts. Understanding these energies will vastly improve your knowledge of the martial arts and how to use the various attacks and defenses. Here they are.   1. LISTENING ENERGY - This is also known as sensitivity and is an integral part of all martial arts. Once there is contact between you and your opponent, a bridge has been created. You can feel your opponent and your opponent can feel you. Listening energy is what will allow you…