Category: Health & Wellness

What is DMSO?

Health & Wellness, Natural Healing, Pain Management & Recovery
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DMSO or Dimethyl Sulfoxide has an interesting history dating back to 1867 where it was first isolated by Russian chemist, Alexander Saytzeff. It is a byproduct of the paper making process and is a natural compound that comes from trees and has been used as an industrial solvent for over a century. It is a clear, colorless liquid with a strong odor.

When medical researchers started looking into this multi-faceted compound in the 1950’s, DMSO’s ability to protect cells from freezing damage was discovered. As research continued, other medical applications of possible use came to light. This is where things start to get really interesting. In the 1960’s, DMSO was hailed as a miracle drug by the press and more clinical trials of the compound began.

The Healing Properties of DMSO

DMSO was found to relieve pain, act as a diuretic and rapidly be able to penetrate human skin. This is where DMSO’s amazing ability to work as a transport agent come into play. It will transport other substances with it as it penetrates, including other pain relieving ingredients. DMSO can be taken orally mouth, used topically or intravenously. The most common use is topically though, where it is known to help speed up wound healing, decrease inflammation, pain and swelling.

Naturally, it can be used to treat medical problems such as arthritis, tendonitis, bursitis and sports related injuries such as joint and muscle pain and inflammation. Furthermore, DMSO is said to also have potential to be effective in treating various types of cancer and aid in various cancer therapies, treat skin conditions such as scleroderma, as well as fibromyalgia, Alzheimer’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

DMSO-400Dr. Stanley Jacob, who pioneered much of the early and on-going research on DMSO has found that it also holds great promise in treating severe closed head trauma. He claims he has found it to reduce brain swelling and increase blood flow and oxygenation. Unfortunately, in 1965 clinical trials were stopped by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) because of questions of its safety. Many advocates and scientific researchers, including Dr. Jacob pressed the FDA to re-consider in light of the depth of research and data compiled regarding this amazing compound. Advocates and researchers pressed that the safety issues were unfounded and only minor in humans.

The vast treatment potential the compound has for such a wide range of conditions almost makes it seem to be too good to be true, but with clinical trials being cut short this could not be verified at the time.  Eventually the FDA approved the use of DMSO and lifted the temporary ban on human testing. The approval was only for one rare bladder condition though – interstitial cystitis, which causes inflammation in the bladder. Besides that, it has only been approved for use as an anti-inflammatory treatment in dogs and horses.

So Where Does DMSO Stand Now?

The FDA only approved DMSO for one human medical condition –  interstitial cystitis up until this writing. More research is needed to test its safety and effectiveness for other medical purposes. It is legal and easy to purchase, as well as inexpensive. It is available through some health food stores, mail order catalogs and readily available on the internet (I’ve seen it on Amazon.com even).

Since most people use it as a topical liniment for pain relief, it is most commonly sold as a cream, gel and liquid. In some cases it is mixed with other natural ingredients to enhance its pain relieving effect for muscle and joint pain. This is where I saw the value of what DMSO could do to help to relieve my muscle and joint pains from hard training in the martial arts.

When we created Warrior Rx Muscle & Joint Pain Relief, DMSO seemed like a perfect fit to tie all of the other powerful pain relieving ingredients in it together. Indeed that ended up being the case and we included it in our pain relief rub. You can learn more about the role DMSO plays in our topical rub on our store blog here.

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Cultivating Life Balance

Embrace The Warrior, Health & Wellness
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Life balance—a concept to be in a steady state where all things are in the “right place” and things are going your way—seems so elusive. It almost becomes the “holy grail” as we continually search for it. We think of balance as a state of calm and symmetry, being in control or taking everything that comes our way in stride. It’s when you feel good about yourself and where you are, regardless of all you are doing or taking on.

We start to think or feel we are out of balance because we have unrealistic expectations and we adopt someone else’s definition of life balance. We think by doing more, moving from task to task or running from place to place we will find fulfillment, fill a void, discover that something that will make us happy and bring us joy or even gain some level of martyrdom because of all we are doing. But in fact, when you do this, you are not being true to yourself and not choosing a life balance that is right for you. You are not cultivating a life balance.

So how do you choose your right balance? First, you need to think about why you feel so out of balance—what is really going on in your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual being. Is being so busy an excuse to not deal with an issue, someone or a situation? Is feeling out of balance because you are not accepting change, but instead you are resisting it? Is it being fueled by not prioritizing? Are you not taking care of yourself? Or is it because you are not living in the present and meeting yourself where you are at this moment? That out of balance feeling comes from within you so only you can address it.

yinyangbalance

Achieving balance in your life starts with your personal choice and decision to change the way you live your life and how you think about balance. In thinking about balance know that life, and even you, is not a steady or neutral state—everything and everyone is in a constant state of motion. The more you cling to things (circumstances, people, possessions) to hold yourself in balance, the less you rely on your strength and flexibility to adapt and change. Because balance is not a fixed state, but always moving forward, you need to move forward too. This means embracing change and allowing yourself and others to evolve.

To help you move forward and to change your approach to balance so its true nature can emerge, here are a few ways to help find your balance.

1. Stop spending time on the things you don’t need to do

2. Spend more time on the things you love to do

3. Spend time alone: Take a walk, write, meditate or even simply sit quietly

4. Limit time with negative or toxic people

5. Pay attention to your health: Get rest, eat a little healthier and fit in some type of activity

6. Take a risk: It’s difficult to face change and to take on something new in life, but it’s that mindset that keeps us stuck

7. Find that something that keeps you grounded and that allows you to concentrate and minimize distractions

8. Let go of the need for certain outcomes and thinking you have to control things. You can only control your reaction to things.

9. Embrace falling: There will be days where you will feel like you didn’t get it right or messed up, or fell down on the job. It’s ok. Just reset and get back up again!

10. Smile more and remember have fun

As science fiction writer Frank Herbert said, “There’s no secret to balance. You just have to feel the waves.”

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Acupressure – Daily Self-Massage

Health & Wellness, Natural Healing
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It was probably at least 15 years ago I walked into an oriental type outfitted booth at a large flea market that I found a very interesting green colored book by a Dr. Kuan Hin called Chinese Massage and Acupressure. It intrigued me right away and I picked it up. Being a martial artist and interested in health, massage, acupuncture and the like I started reading the first few pages.

The book delves in to the basics of Chinese Medicine, massage and acupressure, which is also called Inhoa. Inhoa means Silver Flower, and specifically is the name given by Dr. Hins’ ancestors to the method of preventing or healing that has been handed down from generation to generation.  What really got me interested is that this field is ideal for an introduction to self-treatment with regards to both preserving and restoring one’s health. I am a firm believer that we should take responsibility for all aspects of our lives and that especially includes our health.

In this respect I read that it required only rudimentary knowledge and no kind of equipment and is entirely safe… sounded good to me! The basis for using this healing art is the regulation of the energy flows that occur throughout the body.  Energy is life’s fuel and it nourishes us. So when damage is done, this can impede the flow leading to an energy imbalance which can set off disorders and ultimately cause disease.

Prevention, I found out is the very core of Chinese medicine. It is also effective in treating acute or chronic conditions as well. There is not enough room to go into much more detail here (and honestly I would be doing it a disservice if I did), but I started using the Inhoa acupressure massage techniques, or The eight wonders of Chinese massage as put forth in the book that first day I brought it home.

Inhoa book

What really intrigued me the most as I flipped through it, was that it gave a great introduction and background into this amazing healing art, how and why it works in theory, and was full of practical pictures and applications which I could use right away… and yet it was concise and not overwhelming. This was especially true of the primary acupunture points or the 12 points of Master Ma that are covered and the corresponding meridians and effects.

I to this day practice the self-massage (or dry baths as they are also called) every morning upon waking after I do my warm up exercises and stretches and also do a shorter session before I go to bed. The interesting thing I find is that it helps to wake my body up so to speak in the morning and at night it relaxes me and helps me fall to sleep. If I don’t do them which happens on occasion unfortunately, I actually feel the difference and not quite right.  It has become an enjoyable ritual for me.

These dry baths help boost the immune system because they stimulate the circulation of the blood and ensure proper irrigation of the organs.  I’ll massage various different acupoints through out the day as needed. I especially like to administer acupressure on myself to help relieve stress and generally to promote a sense of well-being.

This is done usually by pressing in and massaging with my fingers steadily in clock-wise and counter-clockwise motions. Acupressure is in a sense, acupunture with out the needles. It is not as precise and effective but a great tool nonetheless and can still have far reaching effects. I can actually feel the energetic difference in each specific area I press and with time you become better and more sensitive to it.

I will include here one of my favorite massages mentioned in the book – The Massage of the Gushing Spring or Yongquan. It is the name given to the first acupoint on the kidney-meridian running from the sole of the foot along the inner side of the leg over the belly to end under the shoulder blade. This point has many uses both preventative and therapeutic that extend far beyond the local area. It prevents nephitis and strengthens the liver and eyes. It relieves abdominal pains, combats coughing, hoarseness and sore throat and has a sedative effect in case of palpitations or distress.

For our massage purposes, we use the gushing spring to activate the circulation of the blood and prevent vascular disorders including cramps in the calves.  It is especially good to promote circulation for cold feet. After I massage this point I feel a release throughout my foot and a general sense of well-being. I highly recommend also massaging the entire bottom of the foot using an upward pressing motion up from the heel to the balls of the foot to enhance the massage. Here is the illustration from the book:

gushing spring2

 

We will touch more upon other acupressure and massage techniques in the future.  I encourage you to look further into using self-massage techniques and acupressure if you haven’t already done so.  Maybe you can add another healthy ritual in to your day like I did… it is truly a  great way to enhance your health and become more in tune with your body.

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Love Thy Self

Embrace The Warrior, Health & Wellness
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“Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.”
– Carl Gustav Jung
reeds

Building on our focus on change and change starts from within, this month we will start a series on building blocks that can help you through your journey of change.

As we find ourselves in the first week of February. The month of love. And what better building block to talk about then love and learning to love yourself.The change that comes from within you will put you on a path to taking some deep dives into your emotions and what is triggering your or inspiring your desire to change. This will inevitably have you face things you like or love about yourself and things you may not like so much about yourself.

And it’s human nature to focus on the negative vs the positive. Most of us have been conditioned to focus on the things for improvement, the “weaknesses, where we could do better or need to make significant improvements. It is quite rare that we focus or take time to think about and focus on what we do well, our strengths and what we like about ourselves. Sometimes–and all too often, what we like about ourselves gets lost or sidelined. It’s important to take stock of what you like–and love–about yourself. And embrace it and keep it with you at all times.

Some refer to this as self-love. It’s difficult for most of us since we live in a world where this may be considered selfish. But is is not. Think about it. Self love is your personal human right, and a gift to you and others. When you can truly love yourself you move to a place where, yes, you may feel sad or disappointed that someone may not like what you did, what you said, etc., but you can accept that is their choice.

You are giving or doing without expectation. This is quite freeing and has such a positive effect. It helps you move through your experiences of life and your transformation since it helps you let go of things easier and gives you the ability to move on to new discoveries and opportunities.

Self love starts with self reflection and making a commitment to love and accept yourself. Seeing yourself with a fresh set of eyes, with self awareness and love, and learning to love yourself is a journey and an ongoing process. It is a mindset change and there are things you can do to help. These include meditation, journaling, positive self talk, expanding your interests, letting go of negativity, forgiving your past, and taking care of yourself–and accepting where you are now.

Learning to love yourself starts with a conscious decision and an intention. Use February where there will be a wave of collective good intention infused with love to set your intention of self love.

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Happy New Year!

Embrace The Warrior, Health & Wellness
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Let 2015 be the year that you embrace the Warrior in you.

At Warrior Rx we are committed to helping you reclaim your health, vitality and inner peace and to stand in confidence, courage, strength, compassion, forgiveness and love.

Stayed tuned in for a series of posts and information that will help guide you to embracing your inner warrior and to living a radiant and fulfilled life.

Warrior Rx Team

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5 Daily Rituals to Have More Energy, Promote Lean Muscle Mass & Muscle Recovery

Chi Kung, Health & Wellness, Pain Management & Recovery, Sports Nutrition
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I will cover in this article 5 basic daily ‘rituals’ if you will, that will help you have more energy through out your day, help you get leaner & more muscular & promote recovery from your workouts. These may seem simple, which they are yet are powerful.

Daily Ritual #1 – Getting Enough ‘Proper’ Sleep

This seems simple and obvious enough, but many people do not get nearly enough sleep or in some cases too much! How much is enough? I am sure you’ve heard the old 8 hours of sleep a night is what’s needed and this is fairly accurate. We are all wired differently and studies have shown that 7 hours is usually enough.

Even if you are getting your 7-8 hours a night, a nice 20-30 minute nap during the day will do wonders for you and have your refreshed & re-energized if you get tired mid-day like I do sometimes.

Also, the quality of sleep is important. What this means is, getting enough REM sleep & the more, deeper restorative stages of sleep is key. Caffeine, nicotine, alcohol & other drugs such as diet pills & decongestants stimulate parts of the brain and can prevent you from hitting the deeper sleep stages or even cause insomnia. Be sure to keep this in mind and limit, if not eliminate these substances if possible, especially in the latter parts of the day.

Also it is helpful if your room or ‘sleep zone’ is as quiet and dark as can be. Wearing a sleep mask, ear plugs & heavy blinds can really help to achieve this. Disengaging from your work & everyday tasks 30 minutes to an hour before bed is great to promote a healthy sleep cycle. Taking a short walk, meditating or doing some light reading (non-work related) before going to sleep help calm the mind & prepare you for a good nights sleep.

Daily Ritual #2 –Drink Enough Water

Our second daily ritual seems almost as obvious as the first one. But again like sleep, most people do not get enough water either. Hydrating our bodies properly is so important for many reasons. Our bodies are made up of about 70% water which says a lot in itself. So why is water so important?… here are some main reasons:

  • Removes waste/toxins from the body
  • Helps you to lose weight & decrease your appetite
  • Increased muscle tone
  • Digest food more efficiently
  • Increased organ function
  • Lubricates the joints & decreases muscle soreness
  • Decreases water retention (believe it!)
  • Overall improved health

Also, the best way to start your day after you wake up is to drink a tall glass of water in the morning, (Tip: drink preferably warm water with some lemon juice for added detox benefits). This helps get your organs/internal system moving and ready for the day ahead of you. How much water should you drink? Depending on your weight of course this will vary a bit, but if you are active (which if you are reading this you probably are) a gallon of water a day should be your daily target.

Daily Ritual #3 – Have a ‘Real Energy’ Drink Each Morning

So after you drink your glass of water in the morning, a nutrient packed health shake/smoothie should be an addition. A drink like this will give you steady, sustained natural energy, unlike most so called ‘energy drinks’ or highly caffeinated drinks which you usually feel a crash from or the need to keep up the intake of.

Nothing fancy is needed, most blenders do just fine in addition to the vegetable greens & fruits you blend up. Feel free to experiment on your own different combinations. I have found that mixing fruits with vegetables is the best way to go. Water or organic almond, rice or help milk can be used as a base. Also if you can, buy organic.

  • Kale
  • Chard
  • Lettuce
  • Spinach
  • Apple
  • Blueberry
  • Banana
  • Strawberry

A favorite combo of mine is vanilla almond milk, blueberries, a banana & a tablespoon of peanut butter… so good!

Tip:  adding some wheat grass powder or barley grass powder to ‘boost’ up your energy drink is a great idea.

Daily Ritual #4 – Deep Breathing / Internal Exercise

It almost goes without saying that you should be doing some type of daily exercise regimen. I will touch upon here in this article though, an exercise that is different from the type of aerobic (cardio) exercise(s) that you are most likely used to and engage in. This ritual is truly amazing because it can cause dramatic improvement in your energy level and overall health in general. Deep, controlled, concentrated breathing is also widely known as chi gung, chi kung, qi gong, etc. in the east which originally hails from China.

Many cultures though, have their own forms. As a martial artist I have practiced several forms and there are literally hundreds of methods or styles, from the simple to the complicated. I would suggest of course starting simple and to add it into your morning ritual.

I will offer a basic deep breathing exercise anyone can do that is easy and pleasant. The key when breathing in is deep belly breathing, inhaling and filling up both entire lungs, including the lower lobes which most people, unfortunately neglect to do, especially as they get older, thus being the root cause of many health problems.

  • Stand with feet about shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent, hips & tail bone tucked under to flatten out the lower lumbar region of your spine (as if you are almost sitting on the edge of an imaginary chair). This elongates and straightens the spine, which promotes energy flow.
  • The arms are held out as if holding a ball with a small space between the hands, finger tips facing each other. The chin is slightly tucked in, head is held up as if hanging from an imaginary thread so as to pull up the spine. The tongue is to the roof of the mouth behind the teeth & eyes preferably closed.
  • Breathe in through the nose deeply (as described above), hold for 2-3 seconds when full and exhale out through the mouth slowly. Now on the exhale engage your stomach muscles to sink the breath and help push out all the air until the lungs are completely empty. When the lungs are almost empty, you can also pull up on your perineum as you flex your stomach muscles to really engage your entire core, almost as if you are squeezing all of the air out.

When complete, relax again as you inhale to start your next cycle and repeat. Start with 9 breath cycles to start. I highly recommend doing more research into this area as it can do wonders for your health & fitness.

Daily Ritual #5 – Supplement with Vitamins & Supplements

This is by far the easiest of the 5 daily rituals to do, since it really takes almost no effort. Most vitamins are taken orally by pill form which works fine. Liquid forms are preferable though as they are absorbed by the body more readily. Taking vitamins, minerals & supplements is important as we just don’t get all the nutrients we need from diet alone.

Also, we may want to take supplements to increase performance in a variety of areas we may be lacking, or to help get that edge as athletes.  Being an athlete and a martial artist, I am always looking for that edge that will help boost my performance, energy level & recovery time and yet do it naturally… especially as I get older. There is a variety of supplements out there that can help you do this but I am going to just mention one I have been taking the last few months that has given me great results – Warrior Rx Deer Antler Velvet Extract .

I’ve heard a lot about deer antler velvet, especially that allegedly Ray Lewis was taking it his last year playing football to help him recover from a triceps injury. Whether he took it or not (he said he didn’t), I looked into it since I hurt my shoulder in a soccer related injury.

I have been taking Warrior Rx Deer Antler Velvet daily since & have seen great results in other areas of my performance and training as well. In addition to my sped up healing, I look leaner and more defined than ever & my overall strength has definitely gone to a new level.

I simply take it with my other supplements and vitamins as part of my daily regimen and it’s a liquid/spray which is a bonus over pills or powders. I hope you can apply these tips or rituals as I like to call them in to your daily life and get some killer results like I have.

 

 

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Warrior Rx Helps Me Recover (Again)

Health & Wellness, Natural Healing, Pain Management & Recovery
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Thought I would write a quick post about a recent injury I sustained playing soccer. Now because I am very active in a variety of sports and especially because of my martial arts training, getting hurt is common and part of the game so to speak. Two weeks ago I pulled a thigh muscle (which I never did before) & I was back 100% in just a few days.

I attributed this to not drinking enough water due to a recent job change. That was no big deal, I adapted in no time (I used some Warrior Rx pain rub as well) and am up to drinking about a gallon a day again which is a good amount to drink on a daily basis, especially if you are very active as it helps to hydrate the muscles. I stretch all the time so I know that not stretching was not the cause.

Unfortunately Accidents Happen 

So then last week, during yet another soccer game I hurt myself much worse, making my previous thigh muscle pull seem like a walk in the park. Basically what happened was I lost my balance (a slight push from behind didn’t help) and landed on the left side of my chest with my left arm outstretched, thus hyper-extending my left shoulder.

Once I hit the ground I knew it was bad. What kills me is after all these years of martial arts training, especially in the arts of Judo & Shuai Jiao (Chinese fast wrestling) where throwing and falling are the foundational aspects I couldn’t believe I fell this awkward & ungracefully.

But it happened, so I knew I was hurt pretty bad, I  just wasn’t sure of the extent of my injury. I massaged my shoulder using Warrior Rx when I got home to help lessen the pain. That night I felt okay, hoping it wasn’t too bad. The pain was so bad when I woke up the next day that I took myself to the emergency room and got checked out, including having x-rays done.

I knew I didn’t break anything, but this is standard procedure and it’s never a bad thing to be 100% sure no bones are broken. Really, I was just hoping I did not tear any ligaments.

The toughest part for me through all of this, is the inactivity and no exercise for days!  I was told it’s most likely just a bad sprain and would be back to normal in a week or two. I was in a sling for about 4 days, applied ice at the proper intervals and was given pain killers and anti-inflammatory pills which I took in the beginning but stopped shortly as I am not a big fan of pain pills (they didn’t seem to really help much anyway).

I did apply Warrior Rx pain rub daily with vigorous massage which did help a lot & I felt much better every time after I was done doing so. Now as a topical muscle & joint pain relief rub, it’s not going to completely knock out the pain of an injury of this extent, but it will help expedite the healing process, cut down on recovery time and lessen pain significantly.

Use Warrior Rx Instead of Dangerous Pain Pills

Like I said I avoid pain pills as much as possible because of the negative side effects and the tolerance one builds very quickly to drugs in general, so Warrior Rx is a great alternative. You get immediate relief to the area and there are no dangerous side effects… only natural ingredients (there are twelve) that actually help expedite the healing process which other topical rubs really don’t do.

I use it for injuries both large and small and will continue to do so. When I say Warrior Rx helped me recover again, I mean it because when I broke my ankle a few years back from a bad fall, I was using my fair share of this awesome topical muscle rub daily and that was the worst injury I ever sustained in my life. It really helped me through it all.

I am still not back to 100% yet with my shoulder injury, as it hasn’t even been a week yet, but I am recovering steadily with noticeable improvement. I will get an MRI done soon to make sure there are no tears so I am not out of the woods yet.  I am rehabbing it now with some Tai Chi and Chi Kung so I know I’ll be back better than ever in no time.

 

 

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Starting Your Fitness Program

Health & Wellness, Mindset for Training
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Most people want to be in better physical shape and have a higher level of fitness but unfortunately they let themselves go too far and don’t know where to start. So what is one to do?  I notice most people I talk to who find themselves in this position feel they need to have some grand plan or start a gym membership before they do anything else, or have an hour of time allotted or more before they start.

All you need is 15 minutes to start.

Yes I said 15 minutes… doesn’t seem like much time, but it can make a world of difference. I always say start small and gradually put more time into it as you go. Most people feel 15 minutes is not enough time to get in better shape… but when you are not working out at all it’s plenty of time!  Most of the time putting off starting on a certain date or waiting to take a certain class or waiting for the right day or moment to start a workout regiment is just an excuse (& you know it).

So what can we do in 15 minutes & where? My favorite type of exercise – body weight calisthenics. No fancy equipment needed, just your own body weight & gravity, a very effective combination. Depending on your current level of fitness, which if you are not working out at all is probably not very high, start nice and easy.  If you can’t do a push-up yet, then start with brisk walking with some wrist weights.

Take A Walk, Do Some Deep Breathing

Walking is a great form of exercise that most people over look and should be an addition to your workout regimen. I personally take a walk everyday, usually at night. A good time to take a walk is after you eat a meal, as it helps digest your food. There is an old Chinese saying, (I think it’s Chinese) that if you walk 99 steps after each meal you’ll live to be 99 years old… you get the idea.

Walking helps you clear your head & sometimes even get some answers to questions you normally can’t come up with sitting around thinking about them. Also, you get out of the house and get some fresh air.

You can combine breathing exercises as well with your daily walk. Just do some basic deep belly breathing, just focusing on your breath… in through your nose and out through your nose, tongue to the roof of your mouth. You will feel revitalized just doing this & no gym membership required!

Just Start Moving

The point is just start doing something, start moving. So you have your daily health walk or fitness walk you can call it. Walk a different path or route each day to change things up. Sometimes I walk for well over an hour, sometimes for just 10-15 minutes.

Then you can add a short 15 minute workout when you get back. Your blood is flowing already, do some light stretching for a few minutes before you start. A good combination is a few short sets of squats (maybe 10-15 reps) with light weights in hands, a few sets of push-ups (or variations of a push up if you can’t do a real one). Start today and there you go, you are active and on the path to getting in good shape.

I will talk more in future posts about different types of exercises and stretches you can do. Really, you should stretch everyday, especially after you wake up. Gets the blood flowing and helps wake you up to start your day.

 

 

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One of the Best Workouts Ever… Mud Runs!

Health & Wellness, Strength Training Tips
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Just thought I’d make a post about something I just started getting into and now love… Mud Runs! Mud Runs are becoming more and more popular these days as there are many more being created and available every year.

The Tough Mudder was one of the first original mud runs I heard of but there are many more like the Spartan Race, Warrior Dash and the mud run I just did last weekend, the Rock Solid Mud Run (rocksolidmudrun.com).

A lot of people do mud runs now in teams so they can help push each other and help each other to get through and finish which is a good idea because some of these races/runs are grueling, long and very challenging. My friend has done the Tough Mudder for a few years now and originally it was 7 miles I believe and then they extended it to 12 miles which is almost half a marathon!

Use the Preparation to Enhance Your Workouts

Yes mud runs aren’t quite work outs per se as you can’t always just do a mud run when you feel like it… but one of the great things about them is they almost force people to train harder and push their fitness levels up to new heights to prepare for them, just like one would train for an iron man, triathlon or marathon.

Most people that engage in mud runs are usually in pretty good shape already, they are challenging so if you have a hard time running and pulling your own weight so to speak through obstacles you are going to have a hard time.

The nice thing about having more variety in terms of different kinds of mud runs being available now is you can find one that may suit you more than another. Some are more individually orientated like races than others which stress teamwork and camaraderie. Either way, they are challenging and fun at the same time and can really push you to your physical limits.

Be a Kid Again

I think that one of the main reasons that mud runs are catching on so much now and growing in popularity is two-fold: one it gives people that participate a sense of accomplishment when they finish such a challenging course and two, it brings grown men and women back a sense of child like wonder and freedom…. I mean it’s basically an obstacle course for grown ups.

It’s okay to get all dirty and muddy (it’s encouraged practically) just like when you were a kid. And just like the jungle gyms you climbed to see if you could do it and for the fun of it when you were 8 years old, the same holds true at age 25 or 55.

Run With a Goal in Mind

One last thing for me personally is that I am not a big fan of running just to run per se. I honestly find it quite boring… but I love running with a goal in mind, like playing soccer & edging someone else off the ball to move my team closer to scoring the next goal to running after a tennis ball with my racket to get it over the net.

In the case of a mud run, seeing how fast I can get through a challenging obstacle course full of mud before the guy next to me does. They are fun, challenging and will push you to your limits to see what you are made of.

I felt my cardiovascular endurance go up a notch from doing the Rock Solid Mud Run last weekend. When I played a soccer game a few days later, I felt faster and had more endurance than I did before the mud run.

I highly recommend mud runs, you will be a bit sore and banged up afterwards but it’s worth it. We were one of the sponsors at the Rock Solid Mud Run at Raceway Park in Englishtown, NJ and I also ran in it. We had a great time, met some cool people and I pushed myself and got myself in better shape at the same time.

Lastly, I also recommend you get yourself some Warrior Rx to massage on your sore muscles after the race! We gave out samples at our booth got some great feedback from a lot of fellow participants.

 

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How to Stay Consistent With Your Fitness Program

Health & Wellness, Mindset for Training
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There are a lot of different types of work out regimens out there from your typical weight training with sets and reps on different body parts at your local gym, to calisthenics, to running, taking a pilates class or a yoga class.

So for a lot of people it’s no wonder they feel overwhelmed by all the options available & either don’t stick with anything for a long period of time or just shelf working out altogether. Especially considering the average person juggles working a full 8 hour day (at least), a social life & putting food on the table for their family.

Measure Your Results the Right Way

The way I see it, there is no one formula for everyone that will put you in great physical shape while holding your interest. Everyone is different and starts from a different fitness level and body constitution. One thing I have noticed that most people do have in common that keeps them coming back for more is when they see results! But there are many ways to measure results, unfortunately most people in my opinion measure it the wrong way and that is purely by the Scale.

What I think is a much better way to judge whether you are on the right path to getting into better shape is how you feel. Do you have more energy? Do you look forward to working out (in whatever program you are doing) or do you dread it or are indifferent towards it?

If it’s too difficult most people will just stop altogether and let’s face it most people’s motivations fade quickly once their initial foray into a new program subsides.

How to Stay Motivated

So what is one to do? We are social creatures by nature and also very competitive as well. If you are not motivated to work out alone with no one pushing you, you can do one of two things. Get a knowledgeable personal trainer at your local gym that you feel a good connection with or take some type of fitness class with a friend.

There are all kinds of fitness programs and classes available these day whether it’s at your local gym, yoga studios or martial arts studios. I now see Pilates & Zumba classes available at the local VFW & Nights of Columbus in my town. So called ‘Core Fitness’ classes such as CrossFit are becoming more and more popular.

I will talk more about these types of fitness programs (which I love by the way) because they will get you in amazing shape if you stick with it. I will warn you that you should be in some type of decent shape before taking one of these because they really push you to your physical limits.

I love circuit training especially because it forces you to move quickly and get through the exercises because others are waiting on you and you push each other. There are ‘boot-camp’ classes as they call them now at gyms and independent studios that are basically circuit training classes extended over a period of weeks.

 Enjoy the Journey

I would suggest trying some different types of workout programs to see what you like and makes you excited to go back. Don’t become too overly obsessed with reaching some particular outcome like a desired weight for example… learn to enjoy the journey.

This is the key, if it’s an effective fitness program just stick with it and the weight and physical fitness level you are looking to attain will come in time.

 

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