It’s good to test yourself every once in a while. Do a personal gut check to see if you have the heart to stand up and put what you practice into action. It’s not about wining or losing it’s about putting yourself out there. Testing your steel and coming back with experience. Karate has always been a part of my life it has given me focus and discipline. The psychological aspects I apply to many parts of my life. I use the same mentality when I get my self out of bed at five a.m. to workout. Clearing your mind and pushing yourself out of you comfort zone will take you farther than you could ever expected.

It was a good day for me at this tournament. I won first place for kumite (fighting). The sportsmanship and respect was present in every participant. I truly learn a lot about myself and what I need to keep working on. Remember the biggest room is in the world, is the room of self improvement.

Click here to find out more about ISKC.

This year on October 24, 2010 my children and I, Miles & Sylas will be participating in the Kick for a Cure Kick-A-Thon. I personally know
how it feels to lose a love one to cancer, I lost my father to it. Together with your help, Illinois Shotokan Karate Clubs, Kicks for a
Cure, raises money for Cancer research. Please show your support and help us kick cancer! http://www.events.org/sponsorship.aspx?id=25692

In this video I demonstrate a lot of solid core plank exercises to add to your ever growing library of core and abs exercises.

The exercises contained in this video are:
1. 2 POINT PLANK
2. DYNAMIC PLANK
3. PLANK WALK UP
4. ELBOW TO KNEE PLANK
5. T-PUSH UP

You can mix these exercises into your current routine to add variety, do them as sets or a full circuit.
Example of exercises done as sets.

2 Point Plank – Perform for 1 minute
Rest for 30 – 60 seconds.

2 Point Plank – Perform for 1 minute
Rest for 30 – 60 seconds.

2 Point Plank – Perform for 1 minute
Rest for 30 – 60 seconds.

Move on to next exercise Dynamic Plank Perform for 3 sets etc.

Read the rest of this entry »

Men’s Fitness has a great article about Casein. I personally use GNC’s  – GNC Pro Performance® 100% Pure Casein Protein – Chocolate.  Mix it up in a blender with a cup of water and a banna you will have a great tasting smoothy. Casein protein powder is simply the dehydrated, supplemental form of casein. Caseins are phosphorus-containing proteins and make up 80 percent of the protein in cow’s milk. What does Casein do for you? It helps build muscle mass and speeds up muscle recovery. The only draw back is if you take to much of it, it can strain kidney function and lead to dehydration, slowed digestion and fat storage—the body will convert excess protein to fat if it can’t use it. I take my casein supplement only at night before I go to bed. What it does is feed my muscles while I sleep. Check out the full article for all the details.

DOWNLOAD WORKOUT SHEET

Want to get a massive chest? I think most guys would say yeah! Having a big
cut chest is a sign of strength and power. Men’s Fitness has put together a
solid routine that will help you get a solid chest in six weeks.
Frequency:
Perform Day 1 and Day 2 workout once a week.
Train other muscle groups on other days. Allow 3 days of rest between
workouts. Take two days off from lifting.

Rest between sets as needed.  Personally, I rest  30 seconds to obtain a
leaner result.  For strength and size gain I rest for a minute.
*Note – Day 1′s workout is short you may want to do some extra back work.

Time needed:
30 – 40 minutes

1. Plyo Pushup
Sets: 6
Reps: 6-8
2. Dumbbell Bench Press
Sets: 5
Reps: 8-10

3. Feet – Elevated Pushup
Sets: 4
Reps: 10-12

Day 2
1. Crossover Pushup
Sets: 3
Reps: 20-24

2. Bench Press
Sets: 2
Reps: 20-25

3. Incline Dumbbells
Sets: 2
Reps: 15 – 20

4. 100 Pushups
Do as many sets as needed to get to 100