Displaying items by tag: elasticity

Murli, a customer that left a great review for 0 Excuses Fitness once remarked to me the following. 

"My muscles are soft and flabby NOW, Rahul. But when I used to play cricket (he's from India) you should have seen me!"

And he made some imaginary "muscles" and tightened them all. 

Those were the days when climbing four flights of stairs to the office would leave him winded and red faced for like at least 10 minutes. 

All credit to him, he got on the bike - and did pushups etc - and lost a ton of weight. 

I've no idea if he's still kept it off, we haven't spoken in a while. 

But when he said this back in... I think it was 2008? I still remember thinking "what is he talking about". 

But I said nothing. 

In China, they have a saying about "soft muscles" - and it's meant in a complimentary term. 

People in the modern world have been taught that "tight" muscles - even when you're not exercising - is the way to go. 

The "puffed, buffed" look - chest out, and so forth,muscles ready to "break loose of the T shirt" at any moment ... 

... That is what people have been conditioned to believe is desirable and aesthetic, so much so to the point that movie stars routinely puff and buff with weights or bodyweight exercises before shoots. 

"To look pumped"

Maybe it's fine for movies, but in real life? 

I'd rather have .... 

... before telling you, let me ask you this. 

If you've been training 0 Excuses Fitness and BREATHING correctly for any length of time, you've likely noticed a few things. 

One, the increased ELASTICITY of your muscles, without even focusing consciously a lot upon it. 

And two, the increased "fluidity" and "flexibility" you have - especially if you're an Isometric and Flexibility Training devotee- which you should be. 

Not only that, you'll see that when you exercise - your muscles are like iron yet otherwise, you're walking around RELAXED - with "soft" muscles. 

This, my friend, is the way to go. 

As you get better at the Hindu squats, a lot of the pushups I teach you, you'll be amazed to see how you can pop off a 100 squats that the guy with perenially "pumped" quads couldn't dream of doing.  

It's about ELASTICITY. 

A relaxed muscle when coiled can always exert more force - that matters - as opposed to if you're tense throughout the whole movement (yet another reason I keep emphasizing full reps). 

In martial arts, they're huge upon relaxation - both mental and physical. 

Look at a tiger in the wild, my friend. 

When resting, feel it's back - or a housecat's. 

Smooth skin, you'll feel the muscles underneath it, coiled, strong, yet NOT pumped. 

Yet, when that cat wants to move - BAM!

At that point, those muscles turn into IRON -flexible rebar. 

THAT is the sort of strength you want, my friend. 

From 0 to 100 like a Ferrari, not "creaking up" like an old Ford or whatever. 

Sleek, cat like explosive strength, power and endurance, thats what all my programs give you, my friend. 

And you'll want to start right now, right HERE. 

Best, 

Rahul Mookerjee