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Last night, I dreamt of TIGERS jumping about!
The tiger is one of my favorite animals, right up there with the mighty grizzly, and this is evidenced on the Animal Kingdom Workouts page, my friend.
Stealth, speed, immense power – and living by GUT (and plenty of smarts too compared to other big cats) – all rolled into one.
Mystique, a regal look, all of it – truly the king of the jungle is the tiger, the lion in my opinion – another mighty cat in its own right, doesn’t even come close, doesn’t even live in the jungle.
Anyway …
I once remember a conversation I had with my buddy from the Marines in 2019.
This was about getting in shape, I believe, or something to that effect.
We were “chopping it up” after a long workout (myself) of climbing the hill and for him, it was dealing with a bunch of Bozos in China in the ESL job he was doing (I believe part time, I’m not sure) at the moment, or maybe it was other business, not entirely sure.
I think I returned some cash I owed him or something, it was something, I dont know, and then we decided to meet up.
And we then started talking – naturally – fitness.
I was remarking on how he still looked bullishly strong (this guy is a battletank – built like an outhouse, literally!) (years of pushups and pullups will do that to you!) – but he was getting “big” around the midsection (although he’s such a big guy, you’d hardly notice the spread!).
He nodded.
“There is a layer of fat around the midsection there I need to lose!” he laughed.
And he was right.
When I first met him, he was, oddly enough doing the same thing yours truly was – what I recommend in the first part of Advanced Hill Training.
ie. moving up and down the hill like a CAT – in the right manner!
You’ll see me doing that in the book, during Chinese New Year . . .
But he stopped doing that because of the increasing jingoism in CHina, getting into trouble everywhere he went for saying it like it is.
Yours truly never stopped doing it regardless. Hehe.
But yours truly in 2019 (when as I stated, I was focusing on some other businesses too) did a lot more “bottoms up” (not the Glyn style, but BEER style) than I should have, and neglected my pushups, squats etc – though I still climbed the HILL – 4 times a day without fail (but still less than the 6 I’d religiously do years ago, and not daily like I’d do before, before, I wouldn’t miss a day).
My friend looked at me.
“You’re not fat, Rahul! But you dont look like you did before, thats just how it is!”
Exactly what I was telling him too.
You gotta LOVE us brutally honest sorts.
Mike Tyson, Iron Mike, in 2020 when preparing for his comeback fight was woefully out of shape.
His friend saw him and made the comment about “you’re just way out of shape, Mike!”
And he was (it was drugs and alcohol, by his own admission, that did it).
Iron Mike didnt curl up into a ball and get pissed off, or do nothing.
He recognized the advice came from a DOER.
He took it to heart.
And he whipped himself back into shape, and the evidence, and results are there for ALL To see today.
Eating lean meats like elk and bison, of which Tyson had “freezerfuls” was part of it!
Anyway ..
I love brutally honest.
I tell YOU guys to leave comments, reviews, most important thing being they should be HONEST.
I’m very honest myself about my phat phocker days – so I can inspire those of YOU in the same boat to get fit NOW.
Shoulders like Boulders! and Pull-ups – from DUD to STUD within WEEKS! were written when I was PHAT, period.
I still did my exercises yes, but I was FAT.
Although I did way more than most people do when fat …
It would be EASY for me to simply replace those pictures with my pictures later, and claim “that was me” when I wrote the book.
But I didnt.
I left the phat phocker pictures there – on the cover, in the book, for everyone to see.
I let the trolls troll me with “This guy doesn’t look like he ever trained”.
HA!
Why?
To inspire you, to show you what is possible – in Battletank Shoulders, and “Pull-ups from STUD to SUPER STUD within WEEKS!” – you see what is possible!
Now where am I going with all this.
Well, simple.
When you stand in front of the mirror, and dont like what you see (like David Goggins didn’t, like many of us didnt) you have two choices.
One, you ignore it. The mind may choose this option.
“so what. Life’s almost over!”
“Half my life’s gone, why do I need to waste the other half getting into shape!”
(these two comments above are true comments I’ve gotten)
Or, you could choose a slightly more insidious answer.
“I’ll do it later!”
Believe it or not, even yours truly “bodyweight exercise guru” falls prey to these things.
Yours truly needs a kick up the ass too sometimes.
Hey, I am human. I am accountable too! (to myself)
And over the past few months, many of you (or many people in general) have noticed that the famed Rahul Mookerjee core isnt what it is used to.
True, I still workout daily – at pretty tough levels.
True, I still do lot of stuff most puffing in the gym couldn’t dream of doing, and couldn’t do.
But that core was becoming loose, if not downright “elastic” as it were instead of corrugated.
Hence, the goal I set to myself a month or so ago “10,000 jumps per workout“.
The way I wanted to do it was 500 jumps a day without fail, and then go from there after a few months.
I’m already at 2000.
My goal was to hammer out pushups – 100 odd – daily. without fail.
I’m already at 250 daily, and yesterday was 410.
For me, lockdowns and my current circumstances have meant I am not able to go out to hills and such as freely as I’d like, and THIS, my friend, the HILL, my beloved hill has always been a tool I’ve used to whip myself back into shape.
Matt Damon did it for the Bourne series!
Along with pull-ups!
For me, I’d often spend a month or so away from the hill, but I always knew “once I get back to the hill, that flab will be gone so quick I won’t even notice it”.
Unfortunately, covid means we have to all bring the WARRIOR out.
It’s sink or survive, every year is getting tougher in many regards.
And so, without the hill, I’ve made a decision – to whip myself back into TOP shape – anyway.
I may not look 13 years old though, as I did for 0 Excuses Fitness!
Hehe.
John Walker, a great, great customer noticed this when he was viewing my video on accountability.
And he has a great and inspiring alternate thought on this –
Whilst holding yourself accountable is an acceptable method of overcoming a lack of motivation to train, I’d like to offer what I feel is a better alternative method.
I consider it a privilege to be able to train whenever or wherever you wish, allow me to explain what I mean.
Imagine being unable to train due to ill health or physical disability, this is a situation I found myself in when I injured my spine in 2006, when you are forced to stop training because you are not physically able to train anymore certainly makes you appreciate having all your bodily functions working optimally.
When you look at how many people who would love to have the ability to train but cannot, you really begin to fully grasp just what a privilege training is.
Although I’ve managed to get myself back into regular training, I’ve never got back to the condition I was in prior to my injury and with my disability I know I never will but knowing that things could be much worse I cherish every workout that I’m able to perform because I understand just how easy it would be for my situation to change dramatically.
If you keep this thought uppermost in your mind that your ability to train could be snatched from you at any time I believe this would be all the motivation you would need.
He’s right!
I said the same thing in one of my videos on gratitude, I believe…
I think while accountability to oneself is a great way to progress at anything, workouts, life, all of it – – YES, what you’re saying makes perfect sense i.e. being grateful that we CAN train, and then thinking about “what if we cannot train” and so forth; I think i spoke about that in one of my videos about being “grateful” for what one has i.e. a paraplegic would probably appreciate the ability to just walk around on all four limbs which most of us take for granted, let alone working out that way!
More from John –
In my own situation what I’m referring to is, I was really strong in that I could do 20 rep squats with over 400lbs I could deadlift 600lbs and I could chin myself with one arm at a time etc, fitness wise, I could run 3 miles in under 19 minutes.
Those days are now long gone and I have to content myself with just a fraction of my previous physical prowess but as I said previously I realise that things could be so much worse and I think myself blessed that I’m able to still train hard at an age (I’m 65 in July) when most men are just content to let life pass them by without any attempt to stay even moderately in shape.
(John)
(and thats some serious stuff he’s talking about there not to mention his martial arts prowress, back in the day, and I’m sure still, he was a top level martial artist!)
Not to mention a real life Cliffhanger hero …
I hope you take this in the spirit that it is given, I mean you no disrespect, this is in the hope that you realise I have your best interests at heart.
The fact is my friend, in your YouTube videos you look out of shape, in truth you actually look fat, now I don’t your circumstances but you look like you’ve let yourself get too far out of shape and you’re struggling to get back into shape,
And again, he’s right!
It’s the core – that is getting LOOSER.
What I mentioned above!
For much of last year, I was thinking … “I’ll get to it as soon as I return to my hill climbing / sprinting ways”.
But, given life has, as John said “degenerated into one big lockdown basically” – even THAT tool is being taken away from me.
So, I had enough of it last year, and made a choice – to get that core back in shape!
With me, it’s – as usual – extremes.
When I’m LEAN, I look like a movie star.
When I’m PHAT, I look PHAT x 100 – a slob.
Hehe.
My books show you the contrast (linked above!).
I’m neither a movie star or a slob now.
But it’s the “in the middle” thing I do not like, cannot stand, and hence, the goals I set!
Thank you for getting back to me and for taking my criticism like a man, I thought you’d see it like that but you never really know what people’s reaction will be if your brutally honest.
Hey.
Brutal and honesty are my brothers buddy!
Yes, just like your great – and honest reviews for the books, please keep the honest feedback coming as I don’t mind it all (coming from a doer such as yourself) … As far as the brutally honest part goes?
I think I mentioned it once in one of my emails, or perhaps more than once – my buddy from the Marines and me were once having a discussion about “who is more brutally honest” – Trump, or myself. I said probably Donald Trump, my friend turned around and eyed me, and said the following “It’s by no means a foregone conclusion!”. Hehe.
So I know a thing or two about being brutally frank, as you can tell of course from all my writing, books, all the workouts etc, I dont mess around and certainly no mamsy pamsy nonsense … And you’re right, often times when you’re brutally honest, people just get ticked off – the minority that doesn’t though, and takes the criticism, or comments, or whatever you call it on board – as motivation to get better – now thats the sort you want to hang around!
(Of course, that is assuming someone like Schofield isn’t making the initial comments, of course!).
My friend in 2019 once also compared my shape “then” to what it was in 2017, and he said “well, you don’t look what you were before, but you’re not fat -you look different,not “cut” like you were, but thats how it is!”
(He used to be REAL lean too, then got out of shape in China for whatever reason, but he’s still a wrecking machine, but yes, has way too much “padding” around the midsection).
So, all good buddy – I don’t disagree with your assessment – hell, I keep dreaming about climbing hills myself, getting back to some other place where I can really hit it hard, focus etc …i.e. “get my life back, which for me of course includes staying in top shape” …
Thanks as well for your offer – much appreciated! I think you meant anything you can do to help me “get BACK in the best shape of my life”, hehe, and yes, if there is anything – I will let you know!
Lockdowns again, covid panic, ugh. You get it!
HE also made an offer which I deeply appreciate, i.e. if there was anything he could do to help me get back into TOP shape.
Now as far as your numbers etc “back in the day” – thats some serious training right there, along with all the stuff you likely did to get fit for martial arts (which of course must have involved a lot of bodyweight training). One arm chinups – and over 20 reps with 400lbs – now thats REAL MAN STUFF right there, bro!
My workout “highlight” for this morning was 410 pushups, along with 2000 skips, and pull-ups etc, but the pushups really hit the spot, mostly because I’m 41, and so, well, you know how it goes!! 😉
As for YOUR WORKOUT – “510 bodyweight squats, 100 push ups and 21 pull ups, as you can see it’s nothing spectacular but like I said I’m just grateful to be able to train at all, I was told by my doctors I’d have to give up any thoughts of training ever again but I persevered and now I train as hard as my body allows me to.”
Man, 500 squats ain’t no joke assuming you did them all at one shot!!! (or even with a few breaks). I mean, back when I filmed 0 Excuses Fitness (the videos you bought from me) – 500 Hindus straight was tough for me even back then, so what you’re saying now ain’t no joke in that regard!
As for the pushups, EVEN if you did them in sets, which I assume you did – i.e. sets of 20, or whatever you did, thats still great going if you do it daily!
It’s about the baby steps we take everyday, not so much the massive action that “looks and sounds great”, but in reality, its “dogged persistence”, and grinding daily that really does it. THAT (those endless, long 4 hour climbs up the hill!) really got me into the best shape of my life philosophy wise …
There was more but this is getting to be a thesis so I’ll stop here. Hehe.
The best part is yet to come, though …
I asked him if he meant getting BACK INTO TOP SHAPE, ie. the “looking like a 13 year old, LEAN AND MEAN, fighting MACHINE! look” …
His reply –
Rahul
No, I meant what I said, I believe your best condition still awaits you and I believe also that with your work ethic and mindset you will achieve that condition before the end of 2022.
Now, THIS IS WHY I love this guy! And why I love DOERS in general.
They dont just make comments for the hell of it – they give you the whole picture, and they do so out of genuine concern for your well being (John once asked me if I was sick during some of my videos).
“man, you look whiter than me!”
That I do. Hehe.
I have naturally fair skin, and the less time I spend outdoors, the less tanned I get – naturally ..
Anyway, where am I leading up to with all this.
This thought came to my mind all of last night while sleeping, along with tigers.
“If the mind wins, you lose, so does the body”.
“If YOU win – everyone wins”.
Now, I know what I’ve got to do to get rid of the “excess fat around the core”.
I’m doing it daily.
But are YOU, if you’re not happy looking in the mirror seeing what is staring back at you doing it?
Only you can answer that …
Your mind will make all sorts of excuses not to do the thing, can you be strong enough to BEAT those excuses back and get to it – no matter what?
David Goggins once made a comment about life, and how you should live it.
It’s about putting the REAL you, no matter how fucked up your life is, on a billboard out there, being brutally honest about it!
I’ve done this all my life.
And thats yet another reason my phat phocker pictures in some of the books will not, and NEVER change.
Its not about how hard you hit when the chips are in your favor, when all is hunky dory.
It’s about how you respond – with vim, vigor and gumption – when the chips are DOWN.
John, and everyone else, THANK YOU for all your feedback!
Like Mike Tyson said about his friend.
If a friend thought I was fat (insert little, lot, out of shape, whatever) – and didnt tell me – I wouldn’t want to be his friend no mo.
Thats what I dont understand about phat phocks that get “offended” when I point out they can barely hang on to the chinning bar for any length of time.
During my phat phock days, my dad once made the comments about …
“Your belly is hanging down to your pants!”
It was, dont get me wrong.
But coming from a guy that never did a pushup in his life, couldn’t hang on to a chinning bar to save his life, thought training was all about pink dumbbells, and more importantly, has never been in shape, even remotely so his entire life – I found those comments a tad hypocritical, though I never riposted, or he’d holler about “disrespect”.
Ditto for the trolls, Bozo Schofields and such …
Anyway.
I meant to write to you for 5 minutes, it’s been 20 already.
My darn tea is getting cold, much as it did once back in the day with a client who was writing back to me!
So Im off for some pipin hot RED tea (or black tea, depends on how you look at it).
And I’ll be back!
Lots of lessons above, APPLY in your own life!
Best,
Rahul Mookerjee
PS – Doers, thanks for all the likes you’ve given me on Instagram etc, thats yet another reason I’m doing these videos, I dont particularly like videos but ya’ll do, so I’m giving it to ya’ll!
KEEP THE COMMENTS – honest feedback – and REVIEWS COMING, please!
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