Dear Reader,

It’s no secret at all that I advocate training hard on a regular – and usually DAILY basis.

It’s NOT a secret either that I do so regularly myself – both at home – as well as outdoors – sometimes in weather that would have the most experienced of “thrill seekers” running for cover.

And yet, there are times where I simply cannot get my regular routine in – and have to be content with less than my regular routine – or perhaps a quick dose of 0 Excuses Fitness.

Mark my words, I do SOMETHING daily – and that quick dose does more good for the body that hours spent at the gym do for most people – but this isn’t about promoting the System, hehe.

This is about my recent two day break from hill climbing – due to a combination of weather, pressing business reasons – as well as something else I’m not going to mention here.

So for two days I didn’t climb my favorite hill – and I was nigh curious to see how my times would be when I got back on the stick (which was today).

I’ve been bettering my previous climb times almost each and every day for the past two weeks, and that ain’t no easy task in this hot, humid and subtropical weather -the kind of weather where sweat starts dripping off you almost as soon as you leave home – let alone do any form of exercise.

I was expecting it to be tougher today. I always take  a while to “get back into the groove” after a lay off – either short or long.

But funnily enough, as I climbed – it was the exact opposite!

I felt like I had pillars of steel instead of legs propelling me up that damn hill – twice as fast as most of the other seasoned exercise fanatics up there – and as I finished my third climb up the hill, a lady (who hadn’t even finished ONE climb up by then) looked on in awe and made the usual “Wah! Hao li hai!” comment.

(excellent, for those you that dont speak Mandarin Chinese).

And I say this not to toot my own horn – but to say THIS – that sometimes a short break from the more rigorous parts of your routine actually does you more GOOD than harm.

… as long as you do SOMETHING daily.

Back in the day, when I’d take breaks, I’d do very little on my days off – and though I didn’t know it – this was what caused me a while to “get back in the groove” as it were.

But now – I do something pretty much everyday – and although pull-ups and hiking are the mainstay of my CURRENT routine – I don’t take long at all to get back “into the groove” after a bit of a lay off.

Key thing being this – I do something on my days off – something that makes me sweat, huff and puff – even if it’s just for 5 minutes.

Could be 100 Hindu squats. Could be a 100 pushups. Could be a brisk walk around the “hood”. Something – anything – and that makes the regular tough leg’n’back workouts that much easier when I get back on the stick!

So that’s the tale for today. I BE a buzzing – and on that note, it’s adios, amigos.

I’ll be back later – – oh, and I’ve received a request to have my 0 Excuses Fitness BOOK translated into Spanish. We’ll see if there are any takers for that – I’ll keep y’all updated!

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – Here is where you can start learning how to get in shape – AWESOME shape – literally the BEST shape of your life – in 15 minutes or less – https://0excusesfitness.com/0excusesfitnessystem/

Dear Reader,

Today’s email will be a short one, but it will be one of the most “meaningful” ones you ever read – IF you have a mind that is OPEN to accepting new possibilities and boundless RESULTS.

Lots of people look away when they hear/read the words “visualization” or the “power of the mind” – and if that is you – well – no problem, my friend. Click away right now.

But for those interested in truly mind boggling, earth shattering spectacular results – in ALL spheres of life, well, read on.

It’s no secret that I’ve waxed lyrical about the power of visualization, and the immense benefits it has had for me – as well as EVERY other person that I’ve coached in this technique.

And I’m not just talking fitness. I’m talking business – I’m talking making money – even finding the “mate” of your dreams should you so desire.

Yes, we are what we think about – but it’s not as simple as simply “visualizing” once a day as the “experts” recommend.

It ain’t about simply “thinking” about the thing, although that is part of it.

It is … but wait.

You’re on this list, so I’m assuming you’ve got a keen interest in fitness.

Maybe some of you want to shed that unwanted beer belly.  Love handles. Get back into the “sleekest, cat like shape” you were in “all those years ago”, or perhaps even better.

Maybe you want shoulders like boulders.

Maybe you want biceps as big as soccer balls.

Whatever it is, take a minute to picture it – and then – – more importantly, FIND – – or DRAW a picture of this new YOU after you do.

When I say find, I mean for those of you that “were” in the sort of shape you are currently trying to get into.

It matters not if you’re a skilled artist or someone that can barely draw a square without messing it up (like me).

What matters is that the picture has meaning to you. Make sure you feel something when you look at the picture – or this entire exercise will be in vain

What also matters is that the picture is placed prominently someplace that you see all the time.

This could your computer desktop. It could be on top of the T.V., if you spend a lot of time regaling yourself in front of the boob tube.

It could be near the desktop calendar in your cube.

Wherever it is, make sure you see it often.

Do this for the next 30 days (in conjunction with a good fitness routine), and report back on your results, my friend.

I’ll be bet your nigh amazed at how far you’ve come.

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – What I just gave away before is something I usually charge big bucks to coach people on.  However, it’s yours for FREE as a sort of “incentive” for being on this list. More such tips to come – stay tuned!

P.S. #2 – The 0 Excuses Fitness System has yet another real life, practical example of how a language student of all people made this work in terms of learning a new language. Click on over HERE to find out how – – https://0excusesfitness.com/0excusesfitnessystem/

Dear Reader,

So, I was talking to a good friend the other day on the much debated topic of “big” vs “skinny”.

If you’re in any way, shape or form interested in fitness, you’ve likely heard this one.

The “big guys” can’t do this conundrum/debate, in other words, and from then of course it turns into a discussion about what exactly “big” entails – along with personal “views” on the same.

Views wasn’t the word I’m looking for. It’s on the tip of my tongue, but we’ll let it slide for now …

Anyway, the reason I’m bringing this up today is this – the words “big” and “fat” are amongst the most misused / misunderstood in the fitness industry today.

Lots of “fat” folks console themselves by saying they’re “big” – while lots of big folks are erroneously sometimes termed as being “fat”.

And as if this wasn’t enough – yes – big people can often be actually fat – and fat people – well – they’re usually “big” – at least in terms of the look!

But the words mean what they’re supposed to mean. To me, big doesn’t mean fat – and fat doesn’t necessarily mean big either.

Anyway, so my friend was talking about how a big cyclist like himself (for example) could easily outsprint a smaller cyclist on flat ground – but on hills? No way, Jose!

“Why not”, I asked, curious to know his reasoning.

“Well, I’m a much bigger guy”, he told me. “I’ve got a lot more mass, and …”

“But that hardly matters. Mass isn’t what is important, it is …”

“Of course it is! The more mass you carry – whether it is muscle or fat – the more you have to “pump” up the hill. It’s just normal physics – a skinnier or smaller person could probably easily sprint up the hill a lot faster!”

Now, it was late at night so we went on to bed after that – but this, my friend is one of the MOST commonly misunderstood things when it comes to fitness.

And I’m here to clear this B.S. up once – and for all!

First off, if I’ve got it right, force equals MASS times acceleration. I’m no Newton – not even close to it –  and was pretty terrible at Physics in school, but that is what I remember, and I believe it’s right.

And ALL things being equal (which by the way in my buddy’s example were not – he was comparing himself to his girlfriend – completely different body type, mass , shape etc) – – it stands to good reason that force generated will be MORE if the mass and acceleration are more as well.

With me so far?

Good – but the only caveat is this – if that mass is MUSCLE mass – as opposed to fat around the midsection – and THIS is the point most people don’t get.

More muscle naturally means more acceleration – – meaning more overall power – – and all other things being same, that “bigger” person will naturally sprint up a hill – or on flat ground a lot faster than someone that can generate less overall force.

It’s common sense – and yet it’s amazing how many people buy into the “I’m big, so I can’t do this” fallacy.

When you look at people like Herschel Walker – or Walter Peyton – or Mike Tyson – what words naturally come to mind?

Big, strong and muscular – but not FAT – and these guys all ran hill sprints – and pool sprints and did plenty of other HIIT training all day long.

I’ve personally seen stronger and bigger guys outrun skinnier dudes on the hill – as well as while doing pull-ups – or even while cycling (which admittedly is something I’m not personally into, but which is a great overall exercise if done right).

It’s the same thing with pull-ups – or handstand pushups – or tougher bodyweight exercises by the way.

A lot of folks claim that “bigger” folks can’t do them because of more body mass – and again – this view is WRONG.

Look at Vince Gironda, for one – the “father” of the Gironda pull-up. He wasn’t skinny – or overly “small” – but the fact is that he had no fat around the midsection – and THAT is the entire point, my friend.

It’s not about how big you are. It’s about how much FAT you’re carrying – especially around the midsection – and that is really the bottom line here.

Now, last, but not least, a lot of “big and fat” guys revert back to the “well, but I could outlift you in terms of a one-time lift”.

Well, perhaps – and then again, maybe not. I’ve seen skinny dudes that are amazingly strong, but even if you could, so what?

Let’s assume you could pick up the functionally fit person and toss him through a window.

Well, good on you – but what if you had to climb out of that window – and down a drainpipe – out of a burning building – to save your life?

Sig Klein, old time strongman had to do just that – and he didn’t just do it himself. He rescued a person stuck in that building – carrying her down in one hand – while himself descending the pipe with the other!

I don’t know about you, my friend – but that is the sort of strength I’ll take – ANY day of the week, hehe.

So, key point to take away from all this?

Make sure your workouts focus on overall body strength and conditioning – but most importantly, building tons of muscle WHILE reducing – and preferably entirely eliminating FAT around the core and midsection.

That last bit really is the most important part, my friend. Get a jump start on it today by engaging in the very workouts that will melt the fat off you quicker than grease on a George Foreman burner if I might say so.

Those workouts are right here, my friend.

As for me, it’s time for some Yunnan black tea – and I’ll be back again tomorrow!

If you workout today – make it a super one – and let me know how it went!

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – If you’re interested in building the sort of grip strength Sig Klein and other old time strongmen had, then the Gorilla Grip compilation is a great, great start.

P.S #2 – And don’t forget to pick up a copy of the 0 Excuses Fitness System while you’re at it. Folks all over the world have been RAVING about the results they’re getting – find out for yourself right here – – https://0excusesfitness.com/0excusesfitnessystem/

Dear Reader,

So it’s been a long, long time since my last email to you – and for that I do apologize – sincerely!

It could be argued, of course that I have a valid excuse – or several – but at the end of the day none of them really cut it. I’ve been remiss, and for that I do apologize again – and what exactly have I been up to, you ask?

Well, plenty!

For starters, I’ve been dealing with a business deal gone awry in the worst possible way and the worst possible time – and to top it all off, the “deal” I agreed to might have actually been a SCAM of the worst order.

Not just a scam per se – but a scam where the person literally abuses the trust invested in them by the customer – something that is NOT given easily if you’re talking Rahul Mookerjee … and I must admit, seasoned China campaigner though I am, this particular “scam” took the wind out of my sails for a while there!

Then I’ve been dealing with some issues with my tea business – the delivery side of things – all normal business issues of course, but all issues that take a LOT of time to resolve.

Good news is this – all has been resolved on that front, and we’re still shipping tea galore to all parts of the world. I still haven’t gotten around to updating the sales page for the tea, but here it is anyway in its current “avatar” – https://0excusesfitness.com/shop/

And then there have been some other issues going on … all of which made it impossible for me to write to you – not necessarily just due to lack of time – but because the thing I value the most was getting taken away from me amidst all this – that being my own PEACE OF MIND!

Over the past few days, I’ve been reading Napoleon Hill’s “Grow Rich with Peace of Mind“, and as with all of Hill’s writings, every time I read the book – I not only feel a sense of deep “connection” to the “spirit” (if that makes any sense!) – but also a deep, deep sense of satisfaction and peace of mind – even as I read it.

Hill’s life mirrors my own in many ways, and as I read this book over the past few days, I realized the mistake I was making – that being to allow this particular business deal to take up too much of my time – and ruin my peace of mind.

Sure, I was scammed if you look at it a certain way. Sure, the person abused my trust – and sure,  I trusted my gut as usual when I made the deal – and CONTINUE to do so.

But as Hill says in his book … Ultimately nothing matters.

And it doesnt, my friend. It sure doesnt!

But all of this wouldn’t be complete without me telling you what I’ve been reading for the past TWO days – something so compelling that I can never seem to put it down when I start to read it.

Something that is timeless. A classic. Something that I learn from EVERY TIME I crack open the book …

And that something is Emerson’s essay on compensation. If there is ONE bit of reading that should be made mandatory for everyone – in schools, colleges, workplaces and everywhere – it is this little gem.

Quoting from Emerson’s essay –

Men suffer all their life long under the foolish superstition that they can be cheated. But it is as impossible for a man to be cheated by any one but himself, as for a thing to be and not to be at the same time. There is a third silent party to all our bargains. The nature and soul of things takes on itself the guaranty of the fulfilment of every contract, so that honest service cannot come to loss.

He goes on to state that …

Every act rewards itself, or in other words integrates itself, in a twofold manner; first in the thing, or in real nature; and secondly in the circumstance, or in apparent nature. Men call the circumstance the retribution. The causal retribution is in the thing and is seen by the soul. The retribution in the circumstance is seen by the understanding; it is inseparable from the thing, but is often spread over a long time and so does not become distinct until after many years.

The specific stripes may follow late after the offence, but they follow because they accompany it. Crime and punishment grow out of one stem. Punishment is a fruit that unsuspected ripens within the flower of the pleasure which concealed it. Cause and effect, means and ends, seed and fruit, cannot be severed; for the effect already blooms in the cause, the end preëxists in the means, the fruit in the seed.

I don’t know about you, but as I read these words – and indeed the entire essay on Compensation – I feel a deep, deep sense of PEACE flooding over me – and a sense of calm brought upon by the realization that – ultimately nothing matters!

And that brings me to my “visit” with the Sage of Concord as he’s called – the incomparable, immortal Ralph Waldo Emerson.

As I was completing my hike this morning, Emerson’s words above kept ringing in my mind.

Now, this isn’t unusual for me, of course. I often think about business matters, goals etc when working out (that’s a tip right there for y’all!) – but today was DIFFERENT.

Something was different, and as I was on my 4th climb up the hill, I suddenly felt my heart flutter.

Not beat faster. Not pound like it does while sprinting. Not just “out of breath” .

No, this was a heart flutter. The hairs on my arms rose up, and for a brief instant, the world seemed to “stop” if that makes any sense.

The birds twittered louder. The skies seem to “close in on me”. And I stopped right there in my tracks – as if a thunderbolt had hit me.

And the command came to me – as clear as if a Sergeant General had uttered it.

Emerson’s face flashed into my mind, and it was him speaking to me as he told me to take the reins up again – in terms of writing to you guys!

“You’ve been remiss! You know fully well – indeed, you have TAUGHT this – that you can only find true peace of mind when you’re engaged in the one activity that you were MEANT to perform – indeed – the very reason for your existence!

Go back immediately after your workout, and commence doing what you were doing so well until May 6 after which the business “deal” you were engaged in got the better of you – with results that speak for themselves!”

There was more, but that one command was enough to “get me back on the stick” as it were. Actually, I was musing over writing to you a couple a days ago too – but when the Sage speaks – you know you’ve been remiss – and you LISTEN!

This wasn’t a one off, by the way. This “spell” if I may term it as such kept re-occuring as I climbed up and down – as if to remind me that I’ve been remiss – big time – and that I better rectify it!

Well,  my friend – so I have. So I have – and in terms of workouts, you ask?

Been hitting it hard and heavy as usual. I’m in the best shape of my life – perhaps even BETTER than when I created the 0 Excuses Fitness System – and the key to this?

Well, simplicity – I’ve been keeping things simple – real simple.

What do I mean by that?

Well, I’ve been working the legs and back heavily – and nothing else. Funnily enough this leg and back work has result in fantastic chest, shoulder and upper body development – not to mention chiseling away fat at record breaking speeds as well.

Pull-ups are one part of the equation.

The other?

Well – stay tuned for tomorrow’s email!

So, that is that for now, my friend. I’ll be back again later!

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – Our course on pull-ups is going gangbusters on Amazon as of late – pick up YOUR copy right HERE – https://0excusesfitness.com/pull-ups-from-dud-to-stud-within-a-matter-of-weeks/

Dear Reader,

So there I was, standing at the side of a busy road in Guangzhou, waiting for the cab to pick us up.

Guangzhou for those that don’t know is the capital of Guangdong province here in Southern China, and is also where the bi-annual Canton trade fairs are held every year.

A massive affair if I might say so, and I was there to help a lady with some business last week.

At the end of it all we called it a day – and decided to head home. And the lady that took us there called a car to pick us up on the “Didi” app – a ride hailing/sharing app that is immensely popular in China.

The Chinese equivalent of Uber, if I might say so. Actually it swallowed up Uber (China) a while ago, but thats another story …

Anyway, the guy couldn’t find us. Perhaps an issue with the GPS or something, but suddenly, I noticed the license plate of a car driving by.

“Rendy, is that … ” I asked absently, and then all of a sudden kicked into high gear, and started to sprint after the car that just drove by us on the road.

We had been waiting for a good 15 minutes or so for a car that was supposedly right next to us, and I didn’t want to wait any longer … and well … I took off like a hare, and kept up with the car in traffic if you can imagine the sight.

A long haired guy with a heavy backpack running a full sprint – BESIDE, not BEHIND a car going at least 30km/hr or so … on a busy road. Never a dull moment for yours truly, eh?

Anyway, as I finally hailed the guy and he stopped, and we piled in – I thought about it a bit more.

Let alone being out of breath after running at that speed – I was able to speak normally – as if I had done nothing at all.

As the lady puffed on behind me (after I stopped the car) she was in shock.

“I’ve never seen anyone run like that beside a car and run FASTER! You’re in excellent health!”

Truth be told, this sort of thing isn’t new to me, of course. I did it occasionally when I was at my leanest a coupla years ago – but and again – truth be told – I’d be so winded by the end of the sprint that I could barely talk.

Not so last week, my friend.

And all of this can be attributed to my hill sprints – and the special sort of training I partake of out there on the hills – stuff that keeps me in great, great shape – and RARING to go at the drop of a hat so to speak (I never wear one though, hehe).

Before the fair officially started, I remarked that it was going to be a long day.

And the lady nodded her head.

“Yes! Lots of walking!”

“You don’t think we’ll need more exercise after we’re done, do you?” I quipped.

“Of course not! Walking is the best exercise!”

And once we were done, and I had walked a sum total of probably 7-8 kms (that is a conservative guess) entering all the booths in the fair, negotiating prices etc … I felt like my entire body had been put through the grinder (and this was before the final sprint I’m referring to).

All we did was walk. Most of the time at a somewhat slow pace for me … but believe me, that took it’s toll – and for those of you that are seriously overweight, don’t be surprised if you drop a few kgs rightaway within days of starting a program consisting of nothing but WALKING.

And of course, it’s yet another example of how to incorporate exercise into your daily life, and lead a more active lifestyle in general.

Even if all you’re doing is walking outdoors – even if “all” you do is pop off 20 pushups in the morning and 20 at night – you’re a heck of lot further ahead than the vast majority of folks out there … and as you increase the activity levels in your daily life, them results you’ve been hankering after WILL come down the pike, and fast.

Trust me. Been there, done that, and living it daily!

And on that sanguine (or not perhaps) note I’ll say “Ciao” for now. I’ll be back again later!

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – Here is where you can find the world famous System that will truly get you in the very best “ripped” shape of your life – – https://0excusesfitness.com/0excusesfitnessystem/

PS (edit by the way, this is more than two years after writing this, hehe that I remembered to put this in) – Year before that, I remember Tracy of “India man very hot!” as king me to go to the trade fair with her, unfortunatly, I didnt do that.

She figured it out, of course.

I didnt want a change to my exercise routine!

“Dont worry, you’ll get plenty of exercise there!’ 

Ah, little did she know, the lovely CAROL was the reason I didnt go at the time, hehe.

Dear Reader,

It’s been a busy few days as of late, thats for SURE – and as I stood there yesterday, gasping for breath, lungs on fire, upper abs screaming as I desperately sucked in as much air as I could … it happened.

KA-BOOM!

It sounded like a cannon going off right underneath me – it was that close, and the sound was THAT loud – and for a brief minute I stood there rooted to the spot, completely immobile.

BAM!

It boomed again – only this time my conscious mind took over – and I recognized it for what it was, lightning – followed of course by torrential rain.

It’s been pouring cats and dogs here as usual – sometimes I wonder if I’m living in an actual city in Southern China – or on the canals in Venice, haha.

Either way though, I’m getting in my workouts regularly – and let me tell you something right now – there is something incredibly primeval about hill work (to begin with, if you do it right) – especially when combined with dark, menacing skies and rain – and thunder all around.

Not to mention trees falling around you. I literally had to sidestep a massive branch coming my way the other day – that was an interesting occurrence to say the least!

Hill sprints do more than just burn fat at rapid speeds. They make you feel good – invincible – like you’re made of CAST IRON – and the feeling you get when doing hill sprints in inclement weather with thunder cracking on nearby is nigh indescribable, my friend.

Of course, this ain’t to say you should be pounding out sprints in poor or dangerous weather conditions.

Far from it. Safety is #1 – and I for one hate the rain myself – not to mention the fact that it’s a huge pain to get my sneakers to properly dry out in weather that isn’t conducive to drying anything – if at all.

But if the weather refuses to let up wherever you’re at – be that hot weather – extreme heat – or extreme cold – or blizzards – or snowstorms – or whatever it is – well –  you just get out there – and get it done, my friend.

Do so, and you’ll feel all the more better for it!

I sure do – and on that note, this isn’t the only reason I mention “lightning” sprints.

Sprints are a tough exercise to begin with, and as you progress through your workout – you’ll find that the legs become progressively “heavier” if you do it right.

Especially if you pound hill sprints out in sets of 20 with minimal rest – BRUTAL to say the least – but here’s where the most powerful muscle in your body comes into play.

While sprinting, you don’t just get through the sets in a ho-hum manner. You give it your ALL – and not only that – you VISUALIZE while, during, before and after each sprint.

I’ve spoken about visualization so often that folks call me a stuck record for constantly mentioning it, but it is THAT DARN important, my friend.

As ole Mickey in Rocky I said, “You’re going to eat thunder, and crap lightning!”

“We need speed! Demon SPEED! Greasy fast lightning SPEED! Speed is what we need!”

Just saying those words to yourself while you sprint and recover will give you an incredible mental boost throughout your workout – and believe me, the boost will transcend over into the physical.

When your lungs are burning – legs are hurting – and “another sprint” – or another pushup – or another pull-up – seems like pure agony – well – change the PICTURE you have in your mind at that point, my friend.

Change the picture from “Oh, I can’t go no more” to “I’m literally FLYING” … and watch your results “fly” as well, hehe.

For those of you that are on board with visualization and it’s benefits, well, no more explaining required. Get down to brass tacks, and then just do it, my friend.

And for those that aren’t?

Well, try it and report back, my friend. It sure can’t hurt – that I do know!

And that it’s from rainy Southern China. I’ll be back again later!

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – Stay tuned for tale on the Canton Fair here in Guangzhou China (which yours truly was at a coupla days ago) and “sprinting alongside a car”. More on that later!

Dear Reader,

Summer is almost upon us here – well, at least in this neck of the woods it is.

Actually I shouldn’t say “almost”. I should say it “IS” upon us here … And given that the heat and humidity are at record levels, there are tons of things people do to “stay cool” during the day.

These include, but are not limited to –

Using the A/C everywhere possible.

Guzzling down tons of “cold” drinks – cold water – cold beer – and eating plenty of “cold” foods (ice cream by the ton, for instance).

Or simply plunging into the swimming pool whenever possible – or perhaps even a somewhat cool ocean if it’s there nearby.

Less clothing. Sunglasses. (OK, that last one wasn’t to keep the body cool, but whatever) …

Now, none of the above is necessarily something you “shouldn’t do” – or should do, for that matter.

Certainly not the first – I’m a huge advocate of using air conditioning – but what if I were to tell you that there is a better way to keep your internal temperatures LOW – and stop feeling so hot and sweaty throughout the day – even in oppressive conditions outside.

Well, I will – and it’ll be counter intuitive, but first, let me give you a brief recap of my “May Day” workout.

It’s Labor day here in mainland China, and they call it “May Day” – and I was up bright and early this morning around 630.

Threw on a pair of shorts and T-shirt, and off I was to the races — literally!

Hill sprints galore, and once done with that, I moved on to pull-ups – toughies, not the “regular pull-up”.

And as I finished off with my patented monkey bar “sprints” – a crowd gathered to watch the foreign devil effortlessly swinging himself across back and forth at a very rapid pace for what seemed like forever.

“Hao li hai!” (Very good!)

(By the way, if you’re looking to learn advanced variation of pull-ups – and jaw dropping “sprints” on the monkey bars that will build your entire upper body into a hunk of STEEL – well – look no further – https://0excusesfitness.com/pull-ups-stud-to-super-stud-within-weeks/)

At the end of all this, I was soaked in sweat. Though it was early on in the morning, I felt like I was literally breathing in FIRE as I sprinted up them stairs -and yet – right now – as I sit here writing to you, the exact opposite is happening.

My entire body feels COOL – and relaxed – especially my obliques and lower back which feel like an A/C has been applied to them – in a good way!

Intense sweating, huffing and puffing and super intense workouts not only melt fat at rapid levels, my friend – but they also COOL your body down – big time – through sweating gallons.

And while they do that, there is a far more important function to this – that being internal cleansing.

Martin Farmer Burns, old time American wrestler and strongman (he of the “20 inch” neck so strong that it reportedly survived a hangman’s noose – more on that later though) wrote in “Lessons of Wrestling and Physical Culture” that office workers though neat and “pruned” on the outside may actually be far “dirtier” than the externally dirty laborer who sweats in the heat all day long.

There is good reason behind this too.

All the showers, creams, lotions and facial masks in the world do little to address INTERNAL cleansing. Only a good sweat out does – and as I sit here feeling on top of the world – I figured I’d write to you and tell you about it!

All of this may sound counter-intuitive of course, but it really isn’t.

Last, but not least, “stay cool workouts” do NOT refer to “staying cool while working out”.

In other words, those long slow runs will actually HEAT you up from the inside out – and do far more damage than good to you – as will them cold six packs that seem so tempting at the end of the day, hehe.

Anyway, so that was my “May Day” workout. I’m off now – and will be back with more later!

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – For more such “stay cool” workouts – crack open Eat More – Weigh Less – right here – https://0excusesfitness.com/eatmore-weighless/

Dear Reader,

So, I had a great workout yet again today – a fantastic one if I might say so.

Started off with banging out pull-ups and dips with the guys at the local park, and after a few handstands to “tie” things up, and “connect” it all together, it was time for my hill workout.

That’s one of the great things about handstand pushups – and handstands in general.

Not only do they “tie” the upper and lower body into ONE solid chain of MUSCLE if you do ’em right – you don’t need to do very many to get the sheer energizing effect that comes from being upside down.

Even a few minutes hold (hint – most people are unable to even get into the position, let alone HOLD the RIGHT way) is enough to give you the workout of your life if you do it right.

More on that later, of course, but as I was in the middle of my hill sprints, I was breathing like a runaway locomotive working overtime – and uphill.

Man oh man oh man!

You could hear me breathe about several blocks away most likely – so intense were the sprints out there in the hot morning sun – and I must have sweated enough to fill a large bucket and then some.

As I finished my second round of sprints and paused at the top of the hill, desperately trying to catch my breath, I figured I’d get some stretching in.

Now, normally I stretch AFTER my workouts – not before, but for some odd reason I did things the other way today.

And as I stretched out I focused on my hamstrings – and I caught two ladies giggling away at me.

Two ladies who were climbing the hill at a leisurely pace when I was sprinting it. I made it to the top twice before they made it there, but they were engaged in an ultra vigorous stretching routine as well that made me stop and pause.

“Lao wai hen zhuang”, one of them giggled. (foreigner very strong!)

This lady was no slouch herself either in the stretching department, mind you – and had NOT A LICK of fat on her midsection – and neither did her partner, although she wasn’t quite as good at it.

I smiled at them, and refocused on my routine, trying to block the intense heat out.

Whack!

I felt a hand smack on the knee.

Who was it, you ask?

Well, my “training partner” – she was telling me to straighten my leg in the stretch I was doing – and I admit it. I was caught a napping – that particular stretch needs to be done with the leg entirely straight, but I was bending at the knee, and she caught it.

Anyway, I struck up a conversation with these two ladies, and as I pounded off 50 pushups, the two ladies looked on.

“How do you have so much energy after two climbs”, the other one asked.

“Well, I normally climb this hill THREE times”, I responded, smiling back.

And as lady #1 fell into an exercise that is EXCELLENT for cutting fat around the lower back, hips and midsection – an exercise that I detail in Corrugated Core – I watched – and joined it.

All great fun, and lest you think this lady was a “young ‘un”, think AGAIN.

Shes over 40 – certainly no spring chicken – but that midsection would put many a “young gal” to shame, my friend – especially in the bigger cities.

ROCK hard abs – and obliques that feel like they’re made of rebar. Taut, hard shoulders and traps that though they’re small, feel like they’re made of pliable steel.

In fact, I wouldn’t be lying to say she could probably punch a boobybuilder in the midsection and have him “down for the count”, if just temporarily …

She’s a masseuse, which explains things to an extent, but she doesn’t miss a workout – and watches her diet.

No sugar. No Mc Donalds. No pigging out on alcohol every weekend. And so forth. And the results show my friend. They sure do SHOW!

So thats an example of what regular exercise and hard work can do to a body – and how to stay IN shape even as you get older.

It’s something that applies to all of us – so read it – grasp the point being made – and if you workout today – make it a great one – and write back and tell me how it went!

Best

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – I’ll have a photo of the stretch I was doing on Instagram shortly …

P.S #2 – This here email contains a very valuable tip on how to increase your flexibility by LEAPS and BOUNDS. See if you can spot it!

 

Dear Reader,

So as summer is upon us here in Southern China (in more ways than one, hehe, but I’ll save that for another time) – the heat and humidity just continues to shoot through the roof.

It’s becoming increasingly tougher to complete the same workouts out there – but when I DO finish each workout, I get a sense of satisfaction that is unparalleled.

That feeling of having conquered the peak – AGAIN – and having DONE IT despite ….

I’m sure you know the feeling I’m talking about, eh?

Anyway, as I said yesterday I’ve made several adjustments to my training routine – and to my sheer amazement, I’m doing LESS – and gaining a lot MORE!

I’ve basically broken my routine down now into three parts – hill sprints/walks (that being regular cardio mixed in with INTENSE short bursts – a time tried and tested method to melt fat off your body at warp speeds) – pull-ups for the upper body – and stretching at the end of it all (with emphasis on the hamstrings).

And that’s ALL I’m doing these days.

That’s right – just ONE exercise for the upper body – the PULL-UP – my trusty favorite, and as I banged out reps this morning, I was amazed to see how effortless 10 reps were – despite only knocking out 25 per workout these days!

Now, this doesn’t mean there is anything wrong with having a goal of doing a 100 pull-ups per workout. I had it for years, but these days, at this time of the year I’m scaling back – and yet – despite the sheer reduction in numbers, my performance is going through the ROOF on this one exercise.

Sylvester Stallone, a naturally small guy was once asked what the secret was to getting – and looking – huge.

Think RIPPED huge as he looks in the Expendables – and Rambo IV (and probably V too).

And his answer was simple, and one I whole heartedly agree with.What was that, you ask?  What exactly did Sly say?

“Work the forearms, traps and shoulders HARD” was his simple advice.

“You’ll start to look huge – especially the smaller guys that want to look bigger!”.

And it’s true, my friend. It’s true – and the pull-up (along with the handstand pushup) is the #1 exercise out there that’ll do this.

Now note that my choice of exercises that I mentioned above might not work for you.

A beginner, for instance, might well do good concentrating on ONE main exercise per workout – for example, perhaps the Hindu Squat – and concentrate more on DIET and a steady dose of gentle walking to start to strip the fat off.

Or, you might want to focus on a 100 pushups per workout as the main workout.

Or … whatever works the best for you.

The key is this – know your body – test – experiment – and figure out what exercises give YOU the maximum bang for your buck – within the shortest period of time – and then work those into a well balanced schedule.

So that’s how I’m training these days. It’s working great – and it’ll work great for you too if you give it a honest shot!

Let me know how it goes.

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – By the way, be sure to check out the book on pull-ups that has literally gravitated many of you from “zero” to “hero” status at pull-ups – – https://0excusesfitness.com/pull-ups-from-dud-to-stud-within-a-matter-of-weeks/

Dear Reader,

I don’t know if I’ve mentioned it, but during the summer of 2005 (or perhaps 06, I’m not sure), I used to be doing my cardio workouts outdoor – at a time where even the most fanatical of ironmen and exercise enthusiasts would be taking it EASY.

At a time where most would be thinking “cool drinks, siesta and A/C” instead of workouts – and yet, that is exactly what I did – at around noon daily.

Come rain, come hail, come shine  I did it … but wait a minute now. Let me rewind.

Back then, the city I’m in actually had FOUR seasons, and it would actually have a LONG and HOT summer season.

Right now, that’s changed into rain all year long, hehe. And while none of this is meant to ignite a debate about Al “Bore” or climate change – or anything related to that – the fact is I did my cardio when it was hot – blazing frigging hot – so hot that even the birds wouldn’t stir from their nests at that time.

As I went up those endless STAIRS, my heart would feel like it was jumping out of my chest – and with every step I took, rivulets of sweat would run down my entire body.

And every time I took a breath, it would feel like I was shoving a giant hot poker into my lungs – or something to that effect. Literally “breathing fire” as it were …!

And much the same happened today.

It’s hot out there and HUMID to boot. Man oh man the humidity levels are probably over 90% at the time of writing this, and even I had to pause during my hill sprints and take it easy.

My workout took longer than complete – a little bit – and that is fine too. I skipped some of the regular stuff I would have done, and hit some other things HARDER – and had a great, great workout – and as I sit here thanking the heavens for good ole A/C, I feel compelled to share with you a few tips about training – in HOT weather.

I’ve done this before but I’m not sure if y’all have read it – so here goes again.

First, be sure to keep yourself HYDRATED. By that I don’t mean hydrated with sports drinks – or colas (a huge no-no) – or liqor – or cold beer – or anything of that nature.

I mean drink plenty of WATER – both before and AFTER your workout. I don’t recommend guzzling water during your workout, but if you need a sip or two occasionally, by all means have at.

Second, remember that while hot weather training does burn more calories, the same effect can be gotten if you train EVEN HARDER during slightly less inclement weather.

So, what does this mean?

It means try to train in the AM – or PM – if at all possible – or even late night as I did last year in India.

Try to stay away from what I did, that being literally training during the hottest part of the day. I’ve seen folks collapse and STAY DOWN while training – or even just walking uphill – in this sorta weather, and trust me, it aint pretty.

Wear loose clothing – minimal clothing if I might say. No tight fitting tank tops or “figure hugging shorts” if possible – it’s far better to wear loose clothing so that you’ll feel less hot – and less “constricted” during your workouts.

Fourth, and this is damned important – try to make your workouts short, sweet and BRUTAL – and then be DONE with it.

There is a time and a place for long, drawn out routines – and training in extremely hot and humid weather ain’t the time – nor the place for them.

I focused mainly on hill sprints today and pull-ups – and then a short jaunt up the hill, and believe me, that was more than plenty. I had next to nothing left in the tank when I was done.

This doesn’t mean you can’t train hard. You CAN – you just have to be smart about it. Reserve your energy for the biggies – the exercises that give you the most bang for your buck – and matter MOST.

Last, but not least, avoid overly long cardio sessions in the intense heat – they are just not worth it. Focus more on what I said above – that is what you should be doing anyway, of course – and focus more on INDOOR workouts as well.

Think indoor doesn’t give you any options? Think you’ll get bored? Think your heart won’t  “jump out of it’s chest” when training indoors?

Well – think again, my friend. I’ve put together the 0 Excuses Fitness system for a reason – and that reason is simple – it works – in ANY sort of weather – and it’s the perfect indoor training system to follow on a regular basis.

Or if you’re really maniacal about it, you can take those same workouts outdoors as well. More on that later!

So those are the tips for today. Read – digest – and if you workout today – make it a great, great one!

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – Here is where you can check out the 0 Excuses Fitness System – https://0excusesfitness.com/0excusesfitnessystem/