Hi {subtag:name},

Yet another hot and muggy day here in Southern China, so hot that the term "sweating buckets" doesn't do justice to how hot one feels when exercising in an intense manner. My shirt was sopping wet by the time I got through HALF of my hill climb, and it seemed to weight a couple of kilograms or more by the time  I was done. Whew!

Never did manage to get through the "pulling part" of my workout though - thanks mostly to an incessant drizzle that wouldn't (and still apparently hasn't) let up. Boo!

Anyway, the mailbox is overflowing with questions from readers that want to know - - let's take a look at two interesting emails from different corners of the globe.

The first email comes from Rich (presumably in the U.S.) -

"I subscribe to your newsletter and enjoy your inspirational personal workout stories.
 
In the article entitled "The old man I met a couple of months back in China", you mentioned a hamstring stretch that he did that also stretched his entire core, lower back, chest, calves, and shin.
 
When you find the time, would you write another newsletter describing that stretch.
 
I look forward to reading your future newsletters.
 
Sincerely,"

Rich, thanks a million for the positivity and kind words. Before I describe the stretch the old man did (does, actually), be advised this this stretch is a somewhat advanced stretch and you a) need to work into it and b) DEFINITELY, and I  mean DEFINITELY - - let me say that again - - MOST DEFINITELY - - need to be WARMED up and ready for the stretch.

This is NOT one of those stretches that one does straight out of bed, to put in another way - - you need to be warmed up for it, and do need to have a (or work up to) a certain level of flexibility to do this correctly. I usually do it after my hill climb and before my pushups.  

To do this, find a railing, or other "broad" surface at about chest height and lift one leg up slowly, while keeping it straight so that the heel of your foot is resting on the railing (or said surface).  Keep the other leg ramrod straight, and at right angles to the first one.

From this position bend forward (and again, LEGS STRAIGHT!) and grab the ankle (or heel of the foot is you can) of the outstretched leg with BOTH hands, and bend forward so that your chest and upper body are in line with the outstretched leg.

Stay in that position for as long as you can. When you start, you likely won't be able to do this at all, or if you can, you won't go beyond fifteen seconds or more provided you maintain proper form. But thats OK. Work up to it, and work into it - - this one simple movement will increase flexibility by leaps and bounds through your ENTIRE BODY.

Sounds simple, you say? Well, TRY IT, my friend - - and if you want to make it tougher, do what the old man does - - which is to throw one's leg up - - ramrod straight, NO bending at the knee on either leg - - onto a surface ABOVE HEAD HEIGHT, and then repeat the above movement.
 
WHEW - - talk about a hamstring stretch from "hell"!!

And now, as a bonus, I'll throw in another similar stretch that will stretch your chest and shoulders out (in addition to the rest of your body) like nobody's business. This one is somewhat easier, but not a lot easier than the one the old guy does, though some folks may find it tougher.

Stand together with your feet shoulder width apart, and keep your legs perfectly straight - - NO BENDING whatsover at the knees again, and raise your arms straight over your head while clasping your fingers together. Now, bend FROM THE WAIST - - keeping the legs perfectly straight - - and try and touch  your clasped palms to the floor, and hold the position for time.

As you get better, bring your legs together. Your eventual goal is to do it with your legs together and palms flat beside your feet.

So, that's that for the "hammy" stretches - - great question, by the way, Rich.

And now for another great one from "Sujit" in India: -

"i have been reading your newsletter on bodyweight training and i should tell you i just love to read what you write about workout....i enjoy reading your workout experiences like the one in china....this is the first time i am writing to you as i got some queries which i think only you can clarify...hmm i read your last mail in which you stressed the importance of slow deadhang pullup and handstand for mass gains...for last 1 week i have started doing slow pullup with 4 sec to go up hold for 4 sec at top and again down and i cant do handstand pushup so i am doing assisted handstand....my query is can these two workouts build muscle mass if i work hard at these two exercises ??
and my second query is what bodyweight exercise should i do for my legs for putting on mass...squats are not helping me in gaining any mass ..please help me out..."

Sujit, thanks so much for the positive words. To answer your questions: -

1.YES, the exercises you mention WILL build muscles - - slabs of solid muscle all over your upper body, to be honest, if you keep at it and keep improving with every workout. Of course, I'm referring to REAL muscle - - not the comic book "Micky Mouse" bloated muscles the "bodybuilders" in most modern gyms have.

In other words, YES, you'll build solid, functional strength with these exercises, and lean, toned, POWERFUL upper body muscles, much like a jungle cat's with these movements.

2. Though some may not notice, Sujit has just revealed one of my "secrets" to superior strength - - which is the timed hold he refers to at the TOP of each pull-up as well as during the movement - - great stuff, Sujit, and this is guaranteed to build super strong forearms as well in addition to the muscles you are targeting. Not to mention a grip like steel - OUCH!

3. If you cannot do handstands as yet, you really need to work into them, as (and as I've said many times before), handstand pushups and pull-ups are one of the, if not THE, most powerful exercise combos out there for the upper body. You may want to check out my "Shoulders for Boulders" course which gives you simple and easy to follow instructions to build up to doing handstand pushups for REPS - - at which point you'll be buying new shirts since the old ones won't fit you any longer - - guaranteed!

Shoulders like Boulders: - http://rahulmookerjee.com/index.php/products/87-shoulders-like-boulders

Of course, a proper diet is of paramount importance as well in terms of your goals which is to build high quality functional MUSCLE. And the Simple and Effective Diet should help you with that: - http://rahulmookerjee.com/index.php/articles/84-the-simple-and-effective-diet

4. In terms of mass for your legs, yes, squats are an effective way of gaining quality muscle mass in your legs. Are you doing them with bodyweight, or are you doing the "weighted squats" with a barbell on your back? I prefer high rep bodyweight squats over weighted squats any day - - not to mention the LUNG POWER the former exercise builds as opposed to the latter, which is still beneficial if done right - - but not nearly as much.

You are probably aware from the Great Gama, a legendary wrestler from the Punjab in India. Gama is reputed to have done THOUSANDS of these bodyweight squats (as well as bodyweight squats with heavy bricks/stones tied around his neck) on a daily basis, and his leg development was second to none - - and he was one of the best wrestlers that ever lived, PERIOD.

And while squats are an excellent way to build muscle mass in your legs, hiking up steep hills at a rapid pace (my own preferred means) will do it just as well, and works better for some folks.

Rope jumping is another time tested way of building muscle mass in the calves and thighs - - look at any professional boxer, and you'll realize that this simple exercise is virtually limitless in terms of potential.

And of course, sprints if you so prefer - - there are many ways to skin the cat you are referring to.

Great questions guys - - and keep them coming in, and I'll answer as many as I can in my daily e-mails.

Tomorrow's (or the next) post will deal with a guy that I see working out beside me on a daily basis in the park - - a guy that does the SENSIBLE thing for a change. More on that later!

All for now - - if you work out today - - make it a superb one!!

Best Regards,

Rahul

Yes, you heard that right. Forget the six pack, but work the ABS - - work them intensely, and make them a priority in any workout you partake in.

What's that, I hear you say. Work the abs, but forget the six pack, the very muscles that make up the abs?

He's nuts, I hear some of you say. Bonkers! After all, how on earth can I work the abs without concentrating on the six pack - - which makes up the majority of the abs?

And so forth.

Well, my friend, given the modern day muscle media nonsense floating about all over the place, and even in most commercial gyms etc, you'd be justified in calling me nuts for saying this - - but hear me out for just a minute before you judge.

First off, the "six pack" muscle might be the ones that are clearly "visible" to most folks, and that are the "showpiece" muscles of the abdominal region, but remember that there is a workhorse behind every showpiece, and the same holds true for the abdominal muscles.

The REAL work to stabilize the core (the primary function of the abdominal muscles) is NOT done by the "six pack" - - it's done by muscles far deeper underneath - - the muscles of the abs that literally create a "girdle" around your stomach - - ones you can't see, but ones that are vitally important and crucial for any level of real abdominal strength.

And other than these muscles, most of the "heavy lifting" is done by the muscles at the SIDE of your body - - i.e. your obliques, NOT your "six pack".

Yes, I said that. Your obliques are far more involved in any sort of physical activity you do than the actual six pack is and add FAR more to core strength than the superficial "six pack" does.

Proof, you ask?

Well, look at any competitive weight lifter, or sportsperson, or anyone in GOOD shape, really (and by good I don't mean the 'roid crazed monsters at the gym with their bloated muscles, each trying to "outpump" the other).

Strongmen. Swimmers. Boxers. Or those that hike hills on a regular basis, for that matter.

Take a person in any of these categories, and the first thing you'll notice about their abdominal region is those "lines" running along their sides. A look that can't be hidden even if you wear loose T-shirts that two of you could fit into - - and a look that is either "chiseled" or "muscular", but NOT FAT.

And while said people might have a six pack as a direct consequence of the ab work they do (which in turn is a result of the exercises they do on a regular basis which involve the large muscles of the hips, legs, back and shoulders), that six pack isn't the showy six pack you might expect.

Last, but not least, we have the muscles that run along the base of the back, the spinal erectors to be exact. It is virtually IMPOSSIBLE to be either fit or strong to any degree without developing these muscles to their fullest, and again, you only need to look at any competitive athlete (in most sports that involve physical activity) for proof.

So THOSE are the muscles you need to concentrate upon, NOT the six pack, and certainly NOT that awful, worthless exercise that God only knows who invented - - the dreaded "C" exercise.

Yes, I mean crunches - - which are the most useless exercise ever invented in my opinion.

Ok, hold on, Rahul, I hear some of you say. It's all fine and dandy asking me not to focus on the six pack - - but  how do I focus on the other muscles?

Well - - good question - - and there is a simple answer - - you don't.

Huh?

Yes, you heard that right. You don't focus exclusively on these muscles - - but you DO focus on hard, regular workouts that TAX THE ENTIRE BODY AS AN UNIT - - which is hymn #1 in the hymnal most Fast and Furious Fitness followers religiously sing from daily.

Climb a hill, and you involve the obliques and spinal erectors without realizing it (except for those that are way overweight, hehe).

Lift a keg, or a barrel of beer overhead and press it multiple times and you're working the internal stabilizers in your core FAR, FAR better than when your doing them worthless crunches.

Do pull-ups in strict form, and your working the entire core heavily, especially the obliques.

And so forth.

So those are the important muscles, my friend, NOT the six pack muscles.

Of course, none of this means you ignore a good diet, a bulging belly, etc - - but it DOES mean that you focus on - - gasp - - yes, exercises that make you WORK - - puff and pant - - and involve the ENTIRE BODY as an UNIT, as opposed to isolationist exercises that seem to be all the rage these days.

Old fashioned stuff, but stuff that works - - give it a try, and you'll see.

And I'll end on that note - - but the "good form" reminds me of some foolishness I see on a regular basis in the nearby park. Stuff that has me literally shaking my head in disbelief at the sheer stupidity of those who think that sort of workout will actually benefit them. . .and THAT will be the topic for the next post!

Hasta la vista for now - - and if you workout today, make it an awesome one!!

Best Regards,
Rahul
 
P.S: - I speak about pull-ups in this email, but not many of you will be able to do these in correct form for reps. And if your one of the many that struggles with pull-ups, then THIS is the course you need: -  http://rahulmookerjee.com/index.php/articles/88-getting-better-at-pull-ups-from-dud-to-stud-within-a-matter-of-weeks

Let's face it, we (or at least the guys reading this) all like the look a large, powerful and brawny "barrel chest" gives a man. Most guys rate the chest as the favorite part of their body to develop, and that's not entirely a bad thing, as the pectorals are one of the larger muscles in the upper body, and working large muscle groups in conjunction is always a good thing.

But it's not good when folks start to ignore other body parts in favor of purely training the chest, which is actually more common than you'd think -

- and neither is it good that most folks don't have a clue as to what the REAL secret is to developing a broad, powerful chest.

Now, I can already sense the regular readers on this list saying "Ok, I know the hidden key he's talking about. He's said it so many times before!

Work an opposing body part, in this case, the back, and your chest will grow as well. Bah. Humbug."

And they'd be right - - I DO mention that a lot of times, and with darn good reason, but I'm not going to go over that particular reason in that email.

No, there's a far more important hidden key here - - something which most people are either unaware of, or prefer to ignore (usually the former).

What's that, you ask.

Well, let me backtrack a bit before answering. Several years ago, I climbed my favorite hill for the first time - and the experience left me feeling as if a truck had run over me. I never thought the seemingly simple task of walking uphill could tax the entire body, but boy was I wrong.

A few months later, I was climbing this hill on a daily basis, and had dropped almost four waist sizes. My pants were "hanging" off me, my resting pulse dropped to about 65 or so, and my legs had become like pillars of rock - - all benefits that might be expected from this sort of exercise, but what I also noticed that I was growing out of my shirts - - and this without doing a single pushup, or any sort of exercise for my chest. I did do pull-ups after my hill climb, but not regularly - - my main exercise at the time was the daily hill climb.

Fast forward a few years, and I was doing all sorts of pushups and pull-ups on a daily basis - - including sets of the super tough handstand pushup -

- something which most people can't even do a single rep of - - but though I packed on a lot of mass on to my upper body from these exercises, nothing really "stretched the tape measure" quite so drastically as my hill climbs had.

Back then, I was wearing medium size shirts, and I rocketed straight up to XL size a few months later. Fast forward a few years, and my size increased to a XXL, but not really a lot after that.

Now, keep in mind that was a few months - - and this was a few YEARS of training.

And now, let's forward again to right NOW. As in, February 2014 - - I'm back to climbing my hill again after a bit of a break the past few weeks, and I'm already noticing my shirts starting to get tight around my shoulders yet again - - and this without really doing a lot of upper body work on a regular basis.

What gives, you ask.

Well - put simply - and hard as it might sound to believe, it's the deep breathing that my hill climb induces that is working my upper back and chest muscles along with my entire body. Ever felt REALLY, REALLY out of breath? Like so out of breath you could barely open your mouth long enough to gulp in air, your heart pounding inside your chest like a sledgehammer?

That is what a tough, non-stop hill climb will do to you - - and let me tell you, this deep breathing works the HECK out of your entire upper body as well, including your abdominals and back. In fact, my stomach muscles are often sore after a tough climb as opposed to my legs -- that's how much this deep breathing works my entire upper body.

The old timers wouldn't find this surprising - - in fact, a lot of the old timers recommended exercises that induced heavy, labored breathing for a sustained period of time followed by chest specific exercises to really achieve maximal growth. John Maccullum, Peary Rader, you name them, and these guys knew about how important deep breathing was to overall chest development.

And how does deep breathing actually develop the chest, you might ask?

Well, long story, and one I can't really explain in an email, but the gist of it is that deep breathing done correctly forces the "inner" chest fibers and muscles to grow, thereby giving you a larger and more spacious rib box in which the lungs can expand more comfortably, thereby taking in more air with each breath. It also works the outer chest and back muscles to a degree - - not to mention the entire core - - done correctly, you are forced to breathe in air the right way i.e. through your abdomen instead of your chest.

You can call it developing the chest from the "inside out"; but whatever you call it, it works far, far better than simply trying to overload your chest muscles with heavy presses and the such. Although those are good, deep breathing is the real deal - - deep breathing is what lays the foundation for tremendous gains down the road. Remove the foundation, and you might as well not have the building - - it is that simple.

And of course, the way you get to a state of deep breathing so profound it literally reshapes your physique from the inside out is by doing exercises that cause you to gasp for air - - namely, leg exercises - - or even more more specifically, exercises that work the thighs, hips and core to the max

- - in other words, those exercises that tax the largest muscle groups in your body.

Show me a guy who squats regularly, or climbs hill regularly, or even jumps rope at a high level, and I'll show you someone with a well developed chest.

Other hand, show me someone who just works the chest without really working the leg muscles, and I'll show you someone who might have the "look" but not the actual strength and power (as well as size) that comes with REAL chest development.

And though all this might sound confusing, it's really not. Here's how you know what this is about - - find an exercise - - any exercise that makes you breathe deeply, and heavily for a sustained period of time (and I mean REAL deep breathing) - - and work that exercise into the ground for a couple of months. You may do upper body work at the end of your routine, but make it supplementary work - - not the main course.

After two months, measure your chest - - and if you've been doing this right, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

And that, my friend, is the tip of the day - - work the chest from the INSIDE OUT for a truly large, and powerful chest!

Implement this little gem into your training routine, and let me know how you do.

Very Best,

Rahul

P.S: - Leg exercises are the ones that cause all the puffing and panting, literally forcing your body to grow - - but you gotta do the right ones - - and Fast and Furious Fitness is the best resource for those interested in this type of thing: -  http://rahulmookerjee.com/index.php/articles/83-fast-and-furious-fitness-the-book

Woke up this morning feeling especially sprightly, and I knew at once today was going to be a day where I did something different exercise wise.

No, not different as in deviate from my core routines - I hardly ever do that - but different as in "tweak" my routine just a little bit. 'Twas a glorious winter morning BTW, and such mornings just call upon the exercise fanatics amongst us to get out there, and do SOMETHING - different or not - I'm sure those of you that exercise regularly know what I'm talking about here.

So, off I went to the hill, making sure to enjoy every moment of my walk and the feeling of the SUN on my face. That's two important tips right there by the way - always make sure to get enough sun during the wintertime, and always make sure to ENJOY your workout, no matter what you do or what your preferences are in terms of exercise (lifting weights, walking, swimming, whatever it is - make sure to ENJOY it to the fullest!).

Made it up the hill in one piece, and then started on some jumping jacks. Did 50 of them, got my breath back (again) - whew - and then figured I'd choose a different path on the way down today. I usually choose the path without any steps on the way down - seems to give me a better workout in terms of really stretching my hamstrings out after a tough uphill climb, but I took yet another route with steps on the way down (this hill has plenty of routes that all lead to the top).

Now, I've been on this particular route before -  it's a longer walk than my usual route, but it's also a somewhat easier walk, both uphill and downhill - and in the midst of it I got a bit bored. And then from somewhere I got the crazy idea to pause, and go right back up the hill - the same way I came down.

So, off it was for another thigh and lung buster up the hill - oh BOY! I must have lost at least two kilograms in water weight alone after that - at least, that is what it felt like.

And this second climb made me feel GREAT - a feeling that will likely last throughout the day, by the way. Knocked off 25 pushups this time, collapsed in a puddle of my own sweat, and then finally got up to make my way down the hill (choosing my normal route this time).

The sun was shining, the birds were singing - in short, it was an absolutely glorious afternoon by then - and I paused along the way to take some pictures and just "drink" in the views and greenery on offer.

Got all the way down, but something didn't quite feel right.

What was it, you ask.

Well, I felt like something was still MISSING from my overall routine - not sure why, since I had gotten in TWO climbs already by then - more than what I do on a daily basis. . .

And then, out of nowhere, it "struck" me - I just needed another climb up the hill - and what's more, I wanted to climb back up the way I just came down (i.e. the route without steps).

Touch of the sun? Perhaps.

CRAZY? For sure, if your not into this sort of exercise!

Anyway, so up I went again. And a short while into the climb. . .oh my.

OH MY.

OH MY!

My lungs were screaming, my thighs literally felt like they were going to explode - and as for my lower back, well, the less said about it better - three tough uphill climbs and a lot of walking in between with no rest will make even the fittest of people feel it somewhat.

Made it halfway to the top, and thought about quitting while I attempted to "wipe" the sweat and fog off my glasses - an attempt in vain for the most part, by the way.

Resumed, and got about 90% of the way up there before I thought I saw Jesus walking across a shimmering lake. OK, not literally that, but you get my point - I was totally spent, and buzzed to the extreme.

FINALLY made it up all the way, walked around for a bit "savoring" the jelly like feeling in my thighs, and then made it down in one piece - this time for good (for today). While at the top, I saw an old Chinese couple that were walking up hill with me the second time - and they were still there at the top when I made it up for the third time.

They smiled in a silly sort of way at me (or so it seemed), and said something to we which I didn't quite understand. My Chinese is elementary at best, and I'm NOT at my best trying to decipher a foreign language when I'm bushed and so out of breath I can barely speak.

But words aren't always necessary, my friend.

The LOOK the couple gave me said it all - it was a combination of an indulgent look (that a doting parents might bestow upon a toddler being silly) and a "wary" sort of look you might direct at those with more than a few marbles missing "up there", hehe.

In short - that look basically said - this dude is NUTS. As in, plumb damn nuts. Fruity. Batty. Whatever - you get the point!

And I nodded back in a knowing sort of way - hey, I admit it - I'm a sucker for tough climbs and tough workouts - and if that makes folks think I'm nuts, so be it - the sheer BUZZ I get after that sort of thing makes it more than worth it!

Now, some of you reading this are going to want to jump up straight from years of inactivity on the couch in front of the "tube" and want to run up the nearest hill you can find (or stairs) - and that is something I do NOT advise, as it's a veritable recipe for disaster - guaranteed.

Neither do I advise the moderately fit to partake of such activities on a regular basis - this sort of thing should only be done once in a while.

Again, in short, build up to it. Rome wasn't built in a day as they say, and neither will your capacity to recover or even partake of such routines, so proceed with due caution. Craziness in moderation and with due deliberation, if that makes sense!

Anyhow, 'twas all I could do after that to bang out a few pull-ups, timed holds and dips and then it was off home for a well deserved shower and lunch.

And that, my friend was my workout and my update for today. I'm outta here now - back again soon - and if you workout today -  make sure it's a lung buster "for the ages"!!

Best Regards,

Rahul

P.S.: - In case you didn't know, prices at Fast and Furious Fitness headquarters are at a crazy low right now - a whopping TWENTY percent off any order. Click on over NOW to take advantage: - http://rahulmookerjee.com/index.php/products