Many people often come to me wondering how they can get in shape without having to resort to a gym. Most of the time they are doing it because they either don’t feel like they belong there, are too embarrassed to train in front of others or want to save money. It isn’t that often that people realize that you can get in superior shape because the gym ACTUALLY HOLDS YOU BACK. Here is how they do it.

Well basically it boils down to rules but here they are

1) “Proper footwear required” to them proper footwear is sneakers and various forms of running shoes. To myself, my fellow RKCs and Arnold Schwarzenegger proper footwear is NO FOOTWEAR. It has to do with minimizing power leakages and proprioception but that is a rather complicated subject. Try training without your shoes and feel the power difference.

2) “No grunting, swearing or whatever scares off the girls” If grunting or swearing like a sailor is what makes the difference between a good rep and a bad rep by all means be politically incorrect. It comes with the territory. Also karate masters likened the breath and loud exhalation to the force. They call it a kiai or however its spelled. It gives you instant strength. God forbid you might get instant strength.

3) “No dropping the weights” I guess the gym owner’s floor is more important then your health. In the hardstyle camp we don’t rescue bad reps. Drop it by all means and remember to get your feet out of the way.

4) The lines at machines. I debated whether or not to put this here because usually the crowded stuff at a gym is the least productive exercise machines. Never the less if you are supersetting pullups and heavy squats then the line could be getting in your way. What gets in your way is preventing you from your optimal fitness.

5) Mirrors, televisions, people. These are all distractions and are a violation of my commandment thou shalt pay attention to what you are doing. If you are watching yourself in the mirror like that narcissist you claim that you aren’t then how are you going to concentrate on the inner sensations of the lift. One technique some lifters do is actually wear a blindfold so they concentrate less on the visual portions and more on feeling the lift. Televisions…if you want to watch tv go sit on a couch and while you are at it grab a nice big bag of Doritos. If you are there to train…then train. And people don’t get me started….oh hell…if I have a kettlebell pressed overhead and you ask me if I am working out and I give you a wise ass answer like “No I am surfing the web what the hell does it look like I am doing” then don’t get pissy because if someone says there are no stupid questions this one is an exception to that rule.

So if you want to get in the best shape of your life…stay away from the gym and make your own no rules no bs training center. Trust me you’ll like it.

Related posts:

1. no excuses
2. physical culture vs. body building
3. I want it all