My top 5 Plant Strong meals for a leaner, stronger U!

With just a little prep work this is a Power Plant meal!!:)

Since becoming 100% plant based in 2003 the road to refining what i eat has been one full of constant discovery and challenge. Discovery in what works and what doesnt, Challenge in finding plants that make me feel stronger, leaner and healthier on a daily basis. You see back in 2003 the only book i knew of really was "The China Study", that was the one that kicked it off for me, changed my life! Besides the great amount of overwhelming studies the CS was not a how too book...so that left me to seek and discover on my own...with a little help from my friends:) Since that time i've come across times when i felt like i'm getting it, then sometimes when i felt like a white belt:) TODAY is different, much more dialed into what makes myself and others feel strong, get leaner and more athletic....THIS is the goal for mmmmm almost everyone:) So this is the topic for today...if i'm to funnel my best, strongest, lean making, muscle building, energizing giving meals i've ever had ...
WHAT WOULD THOSE 5 BEST BE??
Drink - fresh if possible coconut water and green drink: for this drink get fresh as that's best, if not i like Blue Monkey alot for canned with a new green drink called Rezealiant Living Barley Grass. Tastes amazing with water...off the hook with coconut water!
After workout smoothie - baby spinach, frozen berries or mango, plant protein of choice (i like vega's new sports protein powder...vanilla! Sometimes also use Source of Life Energy Shake:), sunflower seeds or raw almonds!
Breakfast - soaked oats OR cooked bulgar, blueberries, strawberries, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, vanilla vega, rice or almond milk
Lunch - collard greens, mung beans (this is awesome....simple and STRONG!!)
Dinner - kale, black beans, onions, corn, tomatoes, sweet potatoes in a bell pepper + salad (above)

Honorable Mention:

1. kale, tomato, mushrooms, corn, pumpkin seeds, carrots, beets, beans (whole foods lunch)
2. kale, cous cous, raw nuts, sunflower seeds, beans, mushrooms, corn, peas
3. sprouted toast, honey, raw cashew or sunflower butter, smashed banana on top
4. kale, cous cous, almonds, beans, cabbage, corn, peas, sunflower seeds
5. Spinach salad, sprouts, carrots, sweet potatoes, veggie wrap
6. sprouted bread, organic peanut butter, honey 

SO WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITES FOR EACH?
What meals, smoothies or snacks that are plant based make you feel leaner & stronger? Plant based by the way is 90% or more of your food intake is made up of plants....BUT if you do choose animal or processed products in that 10% do your best to make them wisely. Organic, Non factory farmed, humanely as possible conditions, local if possible, no pesticides used.
One or two is great! 5 is awesome!!! So tell me what makes you feel leaner & stronger!!:)
Peace my friends,
Jon

5 Keys & Combo's to a Balanced Core Workout and FUN question of the day:)

5 Keys & Combos to a Balanced Core Workout

Within each workout you begin with a GOAL for that workout....or at least you might want to:) This goal might be a sweat, building strength, feeling more aligned or balanced or simply feeling more at peace. Some of the above goals might be for a strength workout, others might be a yoga class. What i'm talking about here is creating a balanced approach to a core part of your workout so that you leave the workout feeling balanced and aligned. THIS is important for long term success in training i feel as the more aligned you are the better you feel, move and the less likely you are for injury.
With each of the points below understand that alignment is key on each....use your Eischens Yoga knowledge on proper alignment on every exercise and you'll be good to go!

5 Keys & Combinations to creating a Balanced Core Workout:

1. Always perform an extension type of movement to balance the flexion usually done as the only Core Exercise. 
1. For simplicity we'll say flexion (frontside of core), extension (backside) BUT PLEASE UNDERSTAND if performing many of these movements both can be done in unison:) as you'll see:)
2. A perfect example & combo is using the Power Wheel....the PW Crawl is a great core exercise, the best single core exercise you can do....so what's a nice alternate? 
1. The Power Wheel leg curl! Why is this considered a core exercise? Because the core is the middle of the body, it's what stabilizes the whole in all movements. BUT for some reason .... probably because people always look at their abs...people only work the frontside of the core:) this is funny, well the core is the whole...it's not just the front or the back or the sides...its the whole wrap around the hips, the waist, the spine and shoulders as well as neck. BUT traditionally it's looked at as simply the abs:)
3. One of my favorite and extremely simple combo is again with the power wheel....it's the power wheel rollout with heels supported to engage the hamstrings...this helps to keep the hips square.
4. Hanging leg raises and Back Domes....what i love about this exercise is extreme flexion countered with extreme extension....beautiful combination of movements and both can be made harder as well which gives great progression. WHAT I REALLY LOVE ABOUT THIS...is that you are getting maximum full extension with the arms as well so getting full extension from feet to hands!! GREAT!!
5. Kettlebell levers and kettlebell swings....again same as number 4 but with kb's:) What i like about this is again it gives lots of room for growth as you can always add more weight.

FUN QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Looking back in time, whats the most embarrassing outfit you ever wore? I'll start:) haha In the 80's while break dancing me and my brother greg both wore kung fu pants and tops with kung fu shoes while bboying....along with this i had the 3 lines on each side and a 5" rat tail dyed blond!!!:) hahahaha....worst of all i thought i was the coolest bboy anywhere!!:) haha
Now what's yours??:)
Peace my friends!
Jon

Why Push ups Trump Bench Press! Training for my birthday workout!

Using the Original Power Push up...Love it, simple & strong!:)

Why push ups trump bench press: Most folks have always say what'dya bench as if the bench press is the be all exercise of fitness. In terms of function i argue this point 100%. You see resistance is resistance...the body doesnt know the difference....so if all resistance can be made equal then the next point is what forces the body to respond in a way that develops more function and overall strength in the long run? Which one causes more stabilization throughout the whole body?
In comparing the two obviously people think the bench press can lift far more weight....but over the years i've learn ways to load up a push up to match any challenge you can give with a bench press via my power push up (cables), the use of kettlebells or other dead weight on the back of a push up.
SO you can match loads, so then lets just go to function:)
Here is where the two differ:
The Push up: gravity resists the weight of the body, the Bench:  gravity resists the external weight. The push up uses approximately 60-65% of the weight of the body...e.g. if you're a man and weigh 200lbs then your doing a push up with 130lbs. The bench uses whatever weight is in the hands and on the bar of which the body, torso, arms must balance while laying flat on a bench or floor with feet flat on floor as well.
A 300 pound push up vs. 300 lb bench press:
200lb man is pressing 130lbs, must add 170lbs via cable or dead weight to equal 300lbs
if on the road he can do this heavy push up anywhere via the power push up by adding 1 green + 1 blue cables (170lbs) to the inside of the power push up 3. 130 + 170 = 300lb push up
If adding external weight via kettlebells, sandbag, vests or person sitting on your back? Then simply add weight to the back in the form of 170lbs....now obviously you can't travel with this weight unless your traveling with your 170lb friend:) THEN your friend sits on your shoulders with legs crossed on your low back and whalla you have a 300lb push up again.
WHAT HAPPENING with both types of push ups? Massive amounts of core stabilization, full body engagement from hands to feet! Without this the low back, neck and shoulders all collapse....with it and you develop incredible full body power that transfers to all sports performances!! The thing i love about the push up is that it forces positive postural engagement which equates to better posture and alignment!
The bench press...anywhere???:) ... doesnt really happen:) unless you find a bench press at a gym? The bench press does engage the torso and arms but not as much as a push up being that your supported by a bench which lowers the amount of stabilization the body is doing dramatically.
IN COMPARISON: 

• WEIGHT - both can load 300lbs which is great for building the upper body
• BALANCE - clearly the push up engages the whole body more being that it's NOT supported by the bench, thus must stabilize much more from hands to feet.
• ANYWHERE - no comparison:) push ups + power push up for sure can go anywhere, anytime and do a 300lb press....the bench cannot....although by dragging that bench and weight around man you'd get in crazy shape...OR go crazy:) hahaha
• POSTURAL BENEFIT - no comparison again...especially when hearing about the massive amounts of injuries caused by the bench press, the resistance of the spine, the low back in an un-supported manner greatly enhances posture over a bench supported press.
• WALK AWAY....the push up benefits more for multiple reasons shown above....mostly in my eyes is the anywhere anytime is huge as i love training outside:) SO weight being equal....no question the push up rules!! Or Trumps!!!:)

My training this last week in preparation for my Big Birthday Training!!


MONDAY - weighted pullups and press ups - prepping for muscle ups by increasing my pull up strength and also developing my parallel bar L seat to press ups:) Then finished with my favorite invention ever a power wheel crawl!!:) This is a big part of my birthday!!:) 490 yards!!! Feeling really good on the Power Wheel crawls...did 100 yards straight feeling pretty good this day:)

TUESDAY - still working on my jump training here and it's coming along great!! Since working in easier and doing more simple power training as a warm up...slowly adding load and doing work ups with kb cleans, then doing some resisted jumps has been working great! No knee pain!! That and then continuing to do my back dome work has been really making my shoulders and hips feel great!!

WEDNESDAY - here i'm working on pullups with load on the hips which helps with the knees to elbows action of muscle ups, this along with dips in various loads help my preparation for the bar-barian requirements that i'm still working to complete:)

THURSDAY - rest and eischens yoga...did alot while teaching class today, as we focused on inversions like handstands, elbow stands, headstands...all of which i love:)

FRIDAY - did simple kb stuff to prep for jump drills and again it worked great as my left knee has still been getting stronger! AND i'm jumping further each time:)
Dead 1 arm snatch: 32k for 5 sets of 8s, this week 44k for 3 sets of 3s....felt good!
Broad Jump: Last week with Power Jumper 160lbs did 5 sets of 5 jumps over 6'5" (best of 6'11")
This week did Power Jumper 80lbs for 3 sets of 5 jumps over 7'2" (best of 7'5") this was good, i'm using resistance as it shortens my jumps and actually puts less stress on my knee then upon landing which is what i want so i'll continue doing this for the next few weeks.
Foot up lunges: last week: 2 sets of 8s + 32k's, this week 3 sets of 2s + 44k's...felt good and strong!!
Finished both weeks with hanging leg raises alternated with walking back domes....felt really good!!:)

SATURDAY - started with the "Farmers Walk" in class, alternating holding 12k's overhead with holding htem in the racked position while walking around the block...man that got hard!!:) haha, then repeated last weeks saturday 15/15 x 10 minutes each exercise workout, increased the numbers on both parts. BEFORE THE WORKOUT: Practiced resisted muscle ups for form and then alternated those with parallel bar handstand holds dropping down to planche holds.
15/15x10 each exer
Pullups w/little kips 130 last week, this week got 137 reps....challenging, keeping kips to a minimum Pushups + 40kg = 52 last week, this week got 62 reps...very good! felt good and strong!  Great!!!!


QUESTION: If you have any thoughts or comments you like to ask pertaining to todays blog what would they be? I love discussion on points like this and welcome yours:)
Lots of info today my friends:) Hope you LIKE IT, SHARE IT, COMMENT ON IT AND THINK ABOUT IT:)
Peace and Honor,
Jon

To Coffee or Not to Coffee, that is the question!

Me and Jessie after a coffee!!!:) haha

This is the question i feel most fitness folks ask all the time....Coffee...good or bad for you?

So i did a little research and found this great article by Brian St. Pierre. He does a great job of answering all the questions you. Within the article i learned alot of things that surprised me:) As a strength coach for over 32 years i've heard it all...terrible for you, it dehydrates you big time, you need 4 glasses of water just to even out 1 cup of Joe, it's a diuretic versus it's essential before workouts, it reduces perceived exertion levels, it helps lower blood pressure, it reduces risk of major disease and more! 

Because of all of these questions it made sense to look into it a bit as honestly i was never a coffee drinker, my sister Juli was always happy after she drank coffee, my Jessie loves coffee in the am so what was the deal? So about a year or two ago i thought "yeah, i can try it out and see how i like it...and you know what? I did and do like it:) haha It gives me a good pick me up, not too much and definitely helps my workouts. BUT sometimes some days it gave me the jitters or made me feel bad during my workouts...this usually occurred when i hadn't slept well...but why was this sometimes good, sometimes bad? 

Well all these points are answered and more in Brian's article. So what i thought i would do here is show sections of his article and then in CAPS write out my thoughts and maybe you can relate to them or comment back on them....either way it's interesting and very enlightening:) 

Brian i've never met you but great job on this article!!:)

All About Coffee

by Brian St. Pierre, May 24th, 2012.

Summary: "Coffee is among the most consumed — and controversial — beverages in the world. While coffee should be treated with care and avoided altogether by those who metabolize it poorly, it also provides health benefits to many people. Read on to find out what they are – and how to drink coffee responsibly."

Coffee’s risks

Research on coffee’s safety is mixed, for several reasons: THIS INFO IS VERY INTERESTING!!

• "Metabolism matters. People vary genetically in how well they can process caffeine and coffee.
• Coffee interacts with many hormones and neurotransmitters in the body, such as cortisol, acetylcholine, and insulin. These relationships are complex, and often depend on timing, amount, and people’s individual makeup."

What about my metabolism?

"One reason that evidence on the health effects of coffee is so mixed is that people clear caffeine at different rates. Caffeine is broken down and cleared by the liver, and our genetic makeup shapes how quickly and effectively we can do this." SO SOME FOLKS GOOD, SOME NOT GOOD!!

• "On one hand, “slow” metabolizers of caffeine don’t process caffeine effectively. These are people who are adversely affected by caffeine, get the jitters, and are wired for up to nine hours after consumption.
• Others just get a boost in energy and alertness for a couple of hours; they are considered “fast” metabolizers of caffeine."

"Research in the emerging field of nutrigenomics shows that about half of us have the gene variant that makes us “slow” metabolizers, while the other half enjoy the gene variant that allows them to get away with quad-espressos."

"On the plus side, low caffeine consumption still seems relatively safe for most folks, so a few daily cups of tea or squares of dark chocolate shouldn’t harm you (and in fact, may greatly boost your well being!)."
And fortunately, not everyone is adversely affected. For those lucky enough to be fast metabolizers, there is good news – and lots of it. Fast metabolizers don’t show the same association between coffee and disease — if you’re a fast metabolizer, coffee might even improve your health!"

What about cortisol? 

IMPORTANT READ...IF YOU HAVE POOR SLEEP, GROGGY IN THE A.M., EXCESS BELLY FAT THIS IS IMPORTANT!

"Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands. It increases blood pressure, spikes blood sugar and prepares the body for “fight or flight” mode.
Coffee and caffeine tend to transiently increase cortisol levels; however, this depends on several factors, including when you drink coffee, how often you drink it, and whether you have high blood pressure.
Cortisol is normally high in the morning, so if you drink some coffee at 6 a.m. and 10 a.m., you should be fine, as cortisol is naturally elevated at that time of day anyway.  However, your body may not appreciate coffee as much in the afternoon or evening, when cortisol normally drops. At that point, consider tea or something decaffeinated.
Again, there’s individual variation: Habitual consumers of coffee seem to be less affected by the cortisol bump, while those with hypertension seem to be more affected.
If cortisol levels are a problem for you, keep your coffee intake to first thing in the morning, and otherwise consume more tea. (Not only does tea have less caffeine, it also has other beneficial, calming compounds such as L-theanine. For more on this, see What You Should Know About Tea.)" THIS LINK TO TEA IS EXCELLENT AS WELL!

Coffee’s benefits

Caffeine & dehydration THESE ARE THE FACTS THAT BLEW MY MIND! GREAT INFO!

For years, fitness enthusiasts worried that coffee would dehydrate them. However, a recent review of 10 studies found that consuming up to 550 mg of caffeine per day (or about five 8-oz cups) does not cause fluid-electrolyte imbalances in athletes or fitness enthusiasts.
In another review, researchers concluded that consuming caffeine-containing beverages as part of a normal lifestyle does not lead to fluid losses exceeding the volume of fluid consumed (intake and output were roughly equal), nor is it associated with poor hydration status.

Take-home: Don’t drink coffee as your only beverage, and drink enough water, and you’ll be fine.

Coffee & performance

Let’s be honest — that first morning coffee can transform us from beast to philosopher (or at least, slightly more awake and nicer beast). Coffee, and more specifically its caffeine content, provide many noted mental and physical performance benefits.
Caffeine reduces our rate of perceived exertion, so it doesn’t feel like we’re working as hard as we actually are. People who regularly drink coffee perform better on tests of reaction time, verbal memory, and visuo-spatial reasoning.
Another study found that women over the age of 80 performed significantly better on tests of cognitive function if they had regularly consumed coffee over the course of their lifetimes.
Take-home: A little bit of coffee/caffeine before important tasks requiring alertness and energy can be a good thing. WITHOUT QUESTION THIS IS TRUE FOR ME AND MANY ATHLETES SUPPORT THIS FACT. LANCE ARMSTRONG BEING ONE OF THE TOPS.

Coffee, antioxidants & cancer

While dark chocolate and green tea gather a lot of acclaim for their antioxidant content, coffee actually outshines them both in this department. ON THIS POINT I WONDERED ON THE FACT THAT THERE ARE ALL TYPES OF COFFEES FROM FOLGERS TO ORGANIC BLUE MOUNTAIN COFFEE MADE IN JAMAICA (THE HIGH END STUFF). I'M GUESSING THE HIGHER END, THE BETTER, THE MORE ORGANIC, LESS TOUCHED BY MAN THE BETTER!
In fact, the antioxidants in coffee may make up as much as 50-70% of the total antioxidant intake of the average American! (Which is not necessarily a good thing, because it means that there are a lot of vegetables not getting eaten…) YEAH THIS IS A SCARY FACT!! SO IF YOU'RE GONNA DRINK COFFEE, FOLLOW A PLANT STRONG PLAN AND EAT LOTS OF GREENS!!!!:)
Despite some general worries about the health effects of coffee, coffee consumption is associated with an overall decreased risk of cancer.  In particular coffee consumption has been shown to be associated with a lower risk for oral, esophageal, pharyngeal, breast (in post-menopausal women), liver, colon, and aggressive prostate cancer.
When it comes to the prostate, researchers recently found that men who drank the most coffee (6 or more cups per day) were nearly 60% less likely to develop advanced prostate cancer than non-coffee drinkers.  Other research has shown that people who regularly consume two or more cups per day may have a 25% decreased risk of colon cancer.
Again, the research is mixed in part because of the variation in response to coffee.
Take-home: Coffee may lower your cancer risk, but don’t count on it as your only health strategy. And eat some vegetables already. AMEN BROTHER!!!

Summary & recommendations

Coffee’s not for everyone. And it’s not a magic bullet. Still, it seems to have significant health benefits for those who can tolerate it. This includes:

• better athletic and mental performance
• possibly lower rates of some types of cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and Type 2 diabetes
• possibly some prevention of premature mortality and cardiovascular disease

In general, it appears that drinking some coffee is good, but more might not be better, especially if you are a slow metabolizer.  For those who are greatly affected by coffee and caffeine, avoid it altogether or cut down your consumption. NOTE HERE, PAY ATTENTION TO IT'S EFFECT ON YOU! JITTERY OR WIRED...CHILL OUT ON IT:)
Want a quick and easy test of your coffee consumption? Ask yourself how you feel physically, mentally, and emotionally a few hours after you drink some… as well as if you miss your daily dose.
Also, go black if possible. Pumping your coffee full of cream, sugar, and other exotic additives reduces any potential health benefits by adding unnecessary calories and artificial flavours and sweeteners. (And Frappucinos or chocolate covered coffee beans? C’mon.) GREAT POINT!! TOXINS LIKE CRAZY!!
Taking all the data into consideration, it seems that your best bet is about 1-3 cups of coffee (8-24 oz) per day. This will maximize the benefits while minimizing the risk.
And keep this in mind…while there is positive data on coffee, these benefits don’t necessarily include things like energy drinks and caffeine pills.  There are many antioxidants and bioactive compounds in coffee that are interacting with its caffeine content to provide the benefits.  So, unfortunately, Red Bull doesn’t count.

References ARE LISTED ON HIS LINK: http://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-coffee

Hope you guys get as much out of this as i did:) Lots of great points!

Tell me what you guys think okay:)

Peace,

Jon

4 steps to creating a EIschens Yoga practice at home!!

Finding a quiet place to practice yoga is important!

1) Place - this is very important to find a place that makes you feel comfortable thru being quiet, is it spacious enough, will this space have no interruptions, do you need walls or not...all points are important! Finding this place is most important to develop a healthy and long term yoga practice.
For example: in fall, winter, spring i like to take or teach our Eischens Yoga classes 3 days a week at Monkey Bar Gym Chicago and then on non class days i do the beginner sequence or a series of back dome enhancing poses in my spare room. During the summer i use my back deck often times but since it has not walls and railings it's limited to some warrior poses and some prone / supine poses as well which is cool:)
2) Time and making time - next in line is finding a time that works for you everyday. That is why taking classes works so well, for many yoga is easier to do when someone else leads you....privates, classes or even dvds all can do just this. With the first 2 times are always set, watching a dvd at home....mmm...this is where you can run into problems....because we'll reschedule that yoga session and next thing we know it's late in the day and 1 day turns to 2 to 1 week etc...you get the picture.
SO SET A TIME and stick to it as best as you can. Classes and privates are best, next is watching a dvd at a set time daily, then once that is known then it's simply doing your practice daily at the same time everyday rain or shine!
For example: again this depends on time of year as i'm not a fan of the first thing out of bed do yoga:) haha, especially in winter. So my time available is mid morning before i go and train OR later in the evening when i take or teach class before dinner.
3) Props - mat, blocks, belt and even the wall all have great value in your yoga practice so i recommend having each. Next are some tools that can be solid substitutions in a fix:
instead of a mat any flooring is fine as long as you can grip the floor well with feet and hands and even better if it's comfortable to lay on.....never tried them but the hand and footwear grippies seem pretty cool as one thing that bugs you is feet or hands sliding when doing back dome!!:)
instead of blocks use some big books, a football or even a foam roller all can work fine!
instead of belt use your own belt you use to hold your pants up! YES this actually works great for most poses:) haha
instead of a wall use a tree, a car or just practice without a wall and develop your handstands, elbow stands, head stands to a higher level. I did this by saying i want to be able to do all 3 without a wall as a crutch and so decided to do each pose for 3 attempts, holding each one as long as possible every single day(....granted i know how to rollout or cartwheel out of poses if losing balance).  IT WORKED GREAT!! Within 2 weeks i was holding each pose until fatigue not loss in balance ended the pose!
4) Knowing the value of your practice; mentally, physically and spiritually your yoga practice will bring much more happiness and peace to your life!
Mentally doing your practice daily develops strength of will and character!
Mentally your practice will develop a calmer more peaceful mind which all need today!
Physically doing your practice daily develops greater stability, mobility throughout your entire body and having greater sta/mobility gives a base to which greater strength & power CAN be developed. Simply put, the more you are out of alignment the weaker you will be, the greater alignment and balance the greater chance of reaching higher levels of performance!!
Spiritually your practice connects you to being in the moment, to be focused in the moment without thinking of past or future to me is connecting with our soul, spirit (whatever you want to call it). To me being spiritual is being in the moment, that is being fully connected to who we are....it happens in sports, yoga, at play with animals, kids and others as well as sitting in temples of all types.
The more we are connected to the moment, our gut, our spirit, our soul, the more i feel we are doing what is most important to us....and thus the world:)

Have fun creating your own Yoga Practice!!
Peace my friends!
Jon

Week of Workouts, TIP OF THE DAY!

1997 picture of when i first invented the Power Jumper:)

The above picture is from maybe august / sept of 1997, right after moving back to madison from LA. Soon after getting back and having Roger fix my left knee i said i'm dunking again and i'm gonna make a tool and program that makes the best vertical jump increases out there....and i did!!!:) This first model used a wall bracket that the cable ran thru up to the belt around my waist. Actually made the wall mounted version first, then the portable version which is the one i stuck with and is still the best out there today:)
Funny thing is in looking at the picture it's after i had completely said i'm done with the fitness industry and how fake it was....so in doing so i also said i'm just gonna chill completely on training for awhile and just do yoga....lost a bit of weight but that's cool:) haha
TRAINING TIP OF THE WEEK: Aside from taking some time off, practicing more yoga, eating cleaner and sleeping more.....i have one big tip for everyone......ENJOY every single workout!
How the heck do you do this? By training movements/exercises you love, training with friends, having clear goals that you are working towards every day, every workout.

• Planning your workouts does this alot of the time! 
• Setting goals for each workout and attaining them every workout does this alot of the time!
• Challenging yourself and your friends in each workout does this alot of the time!
• Feeling great when your resting and sleeping!

These all sound simple enough, it just takes a bit of planning.....
Find out where you stand first, then set your goals, then MAP it, then DO it!!!....that is what i do my best to do on a regular basis....yeah sure it gets challenging traveling sometimes but i still do my best to have fun wherever i go and do my training. That's the beauty of bodyweight training...can do it anywhere!!:) hahaha
This whole week i've notched down my training alot..the week was easy, focusing on two moves each day, focusing on simple and strong, still doing my jump training too. But this week put a big focus on technique and having fun:) My goal each day was to leave the gym happy:) and i did that:) haha
So whatever you thing is: bodyweight, kettlebells, sandbags, olympic lifts, mountain biking, breakdancing, capoeira, bjj, whatever....PLAY, FUN are keys i feel...those give us love for the movements, but having some goals....THAT notches things up and gives you that extra drive....AND GIVES YOU that extra happiness when goals are achieved!
So keep it real, keep it fun, stay challenged, set goals and smile!!:)
Making it fun makes you successful and vice versa as long as it's stuff you love:)
Peace my friends!
Jon

NATO, restoration and MY TIP OF THE WEEK!!!!

In the Cradle of Justice OR in-justice?

This has been a crazy week for us here at MBG Chicago, the NATO summit is happening 1/2 block away, we're literally at ground zero of a place that is to have world dignitaries AND world revolutionist coming into ONE ARENA....McCormick Place. The process has been eye opening....our landlord refuses to help us board up the windows...it's getting down to crunch time too. They're closing the city down big time....250,000 people expected to be protesting! I understand why people are upset with the higher ups coming into town to meet and discuss various topics...i get it. What i do not understand and have never understood is why the need to break windows and businesses that have nothing to do with the event! I was in LA during the Rodney King riots...insane....completely! I saw Seattle...also insane....but why? Why the need to hurt others that have nothing to do with what you are upset about? You have an issue come and talk to me, puff up, whatever, get it off your chest! Just dont be a punk and go around messing up others businesses, homes or lifes work just because you're mad at someone else. IF so who's the one being full of IN-JUSTICE?? Protest, be strong and do what you can to make change for the better...but do not attempt to use an opportunity like this as your way to vent and eventually make others pay for your injustices....be a man, speak the truth, do your best and support people and planet in a positive manner....THAT IS MY PEACE!!

    On this note i will do my best to keep folks up to date with videos and or pictures of this event. I'll be watching my gym amap as well:)
On recovery week and restoration...this week has been great! We're training daily still, using each day to practice simple skills ranging from running, jumping, climbing, crawling techniques all mixed together in a light manner to not over-do our bodies and minds and allow for recovery....AND IT'S WORKING!! If you're following us, training with us, at the end of the week we're then BEGINNING MONDAY starting up a brand new MBG training cycle with all new workouts, combinations and exercises....and by chilling and playing this week we'll all be ready to charge full steam ahead on monday!! So train...in a fun manner for 30-60 minutes each day and then get ready to start strong on monday with us okay!!!
ME? Well been really focusing on the simple and strong skill training daily....the light R&R stuff and then the strong Eischens Yoga daily...love it! Even during this week if you're toast...do 1 pose for 1 minute and you'll feel better my friend!! I promise:)
OR try this for your TIP OF THE WEEK: 
Intentionally do the beginner sequence one breath in and one breath out for each pose....the sequence will take about 3-4 minutes....and you know what? You'll feel great!
Be well my brothers and sisters:)
Jon

So how do you progress to eating, drinking, being stronger?

SIMPLE & STRONG: greens, sweet potato, avocado and some seeds on top:)

When people want to LOSE FAT, GAIN MUSCLE AND BECOME PLANT BASED it brings up one common question more than any others...what do i eat? You see there's alot of levels and results people may get when changing to plant based. Instead of going back in time and talking about the hippies or frail looking veggie look....i want people to talk about the strong looking plant based look!
So what i want to do for you guys today is to go thru some sample meals and choices you can have that can help you make stronger and stronger food choices....choices that make you LEANER AND STRONGER!
The Monkey Bar Gym Greener & Leaner approach:) SIMPLE & STRONG!
So here's what seems pretty common approach for 3 levels of nutrition that result in;

STRONG THEN SICK /  THINK HEALTHY BUT SICK / HEALTHY & STRONG 100%
JOE FITNESS PERSON     COMMON VEGGIE PERSON     MBG PLANT STRONG
coffee, milk, sugar               coffee, soy milk, sugar                  cold pressed coffee, rice milk, stevia
oats, milk, fruit, whey         cereal, soy milk                             spinach, mixed veggies, beans, seeds
whey protein bar                 chips, soda                                    raw bar (dales, vega, organic food bar)
chicken sandwich, salad     pasta, bread, salad maybe:)           kale, banana, rice milk, vega smoothie
whey bar, fruit                     donut                                            strawberries
rice, steak, broccoli             rice, tofu, broccoli                         kale, sweet potato, avocado, seeds
whey bar                             rice dream ice cream                     vega protein, rice milk
 RESULTS:                          RESULTS:                                  RESULTS:  
tons of protein                     low in protein                                perfect amount of protein
high acid intake                  acidic as well (processed foods)    high alkaline intake = healthier person
medium nutrients                low nutrient intake                        high nutrient intake = healthier person
adds muscle                        loses muscle                                  maintains or gains muscle
maintains or loses fat         gains fat                                         loses fat
increases toxics alot!          increases toxins                             eliminates toxins from body/mind
SHORT: Looks Strong       SHORT: looks weak, fat                SHORT: Looks Strong & healthy
LONG: Pain, Sickness       LONG: Pain, Sickness                   LONG: Strong, Healthy, Vibrant

IT'S ALL IN OUR CHOICES MY FRIENDS!

SIMPLE & STRONG daily choices make the difference!

The way we look and feel is about 90% what we eat!
You might ask how do i know the JOE FITNESS results are true? Because i was Joe Fitness, i lived in that world for nearly 22 years as a fitness trainer, i saw every gimic and hyped nutrition plan and supplement and know the results of it all...it's all attempts to make a buck! It's all crap. Their is no hidden agenda here my friends, the plant based nutrition plan above is free! It's simply to help you and or your friends and family to become healthier and happier!
MY QUESTION FOR YOU TODAY: Do you know someone that can benefit from eating plant based? NEXT QUESTION: so what are you gonna do about it?

You may not think you can make a difference my friends but you do! You may think it's like throwing a pebble in the ocean...BUT WE'RE ALL THROWING PEBBLES IN THE OCEAN NOW MY FRIEND AND WE ALL ARE MAKING A HUGE DIFFERENCE....TOGETHER WE MAKE A BOULDER AND A BIG SPLASH....SOON A TSUNAMI!!!:) 

So do it, change the world!!:)
JOINING ME?:)
hope so my friends,
PEACE!
Jon


                    

Week 8 of my training, 36k's lever and TIPS!!!!!:)

Doing 36k's Kettlebell Lever holds....
Want to do this? YOU CAN:) if you've never tried this it's a kettlebell lever.
Many ways to get your body ready for this movement so HERE'S MY TIPS FOR YOU!!: 

• Laying on your back with your hands overhead.
• Then bring your hands and legs together directly over the shoulders.
• Then take both back out til both touch the ground at the same time.
• Get use to this move, then add in some kettlebells, start light:)
• When you can work your way up to half your bodyweight then it's time to try the hold! 
• Then as you're lowering towards the floor you counter balance the kb's opposite the legs, as you also work to get the body into a straight line. 
• You continue to lower straight body and kb's (straight arms) to the floor until both lightly touch the floor then pull them back up touching kb's to straight legs/knees and repeat for reps OR hold in the lever position as seen above for 5-10 counts as low as possible.
• It takes time, do the above routine for 3-4 sets of 10 two to three times a week.
• WHY DO THIS? It's a great way to strengthen the upper body AND core at the same time! This movement helps with pullups, holding a bar lever and lots more!!

QUESTION OF THE DAY:  
What is your favorite Martial Artist and why....Old and New?
Mine has got to be a Bruce Lee....his effect still today is incredible. What i learned from him was discipline, focus, to think and live outside the box, to use only what works for you! All points he was amazing! His philosophy on life applied to everything as well! I actually watched enter the dragon on the University of Wisconsin campus when i was about 9 years old right before he died. From that time til now i read everything i can on him and still love to re-read all of his books...his statement of "Be like Water" is still so simple and so strong:) Love those two words simple and strong!!:)
New Martial Artist....Real Life it's Rickson Gracie! I got to train with him for 2 years and he was big time like water!! Sometimes flowing sometimes crashing:) never resisting but always flowing! Another new one but on the silver screen is Tony Jaa (Ong Bak)....his Muay Thai was incredible! The old style was very fun to watch mixed in with Parkour! Amazing!!:)

TRAINING FOR THIS WEEK: May 7, 2012, Monday

• Resisted Pullups with c-bands: R3s/3/0 x for 50 total, 25 with 2 pinks, 15 with 1, 5 with 0
• THEN DID: mix pull grip to release 8 sets x 6
• L seat to handstand press up on parallel bars + 70 for 5 sets of 2, THEN DID 40lb x 2, 2, missed barely +0
• Buyout with Jeremy 1-10-1 THIS WAS OFF THE HOOK!!!!
• Dips and Body rows DID BOTH IN STRAIGHT SETS BUT HAD TO DROP TO FLOOR AFTER REPS 6 on dips and 5 on rows. 
• THIS WORKOUT WAS TOUGH!!!:)

Tuesday May 8, 2012
Double cleans: 4 x 8 x 44s

Did some vertical jumps to the rim afterward and knee was feeling okay so i'm gonna keep doing the lighter versions of jumping for a few more weeks with the cleans or snatches along with EY of course!:)
Back domes press up: 28s x 6, 32x4, 36x2
KB levers with hip lift:  4 x 3+5 sec hold low as poss x 24s x5, 3x28s, 3 x 32s, hold 36s x 5 count

Simple and strong workout!

WEDNESDAY May 9, 2012
Tired so i rested

Thursday April 27, 2012
  Did a whole bunch of variety of push ups and chin ups, handstand holds, flagpoles and more fun!

Friday April 13, 20 2012

Rested and just did fun skill stuff:)
 

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Week 8; building houses:)
20 sets of 6 strict deep Dips + v
20 sets of 5 pullups + v
Simple & Strong and felt great!!! 3.9*



This week actually kicked my butt, the first few days i was ready to train and had a little too much fun i think and whew it hit me come wednesday...so i realized it and backed off and chilled a bit and came back pretty good today with a simple and strong workout. LOVE doing workouts like this, hard, challenging and strict:) THEN i was happy that i listened to my body after i was done with these two as instead of doing anything else....i thought, i feel great right now...i'm done! And as the day's gone on i've felt really good and plan on doing more good training and leave feeling great!!:)
THAT IS A GREAT TIP AS WELL FOR EVERYONE....LEAVE YOUR WORKOUT FEELING GREAT! Now sometimes that might be a WHEW that workout kicked my ass type of feeling and that's cool too BUT it should never be to the point where you can barely get up or feel you're barely able to stand a hour later:) haha



Hope you're all doing great! Have a great weekend and have lots of laughs and smiles:)
Jon



The MBG creed: Evolve play skills, do Eischens Yoga, eat strong plants...smile & laugh:)

Handstand Walking the entire Capital Steps! PLUS some Eischens Yoga tips to help handstands!

How to restore sore calves after running: 2 simple drills

The person in the red is in the prone mountain position...begin here after reading:)

Got sore calves? Easy fix:) no worries man:)
SO FIRST OFF, HOW DO YOU GET SORE CALVES? This is the first thing you need to pay attention too:) haha...sore calves happens most often from any or all of the following reasons:

1. running or jumping rope too much on the toes instead of the front half of your foot....this is super common for new folks into running barefoot or in minimal shoes....DOING THIS IS A BIG REASON WE TEACH PROPER PROGRESSIONS AT THE MBG:)
2. running too far (before your actually ready to run that far)
3. doing hill sprints, runs, walks for too much incline or too much work - again your calves will tell you while it's happening but here it's smartest to start slow...with low volume/reps and slow speed....let your body and feet adapt!
4. resisted sprints with a partner or sled with too much resistance or for too long...same as #3.
5. jumping rope for too long before ready to do so...this again is the same as 3 and 4. 

So what's the common theme here? Let your feet and body adapt to the compressive forces of running or jumping rope. If you're overweight, older, coming back from a leg or back injury then start slow. THINK starting and driving a car in the north in the winter....start it, warm it up, drive slow at first, then you can add some speed. Apply the same rules to re-introducing yourself to a dynamic program of running or jumping rope.

I began going barefoot in 1997 after meeting Roger Eischens. I jumped in 100% like most folks and learned the hard way on what not to do:)...as i did all of the above and had to learn how to heal all myself with Eischens Yoga and simple sense:) Now since the 'barefoot' craze began a few years ago the same exact problems have arisen again....SO here are some of my simple lessons/ways to get the calves, feet, body to feeling better:)

1. Take notice of what you're doing, make a progressive plan of action starting slow and building every week upon the last! How we train at the MBG!
1. Adapt your body/feet to the action you're doing...again how we start you in training!
2. Progress slowly and smartly:)
3. Pay attention to how your body is feeling and keep checking in
2. Do as much Eischens Yoga standing poses as possible to strengthen your feet and legs. Especially getting partner feedback (only done thru EIschens Yoga and at MBG's)  if you can get it to increase foot strength and stability 50% faster than on your own. DAILY!!!
1. Stuff will come up in the form of tweaks and aches here and there...that is when the EY can be so powerful and getting you back faster than anything. So as above pay attention, then do some EY poses that make you feel better quickly!
3. How will you know if your running or jumping rope too much (before your actually ready to run or jump rope)? You'll get a fax from your feet saying to please stop now:) haha Literally they'll tell you! So stop and walk home to run or jump another day:)
4. SAME RULES APPLY TO HILLS, STAIRS, PARTNER SPRINTS but even more so, now you're adding even more flexion to the ankles and thus more stress to the feet, arches, ankles, shins, knees, hips and back. It's imperative you start smart here and progress slowly. Straining the achilles or calves is nothing to mess with my friends...so adapt, progress slowly and pay what? PAY ATTENTION to the body sending you a fax, text, e-mail or whatever telling you to chill out!!!
5. NOW FOR THE PHYSICAL FIXES:
1. Do supine mountain poses (as we show you in MBG classes and our Eischens Yoga dvd), but this time really put a big focus on pulling the toes up towards the shins. Keep the calves off the floor, lighten the hips off the floor and if you have a partner to pull down lightly on your toes you've got it! IF POSSIBLE USE ONLY MBG TRAINERS HERE AS IT TAKES SOME TIME UNDER EISCHENS YOGA TENSION TO 'SEE' HOW TO DO THIS PROPERLY.
2. Literally put your feet up on the wall and let your legs take a break! We do this rest pose at the end of each EY class or a hard leg workout and it feels great.
3. Go for some walks...it's simple, it's free and it will loosen up the calves alot. While walking begin to pay attention as well to foot placement against the ground as well. Here the barefoot is fine, in the sand great, minimal shoes great, oversized shoes great! All of the above work to let the feet spread, to open and get the blood flowing again which is exactly what you want to do to get the legs feeling alive again.

So next time you or a friend over does it on a run, sprint, hill, stairs, jump rope workout or anything:) Try these out and feel better!!
Hope this helps you out my friends!
Peace,
Jon

Whats the choice? Be or Not? Live and embrace!!

QUESTION #1: GUESS WHAT AM I DOING HERE?:) 
At whatever age we are the choice has always been the same...LIVE, BE or not....to me it's clear:) embrace what life offers! We are given gifts in life from all in our circle...the "Gifts" are opportunities we either accept or decline. WE have the choice...if we embrace these gifts we can challenge ourselves and grow and experience all that life has to offer, the ups and downs, the highs and lows...BUT by accepting and embracing ALL we live, grow and take ourselves and all around us to higher heights!
What is it that is holding you back? Fear of embarrassment? Not achieving some level you think you should be at? What if you realized that NO ONE CARES:) hahaha would that make you do some things that are holding YOU back?
SO think on that and CHOOSE TO LIVE, so do that which scares you, take on challenges...for me i like the challenge of all types and always have....breakdancing back in the day...can you say bad when i started:) hahaha when i started there was no internet, no one to show how to do any of it. My brother greg and i spent hours trying to figure out back spins and windmills only to eventually get it in 2 minutes when explained to us:) hahaha.....embarrassment yes:) but i did not care, having bigger goals of GETTING those movements....you see i was motivated personally to get those moves....people who laughed at me...i did not care about as they laughed because they were too scared to put themselves out there on the field of risk, challenge, LIFE.
Eventually those same people had to pay to see me breakdance:) hahaha as i traveled alot getting paid to do something i loved!
TODAY it hasnt changed much, i keep reaching to achieve things out of my past reach and it's fun...the road is the gift, dealing with the highs and lows the lessons.
QUESTION #2: 
WHAT IS IT THAT SCARES YOU TO PUT IT OUT THERE? WHAT FEAT, MOVE, ACCOMPLISHMENT THAT SCARED YOU DO YOU WANT TO DO NOW DESPITE OTHERS THINKING YOU'RE TOO OLD, TOO FAT, TOO THIN, TOO WHATEVER TO DO?
Tell me here and now and then dream of achieving it! Write your story from the end (achieving it) backwards to today! And then you have your story! That story is powerful as it is always with you!! It inspires others as well as now the road has one more deeper groove for them to follow!!:)
Mine? Bar-barian requirements:) hahaha if you've been following me over the last few years you know i've had obstacles on this path...so what:) i'm having fun trying to figure out how to achieve it!
Dunking again too!!:) These are just two for me, i have lots more on other points in my life:)
THIS WEEKS TRAINING LOG: was a good week, feeling pretty strong and got some insight into some movements i've been working on for awhile too....good thing:)
MONDAY April 30 2012
switched up some things this week to re-focus on form and i feel it helped alot. my numbers went down because of it but that's cool as the form went up:)
1) AMU w/2g holding yoga block between feet x 5,5,4=14 then put two walls up to keep vertical 12" from front/back of bar 4x4 high pulls=16 THIS WAS WAY HARDER!!
2) jump MUs 5 (BTWN WALLS) sets x 3 with vest on (think loaded spring at bottom!!)=15
Rest
3) pullups to release x 5,5,5,5,5,5=30 LOVE THIS EXERCISE! preps the turnover on top of bar
4) L seat to handstand on parallel bars: +70 bxt x 1,1/1,2/2,1/2,1/2,1=14
this is a perfect simulation of this exercise!!!! GREAT!
Rest
Finisher: 50/50 of dips / body row: 35/30, 10/10, 5/10 little to no rest btwn each set
                                          Great! 3.7* 
Tuesday May 1, 2012
1A Dead Snatch 3 x 5s x 40k felt good:)
Broad jumps x PJ120 x 10 x 6'6" x 3 sets...liked this alot..had to clear distance on all reps, ea set!
Back domes press up 6 x 28s, 4 x 32s, 2 x 36s!! i'm back!!
KB levers with hip lift:  5 x 3 reps x 28s
Backdome crawl x 10y lifting h/f great!
HLR x  10 feet to bar no momentum
68s DL x 8,  85% (300 lbs)
GOOD WORKOUT:) 3.7*

WEDNESDAY April 18, 25,2012
15/15 x 10 minutes x pullups/pushups
First 5 minutes:     5,12  / 5,12 /5,12 /5,12 / 4,12
Second 5 minutes: 4,13  / 4,13 /4,13 /4,13 / 4,13
= 125/44
Dips.     x11,11,11,11,11,/ 11,11,10,10,10
Body R x11,11,11,11,11/ 11,11,10,10,10
= 107/107
TOTALS: 169+114=383 in 20 min
FINISHER: power wheel rollouts to power wheel push ups 12-2 with pauses...challenging:) haha
Great! 3.7*

Thursday April 27, 2012
ON The beach workout:
10 x 24k's double swing, rest 10 breaths, 10 lunges, rest 10 breaths
repeat for 10 rounds!! GREAT!!
100 yard power wheel crawl dragging weight x 60 yards, 20, 20...loved this!!:)
3.7* workout!

Another strong workout this week! Feeling very good and strong!

Friday April 13, 20 2012
Practice all types of handstands, jumping bar to bar, various grip muscle ups and various fun skills:)
did this for about one hour with jessie and jeremy:)
this was a ton of fun!! SOUL TRAINING:)
Then did the following for 50 reps each in as few sets as possible:
Power Push up 3 with 120lbs load: 8,8,8,6,5,5,5,5 = 50 I love my Power Push up...with 120lb load which felt the exact same as using 44kg last week for 8 reps.....it's awesome:)
Release Pull ups: 7,7,6,5,5,5,5,5,5 = 50

Very good week of training as i feel very good and strong!
hope this helps my friends!!
"Walk the Walk"
Peace,
Jon

Plant Strong OR Plant Wrong, THAT is the question!

A great meal at Veggie Grill! This is a great example of a perfect way to eat some healthier foods that give that comfort food feel:) All hale kale top left with some mock chicken is the bomb and although mock meats are usually pretty bad stuff i've talked with owner Kevin Boylan and asked him about just this point and he said it's made from lots of veggies mixed with some soy protein...pretty simple:) Not bad! Plus what i really love about it is a meat eater would not know the difference and so for getting folks to transition this is a perfectly healthy meal! Other parts to this meal were a veggie burger (healthy? i'd say not too much but again for a transition meal...it's great! For a Plant Strong person it's a fun meal!:) and a lentil soup that's the bomb anytime, that is just pure tasty and healthy stuff!! Other restaurants that serve up similar plant based meals are native foods and they too offer healthy and not so healthy choices. Now why is this important? Because it's a start for some to taste veggie versions of comfort foods and that is a first step into taking more steps into the plant based world. For vegans, vegetarians or plant based folks you can choose from tons of really awesome / healthy choices and you're great to go!!
BUT THE BIG QUESTION IS STILL PLANT STRONG OR PLANT WRONG?:
I feel one of the biggest reasons why more people do not eat plant based is simple....most (not all!) of the people from the 60's up to today who were vegetarians, vegans looked like crap!
LACK OF GREAT ROLE MODELS!! The people who said 'i'm eat plants only" generally ate all processed, high sugar, high fat, high oil, high salt foods....which if plant based or meat based are not good for you. The result is the same as anyone from today who eats any diet poorly >>> un-healthy & sick, overweight, poor looking skin and eyes appearance.
WHAT ARE 8 THINGS WE CAN DO DIFFERENT TODAY TO CHANGE THAT VIEW AND SHOW A GREAT ROLE MODEL THAT INSPIRES FOLKS? 

1. Eat Plant Strong over Plant Wrong
2. Eat Real foods from the earth over fake foods from man
3. Eating foods for their taste over the taste of all the additives (fats, sugars, salts)
4. Eating only when hungry over eating at set times we feel we're suppose to eat at
5. Eating only til satisfied (smaller meals) over eating huge western portions
6. Eating for energy over eating to put us to sleep after
7. Drinking alot of pure water over soda, fake juices or carbonated drinks/waters
8. Training to be strong and athletic over not doing anything

HERES SOME NEW ROLES MODELS FOR YOU THAT ARE ALL PLANT BASED SUPERSTARS!
Jessica Rucker (my wife:) - Jessie is amazing, super strong in bodyweight, kettlebells, you name it and she walks the walk and can show you how too! Now doing online training!!:)
Mike Mahler (my good friend) - Mike's crazy strong, been a vegan alot longer than i have, crushes the kettlebells, knows more than most doctors about hormone optimization and is just a very cool conscious being!!:)
Brendan Brazier - world class athlete, author of THRIVE diet and developer of Vega supplements (probably the best plant based protein/supplements on the market)
Robert Cheeke - probably the most recognized vegan bodybuilder in the world and author of vegan bodybuilding and fitness.
John Joseph - lead singer for Cro-mags, long time vegan, amazing energy and shape...badass!!!!
Myself:) - turning 49 in june and can beat every physical feat i could ever do at my best in my life except hitting head on bball rim! Plant Strong is no doubt the path! Helping people and planet is no doubt where it's at! So i say to you all if hedging...you can do it, you can eat plant based and become strong or stronger and better than ever, we're all here to help you change YOU for the better AND in doing so we change the PEOPLE and PLANET for the better as well and that is all of our goals!!
80% of MBG'ers - YES most Monkey Bar Gym members eat plant based, maybe not at first and that's okay, but they learn to transition, maintain and then gain athletically from the transition:) THEY make a difference in their own lives, then in their families, business associates...their circles.
Do you see the affect? THAT is powerful and has been the goal since starting...change the fitness world for the better and this is the MBG way of doing that and it's working! JOIN US!
SO What is Plant Strong? Eating foods from the ground....simple & strong: greens, beans, nuts, seeds, roots, grains, fruits. Eating strong when hungry and only til satisfied!
HOW do i make this change? Transition foods are the easy way:
Rice, Almond milks over cows milk is a good first step
On meats just vary some simple substitutions instead like beans, quinoa, plant protein powders or even mock meats like veggie grill and native foods do so well...Gardein also makes a very tasty one:) Although i dont depend on them, i think they make for a good transition choice.
WHAT ELSE do i need to do? READ AND FOLLOW THOSE THAT HAVE DONE WHAT YOU WANT TO DO!! China Study, THRIVE, Engine 2 Diet, Meat is for pussies! Follow the writings, books, articles, blogs from those listed above.....you can do it!
THEN YOU BECOME THE ONE THAT INSPIRES TO CHANGE PEOPLE & PLANET FOR THE BETTER!! Now that is Powerful!!
Plants, People, Planet! STRONG:)
peace my friends!
Jon

Creating your own Restoration / Eischens Yoga practice

Today's Blog is ALL about creating your own practice of re-balancing yourself. This can come in the form of doing our Eischens Yoga, doing indian clubs, range of motion swinging of the body in different planes, doing the brazilian jiu-jitsu warm up....really anything that makes you feel good, loose, opened up and balanced.
The above video is one i took while Jessie and i were driving to colorado to stay a bit in the mountains, do some hiking and biking and re-connecting to nature. So on the way we'd stop on the hour every hour to do something to re-awaken our bodies and minds....basically to re-invigorate! We called it the "Road Warrior workouts" and it was a blast! But during this time it's not all just doing hard exercises, sometimes we'd mix it up and do a restoration type of movement like the down dog / up dog movement that i'm doing here at a gas station somewhere between wisconsin and colorado:) This is a perfect example of a re-balancing movement that opens up the hips and shoulders and engages the entire body and really gets the blood flowing as well....you'll feel great after doing just 20 of these!
       So how do you go about finding your own practice? By listening to what makes you feel good and what you like doing too. SO begin by trying many different types of restoration types of movements. Do the Eischens Yoga beginner sequence and maybe that will be the whole answer for you as it hits the whole body, it's short, you feel great afterwards and are re-freshed...and that's the goal right! Or maybe you're feeling 1 or 2 poses you get or really like right now but not getting the rest of the beginner sequence....well just take those two and put them into YOUR practice. Next try some other tools or movements that make you feel good:

1. The Tibetan 5 rituals - google these, they're very cool....maybe start at 8 reps of each of the 5!
2. Indian Clubs - get a dvd, learn the basics, find 4 moves you like then repeat them for about 30 seconds of each drill and that's it each day!!
3. Chest Expander - get this on our mbg site...love doing straight arm circles around body x 10s and slowly adding a rep or two each week. Once you get to 20s each way your shoulders feel great and then you're ready to move up in challenge (heavier cable or go to 2 or 3 cables!)
4. Foam roller - another simple tool, do about 10 reps on those super tight points on the hips, IT bands, thighs, low back:) keeping it simple here is important too.
5. Rolling on the floor (bjj style) - simply roll forward/backwards and all over...feels amazing and requires little to no effort actually!
6. The MBG class warm ups done at 50% - if you've never been to the MBG then you might not understand this but our warm ups include all basic movement skills; running, carioca, lunging, crawling, rolling, cartwheels x about 8-15 minutes.
7. Meditation and breath work - at the end of every Eischens Yoga class we do 5 minutes of breath work....simply lay down, completely relax and focus on breath in and out. In thru the nose, out thru the mouth and just work to make slower and smoother working your way up to 10:5 counts (10 in and out : 5 holds between in/out breaths)

MY SUGGESTION: Do the Eischens Yoga sequence, try all of the above, see what you like and what you dont, see what makes you feel great and keep all of those and then make them into a simple routine you do daily. Maybe you do it first thing out of bed or sometime before going to work, maybe you do it before your workout. In either case keep it simple and i suggest NOT making it last more than 10-15 minutes max, as sometimes when we get going too long on these then they become our workout and that is not the case here:) Bruce Lee actually has a wonderful 3 minute routine that makes you feel great! Check it out in his book the Warrior Within (http://www.amazon.com/The-Warrior-Within-Philosophies-Bruce/dp/0809231948/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1335881411&sr=8-9).
These are all great examples of simple things we can all do to bring peace and balance to our bodies and minds....and the great thing about it is you can make it fit your needs.
THE KEY TO SUCCESS is doing it on a regular basis! Daily, rain or shine, 10-15 minutes thats it!!:)
Tell me how you like todays blog and do me this favor....if my blog helps you or you think it can help another please share it with them. My goal in life is to help bring health and happiness to millions of people around the world and make the fitness world one of true health...and that means happiness too!
Peace my friends!
Jon