Bridging Part of Tanzania Tribal Ritual & Mutant German Muscle Baby
Dear Friend,
A lot of good, bad and ugly stuff to cover this morning. Have my
morning cup of java in front of me and am raring to go. Let's do it:
Hi Matt,
I thought you might like this. Yesterday I received my copy of the July
2004 National Geographic. In it they had an article on the Barabaig, a
tribe in Tanzania, who still hunt lions and elephants with spears as a
sign of bravery and strength. Before they set out on their hunt, they
train for several weeks doing a variety of exercises. (Talk about
Combat Conditioning). One of these includes a bridge (with a twist).
This bridge is not only nose to the ground, the man also has to be able
to pick up a stick with his tongue and then stand up without losing the
stick. That would be a difficult variation. The other exercise they
showed was a variation on a handstand/headstand.
Christian
M.F.: Thanks Christian. I saw the photo online. Bridging truly is a
universal health and 'warrior' practice. In China, the so-called
'wrestler's bridge' is practiced by men and women alike, most of
whom are NOT wrestlers. In Russian Pavel Katzen's Greco-Roman
video tapes, the FIRST thing he teaches is bridging to the nose with
kick-over. The bridge is a staple of Eastern-European conditioning,
not to mention India and China and Mongolia - and now, thanks to
National Geographic - we see it in tribal villages in Tanzania. As the
U.S. Marines are fond of saying, 'hooooaaah.'
Hi Matt,
I am a 31 year old guy who used to hit the gym 5-6 days per week starting
around the age of 19. My whole impression was if you can lift heavy weight,
you will be better in anything you take on (basketball, football, martial arts,
etc). Stupid. Simply stupid.
I've been reading your emails for about 8 months now, and want to move
forward from reading about your exercises to doing them. I am recovering
from my second rotator cuff surgery (go figure, right?) and wonder if I can
expect to be able to do any of the handstand exercises. Is there a progression
you would recommend?
Any guidance you could provide would be GREATLY appreciated.
Sincerely,
David Woods
M.F.: David, I think you'll be able to work into handstands, but first, rap with
your physician about this. Being you're fresh out of surgery, I would think
you're better off starting with the chest expanders put out by Lifeline USA.
For more information on this product go here.
Rehab the shoulder from all directions and angles before you move on to pushups and
handstands. Then once you move on, start with holding the handstand position for
time. You're not ready to do the pushups until you can hold for time.
Dear Matt,
First off, thanks for all the great emails you provide us about self defense,
fitness, mental attitude,etc. They're awesome. I just have one complaint
about you: Your magnetic mindpower advertisement. What you say is
pretty unbelievable:
'You'll lose all fear. All timidity. All awkwardness. You'll gain supreme
self-confidence. You'll be given an altogether different outlook on life - instantly'
How can it be possible to gain 'supreme self-confidence' instantly?
Lazo
M.F.: Lazo, my friend, going from fear to self-confidence is done all the time.
I'm surprised you're still in the dark on this. Think of something you're afraid
of. Hold that image in mind for a few seconds. Feel the trembling in your body.
Now move that image off to the left and bring up a screen of what you really,
really want to have in your life. Make the image larger. See the image moving
closer to you. Feel the image as it is totally real. That's only one method and the
shift only takes an instant.
I remember the time my wife and I were hiking down the trails in the Grand
Canyon. My wife was terrified when we got about halfway down. We're talking
very steep drops if you were to fall. She shook with fear and told me she couldn't
go on. I walked up to her and held her trembling hand. Then I told her to mentally
pretend that she was surround by a bubble of supreme protection. I told her that
this bubble would be with her the entire trail and that it would NOT let her fall.
Guess what? She 'instantly' shifted into a supremely confident mode and we
walked the trail without fear. I realize that these techniques may be too simple
for you because you're much smarter than most people and may enjoy finding
reasons why something won't work instead of why it will. Lucky for me I'm not
in control of what will or will not influence your mind. Us 'simple folk' are more
easily convinced in how something can and will change if you are curious and
adventurous enough to quicky change a useless image of fear to a more powerful
one of supreme confidence. Doing so can make the difference of hiking or not
hiking a trail - or anything else your fertile mind can ponder.
Matt,
Did you see the article on Baby Hercules?
Here's the link.
What would happen if we put this kid on Combat Conditioning????
Bill
M.F.: Bill, thanks for the link. Great story. Based on the guns we saw on 8-year
old Austin Eicher, it's scary what Combat Conditioning might build this kid into.
Btw, if you missed the picture of Austin, go to this page.
Matt,
I wanted to thank you for choosing to share your knowledge of
bodyweight excersizes and fitness in general with the world. I was a bit
skeptical at first but I have stuck with your Combat Conditioning
excercises and I have been blown away by the results of just a few
months on your program. I've quit smoking, drinking etc etc... I'm feeling
better every day! I only wish I had heard of you sooner.
I was wondering what your excercise routine was on an average day
so that I might get a feeling of how others balance out their excersize
schedule... I thought hmmm, since this guy wrote the course why not give
it a shot and ask his opinion.
Again, many thanks!
Nikolai
M.F.: Nikolai, many of my students post their routines and tell of their experiences in my members-only site here - be sure to check it out. You get 2 months of access 'on the house' with a purchase of the Combat Conditioning book and videos.
Well, all for now.
Kick butt - take names!
P.S.: The link for my Combat Conditioning book and videos is
here.
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