So a guy I met at a martial arts school starts raving about my book, except for one exercise: the bridge.

”I’m too old to do that neck bridge,” he says.

“I hear you,” I answered. “But it’s not a neck bridge. It’s called a wrestler’s bridge or a back bridge. It involves the whole body, not just the neck.”

”Well, the weight is on your neck, isn’t it?”

I said: “It’s on both of your feet and in the beginning, both of your hands, as well as your forehead and nose.”

“Well, I don’t think it’s a good idea to put all that weight on your head and neck.”

I replied: “Did you even hear what I just said?”

”I heard you but I still don’t think I can do it. I’m too old.”

”And you’re how old, exactly?”

”I’m 45,” he says.

Barely able to control my laughter, I said, “I see you got an early start.”

He said: “An early start on what?”

”On making excuses.”

”It’s not an excuse. It’s the truth.”

”According to whom?” I questioned. “I’m doing exercises today that I learned when I was past fifty years of age, exercises I never thought I could do until I began working on them.”

”Easy for you to say. You’re a world class athlete.”

”Easy for you to question, but let me ask, have you ever done the bridge? Have you ever tried it?”

”No. I don’t want to take a risk.”

”I gotcha. Would you be willing to practice the bridge if I could guarantee you that there would be zero weight on your head or neck?”

”Sure, but how you gonna do that?”

I said: “Simple. Get yourself a Swiss ball, sit on it and then sink until your back is on it. From this position, arch your spine and bridge.”

”How’s that going to benefit me more than doing the bridge with my head on a mat?” He questioned.

”I thought that was too dangerous for you, that you’re too old?”

”Well, I’m just curious,” he related.

”Glad you’re curious but let’s get you started where you are NOW. Do you have any age-related excuses for not bridging if you do it
over a ball?”

”Haha, you got me there,” he smiled.

”So you’re game? You’re willing to give it a whirl?”

”Yes.”

”Good to hear. Now here are some of the benefits. It increases blood flow to your brain. It does a vestibular reset of your nervous system. It makes your whole body stronger. It improves digestion. It helps stretch your spine and eliminate unwanted tension. And most of all it teaches you to stop being a wimp.”

”Man, you are brutal. I love it.”

”Brutal? You have no idea how easy I’m going on you. So when are you going to get started?”

”I’ll do it tonight,” he said.

“Great. Drop me a line and let me know how it goes.”

A few days later the man told me he was sleeping better than ever before.

“You never told me that bridging would improve my sleep,” he related. “I think I’m snoring less, too.”

”Sorry about that,” I replied. “Some of the benefits you have to discover on your own. The key takeaway is something I learned from a Zen monk many moons ago.”

”What was that?”

“The things I tell you are easy for you to forget. That which you discover on your own you will never forget.”

Note: You can learn to bridge properly in both my Combat Conditioning and Combat Stretching programs, which I highly recommend.

Excuses, No More. Let’s Get it Done.

Kick Ass…take Names

Matt Furey