ABSOLUTE ASCENDANCY

Commencing operation . . .

I believe an active body aids in nurturing a sharp mind. Take it from someone who has experienced having both a weak and strong body. I did not start out as a strong person. I was skinny, weak, and suffered from asthma in my younger years. I was incredibly unfit, and it took many years of arduous training to get to where I am today. Do not let my story daunt you, however. If anything, draw upon it as a source of inspiration. Indeed if I can manifest strength where initially there was weakness, then you too can do the same. It’s time to Power Up! Physically, mentally, and spiritually, though this article series will aim to focus on the physical aspect of things mainly. I will cover off the strength training techniques, workouts, and equipment that I have found to be effective in building a strong and durable body.

I will be upfront and say that my strength and conditioning routines are designed to build a body of a fighter as opposed to that of a weightlifter or runner. Arnold Schwarzenegger is not the goal, nor is Usain Bolt. Think more along the lines of Bruce Lee. Hugely developed muscles that weightlifters sport are beneficial for heavy duty work but these kinds of muscles can often tire quickly. The thinner muscles that marathon runners have are great for endurance because they demand less oxygen, but the drawback is the overall power output from such muscles can be very limited. The aim, therefore, is to cultivate and then maintain an all-round lean but muscular body through a combination of cardiovascular activity, strength training, and flexibility exercises.

The idea is to work the entire body during each session. Bodybuilders will target specific muscle groups during each of their workouts such that they can drive that particular muscle group much harder and then have a longer duration for recovery time. With strength and conditioning; however, the whole body is worked over each session but not to the extent that a bodybuilder would train a particular muscle group. The recovery time is then reduced, and it is this frequent breaking down and subsequent repairing of all the muscles that will grant a highly toned body. I suggest partaking in such workouts two to three times a week; ensuring one does not do two days in a row to start off with, to provide the body with adequate recovery time. If one does not have weights at home or one does not have access to a gym, there are workarounds. For example, one could load a backpack and wear it while squatting. I do my strength and conditioning training at home and used to use a ledge to do my chin ups on. A creative and determined mind will find a way. Begin each strength and conditioning workout with five to ten minutes of light jogging to raise the heart rate.

Mission complete – Overlord Drakow signing out.