Gohan's Z-Sword Training

Gohan is frequently one of the strongest characters in Dragon Ball Z. From defeating Cell to being recognized by the Kais as having great strength, he always amazes people with his potential. It's no surprise then that, when tasked with pulling the legendary Z-Sword from its resting place on the planet of the Supreme Kais, Gohan delivers marvelously.

Well, after quite a bit of effort, that is.

This workout will take us through the entire time that Gohan trained with the sword (which actually wasn't very long at all) and will be done in different stages ranging from strength to technique.


Gohan's Z-Sword Training

-Pulling the Z-Sword

1. 10 Deadlifts @ 50% 1RM
2. Rest 30 Seconds
3. 8 Deadlifts @ 60% 1RM
4. Rest 40 Seconds
5. 6 Deadlifts @ 70% 1RM
6. Rest 50 Seconds
7. 4 Deadlifts @ 80% 1RM
8. Rest 60 Seconds
9. 2 Deadlifts @ 90% 1RM
10. Rest 120 Seconds
11. 1 Deadlift @ 95-100% 1 RM

Rest 2 Minutes, then

-Struggling with the Z-Sword

1. 10 Barbell Sword Swings 
2. 20 Sledgehammer Swings (10/side)
3. 30 Downward Axe Swings (15/side)
4. 40 Side Axe Swings (20/side)
5. 30 Downward Axe Swings
6. 20 Sledgehammer Swings
7. 10 Barbell Sword Side Swing

Rest 2 Minutes, then

-Mastering the Z-Sword

1. 100 Downward Practice Sword Swings
2. 100 Sideways Practice Sword Swings (50/side)
3. 100 Swings of Choice
4. 5 Minutes Sword Fighting Practice

Notes:

• You should strive to do the sets of Deadlifts unbroken, but don't worry if they aren't. You also may or may not be able to complete the final set. Keep your form good. If you are unable to complete the workout for any reason, just move on to the next portion. 
• This workout is going to destroy your grip, so be prepared for that. 
• The Deadlifts will always be a challenge, because they'll be based on percentages of 1RM instead of a set weight. 
• Barbell Sword Swings are a difficult feat. If possible, get as light a bar as possible for this. The overall idea is to be able to take a Barbell at one end (not the part that holds the weight, but the closest part of the bar to that where you would still normally grab), raise it over your head and slowly lower it like you were swinging a sword. DO NOT ACTUALLY SWING THE BARBELL!!! Swinging that much weight so fast will be very hard on your joints, so this is a controlled motion. You will not be able to start with this, even. In fact, you'll probably have to start by holding the bar in the very center with both hands. As your wrists, arms, and grip gets stronger you will slowly be able to lower your grip on the handle. This will be a very long process. 
• The sledgehammer swings are your opportunity to swing something a little lighter, but still heavy. You should aim for a tire or perhaps a post you need to drive into the ground. Start with as heavy a sledgehammer that you can comfortably manage and then raise the weight as needed. 
• The axe swings will be a little lighter and will allow you to swing at a log with greater speed to mimic getting better with the Z-Sword, while allowing you to train similar movement patterns. 
• The Side Swings should be done on a tree as well. 
• You should use a wooden practice sword for the last portion of the workout. You'll be focusing mainly on technique here. You can do the swings one or two-handed if you like and they can be any kind of style: Chinese, Japanese, European, or other. 
• The last section is for you to spend some time actually thinking about sword fighting and using the practice sword while moving. You could even just mimic the way Gohan moves with the sword. 

That's all for today! Until next time, good luck and train hard!

The Crane Hermit's Training

I received a request to do a Crane Hermit Training workout, but we unfortunately do not get to see any scenes of Crane Hermit training Tien and Chiaotzu. However, looking at how those two and Tao Pai Pai fight and by comparing it to Master Roshi's training method, I believe it possible to come up with a training schedule that would represent the Crane Hermit effectively.

However, just like The Turtle Hermit's Training, this is going to be pretty brutal. Definitely take this one step at a time, scale down what you have to, and stop when needed. 

Stupid Turtle School can't even fly.

The Crane Hermit's Training

Morning

1. Light Jog- 1/2 Mile
2. Skipping- 1/2 Mile
3. Crane Walking- 1 and 1/2 Miles
4. Climbing Steps- 1000 Steps
5. Balance Walking- 100 Meters
6. Hill Sprint Repeats- 5 x 100 Meters 
7. Walking Lunges- 1/2 Mile
8. Land Clearing by Hand- 1 Hour
9. Eat and Rest

Afternoon (4-6 Hours Later)

1. 10 High Jumps, as high as possible
2. Play a Sport- 1 Hour (see notes)
3. Rest 10 Minutes
4. 10 Box Jumps, as high as possible
5. Body Conditioning- 1 Hour (see notes)
6. Rest 10 Minutes
7. 10 Long Jumps, as far as possible

Notes:

• To perform the exercise "Crane Walking," you will be holding buckets or jars filled with water or sand in each hand out at shoulder height at your sides and walking by raising one knee as high as possible, extending your leg out in front of you, keeping it as high as you can and then taking a long step with it. It is a very controlled movement and you should not toss your leg forward, but lift and extend with muscular tension. Your movements will emulate a crane walking with its wings spread out.
• During Crane Walking, climbing the steps, Balance Walking, and Walking Lunges you will be holding either buckets of water or gripping jars in each hand. You can alternate between them if you like and you can even do an inside grip on the jars to work the fingers in the other direction. The goal is to hold the jars/buckets out at shoulder height on either side of your body, but if you have to lower them, that's fine. Start out extremely light and add weight as you are able to hold the up position for at least 80% of the time you have to hold the weights. If you have to, you can start with no weight and just hold your arms out at your side like you are holding up the weights.
• The hill sprints should be done on as steep a hill as you can find. You can walk back down to recover. 
• Land clearing by hand can be several things. The general idea is to pick a portion of land that has trees, rocks, stumps, weeds, and debris and clear it away to just being grass with nothing but your bare hands. You may have to roll, lift and carry, throw  or drag any number of these things to get them out of the area. You may have to dig in the dirt with your hands or strip the bark off a tree. This will toughen you up and you will build strength all throughout your body. I recommend wearing long sleeves because you might tear the skin on your arms lifting rocks and logs. Make sure you do all your lifting with proper form and keep your core braced at all times. 
• The 10 high jumps are as if you are testing your vertical leap. 
• Don't get a running start on any of the jumps. 
• On all of the jumping, you will do the jump and then recover for 30 seconds to 1 minute before repeating. The idea is to put your absolute all into each jump. If you can't fly like the Crane school, at least you can jump really high and far. 
• The sports you can play are various: volleyball (Tien's favorite), soccer, basketball, baseball, rugby, football, golf, tennis, wrestling, boxing, hockey, hackey-sack, frisbee golf, kickball, dodgeball, kendo, and even racing someone on foot, swimming, or climbing. The idea is to be super competitive in a variety of athletic events to build drive and general athleticism. Try to change up the sport you do and use the very technical sports like golf or bowling as easier days. 
• Body Conditioning is also very open. You can hit a striking post or wooden dummy. You can perform Three Star Training with a partner. You can do a spear hand into sand or beans. You can walk or run barefoot. You can hit or kick a sandbag or practice iron palm. You and your partner can hit each other lightly in the torso (building very slowly over time). There are numerous different ways to practice body conditioning, but the key here is to progress slowly in whichever you are doing. You should also try to be well rounded in the types of body conditioning you pursue. 

That's all for today! Until next time, good luck and train hard!

Hulk Tips #4

Mike talk about shrugs and I do some clap push-ups for those of you who have graciously donated to the gym!

Yamcha, The Desert Bandit

Remember when Yamcha was relevant? I mean, think really hard for a second. Think back...

There we go.

I hate that some really important characters in Dragon Ball just became not useful at all. That's one of the reason I appreciate later anime such as One Piece or Naruto, where smaller characters still get to fight, even though they are outclassed by the main character or main villain at the time.

This workout is based on how Yamcha fights when we first meet him. He charges and has a lot of big, exaggerated movements and, even though Goku is stronger than he is, he's one tough customer.

Yamcha, The Desert Bandit

1. 20 Lateral Lunges
2. 100 Meter Sprint
3. 20 Push-ups
4. 100 Meter Bear Crawl
5. 20 Punches (As Fast As Possible)
6. 10 Jumping Kicks

--5 Rounds, then 

1. Shadowbox/Kata/Sparring for 5 Minutes
2. 100 Meter All-Out Sprint

Notes:

• The Lateral Lunges rep count is one each side, not total. You will start from standing, step out to the side, and lunge. Your non-lunging leg will remain straight and both of your feet will be pointing in relatively the same direction. To lower yourself into the lunge, think of this movement more like a squat and break at your hips, allowing your butt to go back and your upper body to lean a little forward and over the lunging leg. Your goal is to go as low as possible into the lunge, while maintaining form and both feet on the ground. As you reverse the movement, come back to standing with both feet together. Repeat on the other side for one rep. 
• All other exercises that use one limb at a time are also on each side and not total. If 20 reps, it is 20 reps per side.
• Make sure you're pushing it hard on the sprints. 
• The bear crawl is to get you thinking and moving like an animal to prepare you for the Rogafufu-ken (Wolf Fang Fist).
• The 20 punches, as fast as possible, are to mimic the Wolf Fang Fist. And they don't necessarily have to be punches. They can be chops, spear hands, claws, or palm strikes. The point is to be extremely fast. You can also do this on a pad or heavy bag. 
• Make sure you get your footing on the jumping kicks. Don't try to get through them too fast. Focus on form and execute each technique as flawlessly as possible. 
• At the end of the workout, you will train with an imaginary or real opponent. If you are training with a real opponent, I recommend protective gear for your own safety. If you are shadowboxing or doing Kata, really focus on image training so that you think about the purpose of your techniques. 
• Put everything you have into your last sprint, because you just have to run sometimes!!

That's all for today! Until next time, good luck and train hard!

Tien's Training

Diamond Push-ups

Lateral Lunges

10 Reasons Why Working Out Isn't "Working Out" For You

It's almost April. Slowly but surely, I see the people who joined in January with the gung ho attitude and determination to get fit come through the gym doors less and less (and sometimes not at all.)

It's inevitable, it seems. 

It happens every year. People say, "This is the year that I'm going to (insert whatever fitness goal they might have latched onto)" and things start off really great. They are putting a lot of work in and maybe even getting into the habit of working out. But then, something happens: life gets in the way, they miss a few workouts and feel too embarrassed to come back, or they don't see the results they were looking for right away or at all. 

So, what's wrong??

Here are 10 reasons why working out might not be "working out" for you:

1. You Don't Have a Plan

If you don't have a plan, you're going to have a hard time getting to where you want to go. You can say you want to lose 100 pounds or you want to run a marathon, but unless you have the framework in place to get you there, you'll never make it. 

Before you start anything, you need to get a plan, on paper or not.  You need to know where you are now, where you want to go, and how you are going to get there.  It's okay if you have to modify the plan later, because this is going to be a learning process and you are not going to get it right the first time, especially if you are doing it alone. 

However, if you formulate a plan and go down that path, you'll make the necessary corrections when its time and you will come out the other side better for it. 

2. You Aren't Having Fun

Doing something you hate is not going to make you keep doing it. Sure, you might have strong willpower, but eventually you're going to look at that treadmill and say, "I hate you" and that'll be that. There are two ways to fix this problem of not having fun. The first one is really simple. 

Pick something you enjoy doing and do it! 

It's really that simple. Start with an activity that you enjoy, whether it's golf, martial arts, bowling, tennis, hiking, or dancing really fast to polka music. Once you find something active that you love doing, you'll have little difficulty finding the motivation to do it.  The second solution is a little more difficult and comes along later.

The second solution is this: Change your mindset about exercise, whatever the exercise is. I used to hate running-- until I made myself run. After a while, I learned about the intricacies of putting one foot in front of the other and began to appreciate the process. If you don't like a form of exercise in front of you, change how you look at it.  See the benefit of the exercise and really understand the process and you'll begin to see it in an entirely new (and possibly more enjoyable) light. 

3. You Aren't Making Exercise a Priority 

This is simple: Other things are more important to you than exercise. 

Work and familial responsibilities can certainly get in the way, but there are always ways to make exercise happen. If you work a lot, use your breaks to get some walking/jogging in or slam out some push-ups on the break room floor (you get weird looks, but whatever).

If you have a lot of family responsibilities, try to make the time you spend with your family active time. Go for a hike together, visit a giant trampoline park, or spend the day at the beach or pool. Eventually, if you're active with your family, you might even just do workouts together.

Sure, there will be times where there is just so much going on that you couldn't squeeze a workout in edgewise, but try to look at your schedule and see if that's really the case or if you're just making excuses. Oftentimes, saying "I don't have time" is really just saying, "This isn't a priority."

4. You Haven't Set Realistic Goals

Exercise is not a magic pill. You're not going to do 5 crunches and get a six-pack and you won't train for a week and be able to run a marathon.  Body changes take time. You apply a stimulus and the body adapts. You apply greater and greater stimulus over enough time and you have a complete bodily transformation.

Your goals should be SMART, which is to say:

• Specific- Include as much information about the when, where, how, what, and why. Is it going to cost money? Are you going to have to travel anywhere? What is your goal-- 20 pounds lost or squatting 500#?  Don't just say-- I want to be stronger or I want to be leaner. Pick something to shoot for. 
• Measurable- There should be some way for you to quantify your results. You should be able to look at your progress week by week and see that you are getting closer to your goal. 
• Achievable- Is your goal something that you are capable of doing right now? Is it something you can put into action within the next few days? Make sure that your goal is something that you are in a position to even pursue, let alone attain. You may have to settle on accomplishing only a portion of your goal for the time being and waiting on the rest of it. 
• Realistic- Is your goal physically possible? You need to set goals for yourself that are within the bounds of reason. It is not reasonable to say that you want to be the World Champion in three completely different sports, because you only have so much time to devote to each one and only so much energy to train for each. The goal of being a champion bodybuilder will be counter to the goal of being the best marathon/ultramarathon runner in the world. 
• Time-Bound- You need to put constraints on yourself. How long will it take you to accomplish this goal (research as much as possible and realize that this may change in the future)? Where will you be in a month? Six months? A year? Five?  There should be specific goals along the way that, when attained, will add up to the larger goal. If you achieve each small goal along the way, the large goal is automatically achieved. 

Once you have realistic goals and a plan to get there, the task does not feel so daunting and you get the joy of attaining small goals along the way. 

5. You Aren't Eating Properly

This is the big one. You'll hear it spoken in many different ways:

• You can't outrun your fork.
• It's 20% fitness and 80% nutrition.
• Abs are made in the kitchen
• Food is anabolic
• If it fits your macros

The common denominator between all of these things is that nutrition is so, so important. If you don't eat properly, you won't be able to work out effectively or recover effectively.  If you're eating too much or not eating the right things, all the stuff you do in the gym might yield less results or none at all.

A well-balanced diet, focusing on whole foods is paramount to your success. Stay away from foods that are overly processed. Eat a variety of foods from many different sources. Eat to sustain yourself and your activity. Food is fuel and, while it can be enjoyable, its primary job is to make sure that you don't die and that your body is nourished in whatever way it requires. Refined sugars have very little place in your diet.  Now, please understand, I'm not saying no to certain foods. What I'm saying is that you need to eat certain foods in moderation or rarely. You CAN eat anything you want. Your choices, however, will be what helps determine your success in physical transformation or athletic performance. 

To put it bluntly, if you put sugar in the tank of a car, that car is gonna die. If you put enough sugar into your tank, SO WILL YOU! 

6. You Only Work Out When You "Feel Like It"

Your training schedule is your training schedule and, outside of being legitimately ill or on the verge of being ill, you should strive to meet every workout on that schedule head on, whether its 20 minutes of recovery yoga or 2 hours in the gym f*@#ing sh*t up.

If you depend on your feelings or your emotions to determine if you are going into the gym or not, you'll soon find yourself acquiescing to more and more and, soon, the gym will get pushed further on down the list. I can tell you that, counter-intuitively, some of the best days I've had in the gym have been the days I just didn't feel like going or felt like I was going to be weak. You never know until you step up to the bench or the mat or the road and decide to push ahead.

What you do when you "don't feel like it" determines your level of commitment.

7. You Aren't Strength Training

At the very beginning of your journey, it's not as big a deal if you aren't strength training, because you'll be learning so many new things and getting used to activity in general that you'll often get stronger just doing whatever activity you've chosen to do.

There will come a day, though, that your chosen activity will no longer be enough for you to continue to get better at that activity and stay injury free. At that time (and it comes relatively early in the process) you will need to begin some form of strength training, either in the form of weightlifting or bodyweight exercises. This training can start off light, but it needs to be progressive, meaning that the weight and reps are going up or the movements are becoming more difficult (one-legged squats opposed to two, for example).

If you choose not to strength train, you it is very likely that you will run into a wall in your fitness goals somewhere, either in the form of decreased results or injury due to repetitive use. As far as injury goes, being sidelined with an injury makes your motivation sag and your habit of exercise turn into a habit of laying around and doing nothing. Coming back from injury is difficult, so it is in your best interest to not get injured in the first place.

Strength training builds and helps retain muscle mass that is essential to your performance in whatever you choose to do. It enables you to become more efficient in movements and teaches your muscles how to recruit more fibers more effectively.

Long story short-- Do strength training.

8. You Aren't Working Hard Enough

If you are not improving in the gym, i.e.- if your weights, reps, distances, times, or what-have-yous are not increasing, then there is no growth. If these markers are not moving, there is no path to any kind of transformation. Doing the same weight (especially the same weight!) for the same number of reps and sets week in and week out will get you nowhere.

You need to be getting better. If you aren't getting better, you're getting worse. There is no maintenance. There is improvement or no improvement.  If you are improving, you are headed toward a goal. Push yourself in the gym. Do better. Do one more rep. Add one more pound. Do one more set.

You need to sweat. You need to be sore. You need to feel uncomfortable. (Notice I did not say you need to be in pain.) You need easier days, but the stimulus for your growth are the hard days. If your program is not challenging you, it is not changing you. Up your intensity-- more weight (as you progress), more speed, more power.  It might be slow-going at first, but once you add the intensity to your program, you'll find that your results soon follow.

9. You're Working Too Hard (You're Not Recovering Enough)

This is the flipside to the last point. If you are busting your ass every single day for weeks on end without a rest day, deload, or time for appropriate recovery, you'll soon find yourself sitting on the doorstep of stagnation, decreased performance, and injury. There's no way around it. You provide the stimulus for strength and increased performance with your training, but you actually get those things when you rest and recover properly.

You need to eat well to fuel training and recovery and you need to SLEEP! Sleep is where all the magic happens. You train hard on 3 hours of sleep for a week or two and you'll see exactly what I mean. You'll be so messed up you won't know what to do with yourself. If you aren't sleeping, you aren't recovering.

If you provide enough time and building blocks for recovery, you can beat your own ass in your workouts on a regular basis and probably be fine. Skip your recovery, however... and you're gonna have a bad time.

10. You Don't Even Know Where to Start (AKA: You Don't Have a Plan)

Okay. You want to get fit. You want to get strong. You want to lean out... but where do you even begin?  There are so many things you could do and so many machines and exercises and programs and everything else,  you might feel like you are losing your mind.

That's normal.

Anything new is going to feel scary and a task such as getting fit can feel very daunting indeed. However, if you need some help getting started, I recommend finding a professional and have a conversation about what you're trying to do. Talk to a Certified Personal Trainer or a Nutritionist and work on the previous 9 points and I promise-- this time you can make it work.

If you're having some trouble or you need some help, always feel free to email me at realanimetraining@gmail.com or if you would like a program to help your reach your goals, consider a Personalized Training Program or Online Personal Training to help you get started or get back on track.


That's all for today! Until next time, good luck and train hard!

The Cell Workout (Inspired by Cell's Forms)

Cell was created the be the perfect being. He's part Namek, Human, Saiyan, Cyborg, and part Frieza's Race (nobody can ever agree on what to call those guys), and he's super strong. In his short lifespan, he became one of the most powerful being to ever exist in the Dragon Ball universe. He beat down Goku, Vegeta, Trunks, and just about everybody else and SSJ2 Gohan nearly couldn't put him down in their final struggle. He is definitely a force to be reckoned with.

He's Perfect, if you didn't know that already.

I really enjoyed making the Frieza Workout, so I thought I'd continue on and create one for Cell! This one is just as much of a beatdown as the last one, so I hope you guys enjoy it!


The Cell Workout

-Larval Form

1. Bear Crawl 50 Meters
2. 10 Bear Crawl Push-ups

--AMRAP in 4 Minutes. Rest 2 Minutes, then

-Imperfect Form

1. 2x Bodyweight Sled Push for 20 Meters
2. Run 400 Meters
3. 10 Star Jumps

--AMRAP in 5 Minutes. Rest 2 Minutes, then

-Semi-Perfect Cell

1. 6 Thrusters (135#)
2. 6 Pull-ups
3. 6 Handstand Push-ups

--AMRAP in 6 Minutes. Rest 2 Minutes, then

-Perfect Cell 

1. 21 Snatches (95#)
2. 15 Diamond Push-ups (Stance taken at first)
3. 9 Barbell Curls (95#) (Admiring arms upon transforming)
4. 20 Lateral Hops Over the Bar
5. Bunny Hop 50 Meters

--AMRAP in 7 Minutes. Rest 5 Minutes, then

-Super Perfect Cell

1. 8 Minutes to work up to heaviest Clean and Jerk

Notes:

1. This workout can be done all in a row or broken up into its parts. 
2. The weights can be scaled down if necessary. 
3. If you are lacking on form, please make sure to lower the weights so that you can get your form better. 
4. To perform Bear Crawl Push-ups, you will start on all fours, hands and feet touching the ground. You will lower your hips a little and do push-ups from this position, lowering your entire body as low as possible and then raising to the starting position, which would be as if you were going to continue to bear crawl. 
5. Star Jumps begin with your hands and feet by your side. You bend at the knees and hips slightly and then jump up throwing your arms and legs out so that your body is shaped like a star. Then, before you land, bring arms back to your side and legs together. Repeat as soon as you land. The reps should be in quick succession. 
6. On the snatches and the clean and jerk, your technique needs to be on point. If you need help, find and Olympic lifting coach and watch as many videos on the form as possible. Keep the weights lighter until you feel comfortable with the movement. Also, the snatch doesn't have to be a full snatch. If you are strong enough to power snatch the weight, go ahead. 
7. The Larval Form is to mimick how Cell would have been moving around in this form. The 4 rounds are for the number of years Cell hibernated in the ground before emerging. 
8. Imperfect Cell is based on Cell running around absorbing people, pushing against the random football team he ran into, and stopping himself in mid-air while fighting Piccolo. 
9. Semi-Perfect Cell is based on Cell's body at the time, with large arms, back, and legs. Also, it is intended to mimic the beat down he received at the hands of Super Vegeta. 
10. Perfect Cell is based on a few specific scenes. The biceps curls are for when he first transformed and was admiring his arms in front of Vegeta. The Diamond Push-ups are for the first stance he took before fighting. The bunny and lateral hops are for the cricket-like jumping motion he uses frequently while fighting. The snatches are to mimic the rapid execution of high-level techniques he uses while fighting Goku, since the snatch is one of the most technical lifts you can do.
11. Super Perfect Cell is to mimic the last-ditch Kamehameha against Gohan. It's full-force power and technique to get the most amount of weight over your head as you possibly can. 

That's all for today! Until next time, good luck and train hard!

Piccolo's Training

This workout is taken from things we see Piccolo do in the series, as well as an understanding of how he fights and the things that he says during his fights.

Goku's Gravity Room Workout: 100Gs Add-on

When I made the original Goku's Gravity Room Workout, I designed it in such a way for you to be able to get reps in without completely destroying yourself on the first exercise. Eventually, you might be doing 100s of repetitions if you stuck with doing the workout and you could occasionally switch up the workout by doing hanging sit-ups or one-arm push-ups. However, I realized that I missed a couple of things in the workout that could really add to its usefulness, so I'll be adding that here.

This is an add-on to be done with Goku's Gravity Room Workout if you wanted to. I'd do it sometimes, so that you get a different experience with the workout. There are some choices to this add-on. You can do any number of them to make the workout more difficult, so enjoy!

You mean it makes the training harder?
Yay!!!

Goku's Gravity Room Workout: 100Gs Add-on

Choose any number to add-on:

1. Before starting-100 Walking Lunges on each side
2. Replace sit-ups with decline sit-ups or hanging sit-ups
3. Replace push-ups with one-arm push-ups or handstand push-ups
4. Use bands to increase the difficulty of the push-ups
5. Wear a weighted vest during the workout (only if Level 5 or above) and start over at Level 1 difficulty
6. Use 5# Dumbbells instead of 2#. 
7. Wear ankle weights to make freehand handstand push-ups more difficult
8. At the end of the workout, rest 5 Minutes and perform as many reps as possible in one set of one of the following: push-ups, one-arm push-ups, sit-ups, hanging sit-ups, or handstand push-ups

Notes:

• This is really for those of you hunting for variety.
• The lunges were added to simulate how Goku walked every time he went to a new gravity level. 
• With these modifiers, you can make Goku's Gravity Room Workout very different every time you do it and it can also help you break through plateaus. If you are getting stuck at a particular level, perhaps more resistance is needed or the additional reps at the end of the workout will help you break through. 
• The push-ups on the final extra set do not have to be Honest Push-ups.
• If you replace push-ups with one-arm push-ups during the workout, they must be Honest One-Arm Push-ups, meaning 2-count down, 2-count up. 

That's all for today! Until next time, good luck and train hard!

Vegeta's Gravity Room Workout

We have Goku's Gravity Room Workout and The Super Saiyan Workout, but we don't have a workout specifically for Vegeta.

Let's fix that.

When Vegeta saw what hardcore training in a Gravity Chamber did for Kakkarot, he threw himself into it full blast, even to the point of being almost constantly injured. He eventually beat himself to the point where he practically had no choice but to become Super Saiyan. If there was a book called, "How to Become a Super Saiyan," Vegeta would have written it in his own sweat and blood. Goku trained hard to get where he is, but Vegeta trained to the point of downright insanity. 400x gravity is pretty ridiculous, if you ask me. Some of the exercises here were not explicitly shown, but are extrapolations of the kinds of training Vegeta did and what he would need for full body training. Vegeta needed a Real Anime Training workout and he's going to get one right now!

Do... push-ups... Beat... Kakkarot...

Vegeta's Gravity Room Workout

Bodyweight Exercises (Choose 3 to do 3 sets of MAX Reps)

1. Push-up
2. One-Arm Push-up
3. Handstand Push-up
4. One-Arm Handstand Push-up
5. Squat
6. One-Legged Squat
7. Pull-up
8. One-Arm Pull-up
9. Body Row
10. One-Arm Body Row

Anti-movement Core Training

1. Plank- MAX Time
2. 30 Seconds Rest
3. Side Plank- MAX Time/each side
4. 30 Seconds Rest
5. Straight Bridge- MAX Time
6. 30 Seconds Rest
7. Handstand- MAX Time (or 1 Min Total)
8. 30 Seconds Rest
9. One-Arm Plank- MAX Time/each side
10. 30 Seconds Rest
11. One-Arm Handstand- MAX Time/each side
12. 30 Seconds Rest
13. One-Arm Hang- MAX Time/each side

Combat Skills (Choose 1)

1. Shadowboxing- 30 Seconds Hard/30 Seconds Easy for 4 Minutes x 3 Rounds (1 Minute Recovery between rounds)
2. Agility Practice- 30 Minutes (see notes)
3. Dodging Practice- 3 x 5 Minutes 

Notes:

• You have the choices of bodyweight exercises, so that you're not always killing the same movement pattern, but you are still able to make progression. Also, you have single-limb variations for strength work. 
• I understand it is probably unlikely that Vegeta had a pull-up bar considering how much he would have weighed in the Gravity Room, but let's just assume Dr. Briefs made a material strong enough to deal with the gravity. 
• If you are working on one-arm push-ups, start with your legs spread wide and work on slowly moving your feet together as you get better at it. 
• You may do handstand push-ups against a wall to start with, but eventually you should work to doing them without support. 
• On one-legged squats, you can use support to help you work on technique in the beginning. 
• The middle section of the workout is based on the time Vegeta was spinning while hovering in the air of the Gravity Room. He would have had to maintain core tension in each position to keep himself from bending one way or another. 
• A straight bridge is just the reverse of the plank. Your body is facing upward, with your hands flat on the ground. 
• Practice the handstand freehand. If you can't hold the handstand continuously for 1 minute, break it up into sets so you can get in some practice. 
• For the one-arm handstand, you can do it against the wall until you feel more comfortable with it. 
• Try to keep from spinning while hanging from the bar/rope with one arm.
• In the last portion of the workout, for Agility Practice, you can work with an agility ladder, you can walk on your hands, roll or flip around, jump from place to place quickly, use fast fighting footwork, or combine your fighting techniques with any of these motions. 
• Dodging Practice works will with dodgeball, tag, having tennis balls thrown at you, or dodging various attacks. 

That's all for today! Until next time, good luck and train hard!

Batman: The Complete Program

Krillin Trains for the 22nd Tenkaichi Budokai

After Goku and the gang part ways, Krillin and Yamcha go back to train with Master Roshi. They are shown carrying milk, performing training that Krillin is already familiar with. I can't imagine that this was all Krillin did to prepare for the 22nd Budokai. In fact, I'd be willing to bet that since Krillin had already undergone Roshi's tutelage, that he insisted that the young warrior branch out and train on his own.

We see Krillin do a few different exercises on a couple of different occasions and that, my friends, is the perfect opportunity to make a Real Anime Training workout.

Short and frequently useless... but still stronger than you.

Krillin Trains for the 22nd Tenkaichi Budokai (Please read all notes)

Workout A

1. Sled Push- 15 Meters
2. Bench Press- 135# x 10 Reps 

--5 Rounds


Workout B

1. MAX Reps Push-ups
2. Swim 1600 Meters 
3. MAX Reps Push-ups

Notes:

• Remember to warm-up before and cool down and stretch after!!
• These workouts are not meant to be followed as a program and should be included with other training. One these workouts on one day, then another on another day, and something else entirely on another. At the very least, The Turtle Hermit's Training should suffice. 
• For the sled push, your goal should be to add weight to the sled on every set and every workout, even if it's just a couple of pounds. If you get to the point where you can't push the sled, drop back 10 or 20 pounds and make the climb again. 
• The bench press is an interesting situation, because if you are able to complete the workout doing all 10 reps of 135# on every round, then you have 2 options: you may either increase the weight 5# for all five rounds or add a repetition to each set. If you added 5#, it would be 140# x 10 Reps x 5 Rounds. If you added a rep, it would be 135# x 11 Reps x 5 Rounds. In this way, you are making strength or endurance gains every time you do the workout. If you fail to do all of the listed reps at the listed weight for all five rounds, you will stay at the weight and reps you had for that attempt. 
• In the second workout, your first set of push-ups will obviously be more than your second set of push-ups. Take note of the maximum number of reps you do on the first set the first time you do this workout.  As you improve, when your second set of push-ups becomes equal to that very first set of push-ups you did, it's time to increase increase the difficulty by wearing a weighted vest or having plates on your back. Add 5# every time you do this. 
• As an example, your first attempt at this workout might yield 55 reps of push-ups for the first set and 25 reps on the second set. (55 is our goal now) Your  second workout might yield 62 push-ups in the first set and 30 push-ups on the second set. That means you aren't ready to add weight yet. Now, let's say on your fifth attempt at this workout, your push-ups are 81 for the first set and 56 for the second set. That means you will do the next workout while wearing an additional 5# on your upper body. You will then start the process over with a new baseline determined during this first weighted workout. 
• DO NOT SWIM ALONE!
• On the swimming, if you have to stop short or break it up into sets, that's perfectly fine. Just do your best. After a while, when you are able to complete the distance without stopping, change up your workouts. One workout, you might wear a weighted belt (start very light); another workout might have you pulling a boat behind you (will have to be in a pond of some sort for this one); and yet another one might be you attempting to carry something while swimming. And, again, please use a lifeguard or a friend who can swim to spot you. 

That's all for today! Until next time, good luck and train hard!

The Frieza Workout (Inspired by Frieza's Forms)

Until "Dragon Ball Z: Fukkatsu no F" comes out, we've never seen Frieza train. Not one time. He sits in his chair, being ridiculously powerful, barking out orders. He never had a reason to push himself to a higher level, because there was no one to challenge him and, by the time there was, it was too late to make himself any stronger, because he was dead.

This workout is not Frieza's training during "Fukkatsu no F," but is merely a workout inspired by his Forms.  When the movie comes out, I'm looking forward to making a workout for his on-screen training, too. Until then, though, this will have to hold us over.

This workout is meant to be completed in stages. Stop whenever you feel like you need to.

I would hope not.

The Frieza Workout

-First Form

1. 20 Alternating One-Arm Kettlebell Snatch (1.5 Pood)
2. 50 Double Unders

AMRAP in 9 Minutes. Rest 2 Minutes, then

-Second Form

1. 10 Strict Overhead Press (95#)
2. 10 Push-Presses (95#)
3. 10 Thrusters (95#)

AMRAP in 8 Minutes. Rest 2 Minutes, then

-Third Form

1. Bodyweight Bench Press- 10 Reps
2. 1.5x Bodyweight Back Squat- 10 Reps
3. 2x Bodyweight Deadlift- 10 Reps

AMRAP in 7 Minutes. Rest 2 Minutes, then

-Fourth Form

1. 100 Meter Sprint
2. 10 Burpees

AMRAP in 6 Minutes. Rest 2 Minutes, then

-50% Power

1. 20 Ball Slams (20#)
2. 20 Wall Balls (20#)

AMRAP in 5 Minutes. Rest 2 Minutes, then

-100% Power

1. 20 Meter Sled Push (250#)
2. 10 Alternating Split Squats

AMRAP in 4 Minutes. Rest 2 Minutes, then


-Golden Frieza

1. 10 Triple Unders (OR 30 Double Unders)
2. 3/4 Bodyweight Overhead Walking Lunge- 5 Reps (Each Side) 
3. Bodyweight Clean and Jerk- 1 Rep

AMRAP in 3 Minutes.

Notes: 

• First Form is mimicking Frieza holding the death ball above his head and the times we see him floating in the air looking out at Namek from his ship.
• Second Form is based on the muscular body Frieza possesses; particularly his shoulders and arms. 
• Third Form is based on the sheer mass of Frieza's body. He has a wide stance for balance and the massive armor-like structures across his shoulders and back. 
• Fourth Form is showcasing Frieza's speed and athletic ability, as he dodges all of his opponents' attacks, leading up to his fight with Goku.
• 50% Power is based on the complete domination that Frieza demonstrated against non-Super Saiyan Goku, followed by being dominated by Super Saiyan Goku and then trying to blow up the planet.  You'll feel beat down and "5 Minutes" will feel just as long as it did when we waited for Namek to blow up.
• 100% Power is based on the last parts of Goku and Frieza's fight on Namek. The first exercise emulates where Frieza was pushing Goku through the ground at high speed and the second is a nod to Frieza jumping up and splitting himself in half with his own attack, which I though was funny. :D
• Total time for this workout, including rest periods, is 49 Minutes. Do your best, but please stop if you feel like you must. This workout is going to take you to hell and back if you aren't prepared for it. 
• Alternatively, you could also do any of these workouts separately from the whole. 
• Each exercise that is listed for single limbs, like the KB snatch or the split squats is that many reps on each side, not that many reps total. 
• If you don't have a sled, you can push a wheelbarrow or pull a tire with some weights on it, or even pull against a friend who is holding onto the other side of the rope. 
• Please be careful on the Third Form. That one can get pretty nasty. If you have to scale the weights down, then so be it, but don't feel bad if your body says no or you run out of time in the middle of the second or third exercise. 1.5-2x bodyweight is rough for a lot of people. 
• The last section is based on the fight with Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan Goku.  The Triple Unders are for when he first transforms. The Overhead Walking Lunges are for the brutality of the fight.  The Clean and Jerk is for resisting the Kamehameha. Depending on your strength and how tired you are, you may not finish the last round at all.

Let me know if you have any questions! Until next time, good luck and train hard!

Ryouzanpaku Master Workout #5: Apachai Hopachai, the Muay Thai God of Death

Apachai is the Underground Muay Thai God of Death. He has fought Muay Thai since he was a young boy and has tested his art against many opponents. His strength is amazing, but his technique and stamina are also impeccable. The goal of this workout is to focus on the techniques (and the muscles necessary for using the techniques) of Muay Thai. This workout, combined with the Ryouzanpaku Master Workout #1: Apachai, is an excellent way to get yourself into shape if you are interested in fighting Muay Thai.

He's Apachai.

Ryouzanpaku Master Workout #5: Apachai Hopachai, the Muay Thai God of Death

Morning

1. Cardio (Choose 1):

• Run 15 Minutes (5 easy, 5 moderate, 5 easy)
• Run 30 Minutes, easy pace
• Jump Rope for 15 Minutes 

2. Technique Practice (Choose 1):

• 15 Minutes Single Technique on Heavy Bag- Focus on Technique and Power. Switch sides every 10 strikes.
• Combinations on Thai Pads (4 x 3 Minutes w/1 Min Rest)- 2 to 4 strikes per combination
• 20 Minutes Shadowboxing- Focus on good form

3. Bodyweight Exercises (Choose 1 from each group, Max Reps/Distance in 1 Minute) 

• Push-ups (Wide, Close, Hindu, Divebomber, plyo, Spider-man, Handstand, etc. Change it up!)
• Legs (Squats, Lunges, Jump Squats, Jump Lunges, Thai Squats, Tuck Jumps, etc.)
• Pull (Pull-up, Chin-up, Body Rows, Muscle-up, Wide or Close Grip variations, etc)
• Abs (Sit-ups, Crunches, Leg Raises, Hanging Leg Raises, V-Up, Toes-to-Bar, Plank, etc)
• Cardio (Jumping Jacks, Mountain Climbers, Burpees, Burpee+Push/Pull/Box Jump/etc, Jump Rope, Double Unders, Sprinting, Bear Crawl)
• Rest

--Repeat Bodyweight Cycle 3 to 5 times depending on fitness

Evening (6-8 Hours Later)

Run 2 to 3 Miles, then  (1 Minute Rest for All Rounds- start minute with 10 Push-ups)

1. 4 x 3 Minute Rounds Shadowboxing
2. 4 x 3 Minute Rounds Heavy Bag 
3. 4 x 1 Minute Rounds Clinch Work
4. 4 x 3 Minute Rounds Sparring

Notes:

• It is recommended that you find a Muay Thai gym and learn some basics before you crash headlong into this workout. 
• Your rounds of work can be steady state/even pace or you can do HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) with them and go 30 seconds easy, 30 seconds hard or some other split. 
• If you are new to training, please pace  yourself and remember to scale everything back accordingly. Check out Level Zero if you need some assistance. 
• Try to change up your exercises in the bodyweight exercises section as much as possible. You will already be doing a lot of push-ups later in this workout, as well as many squats, push-ups, and sit-ups if you are doing the first Apachai Workout. Your body will thank you. 

Muay Thai: Pure Striking, at its finest.

That's all for today! Until next time, good luck and train hard!

Batman Workout Master Post

Batman/Bruce Wayne Training Program

1. Snapshot of Overall Program
2. The Analysis and Phase 1
3. Phase 2
4. Phase 3
5. Phase 4
6. Phase 5
7. Final Phase
8. Complete Program: Become the Batman

Bane

1. Bane's Solitary Confinement Workout

Will add workouts to this list as they are completed/I have time to add them. 

Tomoko's End Song Training (Sora no Otoshimono)

Running
Yoga
Stretching
Diamond Push-ups
Sit-ups
Jump Rope
Posing Practice
Running Stairs

Alex Viada: The Real-Life Shinogi Kureha

Shinogi Kureha is the Ultimate Athlete, possessing high levels of fitness in a variety of disciplines, from running fast, short distance and long, slow distances to weight lifting to flexibility. If you've watched Grappler Baki, you know he's somewhat of a monster. He's also a freakin' medical doctor, for crying out loud and is obsessed with interesting cases involving human performance.

Dr. Muscles will see you now.

But did you know that there's a guy in real life who is pretty much Kureha?

Alex Viada, of Complete Human Performance, is a monster in his own right. Just take a look at some of his accomplishments:

• He touts a 700# deadlift and squat and an almost 500# bench press. 
• His mile time is just over 4 minutes. 
• And did I mention he runs ultra-marathons and does triathlons? 
• He's working on a Master's in Physiology.
• Plus he's ripped as hell at 220#.

Did I say he was ripped? I said that, right?

The point he make with his training protocols is that it is possible to be very good at multiple things that seem to be on opposite ends of the spectrum by proper scheduling of your training sessions, eliminating non-essential training, conforming to SAID (Specific Adaptations to Imposed Demands), and for every training session to have a purpose. 

"The biggest realization for me was that, to be good at multiple things, I had to be lazy- to be specialized, to do ONLY what I needed to improve at each discipline and not a bit more. Eliminating the waste from my programming was a difficult thing to do- I couldn’t afford to do three or four accessory lifts every session- I had to limit it to one or two. I couldn’t “go out on a run” just for the sake of going out on a run- if it didn’t make me faster, improve my overall endurance, or aid in recovery, it would be a waste of time."

(Source: http://www.jtsstrength.com/articles/2014/04/12/5-questions-alex-viada/)

That's an enormously difficult thing to do for many people who workout. It means staying committed to a goal that you have and only doing things that conform to that goal. I know that's been one of the biggest things to overcome for me. 

Ask yourself, "Why am I doing this workout?"  

Is this workout going to make you stronger, faster, improve stamina, skill, or make you big? Make sure that your training is not haphazard and that your workouts are serving a purpose. 

The other takeaway here is that if you have something you want to do-- do it. If you want to run marathons and lift heavy weights, freaking do it. Want to box and do Crossfit? Go for it. The point is that if you train all the aspects properly so they don't interfere with one another, there's no reason you can't achieve your goals. It might take you longer and it might be hard as hell, but you can do it. 

There are people who redefine what's physically possible all the time. They run faster or farther. They pick up more weight than anyone ever has before. They learn 5 martial arts and blend them together. People do 5k races on their hands! Figure out what you want to do and then do it. 

Shinogi Kureha became the Ultimate Athlete. Alex Viada's not far behind him.

That's all for today guys! Until next time, good luck and train hard!

Astraea's "Kill Tomoki" Training (Sora no Otoshimono)

Balance, Speed, Technique, Power,

Balancing on poles
Balancing on poles while holding pails of water
Slacklining/Tightrope walking
Gymnastic Bridge
Standing Cable Alternating Chest Press
Hanging Sit-ups
Sparring/Heavy Bag

"Stephen Makes Stuff Up" Master Post

1. Burpee Workout
2. Dead Rising
3. The Curse of 5
4. Another Round of Squats
5. Double or Nothing

Stephen Makes Stuff Up #5: "Double or Nothing"

I really wanted to do a workout with some Double Unders in it, so I decided to put this one together. It's a little rough, so approach with caution!

"Double or Nothing"

1. 10 Double Unders
2. 10 Thrusters @ 135/95#
3. 20 Double Unders
4. 20 Cleans @ 135/95#
5. 30 Double Unders
6. 30 Front Squats @ 135/95#
7. 40 Double Unders
8. 40 Back Squats @ 135/95#
9. 50 Double Unders
10. 50 Deadlifts @ 135/95#

--20 Minute Time Cap

Notes:

1. All Double Unders must be unbroken to continue to the next exercise. 
2. Whenever the clock hits 20 minutes, stop and see how far you've gotten.
3. Feel free to scale the weight down if you need to.
4. The second weight listed after the "/" is the female weight recommendation.
5. This is a rough workout, to be sure. Your legs are going to hate you.
6. The Cleans can be Full Cleans or Power Cleans. As long as you end up at in the front rack position at the top of the movement, you're fine.
7. Maintain proper posture and core tension throughout this entire workout. You don't want to try to blaze through the workout with bad form and end up hurting yourself. When in doubt, slow down or lower the weight. Leave your ego out of the gym.

That's all for today! Until next time, good luck and train hard!

Hanma Yujiro: "Demon in the Back" Workout

Hanma Yujiro is the strongest creature in the world. Not the strongest man-- the strongest creature. He regularly tests his abilities against the monsters of the world, whether they be human, ape, bear, or elephant. He possesses the face of a demon in his back and those muscles are the muscles primarily used in combat. He's so terrifying that even the President of the United States swears an truce with him when elected.

The muscles of a monster.

Weight Lifting

1. Deadlift- 3 sets of 6 Reps
2. Bent Over Row- 2 sets of 8 Reps
3. Zercher Squat- 1 set of 10 Reps
4. Wide-Grip Pull-up- 1 set of 10 Reps
5. Romanian Deadlift- 2 sets of 8 Reps
6. Bench Press- 3 sets of 6 Reps

A bodybuilder's back muscles.

Combat (Rest 30 Seconds after each set)

1. Heavy Bag Punching- 1 Minute
2. Heavy Bag Kicking- 1 Minute
3. Heavy Bag Throwing- 1 Minute
4. Grappling- 2 Minutes

3-5 Rounds, depending on fitness

Holyfield's massive back.

Cardio (Pick One for 30 Minutes)

1. Swim- Freestyle or Butterfly
2. Sledgehammer Swings 
3. 100 Meter Sandbag/Rock/Log/Barbell Carries (Rest 30 seconds in between sets)

Swimmer's Back

Notes:

1. This workout is all about exercises that will build that "Demon" in your back. These exercises are mostly compound and full body, to make sure that you are developing the most amount of strength, while simultaneously stimulating the growth of the back. 
2. Warm-up up before this workout. Make sure you perform each of the above lifts with a light weight to get yourself ready for the heavy lifting. 
3. Your lifts should all be close to 90-95% of whatever exercise you are doing's RM. So, Deadlifts would be 90-95% of your 6 Rep Max (RM) and you will attempt to hit 6 reps on all three sets with that weight. If you achieve that, on the next time you do this workout, raise the weight by 5#. 
4. Rest 1-2 minutes in between each set of lifting. 
5. Be careful when throwing the heavy bag. Make sure you keep your core braced and use proper throwing technique. 
6. All of the cardio exercises are designed to use your back in one way or another. I recommend changing it up and not always doing the same activity. 
7. Your carries can be as light at 50# or as heavy as you can manage for the time period. 

That's all for today! Until next time, good luck and train hard!

Erza's Basic Training- "Tower of Heaven" Workout

I received a few requests for Erza workouts, but I wasn't really sure what to do.  However, after thinking it over, I figured the best place to start would be Erza as a child. As a child, Erza lived a hard life, being conscripted into building the "Tower of Heaven" for a Zeref-worshipping cult. During this time, she was subjected to hard labor, which, given proper nutrition, would have made her decently strong.  This workout is based on the activities that Erza would have been doing during the construction of the Tower.

Activities that made her strong enough to kick some slave-driving ass.

Erza's Basic Training- "Tower of Heaven" Workout

1. 100 Pick-ax or Sledgehammer Swings
2. Shovel Wheelbarrow full of Dirt or Stones
3. 100 Meter Wheelbarrow Push
4. Dump Wheelbarrow

--1 to 5 Rounds, depending on fitness. Rest 5 Minutes, then

1. 100 Meter Farmer's Walk- 60# Dumbbells or a 5-gallon bucket filled w/sand per hand
2. 100 Meter Sandbag Carry- 50 to 100#
3. 100 Meter Rock Carry- 75 to 100#
4. 100 Meter Log Carry- 100 to 125#
5. Walk up and down 100 stairs with 1 of the above weights

--1 to 5 Rounds, depending on fitness. Rest 5 Minutes, then

1. Climb as many stairs as possible in 20 minutes

Notes:

• I recommend doing 50 swings on each side with the pick-ax or sledgehammer. You can alternate on every strike or every ten or whatever. Just make it even. Swing the pick-ax at dirt and the sledgehammer at stones or a tire. 
• If you are swinging a pick-ax into dirt, using that dirt to fill the wheelbarrow makes the most sense. Alternatively, if you are swinging at stones with the sledge, you can will the wheelbarrow with those. 
• Once you dump the wheelbarrow, you can just use the same dirt or stone as you did on the previous run. 
• If you are new to fitness, please start with only 1 round of each group of exercises and then build from there. 
• The weights for the Farmer's Walk and the carries are merely the suggested weights. You do not have to use weights that are as heavy as that, but it is something to work up to. Sandbags, rocks, and logs are all awkward to carry, so they will feel like a lot more than whatever weight the actually are. 
• Be very careful when walking up and down the stairs with the weights. If you need to decrease the weight for this portion at first, please do so. 
• I cannot stress enough that you are walking up and down the steps with one of the weights. Do not run. If you fall on steps while carrying a heavy weight, the result will not be good. 
• At the end, you can use a stair climber, a step mill, or a long stretch of stairs or bleachers. If you have to go back down to go back up, that's perfectly fine. If you were looking to run stairs before, now is the time to run stairs. Please be careful and make sure you have good footing at all times. 
• Make sure to use your rest times. You want to be able to put your all into each of the exercises.

That's all for today! Until next time, good luck and train hard!