Mindful Meditation: Talk To Yourself With Love

 You talk to yourself more than anyone else in this world. Every single day you have an on going conversation with yourself - and you had better be saying the right things. It's all too common place, for many people, to be extremely hard on themselves in their everyday thoughts. In fact, most people are harder on themselves then they ever would be on someone they love. 

 But shouldn't you love yourself? If you wouldn't talk to a loved one the way you talk to yourself in your own head - why do it yourself? 

 Many people suffer from some form of anxiety, depression, or general high stress levels - they're just afraid to speak up about it. We're constantly, every single minute of the day, bombarded my images, media, news, social media, work, travel, family obligations, social events, and more. We're always connected to each other through our various forms of media, we never really get a break - yet a growing number of people (even with all this "connectivity") are feeling more, and more ... alone. 

 We're almost genetically the same as our primitive ancestors, and other forms of primates, yet we live in a highly advanced and complicated technological world. Our stressors are not the same as our primitive ancestors - yet we still have the same hardware. We're trying to operate in a strange new world using primitive "monkey brains". 

 This sort of thing leads to various forms of anxiety and depression. Anxiety and depression lead to a lack of motivation, poor thoughts, a lack of activity, and can severely impact your well being and zest for normal life. 

This may sound a lot like you, or you may know someone who this describes exactly, and if it does - there is a way to help cope with these feelings ... Mindful Meditation. 

It's Just As Important To Take Care Of Mind, As It Is Your Body

Most people know by now how important it is to take care of your body. If you read my blog then I'm sure you're already taking part in some form of physical fitness routine and watching what food you put into your body. 

But, what you might not be doing is taking care of your mind - training your mental fitness. 

The mind and body go together, they're a team, and they both need to be taken care of equally. In order to train the mind to run well, and in turn allow the body to perform at it's highest level, you must meditate. 

I know meditation sounds boring, especially if you an "always on the go" kind of guy/gal, but the busier you are - the more you most likely need to meditate. We need time to alone, time to reconnect with our inner self, time to learn how to be here in the present, and learn how to not be fearful of the future or regretful of the past - mindful meditation helps train you to do just that. 

Mindful meditation also helps with negative thoughts, depression, anxiety, stress, mental clarity, sleep patterns, and more. It's like a daily tune up and check in with your body and mind - it's the maintenance. 

Feeling depressed? Meditate. 

Feeling anxious? Meditate.

Feeling tired? Meditate.

Feeling sad? Meditate. 

Stressed the fuck out? Meditate. 

How To Start Meditating

It's not difficult to get started, you don't need a fancy place to do it, you just need yourself and a little time each day. Follow these steps to get started ... 

1.) Sit in a comfortable chair, upright but not stiff. You can also lay down if sitting isn't comfortable. 

2.) Gaze off into the near distance, but don't focus on anything in particular 

3.) Breath in through the nose and out through the mouth and allow your belly to expand as you breath

4.) After a few breaths, gently close your eyes while you continue to breath 

5.) Slowly, as your breathing, scan your body and take note of any tension in the body, how your feet feel on the floor, how your hands feel in your lap, and where you feel your body is resting most of its weight. 

6.) Begin to take note of any sounds happening around you, don't seek them out, allow the sounds to come to you and recognize them - be sure that you're still breathing. 

7.) Allow your attention to return to your breath and begin to count your breaths (1 *inhale, 2* exhale ...) all the way to a count of 10 breaths. Then repeat from 1 through 10. 

8.) Don't worry if your mind wanders off, it might happen, if it does you'll return your attention to your breathing and continue counting where you left off. 

9.) Repeat this for as many minutes as you like. 

10.) When you're almost ready to finish up, allow your mind to run free and do whatever it likes for 1 minute. Don't fight it, if it wants to think - let it think. 

11.) Open your eyes gently and take note of how you feel, relax for a few seconds or minutes. 

I guarantee you'll feel much better after a quick session (5-10 mins) than you did before you started. 

Taking It Beyond Mindful Mediation 

My ebook "The Ronin Method" teaches you a form of moving mediation through the workout program I designed for the book. It also goes into detail on mindful mediation, and how to combine it with this unique form of moving mediation I like to call "The Ronin Workout". 

If you're living a busy life, and need a way to train your body and mind for longevity, sustainability, and over all well being - "The Ronin Method" might be the answer for you. 

- Tim 

"The Ronin Method" Ebook 

Free yourself from the shackles of needing a gym

with an essential, sustainable, minimalist approach 

to fitness. 

3 Huge Fitness Problems "The Ronin Method" Solves

 My upcoming ebook, The Ronin Method, well be available this Saturday, Nov 12th. It's all about essential, sustainable, minimalist fitness for the everyday person. But how does it differ from my other ebooks or other books on the market? What problems does it solve for you? Well, here are 3 huge fitness problems that I feel "The Ronin Method" solves, better than any other book on the market.


1.) Removes the need for a gym, reduces excuses, and allows you to train anywhere at anytime

 The most common excuses I hear about not following a fitness plan go something like this ...

" I can't afford a gym membership"
"I was traveling and the hotel gym sucked"
"I'm at home all the time with my kids I can't get to the gym"
"I don't like working out in a gym"
"I'm busy, all the time, and I find it hard to make time to go to the gym"

The minimalist approach taken in  "The Ronin Method" eliminates these excuses; and more. When you grab a copy of "The Ronin Method" you'll learn how to use your own bodyweight, and (if you choose) some light portable equipment, in order to get a bad ass workout - anytime, anywhere. You'll never be in need of a gym or weights ever again.

 "The Ronin Method" will also teach you how to find your own "outdoor gym" by using normal everyday objects and locations to enrich your training. You'll learn how to implement sticks and stones, park benches, trees, soccer nets, jungle gyms, picnic tables, and more as your very own FREE gym.

 You'll also learn how to develop your own "Ronin Bag", your own personal, compact, and light gym in a bag that you can take anywhere. Your "Ronin Bag" will be filled with essential, minimalist, fitness equipment that will allow you to get a world class workout, along with your bodyweight based training.

 By learning how to make use of a minimalist approach to fitness, you'll be capable of training in endless locations. This means you'll be able to train in parks, hotels, living rooms, basements, beaches, playgrounds, sports fields, and more. This makes it perfect if you're low on cash, hate working out in a gym setting, or (the big one) short on time.

 If you're short on time, the workout found in "The Ronin Method" provides you with a sensible, no nonsense, time efficient workout that can be done in under 20 minutes - right where you're standing!

Oh, and there are exercises and approaches detailed in the ebook on how to make a workout for you - regardless of your fitness level, experience,  or age. Anyone can use the workout found in "The Ronin Method".


2.) I'm stressed out all the time, working out is just another stress I can't handle 

I get it. When work, social life, relationships, or family stuff is stressing you out - working out might not be the first thing on your list. Hell, it might not even be on your list. But - stress is a bitch, one that can kill.

 While training is a physical stress on the body, it can actually help reduce mental stress - when performed in a stress conscious manner.

 "The Ronin Method" removes the need for a gym - taking away the stress associated with making the trip to the gym, parking, changing,  training, and driving back home; having even less time to do the things you love . The workout and minimalist approach to training that "The Ronin Method" utilizes allows you to train anywhere, in a very short amount of time, and delivers outstanding results. This way you get in a highly efficient, and effective, workout in hardly any time without the need for a gym.

 You'll also find a detailed guide on how to meditate, for only a few short minutes at a time, in order to improve your stress levels, mental alertness, productivity, and over all sense of well being. Mediation is a powerful tool that will help you not only feel amazing, but perform at a high level in your daily life.

 Oh, and the mediation is not just sitting there and staring off into the distance - "The Ronin Method" is designed with a workout that is actually a form of moving mediation! It will train not only your body, but also your mind; you'll get stronger inside and out through the "Ronin Workout".


3.) The Ronin Method provides you with a way to train forever

Too many training programs are designed for athletes, movie stars, or bodybuilders - but what about the everyday regular person? What about the training programs for people like you, people like me, people like your neighbour, and people like your family?

"The Ronin Method" is based around essential movements, the bare minimum I call "The 5 Elements". They're the movements you need to train, at minimum, in order to remain strong throughout your entire life - not just now in the short term. These "5 Elements" are also arranged in order of difficulty, meaning if you're strong, athletic, and young - there are movements for you. Also, if you need to get stronger, new to working out, and older - there are movements for you too.

 "The Ronin Workout" found in the ebook is also low stress, due to it being a form of moving mediation, and it's also easy on your joints. "The Ronin Workout" is designed to be challenging, improve your strength, and be very safe on your joints. If you're young and have healthy joints at the moment - you'll want to keep them that way, and "The Ronin Workout" is the way. If you're aging and you're joints aren't in the best shape - "The Ronin Workout" is one of the best training options for not aggravating them further.

 "The Ronin Method" provides a training method and workout that is suitable for anyone - period.



 I have worked very hard, and long, on "The Ronin Method". It's a product I'll stand behind, because it's the sum of years of work; that I know produces results. It's a workout method and training approach for real people. I hope you grab a copy this Saturday Nov 12, remove the shackles of needing a gym, train forever, and not just look great - but also BE great. I hope you can become a "Fitness Ronin".

- Tim


www.TimothyBellFitness.com 

Online Training With Timothy Bell 

Get the body and life you deserve, with minimalist training 

and Tim as your coach - anywhere in the world. 

What To Do When You Don't Feel Like Exercising

 If you're wondering what to do when you're not in the mood to workout, then you should take a look at my latest article for "Whole Life Challenge". In it I discuss my top 5 alternatives to working out on a day when it's just not for you. You can read more by following this link here.  

- Tim

www.TimothyBellFitness.com  

Get The Body And Life You Deserve 

Online Personal Training with Timothy Bell.

Get the results you want, with coaching from Timothy Bell.

Unpopular Opinion: Why I'm Not A Big Fan Of Olympic Lifting

Olympic lifting is popular, and that's an understatement. Everywhere you look at the moment, it seems like everyone from athletes to grandparents are incorporating it into their training. It looks cool, it's got a ton of hype behind it, and coaches everywhere love to discuss the benefits of this training style. 

But ... I'm not a big fan of Olympic lifting. 

In fact, I would go as far as to say that I don't think it's smart or necessary for the "everyday person" to be training using Olympic lifting. 

Now, before you shit down my throat, I did title this piece as an "unpopular opinion". It's my opinion, I understand that it's not one shared by the mainstream fitness community, and I know it's going to make more than a few people a little bit ... butt hurt. 

Before I jump into the reasons why I don't really like Olympic lifting as a form of fitness for the general public, know this. I am not saying that you should stop Olympic lifting if you enjoy it. I'm not saying that no one should do Olympic lifting. I'm not saying that it's not impressive or bad ass. What I will do is bring up some of my thoughts on this training style and why I'm not into it, and maybe they'll be some things you haven't thought to consider. 

Olympic Lifting is a sport, one that's not designed for everyone. 

 Olympic lifting, like every single sport, is more suited towards a certain body type. In fact, in many countries Olympic Lifters begin their training when they're children - after they've been inspected by coaches to see if they have the body type suitable for the sport. 

 Coaches will look for kids with stocky builds - broad torso, short limbs, and not very tall. They must also possess a decent amount of mobility through the shoulders, ankles, knees, hips, and thoracic spine. These attributes are suited towards being successful in Olympic lifting. 

 Not everyone is built to perform Olympic lifting, and that's ok. It's a sport after all, and one that's technically demanding, highly physical, and dangerous. 

Olympic lifting is a high risk training style.

Olympic lifting is a sport. Sports are exciting because they're crazy displays of unusual athleticism. All sports have a certain amount of risk and danger involved, some have more than others - Olympic lifting is no exception to this rule. 

If you're an Olympic Lifter, one who competes, I'm sure you're aware of the dangers involved in your sport - and you've come to terms with the fact that you could easily injure yourself while performing your chosen sport. That's ok, it's a the natural risk you take as an athlete looking to be the best in your chosen sport. 

 However, if you're a regular person (like 95% of the population) who doesn't get paid as a professional athlete - you should be using the safest training methods possible. Your training should be low risk and high reward. This means using exercises that mimic daily movements, are easy to learn, easy to progress or regress, and are not highly technical. 

 Olympic lifts are highly technical, not suited for everybody type, and require special coaching. It also involves literally throwing weight over your head and dropping yourself underneath that weight while fully squatted and arms extended fully overhead. I hopefully don't have to go into detail about how that could go wrong and how there's a high degree of risk for injury involved there. 

But Olympic lifting trains the hinge & athletic position?

Ok, yeah Olympic lifting trains the hinge and the athletic position. But so do tons of other exercises, in much safer, less complex, and more general ways. If you want to train your hinge try any of these exercises ... 

- Deadlifts (barbell, kettelbell, dumbbell, bands, pulleys)

- Swings (dumbbell, kettlebell) 

- Pull throughs (bands, pulleys)

- Standing Hip Thrusters (bands) 

- and more ... 

 All of those are easier to learn, lower risk than Olympic lifting, and most can even be performed from a single leg stance (unilateral) in order to increase their carry over to sports and athletics. There's no reason you have to perform Olympic lifting to train the hinge or athletic position. 

But what about improving explosive power? Sprint speed? Or jump height? 

One of the biggest reasons people train Olympic lifts, is that they're said to improve explosive power, top sprint speed, and jump height. Well, that maybe be true to a degree - I still don't think its a necessary (or smart reason) to be Olympic lifting. 

Yes, Olympic lifts have been shown in tests to help improve jump height, but so did squatting and dead lifting. In fact, the Olympic lifts only were only showed to be marginally (very small) more effective at improving sprint speed and jump height than squatting and dead lifting. The kind of difference that doesn't matter, unless you're a paid athlete looking for a competitive edge. 

When it comes to sprint speed, plenty of exercises have been shown to help improve top sprint speed and they're much safer than Olympic lifting. For example, hip thrusters have been proven more effective than squats at improving top sprint speed by a long shot. The hip thruster also doesn't compress the spine like the squat. It also doesn't involve hucking weight over head and dropping under that loaded bar, like Olympic lifting. Much safer! 

If you're a regular person (by that I mean not a paid athlete) who's looking to perform a training program that improves your explosive power, ask yourself why? What do you need to be more explosive for? And if you do need to be more explosive, do you really feel it's necessary to perform Olympic lifts - lifts that are highly technical and high risk - to get similar results that could be achieved by performing safer and less technical lifts such as squats or dead lifts? 

But I really want to be more explosive, wont Olympic lifts to that for me?

Not exactly. 

We're all born with a certain amount of slow twitch and fast twitch muscle fibres. People with more slow twitch muscle fibres tend to do well in endurance based athletics - think marathon running. Those born with more fast twitch muscle fibres excel in more explosive types of activities - think sprinter. 

Olympic lifting is an explosive sport. People with more fast twitch muscle fibres will perform better in this sport than those with more slow twitch fibres. Through training, both types of people can become more explosive. However, the person with more fast twitch muscle fibres will always be, due to genetics, more explosive than the person who was born with more slow twitch muscle fibres. 

No amount of training can increase your fast twitch muscle fibres. 

Also, as I had already stated above, you can train your explosive power in a safer manner, with similar results that would be achieved with Olympic lifting, by using traditional lifts such as dead lifts, squats, hip thrusters, or kettlebell swings. 

What do I mean by all of this?

Basically, what I'm saying is this. 

Benefits from Olympic lifting can be produced through safer, less complex, and more general training/exercises. Every form of training has risk involved, but the risk is much higher with Olympic lifts than more basic forms of exercise. There are also no real studies that prove beyond any doubt that Olympic lifting improves over all athleticism. There's nothing that proves it can make you become a better athlete in any sport - other than Olympic lifting. It won't turn you into a super athlete, it's not meant for every body type, and in my opinion - it's not the smartest method of training for the general public. The only real reason anyone needs to be training using Olympic lifting - is if you want to compete in Olympic lifting. 

BUT!

I'm not your mom, I can't tell you what to do. 

If you enjoy Olympic lifting, go ahead and continue doing it - please be sure to have the best coaching possible. 

- Tim 

www.TimothyBellFitness.com 

Get The Body & Life You Deserve 

Online Training With Timothy Bell 

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through online personal training and program design.

How To Get A Killer Workout When You Only Have A Park Bench

 

 I'm sure you already know that I'm big on being able to take your training anywhere, regardless of your access to equipment. In my latest article for "Whole Life Challenge" I teach you a bunch of exercises, beginner and advanced, that you can perform using only a park bench. Oh yeah, I include a workout you can do as well. Take a look here (if you click this link you can read about it).

- Tim 

www.TimothyBellFitness.com 

Online Personal Training 

Get the body and life you deserve, with a minimalist

program, and Tim as your coach. 

Selfish-Unselfishness: Quit Letting Yourself Down

 We'll often do more for others, than we would ever do for ourselves. Well, most people anyways. When a friend, loved one, or family member needs something from us, when they need our help to get it done, or when they're counting on us to follow through on a commitment - we get it done. 

 Why? Because they need us, and we don't want to let them down. 

 We love them. We don't want to fail them. Even if what they need doesn't directly improve your life, or it's a mild inconvenience for you that day, you still get it done - for them. 

 Yet, when it comes to us - we let ourselves down constantly. 

How many times have you made a commitment to start eating better, lose weight, quit drinking, quit smoking, save money, leave a terrible relationship, or whatever else it may be ... only to give up and go right back to your old ways? 

 For most people, this happens time and time again; too many times to count. It can happen with large promises from time to time, or small commitments on a daily basis. Either way, we let ourselves down constantly. 

You don't often break promises to others, you follow through on your commitments for them. So why do you always break the ones you make to yourself? Why do you always let yourself down? Don't you love yourself? Aren't you deserving of your own commitment? 

Stop. 

Stop letting yourself down. Become selfish, in that respect. 

Follow through on the promises you make to yourself. When temptations arise, and they will, remind yourself that you can't let yourself down. Say it out loud or in your head, announce it, "I can't let myself down". 

Every single time you don't give into temptation, every time you follow through on you promise to yourself, you become stronger from the inside out. By following through with your promise to yourself, by being "selfish", you'll build a stronger, better, character. 

 By building a stronger character you'll harden your "armor",  your resolve. In turn, your willingness to do more for yourself, to be stronger for yourself, and to serve yourself in a more faithful manner, will translate into being able to do more for the ones you love. 

 Think about it. How much were you willing to do, and capable of doing, for the ones you loved previously; before you built the strength to follow through on promises to yourself. 

 You were already willing to do more for others than you would ever do for yourself, but now - you'll go that extra mile for yourself.  Think about how that translates into how far you'll go for the ones you love, now that you're stronger for yourself.

 Your ability to help others, your willingness to go the extra mile for them, to put them first, will increase by ten fold. 

 This is the idea of being selfishly-unselfish. 

- Tim 

www.TimothyBellFitness.com 

Motivation Won't Get You Fit

Motivation is what gets you started, but it won't be what gets you the results you're seeking - discipline will. 

- Tim 

www.TimothyBellFitness.com 

Online Personal Training

Get the body and life you deserve with

Tim as your coach, anywhere in the world

The Table Top

The table top is a great exercise for helping to reduce the effects of sitting all day. It helps open tight chest, shoulders, and hip flexors - while at the same time strengthening the glutes and scapula. It can be held for time as a static contraction, but you can also perform it for reps (much like the hip thruster) for a more dynamic exercise.

Static Contraction Workout: 

 - Perform each exercise, back to back, without rest

 - Hold each for 1 min (30 seconds per side for bird dog & side plank)

 - If you can't hold for the full 1 min, come down and rest for a second, then continue to hold until the time is up. 

 - Once you've completed the circuit, rest for 1-2 mins, repeat again 1-2 more times depending on your fitness level. 

- Bird Dog

- Plank

- Table Top 

- Side Plank

Try it out, enjoy, and let me know how it goes!

- Tim 

www.TimothyBellFitness.com 

Online Training With Timothy Bell 

Get the body and life you deserve, with Tim as your coach, 

and your own minimalist training regimen.

Build A Sustainable Diet With The "3 Day Method"

 

 When it comes to training, it's never the workouts that are difficult for people. I don't mean that the workouts aren't difficult, challenging, or even exhausting - what I mean is it's not hard for most people to dedicate their time to working out.  

 When people hire a coach, they set the dates for working out and they show up. It's rare that I have a client that cancels regularly. Yeah, people like to "complain" about how you kicked their butt, made them sore, and made walking up and down steps the next day their worse enemy - but really, they don't mind. 

 They knew what they were getting into when they signed up for one on one coaching. They knew it would involve setting times to workout. They knew they would be challenged. They knew they were going to be sore. In fact, if they're not feeling challenged, sore, and like they've worked out - then they'll question the effectiveness of their training.

 Nope, the training is almost never the hard part for people. When people come to me for training (or any other coach) they're prepared to workout. But, they're not always prepared to overhaul their nutrition. 

90% of new trainee's have serious hang ups about their food. 

 Ok, I know 90% may seem like a high number - but I'm not kidding. Shit, it might even be more along the lines of 95% in my experience. It doesn't matter what the percentage is, the bottom line is that almost everyone has trouble when it comes to changing how they eat. Excuses are common, and my answers are to the point. 

Excuse:

They think they're eating alright, they think they don't need to change their diet. 

Answer:

They're not. If they were eating alright, then you wouldn't be overweight. 

Excuse:

They think if they cut out excess grains, dairy, and starches that they'll be left with nothing to eat.

Answer: 

They won't, they just need to learn how to not eat like a rabbit on their new diet. There's plenty of websites, blogs, and books full of ideas. 

Excuse:

They travel a lot for work or during they day, there for they can't get to healthy food.

Answer: 

Bull shit. Healthy food is everywhere - they're just being lazy & not planning. Eating well, on the go, requires a little planning. Pack food, make trail mixes, remember restaurants with options you can eat. 

Excuse:

They don't want to give up their daily muffin, bag of chips, or bottle of coke.

Answer:

Grow up. Treats are earned. They need to eat like an adult and take responsibility for what they're putting in their mouth if they want to change their body. 

 I don't have time for excuses. But I do have time for actual problems. I want to talk about the number one problem new clients run into when dealing with their nutrition. What is it? 

The #1 problem new trainees face with their nutrition is over commitment, leading to binge eating, then quitting their diet all together. 

This is all too common. They pay for training, show up to the workouts, get their nutrition plan and dive in fully! They go out, buy all the right food, read all the blogs, try all the recipes, and start losing weight. But something happens ... 

 They spent 1-2 weeks (or more) eating clean, but they start missing the food that doesn't fit into their new diet guidelines. They try to fight the urge to "cheat" on their diet - and they're successful for a while. 

 But eventually they cave and binge on junk food for 2-3 days. When it's all done, they feel like shit and they're often left feeling like this new diet isn't going to work. They don't feel like it's sustainable. Then they end up quitting all together - now this diet is just another that didn't work for them. It's another one to add to the list when they tell friends "they've tried everything" to lose weight and nothing works. 

But they're wrong. 

The diet does work - they're approach was too "gung ho" for a beginner. 

The key to developing a way of eating, that lasts for life, is to create habits. Habits are built over time, slowly. This is where I like to introduce new clients to my "3 Day Method" when they're changing their nutrition. 

The "3 Day Method" For Building Sustainable Eating Habits 

The "3 Day Method" is easy to follow, designed to build lasting habits, and it's flexible for individuals. Here's how the "3 Day Method" works ... 

- Each phase lasts 2 to 4 weeks (depends on the individual). Each person will become comfortable eating within their dietary guidelines at a different rate. When you become comfortable with the first phase, you'll move onto the second phase. When you become comfortable with the second phase, you'll move onto the third phase. 

- It doesn't matter what your cheat meal is - just let it be something you enjoy. 

First phase: 

- You'll eat within your dietary guidelines 100% for 3 days straight. NO CHEATING. 

- The 4th day you can eat a meal that doesn't fit into your guidelines. 

- Keep eating in this pattern

Second phase: 

- You'll eat within your dietary guidelines for 4 days straight. 

- The 5th day you can eat a cheat meal that doesn't fit into your dietary guidelines. 

- Keep eating in this pattern

Third phase: 

- You'll eat within your dietary guidelines for 5 days straight.

- The 6th day you can eat a cheat meal that doesn't fit into your dietary guidelines.

- Keep eating in this pattern.

 That's it! It's easy to follow and gives you time to build up to eating clean for longer stretches of time. The "3 Day Method" is great for improving your eating habits while avoiding burn out. This way you'll do away with binge eating and finally have a diet that works for you. 

 - Tim 

www.TimothyBellFitness.com 

Online Personal Training

Get the body and life you deserve 

with Tim as your coach.

Quick Thoughts: Chin Up Bars - They're Everywhere

 The common excuse, "I couldn't do the chin ups because I don't have a chin up bar", it's something I hear all the time when programming chin ups for clients. 

 Really? You couldn't find a chin up bar? 

 Buying a door way chin up bar costs around $30, it's not crazy expensive. Buying a set of gymnastics rings is around $30-$50, also not going to break the bank. But I get it, maybe the budget just didn't allow for you to buy one this week, or this month. That's ok ... but don't tell me you couldn't find a chin up bar. 

 They're literally all around you! 

 Here's a list of things I've used as a chin up bar - you can use them too ... 

- Soccer nets

- Tree branches

- Jungle gyms 

- Street light polls

- Door frames 

- Elevator door frames

- Bathroom stalls 

- Wall ledges 

- Open doors (with a wedge shoved under the door to prevent it from ripping off the wall) 

- and more 

 Get out there and get training your chin ups and pull ups. Minimalist training allows you to make use of everyday objects in order to enhance your training, as long as you open your mind. 

- Tim 

www.TimothyBellFitness.com 

Online Personal Training 

Get results, get Timothy as your coach. 

The body and life you deserve with a minimalist training program. 

The Iron Cobra - How To Prone Cobra Without The Pain

 The prone cobra, or locust pose, is a favourite of most yogi's and fitness professionals when they're developing a clients core strength. The only thing is, depending on the person, it may be causing more harm than good. 

 With the traditional prone cobra, there's a large amount of stress put on the lumbar spine (lower spine) due to most people hinging from that area during the movement. This may cause pain for those with existing back pain or even those without pain. 

 Many people have issues when they hyper extend through the spine, this is why I hardly ever program the prone cobra for clients. However, I do prescribe what I like to call the "Iron Cobra". 

The Iron Cobra focuses on the thoracic spine (mid back) and flattens the lower back avoiding the stress that's placed on it from the prone cobra. The thoracic musculature is an area I find lacking in many clients. 

 This usually shows up in the form of bad posture - rounded shoulders & hunching of the mid back. The Iron Cobra helps develop the strength of those dormant thoracic muscles, improves your posture, and it avoids hyper extension.  

Watch the YouTube video to learn how to perform the Iron Cobra. 

- Tim 

www.TimothyBellFitness.com 

Train With Timothy Bell Anywhere In The World 

Online Personal Training with Timothy Bell. 

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The #1 Biggest Fitness Mistake!

 What's the biggest fitness mistake I see most people making? Is it isolating their muscles instead of training the whole body? Could it be not warming up correctly? How about outdated and dangerous exercises like crunches? The truth is, while these are all big problems, I wouldn't classify them as the biggest fundamental problem I see with most fitness programs. The biggest mistake the average person makes with their fitness routine is ...

 They don't make it portable!

 The BIGGEST excuse for not working out sounds something like "I didn't have access to a gym" or "I was stuck in a hotel all weekend and it didn't have weights". They might not be these exact excuses, but I'm sure you get the point - In order for the average person to be successful with their fitness program, it must be portable!

 The struggle for most people is finding a way to fit their training into their life. If you're always on the go (traveling, family, social obligations) it can be tough to make it to the gym. You might miss a workout here and there, eventually that turns into a week of missed workouts. Before you know it you haven't been to the gym in months and eventually you just stop going.  How often do we have friends who have been in that exact situation? How often has that friend been you? It's ok, it happens! But you need to learn from the mistake. You need to make your fitness program fit into your life in order to make sure that never happens again!

If you're program is based around minimal/portable equipment & bodyweight workouts you'll have your "gym" with you anywhere you go! You can literally fit everything you need, to get a great workout, into a small bag and take it with you anywhere you go. Get yourself a suspension trainer, lacrosse ball, and a few resistance bands. That's all you need!  If you have a knowledge of bodyweight training and some resistance bands, you can literally get a world class training session done anywhere in the world. It's that simple!

Exercises like joint mobility, hip thrusters, push ups, squats, rows, chin ups, and hinges can all be done with little to no equipment. They're also easily regressed or progressed to fit the needs of any trainee. They can be paired to help develop strength or used to improve conditioning, and they can performed anywhere at anytime. There's simply no excuse for missing your workouts due to traveling or lack of access to a traditional gym.

 You should never allow yourself to become dependent on the gym or a set of weights. In order to ensure life long fitness, you must free yourself from those self imposed "shackles" and take responsibility for your fitness. If you're always married to the idea that you need a set of weights or a gym, then you're placing limitations on your fitness. You're creating a road block that doesn't need to be there. Learning how to train on the go and how to workout in less than ideal settings is a must for everyone. When it comes to fitness, long term consistency trumps short term intensity. Being able train anywhere with little to no equipment will be key to your consistency and success.

- Tim

www.TimothyBellFitness.com  

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Anytime, Anywhere: 4 Minimalist Hinge Exercises

 My latest article for BreakingMuscle.com is up and it's all about the hinge! I love bodyweight training, but there's one problem with it - there's no great way to train the hinge. In this article I will detail 4 ways you can effectively train your hinge with just a few resistance bands! Click here to read my latest article! 

- Tim 

www.TimothyBellFitness.com 

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Best Bodyweight Exercise You're Not Doing!

 I'm often asked about lower body exercises to use in a minimalist/bodyweight training program. Most people have an idea of basic squats and lunges, they may even have an idea of a few progressions to make each of those harder or easier ... but that's about it! While squats and lunges are a great place to start, and they do have their place, they're certainly not the only exercises available for building lower body strength on a minimalist training program! One EXCELLENT exercise that you can add to your training program, starting to day, is ...

The Hip Thruster! 

  For a variety of reasons, the hip thruster is an exercise that has become a staple in most of my programs. First off, the hip thruster improves stability and athleticism. 

 The hip thruster helps develop glute strength (specifically glute max) and hip drive. The glutes play an integral roll in all athletics, core strength, as well as stabilizing the hips and lower back! In fact, glute inactivity (glute amnesia) is a common cause of lower back issues for many people! Having strong and functional glutes is a must for anyone, regardless of whether or not you're an athlete or office worker. Along with squats and lunges, the hip thruster is a terrific exercise to do just that! 

 Hip drive is important in just about any athletics, the ability to drive forward and explode from the hips is a must in any sport. The hip thruster can help improve your hip drive, which will translate well to things such as faster sprinting speeds! Hip drive and thrust is also important at home ... in the bedroom ... with your partner. If you catch my drift! 

  The hip thruster is an excellent functional movement, but in terms of aesthetics, it's also fantastic for developing a great looking butt! I say it all the time, the beautiful looking body is a by product of your functional fitness and diet. There's no need to put aesthetics over function. Functional movements will help provide you with the aesthetics you desire, along with the ability to move well during everyday life or athletics! The hip thruster is a great example of this. 

How To Hip Thrust

 Finding a set up to hip thrust isn't hard, you can do it just about anywhere! This is just another reason I enjoy it. In the video I'm using my living room couch, but you can use anything from chairs, gym benches, park benches, picnic tables, or even tree stumps/logs to lay your upper back across. The possibilities  are endless, be creative and you'll find something to use. 

 Tips When setting up the hip thruster ... 

- The bench rests just under your shoulder blades

- Weight is placed through the heels (not the toes)

- Keep the knees from caving inward

- Neck remains neutral throughout the movement, don't tuck your chin at the top

- Glutes should remain tense throughout the movement. Think of them pulling you down and pressing you upward.

-  The glutes should be squeezed hard at the top of the movement

- Your shins should run vertical at the top of the movement, not on an angle. 

In the  video below I demonstrate (along with my assistant) 3 hip thruster variations. They're placed in order of difficulty, the easiest comes first. If  the first one is too difficult for you I suggest getting comfortable with glute bridges first and then move onto hip thrusters. Now, take a look at the video and get those hip thrusters into your bodyweight training program! 

- Tim 

www.TimothyBellFitness.com 

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Beach Body Coach Bull Shit!

  If you're easily offended by strong language, DON'T watch this video. This is how I feel about "Beach Body Coaches" and other salesmen who market themselves as fitness experts.  Enjoy!

- Tim

www.TimothyBellFitness.com 

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Moving Meditation Through Fitness

 The benefits of regular mediation have been talked about for centuries. A regular practice can help reduce stress/anxiety, improve mental clarity/focus, and maintain cognitive function into later years. It's no secret that some form of meditation would be a great addition to most people's daily routine! Lucky for you, there's no shortage of methods to choose from. You only need to do some research or take a class, practice it often, and see if it's right for you. Simple, easy, and in most cases won't break the bank! 

 Meditation can come in many forms and styles. Popular ones include guided meditation, mindful meditation (popularized by Shaolin Monks), and transcendental mediation (popularized by Hindu Yogi's). Most of these methods involve sitting, kneeling, or laying down in a calm space of your choosing. Their focus can range from channeling your attention on one word/phrase, simply observing your thoughts as they pass though your mind, or even clearing the mind. Not every method of mediation is right for everyone, the one that works for you will be unique to your personality type. 

 That being said, these calm methods of meditation don't always jive with every ones personality.  

 Yes, it takes practice to learn how to sit still and adapt to your meditation practice. It would be worth giving a calm practice a try for a while before you decide if working or not. But what if you've been trying for a while and it's just- not- working? Don't worry, there's another way to get that meditation done without sitting still. 

Moving Meditation 

 The mind and the body are "one", in my opinion for them to function at a high level they must be trained together. This is why I often opt for moving forms of meditation in my daily life instead of tradition calm methods. We've all felt the calm/high state felt after a quality workout, it's almost zen like, and people have known about this forever! This isn't a new phenomenon, we can see many examples of this "moving meditation" throughout history. 

 Shaolin Warrior Monks have practiced this for centuries through Qi Gong. Their practice of Qi Gong allowed them to connect their breath, mind, and movement together in one action; improving the well being physical body as well as their mind. Samurai would train with laser focus on improving sword techniques, hand to hand combat, and even art. Their single minded purpose/focus through their physical practice allowed them to reach a high level of zen; even without sitting for hours each week meditating. It's quite obvious that Yoga is a powerful form of moving meditation! Do I even need to go into more detail on that ... I didn't think so! 

                                       

                                          

  Even though they're all fun, you don't need to specifically practice Qi Gong, Kendo, or Yoga to work on moving mediation.  It can be as simple as taking a long walk and simply observing your surroundings, calming the mind, and allowing you to recharge. You can also get a quality moving meditation practice through your own training program! Today I'm going to outline my favourite method of moving meditation, achieved through minimalist training. 

Moving Meditation Workout

 The method I'm about to describe is simple, after all, I'm all about bodyweight and minimalist approach to training! You won't need much equipment, just a pull up bar or a suspension trainer/gymnastics rings and your own bodyweight. The goal during this workout is to not count your reps. You can throw the rep counting out the window! I want you to only focus on your form and your breathing. You need to be mindful about the exercise you're performing, focusing only on that movement at that time. It's a high intensity method that will produce a deep level of muscular fatigue, push your heart rate up, and get you breathing hard. Trust me, it's a great workout that will build that "zen" state we talked about earlier.  Here's how to put it together ...

- Choose a variation for each exercise that you can complete at least 10 reps.

- Perform the exercises back to back, in the order listed, with 15 seconds of rest between exercises

- Perform each exercise at a pace of 4 seconds up and 4 seconds down, with a 1 second pause at the top and bottom of the movement.

- Perform as many reps as you can possibly complete with perfect form, at the tempo described!

- Once the form as broken down, or you can no longer move at the temp described, move onto the next exercise.

- Once you completed all the exercises, rest for 1-2 mins and repeat the whole "circuit" again 1-2 more times depending on your fitness level. 

1.) Bodyweight Row or Chin Up/Pull Up variation 

2.) Push Up variation 

3.) Squat variation

 Give this a try and I'm sure you'll find it produces a great calming effect, not only for the body but also the mind. 

- Tim 

www.TimothyBellFitness.com 

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