"The Underground Guide to Warrior Fitness" by Ross Enamait

• You do not need expensive equipment or contraptions to enhance your fitness.
• A warrior is a man engaged in or experienced in warfare; a person engaged in some struggle or conflict.
• Human beings in general dislike hard work.
• A warrior does not cry or moan when things do not go his way. Rather, he goes back to work, trains with greater intensity, and refuses to accept anything but the best.
• The world of fitness does not involve miracles. Only through a dedicated, consistent effort can you truly achieve peak fitness levels.
• You must train diligently with discipline and consistency.
• There is no reason to accept anything but the best … your best. Never settle for less than the best, no matter what it is you do.
• The warrior is always resourceful, he finds time to train.
• No one is too old to exercise.
• Exercise affects the body, mind and soul. It starts on the inside, you feel better, then the outside, you look better, and finally the mind, you are able to think better.
• Your body is all the equipment you need.
• Fitness is a lifestyle, not something you do for a few weeks before summer.
• The Warrior’s Creed
• I will train with the utmost intensity, dedication, and desire.
• I will turn obstacles into opportunities to demonstrate my power and strength.
• No feat is beyond my reach, I will write my own destiny.
• The hell with genetics, I will determine my physical prowess and strength.
• I am an action taker not an action faker.
• I am a leader not a follower.
• There are no magic pills. My strength and power originate from my intensity and devotion.
• There are no shortcuts to the top. The warrior’s journey is never ending. I will surge forward, improving myself each day.
• I will rise to the top, overcome all obstacles, and destroy my enemies.
• Excuses are weak, warriors are strong. I am a warrior.
• Regardless of your fitness objectives, it is important to continually advance and modify your training program.
• Failure to modify your workouts will limit your improvements.
• Power is the functional application of speed and strength. It is one of the key components to athletic performance.
• You must train your body in a functional manner if you seek functional results.
• As a warrior you must train your entire body.
• The mind is a powerful tool that you must use to your advantage.
• As warriors, we must combat our negative surroundings and influences. We must live with confidence, in a positive manner.
• The only way to become successful is to be successful in our minds first. We must think and believe success.
• Whether or not you are successful in life will be determined by the decisions you make as an individual.
• Always remember that nothing worth having is easy to attain.
• The warrior’s path is one full of pain and mental challenges.
• Be ready for struggles, they are inevitable.
• Keep your composure and be resourceful.
• Physical strength will only go so far if you do not have the mental capacity to go along with it.
• Your only limitations are those that you impose on yourself.
• The warrior is assertive, never passive. Believe in yourself and take what is rightfully yours.
• You must continually push yourself to new levels.
• There is no substitute for hard work. Train hard and good things will happen.
• Patience is a virtue and necessary component of the warrior’s mind.
• There are no shortcuts on the road of fitness.
• Set goals for yourself.
• You must set goals that can be measured and tracked.
• Develop short-term goals that will gradually carry you forward to your ultimate long-term goal.
• Do not allow your conscious and subconscious mind to convince you or your inability to succeed.
• You must affirm your ability to succeed and your willingness to work hard.
• Mental rehearsal is one of the most powerful tools you can deploy to overcome failure and pressure on your road to greatness.
• Do not underestimate the power of the mind.
• You will often learn more from one loss than you will from all your victories together.
• When you perform several hundred repetitions of bodyweight exercises, you improve strength, endurance, and of course mind power.
• The legs are perhaps the most important functional muscle group in your body.
• Squats are the most effective overall strength exercise.
• Squats provide unparalleled functional strength for all athletic events.
• When performed properly, squats can actually help to rehabilitate an injured knee.
• Chains are links of body parts such as the foot, ankle, and knee. In a closed chain exercise, the “chain” is fixed. During an open chain exercise, the end of the chain is free.
• Closed chain exercises tend to stabilze your joints, such as your knee during the upright stance of squats. Closed chains involve more muscles and joints than open chains. These exercises lead to better coordination and overall stability around each structure.
• Most injuries are the result of improper execution.
• The bodyweight squat is one of the best exercises that you will ever perform.
• Bodyweight squat (aka “Hindu Squat”):
• Assume a stance with your feet shoulder-width apart (or slightly wider) and toes pointing forward.
• Lower your butt down (flat footed) as you maintain an upright posture.
• Simultaneously lift your heels from the ground as your butt becomes parallel with the floor.
• Drive off of your toes to rise back to an upright position.
• As a warrior you should be able to perform 500 consecutive bodyweight squats.
• Bodyweight squats should be conducted at a fairly brisk pace.
• You should lower yourself as far as you can when performing the bodyweight squat.
• The one-legged squat is an amazing exercise to develop powerful, functional legs.
• Rep for rep, the one-legged squat is one of the most difficult bodyweight exercises.
• I would not attempt this exercise [one-legged squat] until you can comfortably perform at least 200 bodyweight squats.
• One-legged squat:
• Flex your grounded leg and knee and prepare to lower yourself slowly towards the floor.
• Lean slightly forward as you go down.
• Maintain a tight abdomen as you approach the ground.
• Keep your non-working leg as straight as possible.
• Go down as low as possible without touching your non-working leg to the ground.
• User your arms to balance you throughtout the movement.
• Hold yourself in the bottom position for a second before thrusting your body upwards.
• The one-legged squat will provide tremendous benefits to any combat athlete.
• The warrior should be able to complete 15 one-legged squats per leg.
• Lunges are a staple in the warrior’s training plan.
• Alternating lunges:
• Stand with your feet shoulder width apart with hands by your sides.
• Keep your body upright with your head in line with your spine.
• Step forward with your right foot. Plant your right foot firmly as you lunge forward.
• Your right thigh will become parallel with the ground. Do not allow your right knee to extend over your right foot.
• Your left leg will be extended with the knee slightly bent and your heel raised.
• Step back with your right foot, pressing your left heel back to the ground.
• Repeat this movement with your left foot and continue to alternate.
• Lunges are an excellent exercise.
• You should be able to comfortably perform 100 repetitions [alternating lunges].
• You can add explosiveness to the lunge by incorporating a jump into the movement.
• Squat jumps are excellent to develop explosive power throughout the legs.
• Burpees
• Begin in a squat position with hands on the floor in front of you.
• Kick your feet back to a pushup position.
• Immediately return your feet to the squat position.
• Leap up as high as possible from the squat position.
• Repeat, moving as fast as possible.
• This [burpees] is one of the best conditioning exercises available.
• You must conduct strength training and explosive training if you wish to maximize your performance and condition.
• Plyometrics consist of a variety of exercises that enhance starting speed, acceleration, and of course power. By strengthing the nervous system, plyometrics teach the body to react quickly and explosively.
• Plyometrics training emphasizes quality not quantity.
• The neck is the most neglected are on most combat athletes.
• Neck strength is paramount to prevent a knockout.
• A knockout is caused by the acceleration of the brain followin a punch or kick. You are knocked out when your head snaps back at a speed the accelerates your brain to fast.
• The wrestler’s bridge is one of the most effective neck strengthening exercises.
• Continuous improvement is a very important concept that is practiced by very few.
• Real warriors improve each day, each week, each month, and each year.
• The divebomber pushup is one of the best bodyweight exercises available.
• It is important to practice bodyweight exercises that target as many muscle groups as possible in a single, coordinated fashion.
• Divebomber pushup
• Begin with your feet wide apart. Your butt will be pointing up with your head looking back towards your feet. Your legs will remain straight throughout this movement.
• You will begin by flaring your elbows out as you lower your head towards the ground. You will flatten yourself out as if you were sliding underneath a bar.
• Finish the movement by diving your head upwards to the ceiling.
• Return to the starting position by reversing the motion.
• The “Hindu” pushup does not invovle the reverse motion from ending to beginning position. Instead, you would return to the starting position by pushing your hips back while maintianing straight arms.
• You should perform finger pushups at least three days per week if you are involved in a punching sport such as boxing or karate.
• Dips are one of the best exercises to build the chest, shoulders, and arms.
• All warriors should be able to perform 100 consecutive pushups.
• One of the easiest ways to spot a warrior is to see him hanging from a chin-up bar.
• Chin-ups and pull-ups separate the men from the boys.
• All warriors should be able to perform 20 pull-ups.
• The core of the body consists of the abdominal and low back musculature.
• Core training is essential for optimal sports performance and injury prevention.
• The body's core muscles are the foundation for movement.
• If your core is weak, you are weak.
• Many believe that abdominal training will burn fat around the abs by targeting this area. This misconception is often known as spot reducing. It is impossible to spot reduce, meaning to target fat loss in one particular area. Body fat comes off uniformly.
• If you want a six-pack, you need to reduce your body fat.
• V-Ups, Knee Hugs, Chinnies [alternating knee to elbow], and Russian Twists are four of the most effective abdominal exercises available.
• The Plank is a tremendous exercise to develop the abdominal wall.
• The wheel is an excellent exercise tool for the abdominals.
• If you train the same way every day, you will plateau with results coming at a snail’s pace.
• Balance is one of the most important elements of athletic ability.
• The most common balance drill is to stand on one foot while the other is elevated. This basic drill becomes more challenging when you close your eyes.
• Tumbling is a great way to enhance mind and body awareness.
• Stop, Drop, and Roll is an excellent exercise that you should definitely include in your routine.
• Stop, Drop, and Roll
• Begin in a standing postion.
• Drop into a squat position.
• Thrust down to a lying position.
• Roll over onto your back.
• Explode up to your feet. You will be looking in the opposite direction.
• Continue in a back and forth manner.
• Studies have shown that maximum flexibility is attainable within two months of dedicated stretching.
• Flexibility training offers numerous benefits including injury prevention, enhanced athletic performance, improved joint range of motion, and decreased muscle soreness. These are facts that have been proved beyond any reasonable doubt.
• Ballistic stretching involves bobbing or bouncing. It uses the momentum of the moving body to push past the normal range of motion. Ballistic stretching utilizes moving pressure to stretch the target muscles. Ballistic stretching is dangerous and not recommended. You are more susceptible to injury when you conduct ballistic stretching. Leave ballistic stretching alone.
• Dynamic stretching involves moving the muscle through its full range of motion. Dynamic stretching leads to greater flexibility in movement. Dynamic stretching should not be confused with ballistic stretching. To maintain a correct dynamic stretch, focus on smooth, even movements that do not shock the muscle. Dynamic stretching consists of controlled leg and arm swings that take you to the limits (but NOT past) of your range of motion.
• Active stretching is also referred to as static-active stretching. An active stretch is one where you assume a position and then hold it there with no assistance other than using the strength of your agonist muscles.
• Static stretching is a controlled stretch that does not involve motion. It involves holding a position for 15-30 seconds. You stretch to the farthest point and hold. A specific muscle or muscle group is extended to the point right before pain. During static stretching, concentrate on relaxing the target muscles and breathing deeply. Relaxed stretching is also very good for "cooling down" after a workout and helps reduce post-workout muscle fatigue and soreness.
• Isometric stretching is a type of static stretching that incorporates isometric resistance to the stretched muscles. An isometric contraction means that the muscle contracts without changing its length. It is much more effective than static and active stretching alone. Isometric stretching also strengthens the tensed muscles.
• It is important to make the distinction between stretching and warm-up.
• The main purpose of the warm-up is to increase blood circulation to raise general body and deep muscle temperatures. In doing so, you warm your muscles, ligaments and tendons in preparation for more vigorous activity.
• Stretching is NOT warming up. It can (and should) be included in the warm-up but only after the body’s core temperature has been raised.
• Anaerobic training means to conduct an activity without oxygen. Anaerobic events, such as boxing, wrestling, and grappling, require muscles to contract at maximum intensity for short periods of time.
• Combat athletes must train anaerobically.
• Aerobic exercise is classified as low to moderate intensity activities, performed for extended periods of time.
• Heart rate is a valuable gauge to determine workout intensity.
• There are various heart rate zones that provide unique benefits. Each zone is derived as a percentage of your Maximum Heart Rate (MHR).
• The Healthy Heart Zone - 60% to 70% of MHR
• The Aerobic Zone – 70% to 80% of MHR
• The Anaerobic Zone - 80% to 90% of MHR
• The Red Line Zone - 90% to 100% of MHR
• Age predicted MHR: 220 – Age = MHR
• Age predicted MHR Variation (for athletes): 205 – (Age/2) = MHR
• The key to success is a combination of hard work and intelligent training.
• A Warrior must train hard as well as intelligently.
• A slow paced jog has very little carryover to the arena.
• The best way to kick ass and take names is with explosive, anaerobic conditioning drills.
• Interval training is perhaps the best anaerobic conditioning drill ever created.
• Interval running consists of intense bouts of fast running followed by brief recovery periods of either walking or slow jogging.
• Sprint training is a great way to build explosive speed and anaerobic endurance.
• A wind sprint routine consists of sprinting your predetermined distance (for example 100 meters) and then jogging back to the starting line.
• Running hills or stairs is a great way to increase your explosiveness, stamina, and leg strength.
• Whether you are a fighter or not, heavy bag training provides tremendous conditioning benefits. Try throwing non-stop punches to the heavy bag for 1-minute intervals. Stick with straight punches.
• Combat athletes should be able to run one mile in six minutes.
• It is important to allow yourself rest between intense conditioning sessions.
• To be a warrior, you will have to push your body to the extreme when training.
• The overload principle is a training principle that says in order to improve strength and or endurance, you must apply a greater deal of resistance than you are accustomed to.
• There are six primary nutrients that are essential for all warriors. These nutrients are carbohydrates, fats, proteins, minerals, vitamins, and water.
• Carbohydrates provide the most efficient form of energy during exercise. Carbohydrates should comprise 50-70% of your nutritional intake.
• In order to maximize our performance and achieve optimal gains, we must fuel ourselves with complex carbohydrates while avoiding sugar-based forms.
• Carbohydrates dictate the level of sugar in your blood.
• It is important to eat small meals. Smaller meals cause less of a blood sugar response than large meals.
• It is recommended that an athlete eat every three hours.
• Low glycemic index foods should make up the majority of your pre-workout and pre-competition meals.
• Your diet should consist of approximately 30% protein.
• During intense training, you should consume between .7 - .9 grams of protein per pound of body weight.
• Egg whites provide the most complete source of protein. Egg protein contains all of the essential amino acids.
• A warriors objective is lifetime improvement, lifetime success, and a lifetime of kicking ass!
• Fats should comprise approximately 10% of your overall food intake.
• Fat contains 9 calories per gram, while protein and carbohydrates contain only 4 calories per gram.
• Fiber is great for weight loss because it helps you feel “full.”
• It is recommended that you consume around 40 to 50 grams of fiver each day.
• It is almost impossible to meet all of your vitamin requirements through diet alone.
• Water is the most plentiful substance in your body.
• A dehydrated athlete is often a defeated athlete.
• One of the most important steps to getting in shape and burning fat is to eat!
• There are 3500 calories stored in one pound of fat. There are 2500 calories stored in one pound of muscle.
• Do not skip workouts.
• For some reason everyone wants to start on Monday. The heck with Monday! Start your training program today!
• Keep track of your progress.
• Do not worry about what time of the day you train.
• Elite athletes train 7 days per week, 365 days per year. You can exercises every day as long as you do so intelligently.
• The plank is one of the best exercises to develop core strength.
• Aerobic training should be performed 2 to 3 days per week.
• The warrior test
• 500 bodyweight squats
• 100 pushups
• 20 pull-ups
• 15 one-legged squats per leg
• 50 finger pushups
• 15 handstand pushups
• 5-minute plank