PRODUCTS
Here are various fitness products I recommend, from equipment (my favorite, kettlebells of course!) to DVDs to a variety of books that, while not directly related to fitness, help you understand how the body and the mind work together or against one another when under stress. Also, if you read my newsletters and like my time management tips, I've included some books that can help you get better organized.
Just click on your choice item to be taken to the affiliate site to place your secure order.
FREE! Mini-Workout Videos
Books & DVDs
The
Russian Kettlebell Challenge
Xtreme Fitness for Hard Living Comrades
This is what I’m talking about! Get the book or DVD and springboard your fitness to championship level! Great way to get ready for the grueling certification workshop weekend, or simply fantastic way to stay in shape using the best portable gym around!
The
Naked Warrior
Master the Secrets of the Super-Strong-Using Bodyweight Exercises Only
No gym membership, no trainer, no kettlebell(s)? No problem! Build a body cast in iron, yet supple like a cheetah. This is a very comprehensive guide to using your body as your gym, but it goes beyond push-ups and crunches and actually teaches you creative ways to really push to the next level, not through grinding out more reps, but through better movements. Available on DVD also if you prefer to follow along.
The
Purposeful Primitive
From Fat and Flaccid to Lean and Powerful
Marty Gallagher is one of those guys who, when he talks, pros like Pavel Tsatsouline listen! Build tenacity and ferocity into your training. Don’t just lollygag and push Barbie bells around. This book is geared towards Powerlifting, but doesn’t discount its benefits for all ages in terms of toning, fat loss and improved movement. Marty even outlines some basic routines that he successfully applied with elderly folks, and his various essays and rants (especially against the TV “trainers”) are a pleasure to read. (Plus, he’s an amazing writer!)
Super
Joints-DVD
Russian longevity Secrets for Pain-Free Movement, Maximum Strength &
Flexible Strength
Also available in a book (less expensive, but I prefer a more guided and visual approach without having to go back and forth with a book), Super Joints teaches you that you can be built like an armoire but not as stiff as one. Don’t let your lack of flexibility ruin your life (and make it worse over time). With age, things don’t get better!
John
Du Cane’s Qigong Recharge
A Daily Practice to Release, Relax and Rejuvenate
On our 3rd day of the übertough RKC weekend, John Du Cane took us through a recharge that loosened us up, relaxed our mind and body, and gave us the energy we needed to finish the last day of evaluations, testing, teaching, and especially the big finale with the Grad Workout. You can follow this guide and start your morning with it, end with it on a stressful day, or use it any time you need a non-caffeinated pick-up!
The Gift of Fear
Gavin De Becker is a surveillance expert whose life could have gone the wrong way after a traumatic event in his childhood. Instead, he developed some of the most sophisticated software surveillance programs, has protected countless celebrities against stalkers, and provides the most useful tools on how to handle urban predators. He’s learned how to not waste his primal survival instinct on silly worries, and to channel that gift. A fascinating read, I’ve recommended it to friends in fitness, law enforcement, advertising and more with success!
Deep Survival
How does a 4-year old survive in the wilderness, but a knowledgeable, educated adult die within days? What commonly established practices end up being the cause for climbing deaths every year, when common sense gets replaced by peer pressure? Do you have the chops to stay alive? Find out in this exhilarating analysis and real life series of examples written by journalist Laurence Gonzales. I personally would pair this book with “The Biology of Belief” for a more thorough understanding of the “fight or flight or freeze” syndrome that’s responsible for our existence.
TNT diet
More than a diet, this book has redefined my lifestyle in how I eat, improving both my understanding of proper eating patterns and how our body functions. It also provides many very tasty recipes. Skip the workouts though, and follow a more efficient program with kettlebells or something non-bodybuilding related!
Dr. Nicholas Romanov’s Pose Method of Running
Our body has all the tools, joints and abilities we ever need, which is why this book will teach you that through natural, barefoot running, you can minimize injuries, improve your time, decrease fatigue and most of all, develop the skill of running, something we have neglected in favor or expensive, cushy shoes that have only caused MORE injuries over the years because of making us crash land on our heels and jam our knees. (You try running barefoot right now and I guarantee your heel will NOT touch the ground!)
The Alchemist
If you haven’t heard of Paolo Coelho’s timeless masterpiece, then you need to pick this up right now! Ask why later, and buy a few more copies to give out to friends! This is THE quintessential book about finding your purpose in life and keeping that fire inside you burning instead of settling for less than you deserve!
Way of the Peaceful Warrior
This book inspired me when I was in college and most likely set the course for my life until now. Written as a novel, it combines fictional and actual events, revolving around the life of a college gymnast on his way to the Olympics who meets an unlikely mentor nicknamed Socrates. It will move you, entertain you, motivate you, and allow you to look at life more positively without overwhelming you with lofty concepts or cheesy platitudes.
The Book of Five Rings
Not another Tolkien novel, but a strategy book! Miyamoto Musashi was the greatest samurai that ever lived. He was so good with his swords that he even won battles using only his bokken (training wooden katana). He retired at a young age and wrote this book that has been translated into many languages and applied by the military and corporations alike. Swift thinking, code of conduct and ethics, I live my life through his 9 principles. Readers might find similarities to Sun Tzu’s “Art of War,” in a more succinct form. You can open a page, pick a paragraph, and find a lesson any time you need a different perspective on something!
The Biology of Belief
This is a great book combining easy to understand scientific facts with philosophical essays about how our mind works, what’s engrained in our subconscious, and how we can course correct our shortcomings. Great to read with “Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies and Why.”
The Paleo Diet
We as humans are still the same beings we were when we hunted and gathered. What changed but our environment? We have not adapted, only deteriorated. Get back to your roots, avoid Metabolic Syndrome X (cancer, diabetes, obesity) and eat like a caveman/woman. (It’s OK, you can grill and wear designer clothes still!)
Pose Method of Triathlon Techniques
The follow-up book to The Pose Method of Running, this is a veritable bible for natural and efficient movement patterns geared towards running, swimming and cycling. Complete with stretching drills, conditioning drills and more, you’ll find applications for all your other sports activities.
Who Moved My Cheese?
A one-hour read that you can re-read to discover new things about your approach to life and how you handle challenges! Great for kids too, as it relates the story of 4 individuals living in a maze — two mice and two little people. Do you hem and haw in life, or do you sniff and scurry? Read to find out!
The 4-Hour Workweek
This book revolutionized the way I manage my time! Who doesn’t want more time to play while getting more streamlined and efficient at work? This is an easy and fun read. The sooner you read it, the more time you’ll carve out for yourself!
