Let’s begin…

What are kettlebells?:

Kettlebells are a type of weight that you can use when it comes to exercises in the form of functionality, mobility, stability, hypertrophy, strength training, conditioning all into one.

Benefits:

1. Full body workout

What makes the kettlebell so efficient is that they provide you with a full body workout with just one kettlebell. Yes, you read that correctly, ONE KETTLEBELL. You are able to perform an exercise where more than one muscle group is working at the same time. Very efficient! Some of these movements will involve kettlebell swings, snatches, clean, jerk, Turkish get up, Gorilla rows and the list goes on. The full body workout will be dramatically increasing your strength, mobility, stability, flexibility, movement through longer rangers of motion and to top it all off, endurance. So, if you’re someone that is in a hurry, then kettlebells are perfect for you.

2. Efficiency and Versatility

You can perform workouts with a two kettlebells or even a single kettlebell. This is what makes them so great, they are extremely versatile and it you don’t require an excessive amount of equipment. All you need is a kettlebell (or 2) and some space and you’re good to go. Kettlebell’s do help to simplify things for you as your perform a whole workout session with just 1 or 2 kettlebells, without having to worry too much about the usage of other pieces of equipment and you can just crack on.

3. Strength Development

Now, because you’re moving you’re through different planes and ranges of motion, this will increase your strength and power through these different planes and ranges of motion. Performing various exercises with a medium to heavy kettlebell will increase your overall strength that you could now of dreamed of before. Why? Well, as I previously stated, you’re taking your body through different planes and ROMs (range of motions) that you may have done when exercising, which is crucial for your overall health and overall body strength. Overtime, you will be looking to increase the weight of the kettlebell, to give your body a new stimulus of a heavy weight which it needs to get used to, which is going to increase your strength overtime.

4. Improving Asymmetry

When i refer to different planes, i am referring to the Sagittal Plane, Transverse Plane and Frontal Plane. In the modern day of exercising and using gym equipment, especially when it comes to the compound lifts, they are all (specifically squats, deadlifts and overhead press) moving in the Sagittal Plane. And we seem to forget the two other planes. When it comes to kettlebells, you are able to move through all 3 planes which will increase your overall body strength through these planes as well as improving your asymmetry.

5. Core Strength

Now this one, is my favourite. So pay attention. A lot of people seem to lack core strength especially when it comes to everyday life, the gym, performing activities, the strength of out core seems to be overlooked…massively. But why it that? Well, with the gym rats today, they just want to look big and aesthetic, whilst completely ignoring the functionality of the core and its strength. Not just whether you have a six pack or not. The same goes with everyday life, as our core is an essential part of our strength to be able to rotate, balance, hold a position, movement, bearing a load, our core is vital for our everyday performance. What the kettlebell does is it greatly improves the strength, functionality and stability of our core.

How does it doe this? Well, as i alluded to in tip number 4, the kettlebell will be moved through the 3 different planes, and what this does is it improves our core strength through each of these planes. By performing different kettlebell core focused exercises, as well as other kettlebell movements where our core is involved, you will release the tremendous effects this will have on your core. Some of these exercises include: Kettlebell Swings, Crossbody Kettlebell swings; Kettlebell Pull Throughs; Farmers Walks; Around The Worlds; Suitcase Carries; Halos; Bent-over Rows, honestly the list goes on and there are multiple variations for these. But these are some of my go-to’s.

For people who prioritise weight lifting, you should be performing these kettlebell core exercises to improve your core strength. Now, if you don’t want to perform them because they don’t give you aesthetic abs. That’s just stupid, because you can get aesthetic abs from these movements, but more importantly, the main benefit of them is to improve your core strength. Now if you were to put this into practise, you can train these movements straight after your functional lifts to improve the mind-muscle connection with your core. This will also help with your brace when you are performing your compound lift as it will greatly improve your core strength and stability as you will find it a lot easier to lift and perform with those weights.

Athletes will be training their core on a consistent basis. Why? Because they will be taking their body through different movements and ranges of motion when they are performing in their sport. They need to have the best stability and strength because they may have to quickly change direction, they may get hit from the side, they will have to perform quick manoeuvres, they will have to be able to take a hit full-on. They need all of these and more to be the elite of the elite. There’s a lot of training which you don’t see them do, and kettlebell core strength and stability is one of them which has enabled them to reach the heights they have reached.

6. Focus on Functional Movement/Functionality:

What is functional movement? Well, to put it into simple terms, they are movements that we perform in our everyday lives. How do kettlebells improve our functionality? We know that functionality is things that we commonly do in our everyday lives such as picking up objects, squatting/bending over, rotations etc. and with kettlebell training, it enables us to be able to more through these movements that we so commonly do. This will in-turn improve our strength and most importantly our coordination. Performing KB swings, KB lunges, KB squats, Gorilla rows, Farmer walks and suitcase carries, Cross Body KB Swings and so much more.

To an extent, a majority (if not, then all) movements you perform in the gym on the equipment available to you, will be functional to an extent. But not all of the movements you may perform, you will not perform on a daily basis. Furthermore, they do not go through the whole range of motion, ad as i alluded to previously, they seem to only mainly move through the Sagittal Plane, which can cause asymmetry.

So the functionality of kettlebell training is something that cannot be ignored and you should be utilising it to its greatest affect.

7. Better Cardiovascular Fitness - Increase in Body Fat Loss

Another key aspect of kettlebell training is that it will greatly improve your cardiovascular fitness, which leads to an increase in the loss of body fat. Some of the exercises that you will perform with kettlebells will increase your heart rate, which overtime will improve your cardiovascular fitness/endurance. And this also leads to your body losing it’s fat due to the fact that the exercises you will be performing with kettlebells will be very intense (your heart rate will increase due to the intensity of the exercise, which will increase your energy output. Your body will use up more of it’s fat storage in-order to convert this into energy via ATP - Adenosine Triphosphate) due to the fact that it is a continuous form of training. Furthermore, because the exercises you would be performing will tend to be using your full-body, this will also promote fat loss due to the intensity - increase in your metabolism.

If your looking to have better cardiovascular fitness as well as decreasing your body fat, then it will be very beneficial for you to perform your workout session in the form of a HIIT session (High Intensity Interval Training). What is a HIIT session? HIIT is essentially in the name, a high intensity exercise training session, with intervals. How can i put this into practice with kettlebells? You may have a plan that looks like a follows:

• 30 seconds KB swings, 30 seconds rest

• 30 seconds KB Halos, 30 seconds rest

• 30 seconds KB racked squats, 30 seconds rest

• 30 seconds Cross body KB swings, 30 seconds rest

• 30 seconds KB bent-over rows, 30 seconds rest

• 30 seconds of KB clean and press, 30 seconds rest

• And then repeat the cycle for 2-4 times

8. Improves Your Posture

It’s not secret that our posture today is not optimal, to say the least. And this can have a serious impact on your athletic performances as well as your everyday life. But how do kettlebells improve your posture? We know that kettlebells cover a wide variety of movements, but, the best components of some of the kettlebell exercises are that they work on our glutes, hamstrings, lower back, abs/core, mid and upper back, shoulders extremely well. These muscles in particular, are so important for our posture as they are all (expect for your abs) are based on your posterior chain. Our posture isn’t just singled out to our upper body, mainly our shoulders and neck, but it is our whole body make-up. To have an improved posture, we need all of these muscle groups to be firing on all cylinders in order to live a healthier life. Performing exercises such as kettlebell swings are so important to reduce our anterior pelvic tilt. This arises due to us sitting down all day and not having any functional glutes due to us sitting down all day. Kettlebell swings as i have pointed out, does wonders for our hips, but it is also very beneficial for our glutes, hamstrings, core, upper mid (mainly traps) and lower back. The KB swings enable us to establish an excessive amount of power in our hips that we so desperately need, and we are so void of. If you don’t do hip thrusts with a barbell, then KB swings are a great, and dare i say it, an even better alternative for our hip activation as it also works multiple other muscle groups as stated above.

Also, performing farmers walks (a kettlebell in either hand), is also so key for developing a better posture. This exercise works all of your back as well as your legs because you are walking with this wight, and you have to stay up-right in order to perform this exercise successfully and the reap the rewards from it. And also your core as well.

9. Control, Coordination, Mobility

Another one of the great benefits to training with kettlebells is that they tackle all 3 of the above. To be able to move the kettlebell through different ranges of motion, all be it if your swinging the kettlebell, snatching it, pressing it, holding it up right, it requires an immense amount of control to be able to control the weight throughout the difference movements, to get a peek muscle contraction and to condition those muscles whilst under the resistance of the kettlebell. Time under tension is something you should also prioritise when training with kettlebells, as this is an important factor for control of the weights as they are loaded onto your muscles.

You are also going to need good coordination when training with kettlebells, especially the more advanced you get with them. So when you are exercising with kettlebells, it will improve your coordination with different muscle groups in your body to be able to perform to a good-high standard with KBs. When performing the kettlebell swing, there will be and needs to be coordination from your glutes, to your hamstrings, to your lower-back, to your core, to your upper back, to your grip, it flows from one muscle group to the next. The same can be applied with KB snatches, as you have to use your hips to drive the movements through, legs to help drive the movement more, shoulders to be able to catch the KB overhead as well as good shoulder mobility, and finally a good grip to be able to keep the KB overhead and to press with it. Turkish get-ups are a very good KB exercise to establish coordination throughout your whole body and they work exceptionally well in a warm up.

Kettlebells are also great for your mobility. Mobility is to be able to move for freely and to be able to control the movement easier. Now kettlebells are great for enhancing ones mobility as you will be moving the kettlebell through the 3 different planes of motion that is essential to improve asymmetry. Not many weights that you find in the gym will enable you to be mobile with them, whilst kettlebells are so versatile they obviously offer a great range of exercises, and mobility exercises are one of them. Exercises like the kettlebell snatch, swing, crossbody swing, Turkish get-up, halos, combat stance and so much more.

10. Grip Strength

Due to the fact they you will be performing kettlebell exercises consistently with a good amount of intensity, this will enable you to establish an excellent grip strength. You may well be performing kettlebell exercises in the form of a circuit or a HIIT session, which means that you will be performing on exercise after the next. Therefore, this will greatly improve your grip strength. You may also perform kettlebell exercises like a flow, and a it suggests, you will be constantly flowing with the KBs so this will also greatly improve your grip strength. Grip strength is an important factor in our everyday lives as we are always picking something up. So by training with KBs this is only going to improve your grip strength which will also allow you to be able to lift and perform with much heavier weights and KBs.

11. Personal Review

Since i have started training with kettlebells i have noticed a difference when it comes to my power, flexibility, mobility, stability, strength, rotation, physique, and my overall performance. I have found that they are very fun and challenging (in a good way) to use. There are so many variations to kettlebell exercises that you will never be short of ideas! They excellent for working your full body, especially if you are short on time, but in general, they are great for a full body workout and improving the performance of the different muscle groups. I have only recently really dived into kettlebell training, as i realised that the weights we so commonly use today, aren’t necessarily efficient for us and they don’t really work for us in the ways we so desperately need. As well as injuring myself with the other eights available, i wanted a change, and i quickly found out that kettlebell training is right up my street and it is something i wish i had done ages ago. I enjoy the versatility and efficiency of kettlebell training and the way it gets your body working. As someone who prioritises calisthenics, i have found that kettlebells are a great help when it comes to my bodyweight performance as i continue to match them both together during my sessions.

Our ancestors didn’t have the modern day gym we had access to, yet they were still is excellent physical condition due to the functionality of their everyday lives and physical activity, which enabled them to be aesthetic and combat ready. You can develop an aesthetic and functional/mobile body by training more for functionality and conditioning of your body. Pair this with a good and healthy diet and you will be seeing the results both physically and mentally in no time.

Ancestral Relevance & Admiration

I know I do not speak from my own experience & preference here, but, many of us greatly admire the physiques that our ancestors once fought to carve as well as men of history who helped to lay down the foundations of a bodily weapon.

Training patterns and regimes have greatly altered over many years, but, one thing shall always remain the same, the results of putting in enough work & effort to achieve something in which you have envisioned.

Our ancestors didn’t necessarily have a choice when it came to carving a body with enough strength & resilience to perform certain tasks. Many of the training methods would have varied across countries, but some training patterns would have been embodied in various peoples & places.

For what man has at his disposal today with all of this fancy equipment and a huge variety when it comes to nutrition and so on. The great men of the past did not have access to what we have access to today. Their methods would have been more simplified and constructed for man to get the best out of himself through multiple different facets.

Let us now take the Greek ideal, coming predominately in the form of sculptures, physique of God men/heroes, military men and the Gods during the Classical period. The Greeks overtime placed more of their admiration of the human body and how it optimised what man is capable of in the midst of struggle and heroic might. The man in which they want you to strive to be, is a man who is very capable of performing different tasks and being a beacon of light for any man who inspires to break free of the shadow of their soon to be, former self. An emphasis is placed on the back, abdominal region, broader shoulders and strong arms (forearms, biceps) and legs (quads).

But how were they able to achieve, or at least strive towards, a physique which has this in abundance? As perviously stated, they did not have access to the equipment in which we have today. So the question is, what equipment did they use and what patterns and styles did they use to produce physiques that we look to have now?

A majority of the physical training which took place would have been subject to preparation for warfare, to conquer lands, defend lands, to be efficient in using various weaponry along with the strength to endure all physical matters. Whilst training with various weaponry, this aided in building a functional physique, such as rounding out the three shoulder delts/heads (front, side, rear), strong arms and to give them full functionality of the shoulder joint. Whilst having to control various weapons, a large part of their core would have been engaged depending on the size and weight of the weapon. As you can see, not every way in which they trained was secularised on a singular muscle, but on a collective for the muscle groups to be made efficient together.

To add, they also would have completed some form of endurance training, for example, the spartans would partake in long distance running, however, during their runs, they had to complete the run whilst keeping water in their mouth the whole time, trying not to spit it out or to swallow it. Why would they do this? This is to enforce are greater incentive on breathing through your nose rather than mouth breathing. (Nose breathing is far superior to mouth breathing)

If we are to train like our ancestors or great men of the past, what ways can we implement from their training into our modern training, aside from using weapons in this instance? For starters, if you want to partake in a form of cardio then you can look no further than jogging, hiking, riding a bike, rowing, HIIT exercises, hitting a punch bag amongst a vast array of others. If you are looking to mimic what they may have done with weaponry to bolster their shoulders and core, look no further than training with Indian clubs. With the performance on Indian clubs, you are essentially performing similar movements if you were to draw and swing your weapon above or behind you - which greatly works on the strength and mobility of your shoulders and core. Finally, you should look at training in the form of calisthenics. Men of the past, and it has been recorded, would have performed forms of bodyweight training such as push ups, pulls ups, squats and so on.

To add, we must also recognise that the men of the past also engaged in various types of martial art styles, mainly from wrestling & boxing (of course these would have been different to how they are performed today). And these would have contributed to their tough and durable physiques.

• Look no further than the physiques of our ancestors and those who came before us.

• The Greeks outlined the desirable physique for man, the gap between Gods & men.

• Utilise various methods which they may have indulged in

• Do not overcomplicate things

• Train your mind as well as your body

• Aesthetics are important

• Implement a focus on functionality and performing through different motions & actions

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Societal Ideal

The societal ideal which in my opinion makes exercise a non-negotiable is to produce a nation of people who are more than physically capable, but excel it multiple facets of training and competition means.

This ideology would derive from the youth and up to adult hood. We cannot look past the fact that testosterone levels of men today, are only as high, or shall i say as low, as a 75 year old man around 50 odd years ago. This is an atrocity.

A healthy and fit nation, breads excellence and beauty in of itself. We cannot afford to have a high percentage of fat & obese people, as laziness is like a drug that sucks the soul out of an individual who is required to do something which in challenging.

The constant movement that a nation would do, would benefit the mind and soul of the nation, something which our descendent’s would be proud of and would strive to achieve feats greater than what we may do. This in of itself breeds excellence.

Reshaping The Mind

The ideal of exercising, other than improving what your body looks like physically, is also about reshaping your mind. The purpose to reshape your mind with physical exercise is to get your brain used to doing activities which are hard & challenging, stepping out of your comfort zone. A comfortable life is a life which is not worth examining, we must push ourselves to our physical capabilities and beyond, to see what we are capable of and to enforce this mentality every time we train.

With this in mind, we are reshaping our brain to enjoy hard tasks and to look forward to completing them in due course. It is as if you are re-wiring your dopamine receptors to crave hard tasks.

Our mind is so powerful that we must train this as much as any other body part. To enhance and develop our will power amidst the struggle of our problems.

The Power And Importance Of Aesthetics

Looks is currency, period. We judge things by the way they look, as the saying goes - “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover.” - yes, this is a true statement, but it can either be correct or incorrect depending on what it is based on.

Someone may not look strong as they do not have a physically imposing physique let us say, but they turn out to be quite strong. However, this is always the case and may only be the case for a minority of people. As well as having some absurd strength, why not add aesthetics to it to sky rocket your looks and confidence.

A sharp body can indicate a sharp mind, someone who takes care of themselves and that they are reaching towards their physical capabilities.

If something looks good, what does it do? It attracts other people to it. Hence the power of aesthetics, it has a pull, a force which you gravitate towards.

How do we achieve this when it comes to exercising? You may have heard it before - “Your diet makes up 70%, where as working out makes up 30%.” - and yes, I do believe this to be true. However, when it comes to your training, you need to be training as if it is making up 100% of the way that you look.

Aesthetics = Health & Beauty

The Mental Battle

A majority of the battle of exercising and striving to achieve your desired physique, all takes place mentally. From the moment you first walk into a gym/decide to start working out, to hitting your first plateau, to indulging into a completely different training method, staring a martial art, competing, and which ever it may be, is all a mental battle.

I speak to you from experience, when it first went into a gym, I had the feeling that everybody was looking at me & constantly judging me, and yes, this is true to an extent, but, what they may think of you is completely irrelevant and does no favours to them what so ever. Even now, I may think of what others may think if I am trying a different exercise for the first time, but, after performing the exercise for an ‘x’ amount of time, I forget about who else castes their eyes upon what I am performing.

What you aught to see, is that, everyone else, has been in the exact same position as you, especially when it comes to starting the gym (for instance) for the first time. No one else matters, do what you need to do!

How do you get over this mental battle?

Consistency, consistency, consistency. As much as this is a note to you the reader, this is also a note to oneself. The first battle is starting, the next is the consistency to keep on training. You are your worst enemy, all these hypothetical scenarios take place in your head, and 100% of these scenarios do not happen or at least do not go the way in which you had envisioned them. Be the person that wows people without needing the attention. If you still need more assistance with the original battle, then if it is possible, find someone, a friend or family member to train with. This is greater that what it seems like at first glance because you can constantly push each other, getting the better out of yourself/eachother.

Overload of Information

Today there is a vast array of where we can get access to information regarding fitness, food and overall health. As much as this is a positive, it too is also a big burden, let me explain.

We are very fortunate to have access to what we have at our fingertips today, but this is also a curse, due to the fact that we are being overloaded with information. Our ancestors never had this much access to information, they understood what they knew and took full advantage to their surroundings and what ever knowledge was passed down to them. It may have seemed more simple, let us say. Yes we can acknowledge the information we have today, as much of this information has had the ability to transform lives. However, for someone like myself amongst many others, we are still on our own quest, quests to overcome internal & external struggles (in relation to this article), we may go through many pieces of information and will still struggle to find “THE CURE”.

For this overload of information can lead us to go down a variety of paths, but with no where to settle, longing for a home to settle in, a never ending quest of seeking fulfilment and to get over adversaries - but these new ideas we come across, lead us further away from healing & bettering ourselves for the long term. But, we must also realise, that these ideas which arise anew to us, may well excel us further forwards, towards our ideal state & goal.

There needs to be a balancing act of accepting various pieces of information (being open minded, but only accepting a certain amount), and building a base upon our selected discourses and building oneself from there.

This is where simplicity & complexity combines when it comes to exercising and our overall health. If we are to use this in for form of exercising, the simple act would be to implement 4 exercises for a session for instance, the complex side would be to implement advanced techniques/exercises and to add more to that singular exercise (many drop sets and so on).

1. We will be drawn to certain areas that residue with us.

2. Inherit the information from these discourses.

3. Begin to build a base, a foundation form your selected findings.

4. Advance these findings.

5. Become profound in it

The Substantial Benefits Of Working Out

We are able to understands the fundamentals of training from the outset and how it affects the body externally. However, it affects the mind just as much as it does the body.

Physical Affects:

With external matters we are able to increase our muscle size with different muscle groups through out the body. As well as increasing the size of muscles, we are able to increase the functionality of the muscles and how we use them in our day-to-day lives, for example, reaching for a object, picking up an object, moving an object and so on. Exercising also benefits the flexibility of our muscles in regards to the ranges of motion we are able to move our muscle and joints, in ways you may not have experienced prior to working out. Exercising also benefits the durability of muscles, joints and tendons when it comes to performing exercises over a long period of time (both performing the exercise and over years of using that muscle group for a specific or multiple exercises).

Now moving onto the mind, as alluded to previously *The Mental Battle*, exercising goes far beyond just the physical, It benefits the mind in multiple ways. Let’s begin with The Inner Drive

The Inner Drive:

Our mind is capable of pushing the body beyond it’s physical capabilities, but this must stem from our mind. Our mind can easily put up mental barriers when a task becomes too hard or challenging, the willingness the quit early thinking you have done enough. The mind is able to extend and vanquish this mental barrier created form within. In regards to exercising, you may be performing a movement, and eventually after a certain amount of reps, will feel like tapping out and taking a rest. And this is where training your mind to break barriers comes into play. The resilience to go beyond these barriers and to set higher standards for yourself, elevates your physical and mental capabilities. You must push oneself to continue to grow.

This inner drive is like an awakening deep within your soul, as if your ancestors are telling you not to quit and to keep pushing. An inner calling shall we say. This drive is what will draw you closer to your ideal physical state, use it to great use. I will also tell you from experience, that a majority of people training in the gym, fail to push themselves that bit further. By enhancing your inner drive, you will be progressing further than what they are, even if it may not seem like it from the outset.

No More Depression

I have found from my experience that working out or going to the gym relinquishes you of your depressed mind or state. The energy you exert during your training, releases endorphins or feel good hormones overcoming this depressed state. Your training gives you a sense of hope, which minimises feeling depressed. When you are in the moment, completely focusing on yourself, moving the weight form A to B, and completing the movement with great efficiency, potentially hitting a personal record, will make you feel like your on top of the world, which intern, enables you to feel the complete opposite of a depressed state. This will make you feel different within yourself, mainly confidence within yourself and your own skin, to be the greatest that in which you can be.

What Is The Best Part Of This All

The best attribute when it comes to the necessity of training is that, you can use which ever method that suits you best, to train and move the way which you feel most comfortable with, that elevates you to meet and accomplish your desired state both mentally & physically.

The question - “Is there a right or wrong way to train”. The answer - “No”.

Whether that is weight training, Yoga, Pilates, Combat Training (Boxing, MMA etc), calisthenics, or which ever it may be, you can utilise many different methods which gets you into your desired physique and frame of mind. This is all for your future.

Want more training info, check out my “The Substantial Benefits Of Kettlebell Training” article for free, and learn how you can get yourself into an elite condition with a minimalist training style.

Fitness as devotion to self, not vanity

THE ETERNAL ASCENT

DEC 06, 2025

The art of working out is something so great and so sacred. For the art of working out has remained with man for many a Millenia and it still looms through man today.

However, the discipline which comes from exercising and pushing the body’s capabilities, is something that is overlooked when turning the discipline into a ceremony and putting dedication into your will, your will to power, your will to conquer oneself (physically & mentally).

The devotion which takes place from the craft of sculpting a meaningful physique, is not for the sake of vanity, but, for the sake of unleashing your unconquerable desire to surpass oneself and to be what your visions have led you to believe.

This can only take place with ultimate dedication, overcoming your mind (mental blocks), overcoming the body (bodily emotions refraining you from exercising), discipline not motivation, and the willingness to feel better and somewhat fulfilled within yourself.

The greater you awaits… Let’s get rollin’

DISCIPLINE OVER MOTIVATION

A common misconception I see is that motivation is what will continuously take you to the gym. In regards to a small percentage, yes this is correct, but on the grand scheme of this discourse, I believe it only makes up a fraction of the two states at hand.

When you begin the gym (for the first time) you are extremely motivated to achieve your desired physique as quickly as possible, with the feeling that your body will look different every time you use the gym. However, this is not the case and this is where motivation falls flat on it’s face. When you get period when you believe that you are not progressing, this is where you need to lean on discipline and intuition as your long-term best friend.

Discipline will take you through the moments when you have no motivation to go to the gym, but you have an understanding that if you were to stop now or were to miss a period of training, then what you have achieved will go to waste and you will begin to question your intuition. You must flip the narrative in your intuition and use it to your advantage, for example, if you are not progressing, hitting a plateau, or want to try something different, then proceed with the following steps you deem necessary. Your discipline shall remain the same and it must be a staple with your fortitude.

Your discipline will work wonders for you, seriously. But discipline is not formed over night, it requires you to make conscious changes with your mind, to some what change who you are, to be dedicated to your goal ultimately, to constantly form your discipline in conjunction with different facets of your life. Discipline is your mental fortitude, to continue on your path despite the fact that there seems no progress, to look at others in disgust who would rather live a comfortable life. Discipline ultimately sets many people apart. Use this to inspire yourself and others.

Motivation will get you to a certain point along your unencumbered journey, discipline however, takes you to your goal & beyond.

OVERCOMING THE BODY & MIND

The body compiles it’s own physical limitations via the mind, but, if you are to suppress these limitations and train your mind to push beyond it’s current physical capabilities, then you are actively overcoming the body and you are enforcing something which is completely new for yourself.

We all have an understanding of what we are capable of, but when it comes to the gym, at times we believe that we are pushing ourselves, but in reality, we are still not training with near maximum intensity and are still being too comfortable (to an extent).

When we begin to feel the pain ever so slightly, we think this is a cue to stop we are doing as it begins to feel uncomfortable. This inhibits our ability to grow more muscle and to progress from our current state.

Our body is able to push through this threshold of discomfort with the help and compatibility with the mind. Our supposed gains will be made when the discomfort kicks in, when we go beyond failure, to ultimate failure, and this does not require an obscene amount of sets & reps, this would inhibit our ability to further our muscle gains, I believe - If we are talking in the strict form of body building.

The body & mind work in cohesion with each other. For the body to excel, the must be trained first & foremost with utter belief within oneself. Self-talk the affirmation that you are already what you want to be (faking it until you make it for instance), and that there are no limitations to what you can achieve.

If it means that you have to be deluded to others somewhat, then so be it, your body is yours, carve it to what you desire it to be, create the new you, be your biggest supporter.

We do not workout for the sake of comfort, if this was the case then there would be no point in doing so. Our mind has the ability to push our body further, and the body to respond successfully to what the mind instigates upon it.

If you think you’ve gone to failure, chances are, you haven’t.

Get comfortable with the uncomfortable.

DEDICATION NOT VANITY

Dedication to the art of the body. Exclude the concept of vanity.

Think about your goal of exercising & going to the gym us your highest possible dedication as soon as you’re in the mindset of training. Implement the mindset of, “nothing else matters right now, but only what I am attempting to complete & achieve.” Vanity can most certainly keep you stuck, contempt with how you currently are. However, there is always room for growth, continue with this dedication, even if it means there doesn’t look like there has been as much growth, you will have most certainly installed consistency from the dedication you installed.

Walking is a simple, yet some what of a complex movement (in its own right) that we have been hard-wired to perform everyday of our lives. And yes, I know some of you may say no we weren’t, granted, when we are first born we cannot walk, but we have the drive and willingness and some sort of inclination that we must and we will walk. And of course some diseases & disabilities could be prevent you from walking.

Walking is an action that we perform effortlessly and subconsciously which takes us to our destination, be it both physical and spiritual.

Do you know what one of the big problems is today? Decline is walking. “Shut up, you don’t know what you’re on about.” Says the person who is too lazy to walk and has accumulated an unhealthy life/lifestyle. Many people today cannot even be bothered to walk, you may have experienced people like this before. And we can all be honest here, we have also been in a situation where we can’t be bothered to walk and decided to take an easier route, or decided not to go at all. This is the fall of man today.

But, little did you know of the benefits of walking and why WALKING LEADS YOU ON YOUR WAY TO A BETTER LIFE. Listen, this article will open your eyes to the outstanding benefits of walking and why something so simple, can be life-changing. Are you sold? Great, I now invite you in to lead you onto to a path for a better you.

Walking is a very simple exercise/activity that doesn’t require too much of an effort. Some people do not view walking as a form of exercise. But with the right intentions and outlook, it is all the more a very beneficial exercise for you to carry out. Let’s take a look at the benefits of walking👇🏻

Physical Benefits

Cardiovascular Health

By going on regular walks, this helps to improve the health of your heart. How? It helps to boost the circulation of your blood as this lowers your blood pressure. This intern, reduces the risks of heart disease. Evidence from a study states that

“Walking briskly for 30 minutes a day for 5 days can reduce the risk of several age-associated diseases.”

“Low intensity physical exercise, including walking, exerts anti-aging effects and helps prevent related diseases.”

The multifaceted benefits of walking for healthy ageing: from Blue Zones to molecular mechanisms

Weight

Looking to lose weight, go for a walk. When you are walking, your body is required to use energy stored within the body in the form of carbs, and potentially fats. Walking helps to burn off excess energy stored as fat, which will burn more calories. Sounds great. Get this. A more brisker and challenging walk, the more calories you’ll burn. A very simple cheat code that most of you most certainly look past. Keep it simple.

Healthy Bones

Walking helps to promote and increase our bone density. This is important throughout all ages. The more dense your bones, then the more healthier are the bones and the less likely injuries will occur to those bones. Our ancestors’ bone density completely trumps ours today. Due to the fact that we have become very soy and sedentary, in others words, sitting about all day, little to no exercise, and eating fake foods that damage our overall health. Our ancestors had the opposite to these in abundance and what’s more, they used to walk far more than what we do now. This resulted in them having a greater bone density than us today.

Sleep Quality

Regular physical activity has been shown to aid in improved sleep quality and the duration of your sleep. Want deeper sleep, exercise more.

By going on a walk, this keeps you in check with your circadian rhythm. What do I mean by circadian rhythm? Your circadian rhythm is the 24hour clock of your body, in response to its light environment. Or, your sleep to wake cycle. By going for walks at different parts of the day, typically the morning and afternoon, you are getting your body prepared for the day or for physical activity, intern, waking you up accordingly. It’s important that you are exposing yourself to natural sources of light, ie, the sun. In times today where we are succumbed by artificial lights/blue lights, that affect our endocrine system and just as importantly, our circadian rhythm. It is a leading cause to the deterioration of our health today. I will make an article regarding this very shortly. Anyway, back on topic. Going for a walk through out the day will be very important for you in order to get natural light and to keep in check with your circadian rhythm.

Going for regular walks also reduces stress & anxiety. Walking stimulates the production of endorphins (endorphins are the brains feel-good chemicals), these endorphins help to reduce stress & anxiety which tend to disrupt your sleep.

Muscle recovery

Walking helps to increase blood flow, this helps to transport oxygen and nutrients to your muscles. It would be beneficial for you to walk after a workout in order to remove lactic acid build-up, which, after your workout, is now a waste product. Better circulation = better muscle recovery.

To add, if you’re someone, like most people, who at some point would have suffered from muscle stiffness or tension, walking helps to stretch out your muscles. As mentioned above, this helps to encourage blood flow which helps for the targeted muscle to recover faster. This helps in the prevention of DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness), and if you’re someone who works out regularly and trains with a high intensity whilst progressively overloading, you will know all about the Dreaded DOMS. Personally, I don’t mind it as such because I know that I have hit the targeted muscle group/s effectively.

Walking also boosts your lymphatic flow. Your lymphatic system helps to clear out toxins and waste from the body. The drainage has to be done some what manually. Walking is a great way to drain toxins, as well as lymphatic drainage such as body slapping, facial massage, Gua Sha, skipping and a body massage.

Final honourable mentions, walking supports long-term muscle health, promotes relaxation and improves range of motion (joint related).

When to walk for recovery? Throughout the day, after a workout, first thing in the morning. Whenever. Just Get Walking!

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Walking after a meal

Have you ever gone for a walk after eating one of your meals? No? Well, you’re going to want to add this into your daily routine and make it a habit that lasts a lifetime.

Walking shortly after consuming your meal helps you digest your food much better than just sitting around. The walk helps to stimulate the muscles in your stomach and intestines which promotes better digestion. The body, when performing a physical activity, is required to use stored energy as a fuel source. So your body will burn off energy stored as well as the food (which is converted into energy in the form of glucose and fatty acids) you have just consumed. This leads to a drop in blood sugar levels. Why? After you eat, your blood sugar spikes. A 15 minute walk (minimum) uses up the sugar (glucose) to keep stable blood sugar levels.

And finally, a walk after a meal will help you with discomforts such as bloating. Walking initiates your body to speed up the process of food digestion to help to relieve you of gas, bloating or indigestion.

A study took place to further back up this point. The background of the study was to find a “way to cope with blood sugar spikes”. And this was related to “engaging in physical activity in temporal proximity to food intake.” The objective was to “identify the impact of pre and post meal exercise in glucose excursions in humans with and without type 2 diabetes.”

The conclusion to the study was that “walking has a greater acute beneficial impact on postprandial hyperglycaemia when undertaken as soon as possible after a meal rather than a longer interval or before eating.”

Study -After Dinner Rest a While, After Supper Walk a Mile? A Systematic Review with Meta-analysis on the Acute Postprandial Glycemic Response to Exercise Before and After Meal Ingestion in Healthy Subjects and Patients with Impaired Glucose Tolerance

Sunlight Exposure

Is this suitable for everyone? Yes. Is this as beneficial to everyone? Yes! Will everyone reap the rewards of this all year round? NO. But why? Let me explain.

This is very dependent of where in the world you live. Period. If you are someone who lives in the tropics, or somewhere where there is mostly sun all year round, then you haven’t got much to worry about as you will have a lot of exposure to the glorious sun. However, if you are someone, like myself, who lives in Northwest Europe, then sunlight and the full ray of the sun, is hard to come by all year round. Does this mean you should stop going out for a walk due to the lack of sunshine? Absolutely not.

Through out the winter, autumn and the early parts of spring, there are some days where there is a bit of sunlight. I do believe, however, that this would be more prominent if it wasn’t for geo-engineering and for “the elites” who are trying to make us weaker. Don’t believe me? Look up at the skies throughout the day. What you deem as “clouds” are not clouds at all. They are described as some sort of crystals let out by planes - total rubbish. It’s fake weather conditions deployed to deprive you of the esoteric benefits of the sun. Hail Helios, Hail Sunna.

Sunlight is the natural source of Vitamin D. Vitamin D is very essential for your bone health, your immune system as well as your mood regulation. YOU SHOULD NOT FEAR THE SUN! The sun in your friend. The narrative today has been pushed alarmingly that “the sun is not good for you”, “the sun causes skin cancer”, “the sun kills”. All of those quotes, especially the 2nd quote couldn’t be further from the truth. What is causing the problems that you “suffer from the sun”, is 1. Your diet & lifestyle, and 2. What you put on your skin. I’m not going to dive deep into this today. I will make a separate post for my newsletter regarding the esoteric benefits of the sun.

As mentioned under sleep quality regarding circadian rhythm, the sun plays a KEY role in this. Exposure to natural light keeps your body in check, when to be awake, when to be alert, and the production of melatonin (sleep hormone) for the night and less during the day.

And finally, for my Aryan brothers originating and living in North West Europe, or parts of America and elsewhere around the globe where sunlight isn’t always accessible year round. Make sure you get outside in the summer, absorb the Vitamin D from the gleaming rays of the glorious sun, and embrace your Aryan spirit. Because, when it comes to the winter, as you’ll know by now, the sun is hard to come by. To add, our bodies have adapted overtime to store Vitamin D from the summer, so get as much as you can.

One final point to make, for you fellas. Do not be afraid to take your t-shirt off, when on a walk, to soak in all the Vitamin D possible. So what if someone looks at you. Embrace you’re physique. Do not give a shit about anyone else.

How walking solves problems - mentally, physically, spiritually

Now, I can tell you now, as I know I speak for myself and others here. That there has been a time when you been at home or elsewhere pondering about a problem, be it physical, mental or spiritual and you do not know how to solve it. You’ve hit a brick wall. Not sure how to solve this occurring problem. Do me a favour. GO FOR A WALK. I am telling you now, you will solve what ever problem is troubling you. I can speak of experience. Need questions answered (by you), go for a walk and ponder on the question, you will soon have an answer. Don’t come home until you have an answer. Seriously.

But the question you’re probably thinking is, “What makes this happen?”. As I have previously alluded to before, walking increases your heart rate, which leads to improved circulation. The more oxygen and nutrients that are delivered to your brain, helps to improve your brain function. This emphasises the growth of new brain cells (in the hippocampus), which improves your memory and learning.

Walking enhances your focus and attention. Hence why it is essential for solving problems. Being sedentary for too long, depletes your attention span. Walking gives you a boost/reset which improves your concentration. This makes it easier to focus on tasks.

Finally, walking reduces cortisol (the stress hormone). Stress leads to poor health and a reduction in testosterone production (the main male sex hormone that effects our overall health).

Walking solves your problems. So do me a favour. GO FOR A WALK!

To be one with nature

It’s important to be one with nature as nature is divine, we are nature, nature is all, nature is beyond good & evil. To be amongst nature, is very much blissful.

Walking outdoors, especially in green spaces or natural environments, enhances the mood-lifting benefits of walking and may provide additional therapeutic effects by reducing stress and improving relaxation.

The experience that I have received when walking amongst nature, is a far greater experience than walking around streets. A journey to my local woods didn’t just take me for walk (physical), but took me on a spiritual journey, a journey to observe and to understand the divine. Whilst walking amongst the vast array of trees, I took time to meditate on/under a tree, keeping constant contact with the tree. Feeling the life force of the tree and the energy in which it gives off. I also engraved the runic Algiz, representing the upper branches of Yggdrasil, to signify protection, affirmation of life, growth, luck and connection to the higher self. I further encountered in a light spa with my brother to test our physical capabilities and to push ourselves to be better and wiser. Something which I believe represents the good and evil that nature is. And finally, topping it off by gazing at the every flowing stream of water, where the sound of the water is oh so soothing to the ears. And this whole experience, gave me the feeling thereafter the 2 hour walk in the woods, a feeling that I have never felt before. I felt on top of the world, I felt the best I had ever felt. It was something that few words could describe. And it is a journey you must someday, embark on for yourself.

A study took place to measure the positive and negative effects of a single walk amongst nature in-comparison to urban settings. “Patients (37 adults with the mean age of 49) completed a single 60 minute walk in both nature and an urban setting. Different points of the walk (start, halfway and the end) and points after the walk (post-walk, bedtime, 24 & 48 hours after).” Results showed that those who walked in nature had lower negative affects, compared to those that walked in urban areas. The conclusion, Walking in nature is much more beneficial in diminishing negative affects. I must also add, these were patients with major depressive disorder.

Esoteric Benefits of Walking

Whilst you probably, actually you most certainly believe that nature only has physical benefits. But I must tell you, the benefits that walking goes way beyond the physical plane. Just as much as walking has its physical benefits, it too is esoteric and it also, more certainly spiritual.

Grounding/earthing paired with walking is something that will be very beneficial to you. The concept of grounding is natural grounds such as grass, sand, soil or even the sea helps you to tap into the Earth’s natural energy field. But what does this do? This helps to discharge of negative ions and absorb positive ions, and this helps to decrease inflammation over the body and improves sleep.

I cam speak from my experience that grounding made me feel so much better afterwards (connection with the earth). My feet felt a lot less lighter, I felt really good about my self, plus, I also done this whilst working out in the sun, which felt great (also helps with the health and strength of your feet).

Walking amongst nature greatly enhances your spirituality as your mind enters a flow state. Buddhist’s understand the power of walking as the walk itself brings you into the present moment which will deepen your spiritual growth and become a better you.

If you to are a fellow Pagan, life myself, then you will know and believe that nature is divine and is constantly surrounded/engulfed by the Gods and Divine Spirits. Whilst walking, meditate on/under a tree will connect you with nature, you will form a greater connection with the Gods and Spirits surrounding us, it will greatly elevate you spiritually. You can thank me later after trying this (I expect a thank you as well!).

Tom Roswell (STJ) post regarding walking and the esoteric nature

Additional Information

A man I must mention whose content who I have come across not too recently is David Weck. His methods are deemed as “false” or “incorrect”, but there is a lot of truth to what he displays. His philosophy, correct me if I’m wrong, is based around moving correctly, explosive, to spring, to not have a tight core, to be able to coil, to have a purpose in every step. It is referred to as the “Weck Method”. But what does this have to do with walking? As mentioned, to have a purpose in every step, be it walking, running or whatever physical activity you are performing, The ability to load up the weight on one side, and bring the power being coiled through. This has a lot to do with walking. Why? The way in which a lot of people walk today (myself included but this is changing as you are reading this) are very stiff when they walk. They have no courage, too tight (braced core), no confidence, looks very tiresome. His philosophy of movement does the complete opposite. For athletes, this is a must . This is a must for EVERYBODY!

X/Twitter @TheDavidWeck

Youtube - @Weckmethod

Conclusion

Right, so what is the takeaway from all of this then?

Go for a walk and do it often.

Walk after your meals.

Walk for muscle recovery.

Walk to heal your anxiety and depression.

Walk in nature to become more spiritual and connect with nature.

Walk to solve your problems.

Walk for better sleep.

Walk for better weight management.

Walk for healthier bones.

Walk your way to a batter walk.

Walk, because you must.

Walk… because your life depends on it…

Further Studies:

1. Walking and Reduction in Depression Symptoms:

• Study: “Effects of a Walking Program on Depressive Symptoms and Mood in Older Adults” (2005)

  • Published in: The Journal of Gerontology

  • Summary: This study examined the effects of a 12-week walking program on older adults with symptoms of depression. The results showed that participants who engaged in regular walking experienced significant improvements in depressive symptoms and mood. The walking group also reported increased energy levels and improved physical health.

  • Key Finding: Regular walking led to notable reductions in depression symptoms, particularly in older adults who often face challenges related to mobility and social isolation.

2. Walking and Mental Health in the General Population:

• Study: “Physical Activity and Depression: A Review of the Literature” (2012)

  • Published in: American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine

  • Summary: This comprehensive review of numerous studies found that physical activity, including walking, was associated with significant reductions in depressive symptoms. The review highlighted the importance of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (such as walking) in preventing and treating depression.

  • Key Finding: Walking was found to have both acute and long-term positive effects on mood, reducing the severity of depression and preventing relapse.

3. Walking as an Intervention for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD):

• Study: “Walking and Depression: A Meta-Analysis of the Effectiveness of Walking on Depression”

  • Published in: Mental Health and Physical Activity (2017)

  • Summary: This meta-analysis examined the results of multiple studies investigating the effects of walking on individuals diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD). The analysis found that walking was an effective intervention for reducing depressive symptoms, with the greatest effects observed in individuals who walked at least 30 minutes per day, several times a week.

  • Key Finding: Walking was found to be a cost-effective, accessible, and non-pharmacological treatment for depression, with effects comparable to more intensive forms of exercise or psychotherapy.

4. Walking Outdoors and Mood Improvement:

• Study: “The Influence of Nature on Mental Health and Well-Being: An Overview of the Evidence” (2013)

  • Published in: The International Journal of Environmental Health Research

  • Summary: This study explored the mental health benefits of walking in natural environments (i.e., parks, forests) compared to walking in urban areas. Participants who walked in nature showed a significant improvement in mood, stress reduction, and feelings of relaxation, compared to those who walked in urban settings.

  • Key Finding: Walking in nature (or “green exercise”) was found to be particularly beneficial for reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety, with the natural environment offering additional therapeutic benefits beyond the physical exercise itself.

*NOT MEDICAL ADVICE. SEEK ADVICE FROM A PROFESSIONAL. DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH*

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