Tag Archives: cabal fang

Bitter Medicine

Posted on July 31, 2015 | Leave a comment

205In a recent post I talked about thinking inside the box — about facing, absorbing, and ultimately turning your limitations into something greater.  This can be bitter medicine at first.  But it can be a door into something greater.

I’m still working on dealing with my physical limitations.  The effects of aging are some of the bitterest meds I’ve ever tasted.  It’s going to take time.  The irony is that I’m no stranger to this approach when it comes to metaphysical matters.

Long ago I learned that in order to progress spiritually it’s necessary to face facts and absorb limitations.  I learned to admit and face my doubts, to question the beliefs of my fathers, and to explore the reality of the box.  If I had refused to dig into every dark corner that my heart, mind, soul and spirit wanted to peer into, if I had doubled down on what I’d been taught as a child was true about the God, humanity, and the cosmos, I would have missed out on so many wonderful, mind expanding adventures.

Medicine heals.  That’s why they call it medicine.  Go figure.

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Continuing with the medicine theme, now for your three-part Cabal Fang WOD:

  1. Medicine Ball HIIT – 24 x :30 (6 sets) with #12 ball, minimum. Alternating Twist Passes (stand parallel to wall, twist, throw bounce and catch  — changing sides each set), Crunch Passes, Squat Presses  (press at bottom of Squat!), and rest.
  2. Kicks – As many spinning/turning kicks as you can complete in 10 minutes.  When you get dizzy, shadowbox until equilibrium returns, then start again.
  3. Bike – ride as fast as you can without coasting or taking breaks for 10 minutes.

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Bold Artistic Lines (and your WOD)

Posted on July 27, 2015 | 2 comments

Bold lines make the art. Now, when I say “bold” I don’t mean “bold” as in when you make a font heavier. I mean brave and committed.

Tentative lines make bad drawings, tentative strokes made bad paintings, and tentative movements make ineffective martial arts maneuvers.  Art is art.  Bold is bold.

Take a look at the three skulls below.  #2 has less detail and is less anatomically accurate than #1.  And yet, because it is bold and committed in its line and form, it is far more striking.  Now look at #3.  It is the least anatomically correct of all.  But because it is the most bold and the most committed of the three, it is the most artistic, the most interesting, and is the most successful at conveying a feeling of “skullishness.”

How many times have you seen a martial artist win a contest on commitment alone?  Isn’t the efficacy of a technique less important that the commitment?  Which would you rather rely upon: an effective technique thrown half-heartedly, or a simpler, less effective technique delievered with full force and commitment?

Whether your art involves the pen or the sword, pick a line and commit.  What makes your art good and interesting — even art at all — is often the certainty of your hand and eye.

#1

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#2

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#3

Now here’s your Cabal Fang WOD: PTDICE (4 sets to failure of Uneven Push-ups, Half Squats, Twisters, Wide Push-ups, Split Squats).  Heavybag (12 x :30/:10  AFAYC — 8 minutes total)

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The World’s Rarest T-shirt and How to Get One

Posted on July 19, 2015 | Leave a comment
This is what my t-shirt looked like after martial arts practice on Tuesday.

What my martial arts t-shirt looked like after a workout a while back.  There’s only one way to get one like it, and it doesn’t involve your mouse or your credit card.

Before 1970, logo t-shirts barely existed.  But by the time I was in high school, around ’76 or so, cool t-shirts were in demand.  Wearing some funky t-shirt that nobody else had was a one-way ticket to Coolsville.  But they were hard to get.  You had to actually attend the concert or event.  There was no Amazon, and the shirts that you could find on the shelf at JC Penney or in the Sears catalog were  strictly plain.

These days t-shirts are ubiquitous.  Every company, club and event produces a promotional shirt.  Custom ones are available from hundreds of online shops.  There are racks of wicked t-shirts available at every department store, even Target, including reproductions of classic, vintage tees.  If you’re truly hip, you can even find actual vintage tees on eBay.

But I have a shirt that’s extremely rare.

It’s a Cabal Fang t-shirt.  The only way to get your hands on one is to practice the martial art known as Cabal Fang.  You have to show up and sweat.  If you stick around long enough we’ll give you one.  You cannot purchase one with any currency other than perspiration, determination, dedication, and friendship.

Note that our shirt doesn’t say “I’m a bad-ass martial arts instructor,” “Keep Calm and Kick Butt” or “Look at me, I have a black belt in awesome.”

Our shirt is a mystery.  If you want to have any idea what Cabal Fang is, you have to ask  the person wearing it (or at least take the time to google it).  But if you really want to know what Cabal Fang is, you’ll have to go on a bit of a quest.  You’ll have to find and join an existing club to start one of your own.

Cabal Fang has no uniforms, and there are no tuition payments, belts or trophies.  Your greatest achievements will be written on your heart and soul, not on your sleeve.

As for your t-shirt, well it may indeed proclaim that you are as tough as nails inside and out.  It’s just printed in invisible ink.

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Downshift: a Poem (and your Cabal Fang WOD)

Posted on July 17, 2015 | Leave a comment

wpid-20141008_070439_lls.jpgDownshift

Step right up
See the amazing blockhead
Pound nails into his face
Hang art from hooks
In face, arms, neck, back
He no longer bleeds or hurts
Six shows a day

They say he’s a freak of nature
That he was born this way
With honeycomb head and rubber flesh
But after the last show of the day
He slides behind the curtain
And practices for hours
For your edification and enjoyment

In winter he parks his van beside the others
Two months in Gibsonton off Route 41
Reads to the kids, cuddles with the wife
Plays guitar with his feet
Naps in a suitcase
Runs naked in the pines by the access road
Reacquaints himself with sleep and serpents

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I spend a long time writing that last fitness book,  getting it ready, editing, posing for my wife to take the pictures (bless her heart!), worrying and fussing.  Then I spent a couple of months selling it.  When you’re self-published writer you have to be the entire carnival — barker, performer, driver, cook, jointie, ride jockey, you name it.  Not complaining.  It is what it is.

Sooner or later though, you have to downshift.  You can only run in high gear so long.

Time to slow down a little.

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Here’s your Cabal Fang WOD:

Today we’re taking it down a notch.  Complete an HIIT with Resistance Bands (24 x :40.  Six sets of Lat Raises, Seated Rows, Squat Presses, and rest for a total of 16 minutes) followed by a head-to-toe stretch of at least 30 minutes.

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Ground-fighting Conditioner #3

Posted on July 16, 2015 | Leave a comment
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This morning’s playlist

Today’s Cabal Fang WOD is Ground-fighting Conditioner #3.  Set timer for 12 x 1:30.  Place heavy bag on floor and start timer. Mount bag and strike 10 times, body lock bag, 360 barrel roll back to mount, repeat until timer beeps. Roll to bottom position. Scissor lock bag and strike 5x, roll to left side and strike 5x, roll to right side and strike 5x. Repeat until timer beeps. Place bag perpendicularly across body. Shrimp and bridge until timer beeps. Repeat  cycle 3 more times for a total of 18 minutes.

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Weights, Heavy Bag #CABALFANG #WOD

Posted on July 15, 2015 | Leave a comment

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Here’s a little 30-minute WOD for your edification and enjoyment:

WEIGHTS: As many sets as you can in 15 minutes of 12 each Kung Fu Curls, Ripcords, Shrugs, and Side Lunges. HEAVY BAG: 5 x 2:00/1:00 AFAYC of Punches, Kicks, Punches, Kicks, and Punch/Kick Combos.

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Calisthenics Codex Hall of Fame Update

Posted on July 14, 2015 | 1 comment

hofIf you’ve read my book or poked around this site you know that I started a Calisthenics Codex Hall of Fame (CCHOF) to recognize people who are actually doing the workouts from my book The Calisthenics Codex.

To set an example for you folks, I’ve added a video of myself completing one of them — the one called “Very Bad Karma.”

Go check it out.

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Weapon Practice, Tire Work-out

Posted on July 13, 2015 | Leave a comment

imageToday’s Cabal Fang WOD:

Practice your secondary weapon (I worked with my cane) for at least 10 minutes, making sure that you spend at least 1/3 of that time practicing with your off hand.  Then get out an ordinary automobile tire and set a timer for 12 minutes.  Complete as many sets as you can before the timer beeps of 10 each: Tire Push-ups, Tire Squat Presses, and Tire V-ups.

Not familiar with auto tires as a workout tool?  Want to know how the tire exercises roll?  Check out this nifty little eBooklet available for download from the PTDICE website:

TIRES: Auto Tires for Solo and Group Fitness

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“The Prisoner” Heavy Bag Conditioner (Video!)

Posted on July 10, 2015 | Leave a comment

Today’s Cabal Fang WOD is a lovely little heavy bag conditioner I’m going to call “The Prisoner.”

Set timer for 1:00 repeating intervals. If your bag isn’t marked with specific targets, do so before you begin. Punch the bag for 1 min with maximum focus and ill will, counting all misses. Then do as many Prison Push-ups as you can in 1 min. Then kick the bag for 1 min with extreme stank, counting all misses, followed by as many Prison Get-ups as you can for 1 min. Rest 1 min. Repeat 3 more sets for a total of 20 minutes. And then finally, complete 1 Prison Push-up for every missed punch or kick. Advanced variant: add a weighted vest (I used a #8).

Just in case you don’t know the exercises, here’s a quick video of the two “Prisoner” Calisthenics mentioned above.

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Kick Conditioner #WOD and I’m in 2nd Place

Posted on July 9, 2015 | Leave a comment

So it looks like my book The Calisthenics Codex is #2 in the iTunes/iBook store (screenshot below). If you haven’t  checked it out yet, here are the links.

Now for your WOD.

Kick Conditioner: Set timer for 6 x 2:00/1:00. As many kicks as you can for 2:00, then as many Squat Presses as you can for 1:00. Repeat. Beginners press at top of Squat, advanced players press at bottom (don’t sway your back!). Start with light weight and step up each round. Take as few 12 second breaks as needed to finish.

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