Eddie Baran's Body Sculpting Blog

Some people live. Some people merely stay alive.

In the Czech film "Autumn Spring," we can clearly see what the difference is. It centers around an elderly couple who could not be more different.

The wife is preparing for her death and thinks that at this point in her life her function is to get ready for the end. She can't understand her husband, who is the exact opposite. She berates him for not taking death seriously.

While she gets ready to die, he lives his second childhood. He doesn't take himself or life too seriously. But he is serious about living each day to its fullest, completely ignoring his age.

Although the film is about one couple in particular it really is a metaphor for all of us. Some people have resigned themselves to waiting out the rest of their lives staying alive but not living.

She is doing what someone else tells her to do, doing what someone else thinks she should do. They tell her how to live, how to work. She accepts this and merely exists.

Contrast that with the person who really lives. She doesn't wait out her life like she's waiting out a prison sentence. She enjoys life, she enjoys her body and she is always seeking improvement in all areas.

Look at each day as another opportunity to get better while enjoying yourself in the process.

Wishing you the best,

Eddie Baran

P.S. Live your best life with your best body. Go here now.

Posted by Eddie Baran at 07:09 PM | Permalink

When most people do their exercise, they tend to be incomplete in their training. They either do only one thing, like yoga or cardio, and neglect other fitness modalities.

Big mistake.

In order to benefit from exercise, your training needs to encompass the Five Pillars of Fitness:

1. Strength - your body needs to be strong. Without strength you will crumple and blow away. The stronger you are the easier you can move your body through space, regardless of the activity.

2. Flexibility - Flexibility allows you to put your body in different positions when you move.

3. Endurance - Both cardiovascular endurance and muscular endurance allow you to keep going for long periods of time.

4. Agility - This is your ability to move in various directions with ease and grace.

5. Attitude - To be fit and healthy, you must have a good attitude about your body, even if you feel disgusted with it. Think only the best about your body and your body will repay you in kind. Know that the exercises you are doing are in fact making a better you.

Follow these five pillars - all of which are covered in detail in my program and you will have the fittest you ever. You will look better and feel better faster and forever:

All the best,

Eddie Baran

P.S. Make sure your fitness program has everything in it to build the fully fit you. Make sure you have Body Sculpting Bodyweight Exercises for Women.

Posted by Eddie Baran at 07:07 PM | Permalink

Last night I was watching a TV program about opera singers. One of the most impressive things about these singers is the power behind their voices. They don't use microphones so they have to be able to project their voices to an entire concert hall and over a full orchestra, to boot. I don't think many singers of rock or pop music can come close to this. Whether you like opera or not is irrelevant. You have to acknowledge that these singers have the most impressive vocal abilities of anyone.

One of the reasons Pavarotti, for example, has such a powerful voice is that he sings with his entire body, not just with his throat or diaphragm. If he doesn't use all his body to sing, not much is going to come out of his mouth.

When I learned this I immediately drew a parallel with Body Sculpting Bodyweight Exercises for Women.

Just like the most powerful form of singing uses the entire body, so does the most powerful form of exercise. In order to sing effectively, you must use the entire body; in order to exercise effectively, you must use the entire body.

Just as an opera singer doesn't sing with only her throat, the healthy and fit person doesnt just train one muscle at a time. The body sculptor doesn't sit back and do leg presses or dumbbell curls, but rather she does movements that use all of her muscles.

Just as opera is the pinnacle of vocalization, bodyweight exercises for are the same in the fitness world: It is the standard by which all other exercises are based.

You can't have REAL power unless you use your entire body with fitness; it's just not possible.

Wishing you the best,

P.S. If Pavarotti did do Body Sculpting Bodyweight Exercises for Women his weight would drop dramatically, he'd be healthier and he'd probably come out of retirement. There are exercises in the course which are some of the best exercises around to build lung power. I'm betting his voice would be even more powerful.

Posted by Eddie Baran at 07:05 PM | Permalink

The 18th century French Philospher Voltaire once described happiness as this:

"The body of an athlete and the soul of a sage. These are what we require to be happy."

Wisdom and smarts are important, no doubt. But a lot of folks forget about the body. Health takes a back seat to every other thing in their life.

What Voltaire knew so well is that happiness is not just a body without disease or illness, but a body of supreme health, a body of an athlete - strong, agile, durable, healthy; a body that can move with grace and ease.

It's so important for us to strive for optimal health and fitness, not just average, not just typical. If we just try to exist and avoid illness, we'll most likely attract sickness, for that's where our focus is.

Also, you can't simply try to stand still, to stay the course; you either get better or worse. You need to have the goal of always improving.

If you are not an athlete yet, then you will get there if that is your intention. Start where you start and move forward, one step at a time.

Have your intent to have the best body that you can, i.e. that of an athlete, because that is what you will ultimately get. Body Sculpting Bodyweight Exercises for Women gives you the athletes body.

All the best,

Eddie Baran

P.S. Get the athlete's body by going here NOW.

Posted by Eddie Baran at 09:55 PM | Permalink

Being that we're living in a technological age, we are subjected to a barrage of all sorts of nasty pollutants. I'm talking about electromagnetic pollution.

We've got our computers, our TV's, our ipods, microwave ovens, and so on. This kind of stress, called Electro Magnetic Frequencies Stress, can wreak havoc on our bodies: headaches, insomnia, low energy, just to name a few.

There's a simple and fast way to eliminate the effects of this stress without elimination the things in our lives that cause the stress. It's called a Q-Link pendant. By wearing the Q-Link, your body’s natural energy field (bio-field) gets stronger and healthier.

It's fascinating stuff. Read more about it here.

All the best,

Eddie Baran

P.S. Here's the link again to the Q-Link.

Posted by Eddie Baran at 09:53 PM | Permalink

I get many emails from women wanting to lose weight for a wedding or high school reunion. Some event where they are only interested in the instant fix.

But some know better and want the real deal. A solution that
will last forever:

--.----........-..---...-.

Eddie,
I came across your book/dvd's online a few weeks ago and have been debating on whether or not to order. I am 26, 5'7 a size 12 and almost 180lbs. This is the most I have ever weighed. I workout 4 days a week at a local Curves and have purchased an elliptical but have seen little results other than in my calves. I am in a wedding in February where all the other bridesmaids are a size 4 of course and am really stressed about it.

Also, my husband would like for us to start having children after the wedding is behind us but I am adamant about losing weight before I get pregnant for my health and the health of the baby. I have never spent alot of money to get in shape and am skeptical to do so now but am desperate to regain control of myself.

I guess I am looking for some guidance to my current situation and whether you think this program would be right for me. Friends have suggested using diet pills but I want to do this the right way. Any info you can offer is appreciated.
Thanks,
Erin

Erin,
You are right in wanting to do things the right way and not wanting the temporary instant fix. This is best solution in the long run, for you and your baby. Plus it will be a permanent solution, not temporary.

The body sculpting program is for everyone. The exercises develop a toned athlete's figure. You do these exercises and you will get leaner, tone your muscles, build cardiovascular endurance, and get you into shape.

Bodyweight exercises can do this for you. But you need to go about it the right way. The only way to get into any kind of permanent shape is to look at this as a permanent habit. Diet pills, as you said, are not the right way.

Start off where you're at and improve from there. Don't overdo it at first. There is no rush. When you get to the wedding and you're a size 8 or 10, it won't matter that you're bigger than the others; you'll know where you're headed and have the peace of mind that you are on the right path to permanent health and fitness.

--.----........-..---...-.

You can have fast and permanent results, but you need to put in some effort. There is no magic pill but there are exercises that can work wonders.

All the best,

Eddie Baran

P.S. The fastest way to fitness is to be in it for the long run. Get the tools here.

Posted by Eddie Baran at 09:49 PM | Permalink

Can you do body sculpting bodyweight exercises anywhere and anytime. As they say in Minnesota, "Oh you betcha."

In fact, to prove my point, here's a letter from a woman who did some work on her home and on her body at the same time.

Hi Eddie,
Once again I find myself agreeing with you all the way. I started out by just trying "to be better than myself" like you encouraged us to do a few emails ago. I would try to do more each day of the exercises that you feature in Body Sculpting Bodyweight Exercises for Women .

Some days, mind you, it was only one more rep, but it was more. Some days I would do a full 6 or 10 more reps. Then I started incorporating some of the exercises that you teach in my work day. This past weekend I took it up another notch.

I did reps (and added more) while I was weatherproofing the wood on the shed in my back yard! Before starting on your program, I probably wouldn't have gotten around to weatherproofing my new shed, or would have done a poor job. Now that I feel better and have more energy, I put two coats of weatherproofing on my new shed, and it looks great, and I am looking great, too.

Your program works! And in just MINUTES a day, my whole world is changing. Thanks for all you do!

Blessings,
Becca

Great job, Becca. That's really using the program in the spirit it's meant to be done in. Thanks for sharing with us and giving more ideas on how to get fit.

Great points that Becca makes:

1. Do what you can do, whatever your level. Just improve on where you're at now. And then get better each day, one rep at a time.

2. These exercises can be done anywhere and anytime, at work, at play, only minutes a day.

3. You will not only look and feel better, your energy and productivity will jump through the roof.

So you see, there is no excuse not to do the program

Wishing you the best,

Eddie Baran

P.S. Little time, big results. Go here now to get with the program

Posted by Eddie Baran at 09:46 PM | Permalink

Here are 5 very important tips to help you get the most out of your exercise.

1. Assess your fitness level at the start. This way you'll know how and which exercises to use. For example, in my program I have everyone start with the Fab Five. These are the first exercises in the program that will assess where you're at. If these are too difficult, do the easy exercises instead, even if it's only one rep.

2. Pay close attention to your form. You don't want to do your exercises incorrectly for a couple of reasons, most notably your results will be greatly reduced. All the critical details that you need to know are on your body sculpting DVD's Here you will see how the exercises are performed correctly. So make sure you watch these a number of times.

3. Pay close attention to what your body is feeling, especially if you're a beginner. You don't want to go too hard at first. You're still making friend with your body and it might not be ready for intense exercise yet. You'll get there but acclimate yourself first.

4. If you're used to exercising, don't slack. Do the intermediate and advanced exercises that are in the program. Once something gets easy, then make it harder.

5. Think the best about your body. Even if you are obese or out of shape, think of and treat your body with kindness and it will return the favor by getting fit. This is not crazy - this is truth. If you mentally beat yourself up your results will come slowly or not at all. Think the best thoughts and doing the best exercises will give you the best results fastest.

Follow these tips and your body will change faster than you could imagine.

Wishing you the best,

Eddie Baran

P.S. Here's a bonus tip: Do something everyday. For example, do four days a week of workouts from my body sculpting program and walk the other three days. Key thing is to get your body moving.

Posted by Eddie Baran at 10:21 PM | Permalink

When I coached gymnastics I always had a contest at each training session. The boy who worked the hardest and had the best attitude won the title of King of the Jungle. To them this was an honor like no other. It showed accomplishment in something, that he could do something really special. Every boy wanted to get that coveted award and worked his tail off for it. For me it was a way to instill a good work ethic in them while getting them to train hard. They were kids so they didn't understand the pleasure and worth of being better than yourself; they only understood being better than someone else.

But adults are different. A woman might be in competition with her coworkers or friends to sculpt the best body. And that's okay. But the real drive must come from within, to improve yourself. I get many letters from women who have done just this. Few start as great athletes. Most start in poor shape but that doesn't stop them. They start with what they can do and get better and better each day.

And with this, I present October's Queen of the Jungle to the woman who writes me and shows the best attitude and accomplishment. (And with what most women have to do it is a jungle out there.)

This month's award goes to Queen Sylvia from Las Vegas, NV, by way of Germany. Not only has she gotten in shape but she also got her teenage son in shape using bodyweight exercises. And at the age of 45, Sylvia is getting younger and younger.

Frau Hagen wrote:

Guten morgen, Herr Baran, Our son Kevin, now 15, was 3 when we came here from Germany. He was always a lean kid and very active. Things changed very much when we got here. Watching TV, playing the computer games, eating BK and pizza. Result: weight gain. Then Kevin and I started walking and finally we found Combat Conditioning and your great body sculpting course Body Sculpting Bodyweight Exercises for Women.   He has never been better. He is loving how the weight is melting off; he's getting stronger, more confident, and sculpted. Looking great. Feeling like a millllian bucks. Same goes for me; I'm 45 and feeling better and looking better today than I did 10 years ago.   Thank you so much for your great program. 
Herzlichst,
Sylvia Hagen

Das ist Wunderbar, Koenigen Sylvia. Danke schoen.

Sylvia did what she had to do and her helped your son too. No excuses, no whining, just doing the right thing in the right way. The characteristics of a winner.

Wishing you the best,

Eddie Baran

P.S. In my book, any woman who does what's necessary to improve herself is royalty. If you don't know how to do that, then go here now and get the program.

Posted by Eddie Baran at 10:12 PM | Permalink

For the vast majority of people, both men and women, fitness remains forever out of reach. No matter how hard some women try she just can't lose the fat and tone the body. She 's tried everything but she still remains overweight, weak and lethargic. She thinks that something is so wrong with her that she will never get in great shape. Like she's inherently flawed.

Well, this isn't the case. She doesn't know it but she's probably making one or more of the biggest fitness mistakes out there. This can result in disaster and trainwreck your entire program. Here are the 4 biggest fitness mistakes:

1. Training the wrong exercises - Without a doubt this is the biggest mistake, and the most common. Weight training, machines, long slow cardio are just a few examples of exercises that do your body little good. Yes, they are better than nothing but these are not the best choices. Yet this is what the mass media has told you to do. Well, they are wrong. Most women who opt for these quit out of boredom and poor results. They just don't work well if at all. Bodyweight exercises, however, are the most effective exercises out there. You do these exercises and you will get results.

2. Training the wrong way - It's not just a matter of doing the right exercises, you've got to do them in the right way. There are certain tricks and secrets, technical details that will supercharge your results so they come faster and easier to you. Do the exercises wrong and the benefits will suffer. That's why it's so critical for you to pay close attention to the instruction in my body sculpting book and DVD's. Remember, the Divine is in the details.

3. Training too hard or training too much - A common mistake for many beginners is that they go all-out and train too hard. They end up getting injured or burned out, never to return to fitness again. If you're a beginner, start out slow with the easiest exercise in the program, do one rep and assess your level from there. Once you have an idea, start building your body up slowly, one rep at a time. This is the fastest way to fitness success.

4. Training too wussy or training too little - If you're not beginner, and you're like most women, you might need to be training harder than you are. Many women who have been exercising for a while slack on their training. They just go through the motions. Big mistake. You need to push yourself. If you're not a beginner anymore so when you work out, get a work out. You're body is meant to move, your muscles are meant to work, your heart and lungs are meant to be used.

If you are failing in fitness because of any one of these four faults, now you know what the problem is. And now you can change your situation and get your body lean, sculpted, strong and energetic - the shape it's meant to be in.

All the best,

Eddie Baran

P.S. If you don't know how to fix these four fitness flaws for a fine figure, then you need the remedy Body Sculpting Bodyweight Exercises for Women. Get it here now.

Posted by Eddie Baran at 10:10 PM | Permalink

Many years back I volunteered as a literacy tutor. My one and only student was a woman named LaTonya. She was 37 years old and had never learned to read or write in school. Her teachers kept passing her on to the next grade, thinking they were doing her a favor. Turns out they were just passing the buck, getting rid of her, hoping someone else would take the responsibility of teaching her to read. But nobody did.

Finally, almost 20 years after graduating high school, LaTonya took responsibility for herself and joined a literacy program. She was going to read and nothing and no one was going to stop her.

When I started with her she didn't even know the alphabet. She was very smart and incredibly funny. Being shy, she learned to express herself through her art. She was an amazing painter. Deeply religious, her goal was to read the Bible. LaTonya had a great sense of humor so we spent much of the time laughing and making fun of each other. We did have fun.

But for the most part it wasn't an easy road for either of us. It was embarrassing for her at first, so she would avoid reading to avoid making mistakes. Then she figured out mistakes are just feedback and got over any embarrassment.

She struggled to learn and I struggled to teach. Learning to read at such a late age is not easy when it's so foreign to you. Learning to teach reading isn't easy either. I understand teaching fitness, muscles, the human body, how to get in shape. Teaching reading, however, isn't my forte so I admit I probably wasn't the best teacher for her. I'm sure she would've progressed faster with a good tutor. But she did what she had to do with what she had to do it with. We trudged through the material but we did it.

In spite of all the setbacks and struggles, LaTonya did learn to read. She wasn't exactly Evelyn Wood but she stuck it out and never thought once about giving up. Everyone else gave up on her her entire life so she wasn't about to. She had to rely on herself.

Turns out I learned way more from her than she ever did from me.

I learned from her that you need to take responsibility in your life to make it better, regardless of the problem, because no one else will. She taught me that you can achieve anything you want if you have a goal, put your mind to it and stick it out. And that you are never too old, too limited to do anything. I learned if you don't know how to do something then get help and find someone who can teach you; She taught me that you can never give up on yourself because in many cases you are all you've got if you don't have a teacher. And most importantly you've got to enjoy what you're doing and have fun with it.

So if you have struggled with your body like LaTonya did with reading, know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Whether you want to get lean and strong, or improve your endurance, or sculpt a fine body, it's a lot easier and quicker than you think. Getting your physical literacy is easy with Body Sculpting Bodyweight Exercises for Women.

Wishing you the best,

Eddie Baran

P.S. Your background, age, experience, situation matter not one iota - it's never too late to get into the best shape of your life by going here now.

Posted by Eddie Baran at 10:07 PM | Permalink

A couple years ago I met a 74-year old woman who started learning gymnastics at the age of 68. I thought I was unusual that I started the sport when I was 35 but she was really something special. She told me she had always wanted to do gymnastics ever since she was a kid but never thought she could.

She was afraid she wouldn't be good at it. So for her entire life she just figured it was a pipe dream and felt the sting of regret.

That feeling haunted her for entire life until one day she just decided to take an adult class. She didn't care how foolish she looked or if people thought she was crazy. She had had enough of her fears and regrets. It was time.

When she started training she wasn't any special kind of athlete. In fact she was your average 68-year old woman, meaning she was in poor shape. But she started off slowly, doing whatever she could do. Gradually she built her body up so she can do some pretty amazing things for a person of any age. Granted, she's not going to win any medals on the uneven parallel bars but that doesn't matter. Her body's getting stronger, muscles more toned, bone density imroving, her balance is better, she looked 15 years younger. She said she felt free and at peace.

She started the exact same way I tell my clients to, which is the same thing I'm telling you: start where you are and go from there. If that means you're a complete beginner who can only do half a rep of the easiest exercise in the body sculpting program then do that. If that means you are already an accomplished athlete then go brutal and work it hard. Either way, do what you can do according to your own personal level.

Nothing feels as bad as regret, and nothing feels as great as accomplishment. Whatever it is you desire doing, do it now, especially if it means improving your health. Start your fitness now.

Wishing you the best,

Eddie Baran

P.S. Many of the same exercises that this young woman did to build her body up are in my program Body Sculpting Bodyweight Exercises for Women. Get in NOW.

Posted by Eddie Baran at 10:03 PM | Permalink

When I was a kid back in the 70's I could count two classmates in the entire school who were considered overweight. One of them was just big-boned or stocky. The other was pretty big, even by today's standards. These kids were not the norm. The vast majority of children were in shape and trim.

But when I look around now it seems like kids these days are overwhelmingly out of shape. Actually, they're just plain fat, to be blunt. So what's the deal. Why the change.

"It's genetics," is the big excuse du jour.

Well, sorry to say but it's not genetics or heredity. I'm not denying there isn't a genetic component or a predisposition to obesity. But it doesn't explain why in the span of 30 years the obesity rate has jumped through the roof. Genes cannot mutate that dramatically in a generation. And I don't think the hefty people are reproducing at a higher rate than the slim ones.

The only reason there are more fat kids today is that kids are eating junk more and moving their bodies less. Video games, computers, TV, KFC, Mickey D's - all have contributed to the decline of western physicalization. Fact of the matter is that parents don't know themselves what to do to get in shape so how would their children know.

What's a parent to do.

Do the same thing you need do to become a strong, lean, fit and sleek woman. Go through your copy of Body Sculpting Bodyweight Exercises for Women along with your kid and see what exercises he can do. You can work out together or you can coach him. He won't get bored because the variations in using your body are limitless.

These exercises are safe and effective for children. Your kid will lose the weight and in the process be the fittest and strongest kid in his school. Once kids learn to move their bodies they will like it. Start them off on the right foot now by getting them in perfect shape.

Wishing you the best,

Eddie Baran

P.S. Get your kid on the best fitness program on the planet. Here's your opportunity to turn your child into a strong and healthy youngster. Go here now.

Posted by Eddie Baran at 11:32 PM | Permalink

Most people who have played a sport in the past have experienced the torture of shoulder pain. And pretty much anyone who has lifted weights in the past has. So after you've blown out a rotator cuff they get surgery, braces, physical therapy, cortisone shots or some other medications yet you still are in pain. And you still can't do anything.

So you rest your shoulder, don't move it at all for fear of re-injuring it and it just gets worse. Fact of the matter is you need to move your shoulder and do the right kinds of exercises to relieve the pain, get it stronger and then all better so you can resume activities again. If you don't exercise it then it weakens, scar tissue forms and your shoulder becomes worthless.

There are exercises that are quick and simple to do and work fast so you can get out of pain and get back to your favorite activities. That's why it's critical you do these specific exercises that can rebuild and repair your injured shoulder - permanently. This is not a temporary fix. If most people knew about this they'd never even consider those other painful, expensive options. These exercises are simple and can be done in minutes a day.

Nate Rifkin destroyed his shoulders lifting weights. But he didn't resign himself to being crippled. He came up with simple shoulder exercises that can take as little as 5 minutes a day to do which will relieve your shoulder pain once and for all. Read his story here because it just might help you if you are suffering from shoulder pain.

Best wishes,

Eddie Baran

P.S. Even if you don't have shoulder pain there is no better prevention than getting your shoulders bullet-proof. Go here NOW to read more.

Posted by Eddie Baran at 10:35 PM | Permalink

A few months back I started taking piano lessons. I was a complete beginner but I was gung-ho about learning. After blowing through the beginning book of chopsticks and other kindergartner songs, my teacher saw my enthusiasm so she piled on much more advanced materials. She gave me lots of scales, finger exercises, some simple Bach, Mozart and Schumann. I was pretty excited, as this is what I wanted.

But after a few days of practicing all she had assigned me, I burned out. I was completely overwhelmed with the amount of work I took on. Practice was frustrating. I got more and more angry and upset when I messed up. I was too hard on myself, demanding perfection and mastery even though I was only a beginner. Bad memories of trying to learn as a kid came rushing back. I couldn't bear another scale or arpeggio. I stopped taking lessons and stopped playing altogether after less than a month.

I didn't touch the piano for a couple weeks. Then I decided to re-introduce the instrument to myself, but on my own terms. I decided to make friends with the piano. Instead of seeing practice as a chore, I was going to have fun with it. So every now and then I'd sit down and play a little here and a little there. As soon as I got bored or tired I'd stop playing. No more forcing myself through it. And no more beating myself up. If I made a mistake I smiled, learned from it and moved on. At first I played only a few minutes a day. Then as I became more familiar with the piano, I added more time. But only if it felt right. It wasn't long until I was playing a good 30 minutes a day at which point I resumed the lessons. The piano was no longer the enemy.

Because I had made friends with the piano and learned to like it, my progress skyrocketed, much faster than I had ever anticipated. I know I'll never be a Vladimir Horowitz, and that's not my intention. I just want to play and enjoy it.

And it's the same exact thing when you're exercising and sculpting your body into a work of art. Whether you're a complete beginner to exercise or an advanced athlete, you must make friends with your body. This is critical for you to do. If you're not enjoying movement on some level, then stop to reexamine what you're doing. Find a way - any way - to like your body when it's moving.

Once you learn to enjoy exercise and make friends with your body, you will get into such great shape so fast you'll be amazed at the progress. This is because you're not working against your body but with it. Treat your body as a great friend, not an adversary that you have to fight to win. Treat your body as a friend and it will give you more in return than you thought possible. Make peace with your body and be at peace with it. Don't beat yourself up, don't get down on yourself and don't talk down to yourself. Be nice to your body and it will be nice back.

Go through your Body Sculpting Bodyweight Exercises for Women program and find what you enjoy doing the most. Even if it's just a few minutes a day, here and there. Then you will start adding more time and more exercises. Suddenly you will enjoy movement and your body will seem like it has changed overnight. You will be strong, flexible, graceful and lean in no time.

Wishing you the best,

Eddie Baran

P.S. Enjoy movement and your body with the best exercise program out there. Go here to find out more.

Posted by Eddie Baran at 10:33 PM | Permalink