Tag biomatrix

Originally posted:http://www.the-biomatrix.net/way-of-the-superhero.htm
By By James Carrales Lira AKA Vampireto! of Biomatrix.net
‘The way of the superhero’ is something I like to talk about a lot (believe me, I never stop!) and to me consists of taking three aspects that a superhero has (and that I admire) and to imitate them in real life. These are a strong body, outstanding mind, and a great style. That’s why, as a fan of superheroes, I came to see the Real Life Super Heroes community (RLSH) as role models for the age of the hero. At first I was surprised that more people shared my enthusiasm; that there are people that are brave enough to put on a costume and go out and try to change the established status (yes! I’m talking about you Mr. Hero!). But did they have what it really takes? Sadly, as I came to discover some do, but others… not so much! It’s as if they just act super when they have the costume on, and that’s a shame! A hero most be a hero all the time – like a state of mind if you like. This might be why many also seem a little out of shape – YES , GOOD PHYSIQUES ARE IMPORTANT. Didn’t want to mention it but, it certainly does make people feel safer than if they’re next to a wimpy superhero. So to better know if they have not just the ‘Heart of a Hero’, but also the body and mind of one too, I talked with one of them to discern if my doubts were justified!
For all of you, here is Dale Pople – AKA. ‘Super Hero’:
Hello Super Hero and thanks again for taking time to answer my questions… first of all:
I’ve heard that the hero persona must be a better version of yourself, one that improves on whatever flaw one has. For example: if you lack confidence then use your alter-ego to find that inner strength that’s missing. Is that true?
That’s possible, but everyone is different, so it may apply to some but not others. I’m pretty much the same guy in or out of my suit I think. Although some people have said my voice gets a little ‘Deeper’.
Do you exercise constantly? If that’s the case can you tell us your normal routine?
I have been a weightlifter since I was 17 and always liked to train heavy, I even ended up power lifting (see MySpace video) nowadays I do a few days a week of kettle bells as well. I hate to say it but although Batman & Superman are built like Bodybuilders I think a real Superhero would do a lot more kettle bells than just about anything else. The give you strength, Endurance, Cardio, agility, all of it. So that’s what I recommend as a ‘Superhero Workout’ nowadays.
Do you think it would be wise to improve first your civilian background (your secret identity, if you like) to make a better SUPERHERO in the future? Is it worth it waiting until you get stronger or its ok to train while patrolling the streets?
Well, I’m an odd case. I was in the military, always worked out, even went thru the Police academy & was a Pro Wrestler before becoming a Superhero. So I ‘groomed’ myself for this lifestyle for a long time without really knowing it. I was also almost 30 when I did (I’m 41 now) as for a younger guy? I’d say yeah, go ahead & do it but keep learning & training as you go.
Everybody talks about taking martial arts, self-defence lessons or preparing for physical confrontation for their crime fighting quests. Is that really as important for a superhero as everybody thinks? How many times have you used your fighting skills on a real situation?
Hardly ever, BUT that being said I’d rather know how to fight & never need it then need to fight & not know how. Take something. No art is going to hurt you.
Some say that the best way to improve you is in a competitive atmosphere. Does being on a sport team would improve you as a Superhero? I think no, a Superhero has to have a ‘Put the other guy over’ attitude. Like a Pro Wrestler. That’s why I was a better wrestler than a Football player or something (I’m not into sports) so I’d say no.
What sports do you recommend for developing your strength? Or you speed? What about your agility and reflexes? Is there any kind of super-training that let you develop all of these aspects at once?
See above (Kettlebells – check them out on YouTube)
Do you think that the general RLSH community needs to make an improvement into their own physical aptitude?
Eh, not really, most guys train somehow, there are a few guys who I wish would put some more meat on there bones, but they’re young and are trying so I don’t hold it against them.
Do you have any health advice for those who are starting training?
Pick up some magazines like Muscle & Fitness, read the routines, I used to have a CPT, Hire a trainer & have him show you around the gym, you’ll make gains quicker if you have a clue what to do. Watch the other guys & ask questions.
Another great fundamental part on the ‘way of the superhero’ is the awesome minds that some of them have (say Batman, Tony Stark, Sherlock Holmes, etc.), and everybody knows that Spiderman always wins because under the whole spider-like package (I mean his powers not his package…) there’s a genius. So…. Do you think it’s important to hit the book and, improve your mind?
You forgot Reed Richards & Hank Pym (now the Scientist Supreme) but at any rate yeah, improving your mind is paramount. Learn your local laws so you don’t break any. Maybe study profiling, I study a LOT of criminal cases (Columbine, the North Hollywood shootout etc) and history in General. I feel History is the best teacher.
Do you exercise your mind to become more capable in helping others?
Nah, I feel that’s instinctive, you either stop at accidents or keep driving, it’s two different types of people.
Do you know of any exercise to improve your memory?
Huh?
What about the skills you need to know on daily basis in the superhero world? Say fist aid or mechanics? Is there any other that you think would be useful? What about public relations?
PR is a HUGE one, I get asked to represent the Superhero community on a VERY regular basis, but I have a unfair advantage as I have worked in broadcasting for 15 years. I’m a extrovert, & enjoy the public a great deal. A Lot of the guys who do this seem to be very introverted & I have no such problem. Just to be fair I’ve also been asked NOT to on a few occasions.
And the final part: the style! Yes, my friends, the style! That cool thing that great characters have that make them immortal legends (or at least famous enough to be on the big screen); the ability to reinvent yourself, to create your own new persona, your own code of honour – and then to follow it to the end. Superheroes have it and so you do. But with great style comes great individuality. You must be original. You must not copy others (Do you see Wolverine asking Ironman about fashion tips? (Iron Wolverine? Hmm… interesting!)). Yeah it’s hard, but at the end you will feel great to know that you stand out from the rest.
Well, just about every great superhero design has been done before, so you’re going to borrow unintentionally or not. I AM very different from the rest of the pack in the fact that I am VERY colourful, that seems to be frowned on pretty badly by the bulk of the community. Most of the guys seem to think ‘The more black the better’ I blame the new batman films personally.
Did you design your own costume?
Yes.
What where you thinking while designing it?
Function, colour, Classic Superheroes
Why don’t you use a mask? Does it have anything to do with being more easily trusted by the people?
I’m in Florida, masks are hot, they are also not nearly as convenient or practical as comics make them seem. Somebody can crank it, then you’re blind & in trouble. they also limit your vision. I just don’t like them.See aboveMy suit was built with Florida in mind. It’s all heat friendly, even the gloves are ventilated.
Do you consider the practical value of it when making it?
How do you fight against the heat or cold with that costume on?
What are the materials you used?
Spandex & lycra mostly.let’s see. Stun gun, 37mm shot cannon, bear mace, ASP Baton, Mag light, Body armor, Bokken, sonic grenade, scanner, GPS. Exacto knife, multi tool etc.
Do you use any kind of gadgets? If that’s the case can you name them?
Do you make your own gadgets? Or have someone make them for you?
No, some guys make their own but I’m very ‘Soviet’ with my equipment. I like proven reliable tech.
Do you think it’s important to develop you own tech no matter the time it takes to achieve it?
No
If that the case what gadget would you like to have?
A Phaser
Having a trademark gadget is awesome (batarangs, web-shooters,) do you know any RLSH that has developed their own gadgets?
Yes, The EYE makes a ton of his stuff. and Death’s Head Moth actually has Motherangs!
Do you know what TRANSHUMANISM IS? In that case would you consider it as an important part into a superhero’s life-style?
You got me on that one, & I didn’t want to Google it because that would be cheating & I’m a superhero LOL

http://www.the-biomatrix.net/faster-healing.htm
By Adam Sinicki
Healing is a basic function of the human body and a process that falls under the umbrella term ‘anabolism’. Any anabolic process in the body essentially consists of the repairing and rebuilding tissue using the amino acids in our food and is the opposite to ‘catabolism’ which is any process that instead burns food (generally carbs or carbs stored as fat) in order to give the body energy. Other than healing, anabolic processes include growing, replacing cells and building muscle among other things. As we know there are certain ways to improve the speed of those things, so it stands to reason that we can increase and speed up our body’s ability to heal too and become less-hairy versions of Wolverine.
The first thing you need in order to encourage your body to heal more quickly is sleep. Sleeping is important as it enters our body into an ‘anabolic state’ (wakefulness on the other hand is considered a ‘catabolic state’). This is when our bodies will do the majority of their building, repairing and maintenance and this is increased by greater production of growth hormone among others chemicals in the body. This is why for bodybuilders it’s so important to get a lot of rest as well as working out, but for someone recovering from a cut, a bruise, a break or anything else then this is also just as important.
There are also other ways to increase the amount of growth hormone in the body. Bodybuilders for example take a synthetic form of growth hormone directly which can not only help to heal wounds but even turn back some of the effects of ageing. This product is not without its side effects however and is banned in many countries and states for that reason. Fortunately many drugs, such as GABA, offer a milder approach, helping the body to produce more growth hormone naturally (GABA also gives the user deeper sleep for other beneficial effects).
Other ways growth hormone production can be increased don’t require any supplements or ‘products’ at all. One of the best methods for example is actually to work out or to go sprinting, while even a boiling hot shower can help give the body a rush of the hormone.
Another hormone that increases the repair and building of tissue in the body is testosterone, which is partly why men are more muscular than women. Again it is possible to take testosterone enhancing supplements which help the body to produce more natural testosterone and include things such as tribulus terrestris and 6-OXO. At the same time certain foods can also help you produce more testosterone (while avoiding others does so indirectly by decreasing oestrogen), as can exercise again and interestingly sex.
Once the body is put into this anabolic state it then needs to have access to the tools used to repair the joint. This means mainly amino acids which are found in proteins and recombined to form the protein that makes up our own body. As such in order to heal, grow or build muscle the body needs to have a good supply of amino acids. If you’re recovering from an injury then, eating a lot of meats and taking a protein shake could help (or just an amino acid supplement).
Similarly your body also uses many vitamins to repair various problems. Vitamin E applied topically or consumed orally for example is great for damage to the skin, while calcium is important for rebuilding bones, cartilage and tendons. Taking a multi vitamin is one of the best ways to cover all bases.
Other miracle drugs either exist or are on the verge of existing. These generally revolve around giving the body new cells which it can use in order to repair its own tissue. One place this is found is in horse placenta which has useable stem cells that are being used in sports to turn back the clock on many old injuries. Another is extra-cellular matrix found in pigs which is potent enough to help grow back the tips of fingers by encouraging the body to prevent healing and to utilise its own satellite cells for repair.
Other products promise to help improve the appearance of wounds after the fact. One great product that actually does what it’s advertised to do is ‘Bio Oil’ which uses a different delivery system to get vitamin E, collagen and other vital vitamins, minerals and substances right into the injury.
Of course your ability to heal will depend largely on the wound, and on luck, and these tips will only help to a degree. However if you really want to give yourself the best possible chance of a full recovery, it certainly can’t hurt to try (and if it does, then you know how to heal yourself).

Go Faster! Training tips to improve your running speed.
http://www.the-biomatrix.net/run-faster.htm
By Adam Sinicki
Obviously if you want to improve your running speed you should practice firstly by running, varying your speed between sessions and regularly attempting to push your top speed. You can practice at set points or use what I call ‘incidental training’, which is when you turn an ordinary task into a training opportunity for example by running to the shop or to work. Personally I run practically everywhere. Like a mentalist.
If you want to push the boundaries further and use some more unconventional methods to improve your 100 metres the following strategies will serve you well.
Upper Body Strength
The power created by swinging your arms is very important to your overall running speed. When I was younger I wanted to be Sonic the Hedgehog (actually I thought I was Sonic the Hedgehog) so I used to run with my arms flailing around behind me which significantly decreased my running speed. From this I learned two important points: do not run with your arms behind you,
The most important muscles to train are your deltoids, closely followed by your biceps and triceps. A good way to train the latter two is with ‘dumbbell runners’ which involve holding two mid-to-light dumbbells and making a slow-motion running motion. They’re much like bilateral hammer curls mixed with kickbacks and they’re brilliant. Shrugs meanwhile are a great way to train the shoulders.
Also important is your core strength, which can be trained with press-ups, sit ups and pull ups.
Leg Strength
Training your legs is important for running but it’s also paramount that they don’t become too bulky which can be detrimental to your speed. Your muscles will be developed to an extent from the running itself, particularly by running up hill.
To get an extra edge though use leg extensions, hamstring curls and calf raises. Running utilises fast twitch muscle fibres which you need to train by practicing the movements explosively with ‘bursts’ of strength to lift the weight.
Overspeed training
Overspeed training is the incredibly cool name for a training method used by sprinters and football players to increase running speed. Basically it involves finding a way to run up to 10% faster than usual, by getting towed, or by running downhill, or with wind behind you. The idea is that by doing this, you are ‘teaching’ your body and your brain the movement necesary to create that kind of speed and that hopefully they’ll eventually be able to repdoduce it on their own. In theory this technique could be used for several other endeavours. For example there are machines that take your arm through the perfect golf swing. Having your friend help you with a heavy weight might even have a similar effect. Still you should do overspeed training just because it’s called overspeed training! It would be even cooler if it was called hyperspeed training… (I’ve got to invent that).
Running against resistance
This is like it sounds – basically the opposite of overspeed training (underspeed training?). Some things that can provide resistance are shallow water, sand (think Rocky 3) and ankle and wrist weights. You could also run while towing something ala Rocky. Quicksand would probably be awesome but it’s hard to come by.
Ooh! This is now called hyperspeed training!
Stamina
It should go without saying that you need to increase your stamina in order to maintain a good speed. Any CV training will achieve this but obviously running and jogging are the most well-suited. Use a treadmill if you’re in the gym and alternate between 10 minute jogs and 2 minute sprints for the best results.
Springbak Speedsoles
‘Speedsoles’ are squidgey insoles that you place in your shoes to give yourself a bit of extra bounce. They can supposedly increase running speed and jumping height by around 10%
While you shouldn t expect flubber I have found that they do at least give you a bit of a spring in your step and have the added bonus of combating shin splints and other running-related pains.
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Buy Now: Project Superman Paper-back!
Yes you read right: Project Superman is now available as a 124-page paper back! For just £13.88 (+P&P)
Project Superman is the name I gave to my personal mission to try and improve myself in every way possible; to become faster, stronger, smarter and more agile. This book is a veritable bible of unique training methods, fighting techniques, tools, future transhuman technologies, psychological tricks, health tips and everything else you need to improve yourself in every way possible.
Whether you want to be a superman or just improve your health, there’s something here for you.
Reposted with permission from http://www.the-biomatrix.net

By Adam Sinicki
With permission from http://www.the-biomatrix.net/.
All over the internet there are hundreds of bodybuilding articles that tell you how to add an inch to your arms or chest and there are hundreds of crazy new training systems that promise awesome results, but there aren’t so many articles that tell you how to get to a decent size to start with. How does Joe Blogs get himself to a stage where he’s ready to try out this crazy shit? How does he go from having the body of a normal fella to having the beginnings of a body worthy of a bodybuilder? How does our average Joe go from ‘zero’ to ‘hero’?
I don’t know. I’ve always been awesome, that was just a rhetorical question.
Nah not really! That would make a very short article otherwise! I do know how and infact I’ve outlined how in, as the title suggests, 5 easy steps. Why five? Well I like five okay? These 5 stages will set you on your way in the world of bodybuilding and assuming you’re currently in average shape you should be able to achieve the body of an amateur bodybuilder in 6 months to a year, although you’ll start seeing results way before then (unless you’re blind or a vampire (the reflection thing)).
The training zero: Step 1 – Full body routine of bodyweight training
Step 1 sounds like a good plce to start and it’s just the ticket for getting yourself into a decent shape. At the moment you may be unused to training so you want to start off gently. Your supporting muscles are all fairly weak so you don’t want to injure yourself with heavy weights and as a beginner you may have no equipment. The solution? A full body routine focussing on calisthenics (bodyweight training) 4 times a week. For each session you will attempt to hit the whole body and the key part of your workout will be press ups and variations of them. You will also use the sit-up, the dip (using the edge of a bed or a chair), the pull up (purchase a ?5 bar for your door frame), the chin up, leg raises (from the pull up bar), the squat-thrust, the lunge, the calf raise (one legged on the edge of a step) and the horse stance (standing as though you are sitting in a chair and holding the position).
Each workout should be approximately 45 minutes and should use any combination of 5 exercises from the list above (and variations) that hits the whole body. You should train 4 days a week, having your resting days whenever is convenient but not two in a row. Every exercise should be performed in sets of three and as you progress you should increase your repetitions.
You should also begin to cut down the carbs and fats in your diet and begin eating generally healthy. If you manage to stick to this routine for a month or two you should begin to see improvements in your strength and in your endurance. This means you are ready my son.
The okay-but-a-bit-pants bloke: Step 2 – Resistance machines and dumbells
This step is fairly self explanatory. You should continue with your routine but introduce resistance machines and/or dumbells into the mix. The resistance machines will be found at a gym, or if you’re loaded you can buy yourself a multi-gym (I’d like one too if you’re stuck for christmas ideas for me).
This will greatly increase the number of exercise moves available to you for training and you can start hitting your muscles from new angles. With the dumbells you can now do shoulder presses, weighted lunges, curls, tricep kick backs, bent over rows and much more. With the machines you can start using the pec dec, chest press, lat pull down, hamstring curls and anything on offer which will target very specifically certain muscles (usually indicated on the machine itself). Don’t forget those bodyweight exercises though, they brought you this far and should stay with you until you quit the iron.
You should now begin to increase the amount of protein you eat. Don’t go over board, but once you start seeing the muscles you should strive to add a little more tuna and egg to your diet. As you begin to improve you can up the weights on your dumbells and machines and maybe train 5 days instead of 4. Still not enough? Then move onto the next step.
The athlete: Step 3 – Free weights and the big three
Free weights just means weights not supported by a machine. You’ve already done some of that with the dumbells but now it’s time to go hardcore. By the big three I mean the benchpress, the deadlift and the squat. These are ‘compound’ movements that hit a lot of muscles and improve overall power like no other exercises. You’ve had practice on the resistance machines but this is the real thing. Simply by adding these to your workout you will begin to see massive improvements. You can use the barbell for other movements too – upward rows or barbell curls for instance.
You will find that with all these movements that you are finding it difficult to fit them all into a workout, and that you feel tired and lethargic the next day. For this reason you should break down your training a bit, probably across two days to begin with. One way of doing this is to do your lower body, legs and abs on one day, and the upper body, arms and torso, on the next. Alternatively you can do ‘pull’ days and ‘push’ days.
By now you will be training hard enough to warrant the usage of a protein shake. Go easy to start with and up the dosage as you begin to see results. Again though you’ll begin to see dimminishing returns before eventually your workout fails to offer you a challenge. Move on my friend. Move on.
The iron warrior: Step 4 – Splits and high intensity
When you started this gig you probably found it difficult to find moves easy enough to sustain for a decent set of reps. These days you’re probably looking at quite the opposite problem and are struggling to find new ways to challenge yourself and shock your body into action. Fear not! Bodybuilders bigger and stronger than you have faced this problem and come up with many varied and interesting solutions.
There are lots of ways to increase the intensity of your workouts. You should now be hitting each muscle group with as many as 10 sets of either the same exercise or different movements using supersets (alternating between sets of two different movements), dropsets (lowering the weight each time you can do no more then continuing without a rest), pyramid sets (going up in weight then down again), and other techniques to squeaze every last drop of effort out of your muscles. Each set as well should be performed to failiure using forced reps, cheats (engaging other muscles to help in the exercise), half reps and more to really feel the burn. By now you should instinctively be able to feel whether you’ve done enough on a certain muscle group.
Obviously doing 10 sets of every muscle group in one workout would take ages and is impractical. It would also be very ill advised to work out a single muscle group on such high-intensity for more than one day in a row. Therefore you need to split your workout across even more days using a ‘split’ (clever name huh?). Basically you will now dedicate each workout to just one or two muscle groups, allowing them to rest while you train the others. Depending on your seriousness and available time you might want to train 6 or 7 days of the week.
You’ll probably find that you want to up your protein intake even more by now, and may want to try using other supplements like creatine to give yourself more energy in the gym.
The training hero: Step 5 – Experiment
There are many, many more techniques out there. Hundreds of advanced and strange and experimental ways to go the extra mile to get that competition-winning physique. As I said, there are many articles out there that will guide give you all sorts of crazy advice. But more importantly you now know yourself the basics of training. You know what works for your body and what doesn’t and you have the strength and experience to follow the good advice and reject the bad.
You’re finally strong enough and experienced enough to start using those articles and even better, trying new things out yourself. The difference between an average bodybuilder and the outstanding bodybuilder is the willingness to experiment, to break the rules and to be creative. It’s time to start inventing some of your own routines, diets and constantly keep the body guessing. Do the research, put the time in down the gym and the sky is literally the limit (mostly true of planes and birds).
So there you are, you’re a hero now, just like Hercules. You’ve got the moxy, brains and spunk, from zero to hero – a major hunk (from the song… never mind). To follow the above correctly I recommend 6 weeks on each stage and 1 week between each to give your body a break. That means in total it should take roughly 35 weeks until you’ve reached heroic level, although this will vary greatly from individual to individual and only you will know when you’re ready to progress. Unless you tell someone and then they will also know.
This is a very simple guide and doesn’t provide anywhere near enough information on its own, but with a little adaptation and research it should provide a safe and efficient framework to get anyone to the top of the sport. So go and become a hero!
Source: http://www.the-biomatrix.net/zero-to-gym-hero.html