Strength without weights – little known exercises that “put the pep into you”

A poor posture can really devitalize you. Many of us have posture postures.

For nearly two months now, I’ve been “a disciple of Jowett.”

George Jowett that is. And if you haven’t heard of him, you should have. One of those sentenced-to-death-by-doctors stories. They said he was going to die and he revitalized himself into super strength.

Here’s a pro tip: These guys always paid strict attention to the breathing.

For now, let’s talk about some various body parts and how the Jowett method makes them stronger. I’m referring specifically to Jowett’s correspond course and how the exercises in that program can help revitalize you.

Shoulders and chest

Down and back, pulling rearward, overhead arms straight movements.

That about summarizes it. If you look at all the breathing exercises, you’ll see that in action. Jowett’s Breathing Exercises.

The breathing exercises open the chest. When the chest sinks in, it devitalizes the inner organs, like the heart and lungs.

These actions counterbalance nearly every activity of our life (driving, sitting, texting, typing…).

Connecting in with the lats

Arms overhead side bends, eventually adding weight. You have to tuck your shoulders in this this and it really activates the lats. It’s also good for the muscles that run along the spine. Jowett contents that building muscle along the spine supports the nervous function.

It’s all about the nervous system and whether you are devitalizes or vitalizing it.

The lats are super-powerful muscles. Look at someone like Bruce Lee. Huge lats and super-powerful. They transfer all that force generated from the feet on up and through and help you express it through the hands.

Pulling evenly on both sides through increased concentration

I played throwing sports for over 20 years. I’m unbalanced. The exercises are down with full concentration. There are not too many reps. So you can concentrate fully on the forces being developed by your muscles and how your mind is summoning them.

Whether you played throwing sports or not, being balanced and good body awareness will make you stronger–regardless of how much physical weight you lift. Light weights are used in the program.

Stomach, butt, low back – the “core” – “generating power from the hips”

Big focus is placed on these areas. There’s a scene in The Return of the Dragon where Bruce Lee is hitting these focus pads. Just insane power. In the film he’s teaching and says in this terrible English dub over “[the power is] from your hips” while twisting in a punching motion.

In fact, the exercises start by focusing on the interior in this area. Your digestive tract. This is the first sequence of exercises in the Jowett program.

You can’t get stronger on the outside than your internal organs can support on the inside.

What’s next?

When I think about Jowett, I think of someone in the business of restoring people. Whenever that subject comes up, I turn to people like Hackenschmidt, Mighty Atom, and of course Jowett.

There’s more to learn from Jowett’s course and I’m not through yet. But if you begin to follow some of these principles of Jowett, and start doing the exercises… Well, I’ll put it this way. If you can adjust any preconceived notions about weight training aside and do the exercises, you’ll notice a profound difference. As I go through the sequence, I’m putting them into a playlist: