This has taken me a long time to learn, but I think one of the most valuable things to help IMPROVE your training or ability as an athlete is to actually take a step back and ask yourself W.I.N - what's important now? Its too easy, in my opinion, to get caught up in the "more mentality" and lose sight of what really needs to get done NOW to get better.
In my own case, the aches and pains were starting to pile up - to the point where somedays it was UNENJOYABLE to do what I loved to do most! I was getting sick every few weeks and was just feeling BURNED OUT. To the mixed martial artist, wrestler, any combat athlete or even hardcore fitness enthusiest, what i'm about to say is almost blasphemy, but would save alot of frustration. Embrace the idea of a mini off season, or perhaps a few mini off seasons throughout the year - hit the reset button and fix what needs to be fixed NOW to make yourself better in the long run. Again, in my case I had severe knee pain and a nice fat bursa on my elbow, along with the fact that I wasnt getting any stronger or faster - something needed to change! The repetitive stress and the nature of sports like mma, boxing, brazilian jiu jitsu, wrestling take a huge toll on the body and sometimes as athletes we get so wrapped up in doing whatever it takes to get better that we forget that it still comes down to PERFORMANCE. And if you're so beat up that you're body can't perform at or near optimal performance then something has to give!
While complete breaks may not be necessary, I think that in some cases taking a few weeks to scale back on the technical/sport specific sessions and taking some time to improve on your ATTRIBUTES (speed, strength, power) along with using restorative techniques (corrective exercises, mobility work, soft tissue work) to get back to balance, will pay huge dividends. Physical reasons to take a break aside, often times, mental burnout can drag people down even worse. No matter how much you love something, or how badly you "want it", everyone reaches a point where the ROI just isn't worth it anymore! If thats the case, then switching gears for a few weeks every now again will only help to further prolong your training progress and help you reach new heights. While i'm not one to cry out "overtraining!" at every little ache and pain (unfortunately those things come with the territory), I am suggesting that athletes stop falling victim to these patterns, start listening to their bodies more and recognize when they need a break.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Thursday, February 26, 2009
The Work Capacity Warm Up
The simplest way to go about increasing work capacity, in my opinion, is through the use of properly structured WARM UPS. While warm ups are typically though of as boring, they are not only very necessary for preventing injuries and optimizing your training session for that day, they can also be used to over time crank up your work capacity and general level of fitness.
There are a bunch of ways to warm up, from dynamic flexability movements to different activation exercises to bar complexes to movement drills - its all good and is dependent on the type of session you're about to do. For my own strength and conditioning sessions, and those of my clients, I love mixing calisthenics with various band movements for the upperback and posterior chain. With maybe 4 or 5 movements hitting every major movement plane, i'm trying to get the biggest bang for my buck.
a typical warm up for me might look like this
1. Push Ups 2x15
2. Band Face Pulls 2x15
3. BW Squats 2x20
4. Reverse Lunges 2x10 ea
5. Band Goodmornings 2x20
or lately its been this, where I just go through the circuit once
1. Push Ups x 50
2. Band Face Pulls x 50
3. Squats x 50
4. Band Goodmornings or Reverse Lunges x 50
Sometimes I might hit up a slightly different push up variation, or maybe do band pull aparts instead of facepulls, or bodyweight glute ham raises instead of band goodmornings. It doens't matter - the main point is that i'm generally getting in 150-200 total reps of work BEFORE I even do my main training session. Volume and the benefits for my work capacity aside, by drilling perfect push up form, perfect squat form, etc - my warm ups have helped as a prehabilitative measure as well.
So start re-thinking your warm ups and watch those nagging injuries go away and your work capacity go through the roof!
There are a bunch of ways to warm up, from dynamic flexability movements to different activation exercises to bar complexes to movement drills - its all good and is dependent on the type of session you're about to do. For my own strength and conditioning sessions, and those of my clients, I love mixing calisthenics with various band movements for the upperback and posterior chain. With maybe 4 or 5 movements hitting every major movement plane, i'm trying to get the biggest bang for my buck.
a typical warm up for me might look like this
1. Push Ups 2x15
2. Band Face Pulls 2x15
3. BW Squats 2x20
4. Reverse Lunges 2x10 ea
5. Band Goodmornings 2x20
or lately its been this, where I just go through the circuit once
1. Push Ups x 50
2. Band Face Pulls x 50
3. Squats x 50
4. Band Goodmornings or Reverse Lunges x 50
Sometimes I might hit up a slightly different push up variation, or maybe do band pull aparts instead of facepulls, or bodyweight glute ham raises instead of band goodmornings. It doens't matter - the main point is that i'm generally getting in 150-200 total reps of work BEFORE I even do my main training session. Volume and the benefits for my work capacity aside, by drilling perfect push up form, perfect squat form, etc - my warm ups have helped as a prehabilitative measure as well.
So start re-thinking your warm ups and watch those nagging injuries go away and your work capacity go through the roof!
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
The Kettlebell Leg Matrix!
Want to jack your legs up, melt bodyfat, and build crazy high lactic acid tolerance in 2 minutes or less? Look no further than the leg matrix, popularized by Alwyn Cosgrove and JC Santana. Done at a blistering pace, the circuit takes about 2 minutes - and if you're not in 'fight' shape, can leave you on your ass! Great as part of a conditioning workout on their own or as a finisher to a strength session, the Leg Matrix is a killer.
The tradional "leg matrix" is as follows
24 bw squats
24 lunges (12 each)
24 jump lunges (12 each)
24 jump squats
To make this even more dreadful, add a 53lb. kettlebell to the mix. Don't say I didn't warn ya!
1. 12 Left Hand squats
2. 12 Right Hand Squats
3. 12 Left Hand/Left Leg Reverse Lunges
4. 12 Right Hand/Right Leg Reverse Lunges
5. 24 Two Handed Swings
Try going through that sucker once or twice at the end of a session and tell me what you think!
The tradional "leg matrix" is as follows
24 bw squats
24 lunges (12 each)
24 jump lunges (12 each)
24 jump squats
To make this even more dreadful, add a 53lb. kettlebell to the mix. Don't say I didn't warn ya!
1. 12 Left Hand squats
2. 12 Right Hand Squats
3. 12 Left Hand/Left Leg Reverse Lunges
4. 12 Right Hand/Right Leg Reverse Lunges
5. 24 Two Handed Swings
Try going through that sucker once or twice at the end of a session and tell me what you think!
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Even MORE Pull Up Variations!
The Lunatics over @ the diesel crew are some of the most innovative guys in the game! Here's two videos showing some pretty crazy pull up variations...
19 Killer Pull Up Variations!
Whether you're a combat athlete who needs crazy upperbody pulling strength or someone who wants to be lean and strong, look no further than the "upperbody squat" aka the pull up! Pull up and chin up variations are KING when it comes to functional strength gains that will carry over to just about every sport there is! Here are 19 variations to choose from...
1. pull ups w/close grip
2. pull ups w/medium grip
3. pull ups w/wide grip
4. chin ups w/close grip
5. chin ups w/medium grip
6. mixed grip pull ups (both)
7. sternum pull ups or chin ups
8. judo pull ups
9. sliding pull ups
10. L-Pull Ups/Chin Ups
11. Hand On Wrist Pull Ups (both)
12. Towel Chins
13. Neutral Grip Towel Chins
14. Clapping Pull Ups
15. Reaching Pull Ups
16. One Hand Towel / One Hand Bar Pull Ups (both)
17. Pole Vaulter Pull Ups
18. Renzo Pull Ups
19. Switch Plyo Pull Ups (switch from supinated to pronated or vice versa)
1. pull ups w/close grip
2. pull ups w/medium grip
3. pull ups w/wide grip
4. chin ups w/close grip
5. chin ups w/medium grip
6. mixed grip pull ups (both)
7. sternum pull ups or chin ups
8. judo pull ups
9. sliding pull ups
10. L-Pull Ups/Chin Ups
11. Hand On Wrist Pull Ups (both)
12. Towel Chins
13. Neutral Grip Towel Chins
14. Clapping Pull Ups
15. Reaching Pull Ups
16. One Hand Towel / One Hand Bar Pull Ups (both)
17. Pole Vaulter Pull Ups
18. Renzo Pull Ups
19. Switch Plyo Pull Ups (switch from supinated to pronated or vice versa)
Monday, February 23, 2009
TFW Bear Crawl Variations
Yesterday I posted my top 10 favorite crawling variations, but here's two videos from Martin Rooney showing some of those variations and some others that I didnt include in my list.
Bottom line, if you're a combat athlete and not including these variations as a part of your program, you're missing out!
Bottom line, if you're a combat athlete and not including these variations as a part of your program, you're missing out!
Best Upperback Band Movements!
So we know that heavy deadlift variatons, barbell rowing, dumbbell rowing and pull ups are absoulute essentials to getting a diesel upperback and crazy pulling strength (not to mention the postural benefits), but often times just doing those movements isn't enough - or in some cases, people are just too weak to do those movements correctly. In order to have the scapular control necessary to deadlift and row correctly, you need some degree of strength built first. This is where jump stretch bands come in, allowing you to do a wide variety of upperback movements - either as part of your warm ups or at the end of workouts (or both if you're like me!). Because of the accomodating resistence, the bands are a much better option in my opinion then say a cable apparatus...that, and they're just convenient and simple to use and I like that.
That said, my top 4 favorite upperback movements are
1. Band Rows
2. Band Face Pulls
3. Band Pull Aparts
4. Behind The Neck Pull Aparts
You can pick just one or two of these and do them as part of a warm up, or even for timed sets at the end of a workout, or you can finish a session with a quick circuit of all 4. Don't be afraid to crank out a ton of volume with these and watch your shoulder problems disappear and your upperback strength go through the roof!
That said, my top 4 favorite upperback movements are
1. Band Rows
2. Band Face Pulls
3. Band Pull Aparts
4. Behind The Neck Pull Aparts
You can pick just one or two of these and do them as part of a warm up, or even for timed sets at the end of a workout, or you can finish a session with a quick circuit of all 4. Don't be afraid to crank out a ton of volume with these and watch your shoulder problems disappear and your upperback strength go through the roof!
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Lions, Tigers and Bear Crawls - Oh My!
Bear Crawl/Hand Walking variations are definately one my favorite total body conditioners to use either was a warm up or as part of a workout - there are quite a few variations and once you start adding in various types of push ups within each variation, the possibilities are endless!
Here are my top 10 favorite crawling variations (in no particular order)
1. forward bear crawls
2. backward bear crawls
3. lateral bear crawls
4. alligator walks aka spiderman crawls depending on who you ask
5. sit out walks (definately looks the coolest!)
6. gorilla crawls
7. frog hops
8. crab walks
9. abdominal backward slides (if training on a matted area)
10. forward body pulls (if training on a matted area)
If you're a wrestler, mma fighter, brazilian jiu jitsu practicioner, or just a hardcore fitness enthusiest these are all great for increasing work capacity, body awareness and general upperbody strength/shoulder stability in a very specific manner. Nothing will prepare you to handle your own bodyweight quite like handling your own bodyweight in all sorts of movement patterns and planes! Get to it!
Here are my top 10 favorite crawling variations (in no particular order)
1. forward bear crawls
2. backward bear crawls
3. lateral bear crawls
4. alligator walks aka spiderman crawls depending on who you ask
5. sit out walks (definately looks the coolest!)
6. gorilla crawls
7. frog hops
8. crab walks
9. abdominal backward slides (if training on a matted area)
10. forward body pulls (if training on a matted area)
If you're a wrestler, mma fighter, brazilian jiu jitsu practicioner, or just a hardcore fitness enthusiest these are all great for increasing work capacity, body awareness and general upperbody strength/shoulder stability in a very specific manner. Nothing will prepare you to handle your own bodyweight quite like handling your own bodyweight in all sorts of movement patterns and planes! Get to it!
Saturday, February 21, 2009
55 (!) Pull Ups
If you're a combat athlete or just someone to pack on some muscle in the way of functional strength gains, look no further than the pull up and all its variations. Eat pull ups for breakfast!
The Hamstring ANNIHILATOR
Whats the one movement to cause my hamstrings to blow up like no other?
Its not what you're thinkin, either.
Movements like glute ham raises, romanian deadlifts, and single leg romanian deadlifts are great, but the one movement that kicks my ass (err...hamstrings) everytime is the snatch grip deadlift from a defecit.
Snatch grip deads by themselves are awesome, but from a 3-4" defecit can be absoulte MURDER on the posterior chain. The range of motion and the amount of muscle used in this movement is massive and Charles Poliquin (as crazy as he is sometimes) even goes as far to say that if someone was ever forced to do just ONE movement to gain strength and size, the snatch grip deadlift from a defecit would it be it.
These can done by themselves as a max effort or sub max effort movement, or if you're like me and like to get in and out of the gym as quick as possible, you can even superset them with something like pull ups or even do them as part of a circuit with dips, chins, and maybe a single leg movement like heavy dumbbell step ups. Its your call! Have fun with it and don't forget to pile on the weight!
Its not what you're thinkin, either.
Movements like glute ham raises, romanian deadlifts, and single leg romanian deadlifts are great, but the one movement that kicks my ass (err...hamstrings) everytime is the snatch grip deadlift from a defecit.
Snatch grip deads by themselves are awesome, but from a 3-4" defecit can be absoulte MURDER on the posterior chain. The range of motion and the amount of muscle used in this movement is massive and Charles Poliquin (as crazy as he is sometimes) even goes as far to say that if someone was ever forced to do just ONE movement to gain strength and size, the snatch grip deadlift from a defecit would it be it.
These can done by themselves as a max effort or sub max effort movement, or if you're like me and like to get in and out of the gym as quick as possible, you can even superset them with something like pull ups or even do them as part of a circuit with dips, chins, and maybe a single leg movement like heavy dumbbell step ups. Its your call! Have fun with it and don't forget to pile on the weight!
Friday, February 20, 2009
Texas University Strength & Conditioning
Found this over @ Synergy Athletics (http://www.synergy-athletics.com)...check it out!
Monday, February 16, 2009
Motivation vs. Discipline
Here's a vid that Elliot Hulse from Hulsestrength.com put out today about the difference between motivation and discipline and why waiting for motivation is a mistake. The fact of the matter is that achieving anything worthwhile in life is a grind (nobody likes to admit that), and that it takes serious commitment to conquering your goals.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
The Football Player
saw this over @ Dave Tate's training log/blog at elitefts, and thought it was worthy of sharing.
He Never Missed a Game
Bob Richards, the former pole-vault champion, shares a moving story about a skinny young boy who loved football with all his heart.
Practice after practice, he eagerly gave everything he had. But being half the size of the other boys, he got absolutely nowhere. At all the games, this hopeful athlete sat on the bench and hardly ever played.
This teenager lived alone with his father, and the two of them had a very special relationship. Even though the son was always On the bench, his father was always in the stands cheering. He never missed a game. This young man was still the smallest of the class when he entered high school. But his father continued to encourage him but also made it very clear that he did not have to play football if he didn't want to.
But the young man loved football and decided to hang in there He was determined to try his best at every practice, and perhaps he'd get to play when he became a senior. All through high school he never missed a practice nor a game but remained a bench-warmer all four years. His faithful father was always in the stands, always with words of encouragement for him. When the young man went to college, he decided to try out for the football team as a "walk-on." Everyone was sure he could never make the cut, but he did.
The coach admitted that he kept him on the roster because he always puts his heart and soul to every practice, and at the same time, provided the other members with the spirit and hustle they badly needed.
The news that he had survived the cut thrilled him so much that he rushed to the nearest phone and called his father. His father shared his excitement and was sent season tickets for all the college games. This persistent young athlete never missed practice during his four years at college, but he never got to play in a game.
It was the end of his senior football season, and as he trotted onto the practice field shortly before the big playoff game, the coach met him with a telegram. The young man read the telegram and he became deathly silent. Swallowing hard, he mumbled to the coach, 'My father died this morning. Is it all right if I miss practice today?' The coach put his arm gently around his shoulder and said, 'Take the rest of the week off, son. And don't even plan to come back to the game on Saturday.'
Saturday arrived, and the game was not going well. In the third quarter, when the team was ten points behind, a silent young man quietly slipped into the empty locker room and put on his football gear. As he ran onto the sidelines, the coach and his players were astounded to see their faithful teammate back so soon. 'Coach, please let me play. I've just got to play today,' said the young man. The coach pretended not to hear him. There was no way he wanted his worst player in this close playoff game. But the young man persisted, and finally feeling sorry for the kid, the coach gave in.
All right,' he said. 'You can go in.' Before long, the coach, the players and everyone in the stands could not believe their eyes. This little unknown, who had never played before was doing everything right. The opposing team could not stop him. He ran, he passed, blocked, and tackled like a star. His team began to triumph. The score was soon tied. In the closing seconds of the game, this kid intercepted a pass and ran all the way for the winning touchdown. The fans broke loose. His teammates hoisted him onto their shoulders. Such cheering you never heard.
Finally, after the stands had emptied and the team had showered and left the locker room, the coach noticed that this young man was sitting quietly in the corner all alone The coach came to him and said, 'Kid, I can't believe it. You were fantastic! Tell me what got into you? How did you do it?"'
He looked at the coach, with tears in his eyes, and said, 'Well, you knew my dad died, but did you know that my dad was blind?'
The young man swallowed hard and forced a smile, 'Dad came to all my games, but today was the first time he could see me play, and I wanted to show him I could do it!'
He Never Missed a Game
Bob Richards, the former pole-vault champion, shares a moving story about a skinny young boy who loved football with all his heart.
Practice after practice, he eagerly gave everything he had. But being half the size of the other boys, he got absolutely nowhere. At all the games, this hopeful athlete sat on the bench and hardly ever played.
This teenager lived alone with his father, and the two of them had a very special relationship. Even though the son was always On the bench, his father was always in the stands cheering. He never missed a game. This young man was still the smallest of the class when he entered high school. But his father continued to encourage him but also made it very clear that he did not have to play football if he didn't want to.
But the young man loved football and decided to hang in there He was determined to try his best at every practice, and perhaps he'd get to play when he became a senior. All through high school he never missed a practice nor a game but remained a bench-warmer all four years. His faithful father was always in the stands, always with words of encouragement for him. When the young man went to college, he decided to try out for the football team as a "walk-on." Everyone was sure he could never make the cut, but he did.
The coach admitted that he kept him on the roster because he always puts his heart and soul to every practice, and at the same time, provided the other members with the spirit and hustle they badly needed.
The news that he had survived the cut thrilled him so much that he rushed to the nearest phone and called his father. His father shared his excitement and was sent season tickets for all the college games. This persistent young athlete never missed practice during his four years at college, but he never got to play in a game.
It was the end of his senior football season, and as he trotted onto the practice field shortly before the big playoff game, the coach met him with a telegram. The young man read the telegram and he became deathly silent. Swallowing hard, he mumbled to the coach, 'My father died this morning. Is it all right if I miss practice today?' The coach put his arm gently around his shoulder and said, 'Take the rest of the week off, son. And don't even plan to come back to the game on Saturday.'
Saturday arrived, and the game was not going well. In the third quarter, when the team was ten points behind, a silent young man quietly slipped into the empty locker room and put on his football gear. As he ran onto the sidelines, the coach and his players were astounded to see their faithful teammate back so soon. 'Coach, please let me play. I've just got to play today,' said the young man. The coach pretended not to hear him. There was no way he wanted his worst player in this close playoff game. But the young man persisted, and finally feeling sorry for the kid, the coach gave in.
All right,' he said. 'You can go in.' Before long, the coach, the players and everyone in the stands could not believe their eyes. This little unknown, who had never played before was doing everything right. The opposing team could not stop him. He ran, he passed, blocked, and tackled like a star. His team began to triumph. The score was soon tied. In the closing seconds of the game, this kid intercepted a pass and ran all the way for the winning touchdown. The fans broke loose. His teammates hoisted him onto their shoulders. Such cheering you never heard.
Finally, after the stands had emptied and the team had showered and left the locker room, the coach noticed that this young man was sitting quietly in the corner all alone The coach came to him and said, 'Kid, I can't believe it. You were fantastic! Tell me what got into you? How did you do it?"'
He looked at the coach, with tears in his eyes, and said, 'Well, you knew my dad died, but did you know that my dad was blind?'
The young man swallowed hard and forced a smile, 'Dad came to all my games, but today was the first time he could see me play, and I wanted to show him I could do it!'
Monday, February 2, 2009
You Gotta Love It!
Why are people pursuing stuff they don't love?
Why are you "bored" with what you're doing with your life?
Why are you not doing anything to change this?
You will attract what you think, what you say, what you do.
You've heard this before, but why are people still being so negative and not doing what they truly love?
Its a grind, but you have to learn to love the grind, to love the hustle.
The price you pay to go for it and fail is far less than the price you pay for suffering because you never tried. But for those who are passionate, who grind, who hustle, failure will just become a stepping stone to getting to where you are.
Why are you "bored" with what you're doing with your life?
Why are you not doing anything to change this?
You will attract what you think, what you say, what you do.
You've heard this before, but why are people still being so negative and not doing what they truly love?
Its a grind, but you have to learn to love the grind, to love the hustle.
The price you pay to go for it and fail is far less than the price you pay for suffering because you never tried. But for those who are passionate, who grind, who hustle, failure will just become a stepping stone to getting to where you are.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Execute What You Believe In
I was watching a video over at GaryVaynerchuk.com and that one sentence struck a chord with me.
While information is great, and its always a good idea to follow the path that people may have already laid out for you, sometime you just have to "do you".
Take advice, listen and watch what others are doing, but its what YOU believe in, what YOU want to do that will ultimately make the difference.
Its hard to listen to yourself because that means there is only you to blame if it doesn't work. But now you know what works or doesn't for YOU. Have a plan and stick to it.
While information is great, and its always a good idea to follow the path that people may have already laid out for you, sometime you just have to "do you".
Take advice, listen and watch what others are doing, but its what YOU believe in, what YOU want to do that will ultimately make the difference.
Its hard to listen to yourself because that means there is only you to blame if it doesn't work. But now you know what works or doesn't for YOU. Have a plan and stick to it.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Whats Right?
Too many people focus on everything that's going wrong in their lives, but they often forget that there is usually alot of RIGHT going on.
The fact that you are in the comfort of your home or an office right now reading this blog on a computer or laptop shows that you have plenty to be thankful for.
Your friends, family, the fact that you aspire to be something more, and that you have values by which you live by all show that you have plenty of RIGHT.
Don't forget it and don't forget to tell the people around you to remind them whats going RIGHT in their lives.
The fact that you are in the comfort of your home or an office right now reading this blog on a computer or laptop shows that you have plenty to be thankful for.
Your friends, family, the fact that you aspire to be something more, and that you have values by which you live by all show that you have plenty of RIGHT.
Don't forget it and don't forget to tell the people around you to remind them whats going RIGHT in their lives.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
One BIG Goal for the Day
Write down one BIG goal for the day - something you've been wanting to do for maybe a few weeks or months, but haven't for whatever reason.
And don't sleep until its done.
I have mine, what's yours?
And don't sleep until its done.
I have mine, what's yours?
10,000 Hours
In his recent book, Outliers, Malcom Gladwell points out that researchers have found that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to become an expert in something. How many have you logged?
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Embrace Failure
Fear of failure, fear of not being liked, fear of being embarassment - these are what prevent most people from ever becoming remarkable.
Don't be afraid to ask the "stupid" quesion(s).
Don't be afraid to write or say something that everyone might not like.
Don't be afraid to go for a dream that other people say is not possible.
Embrace the screw ups, the times you fell short, the times you missed - thats one less time you will fail and one more way you have learned to succeed.
Don't be afraid to ask the "stupid" quesion(s).
Don't be afraid to write or say something that everyone might not like.
Don't be afraid to go for a dream that other people say is not possible.
Embrace the screw ups, the times you fell short, the times you missed - thats one less time you will fail and one more way you have learned to succeed.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Surround Yourself With Quality People
The people you hang around with have a huge impact in the person that you are and the person that you will become.
And you have the same impact on them. Its your choice to become a leader, to become remarkable, to be admirable. By trying to make a difference in other peoples lives, you only further enrich your own.
Your friends, family, coworkers, significant others - these are the everyday people the can effect what you think, say, and do (and what you will eventually become).
Social networking allows to further expand on this and can help to facilitate the mindset and give you the resources needed to succeed. Sites like twitter, facebook, digg, along with various blogs help connect you to people with similar interests, motives, and drive.
There are other fitness pros, internet marketers, motivational speakers, athletes who are making it happen and who are willing to share information. Seek them out and give credit where credit is due.
And you have the same impact on them. Its your choice to become a leader, to become remarkable, to be admirable. By trying to make a difference in other peoples lives, you only further enrich your own.
Your friends, family, coworkers, significant others - these are the everyday people the can effect what you think, say, and do (and what you will eventually become).
Social networking allows to further expand on this and can help to facilitate the mindset and give you the resources needed to succeed. Sites like twitter, facebook, digg, along with various blogs help connect you to people with similar interests, motives, and drive.
There are other fitness pros, internet marketers, motivational speakers, athletes who are making it happen and who are willing to share information. Seek them out and give credit where credit is due.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Iron by Henry Rollins
from Details Magazine 1993
I believe that the definition of definition is reinvention. To not be like your parents. To not be like your friends. To be yourself.
Completely.
When I was young I had no sense of myself. All I was, was a product of all the fear and humiliation I suffered. Fear of my parents. The humiliation of teachers calling me "garbage can" and telling me I'd be mowing lawns for a living. And the very real terror of my fellow students. I was threatened and beaten up for the color of my skin and my size. I was skinny and clumsy, and when others would tease me I didn't run home crying, wondering why. I knew all too well. I was there to be antagonized. In sports I was laughed at. A spaz. I was pretty good at boxing but only because the rage that filled my every waking moment made me wild and unpredictable. I fought with some strange fury. The other boys thought I was crazy.
I hated myself all the time. As stupid at it seems now, I wanted to talk like them, dress like them, carry myself with the ease of knowing that I wasn't going to get pounded in the hallway between classes. Years passed and I learned to keep it all inside. I only talked to a few boys in my grade. Other losers. Some of them are to this day the greatest people I have ever known. Hang out with a guy who has had his head flushed down a toilet a few times, treat him with respect, and you'll find a faithful friend forever. But even with friends, school sucked. Teachers gave me hard time. I didn't think much of them either.
Then came Mr. Pepperman, my advisor. He was a powerfully built Vietnam veteran, and he was scary. No one ever talked out of turn in his class.Once one kid did and Mr. P. lifted him off the ground and pinned him to the blackboard. Mr. P. could see that I was in bad shape, and one Friday in October he asked me if I had ever worked out with weights. I told him no. He told me that I was going to take some of the money that I had saved and buy a hundred-pound set of weights at Sears. As I left his office, I started to think of things I would say to him on Monday when he asked about the weights that I was not going to buy. Still, it made me feel special. My father never really got that close to caring. On Saturday I bought the weights, but I couldn't even drag them to my mom's car. An attendant laughed at me as he put them on a dolly.
Monday came and I was called into Mr. P.'s office after school. He said that he was going to show me how to work out. He was going to put me on a program and start hitting me in the solar plexus in the hallway when I wasn't looking. When I could take the punch we would know that we were getting somewhere. At no time was I to look at myself in the mirror or tell anyone at school what I was doing. In the gym he showed me ten basic exercises. I paid more attention than I ever did in any of my classes. I didn't want to blow it. I went home that night and started right in.
Weeks passed, and every once in a while Mr. P. would give me a shot and drop me in the hallway, sending my books flying. The other students didn't know what to think. More weeks passed, and I was steadily adding new weights to the bar. I could sense the power inside my body growing. I could feel it.
Right before Christmas break I was walking to class, and from out of nowhere Mr. Pepperman appeared and gave me a shot in the chest. I laughed and kept going. He said I could look at myself now. I got home and ran to the bathroom and pulled off my shirt. I saw a body, not just the shell that housed my stomach and my heart. My biceps bulged. My chest had definition. I felt strong. It was the first time I can remember having a sense of myself. I had done something and no one could ever take it away. You couldn't say shit to me.
It took me years to fully appreciate the value of the lessons I have learned from the Iron. I used to think that it was my adversary, that I was trying to lift that which does not want to be lifted. I was wrong. When the Iron doesn't want to come off the mat, it's the kindest thing it can do for you. If it flew up and went through the ceiling, it wouldn't teach you anything. That's the way the Iron talks to you. It tells you that the material you work with is that which you will come to resemble. That which you work against will always work against you.
It wasn't until my late twenties that I learned that by working out I had given myself a great gift. I learned that nothing good comes without work and a certain amount of pain. When I finish a set that leaves me shaking, I know more about myself. When something gets bad, I know it can't be as bad as that workout.
I used to fight the pain, but recently this became clear to me: pain is not my enemy; it is my call to greatness. But when dealing with the Iron, one must be careful to interpret the pain correctly. Most injuries involving the Iron come from ego. I once spent a few weeks lifting weight that my body wasn't ready for and spent a few months not picking up anything heavier than a fork. Try to lift what you're not prepared to and the Iron will teach you a little lesson in restraint and self-control.
I have never met a truly strong person who didn't have self-respect. I think a lot of inwardly and outwardly directed contempt passes itself off as self-respect: the idea of raising yourself by stepping on someone's shoulders instead of doing it yourself. When I see guys working out for cosmetic reasons, I see vanity exposing them in the worst way, as cartoon characters, billboards for imbalance and insecurity. Strength reveals itself through character. It is the difference between bouncers who get off strong-arming people and Mr.Pepperman.
Muscle mass does not always equal strength. Strength is kindness and sensitivity. Strength is understanding that your power is both physical and emotional. That it comes from the body and the mind. And the heart.
Yukio Mishima said that he could not entertain the idea of romance if he was not strong. Romance is such a strong and overwhelming passion, a weakened body cannot sustain it for long. I have some of my most romantic thoughts when I am with the Iron. Once I was in love with a woman. I thought about her the most when the pain from a workout was racing through my body.
Everything in me wanted her. So much so that sex was only a fraction of my total desire. It was the single most intense love I have ever felt, but she lived far away and I didn't see her very often. Working out was a healthy way of dealing with the loneliness. To this day, when I work out I usually listen to ballads.
I prefer to work out alone. It enables me to concentrate on the lessons that the Iron has for me. Learning about what you're made of is always time well spent, and I have found no better teacher. The Iron had taught me how to live. Life is capable of driving you out of your mind. The way it all comes down these days, it's some kind of miracle if you're not insane. People have become separated from their bodies. They are no longer whole.
I see them move from their offices to their cars and on to their suburban homes. They stress out constantly, they lose sleep, they eat badly. And they behave badly. Their egos run wild; they become motivated by that which will eventually give them a massive stroke. They need the Iron Mind.
Through the years, I have combined meditation, action, and the Iron into a single strength. I believe that when the body is strong, the mind thinks strong thoughts. Time spent away from the Iron makes my mind degenerate. I wallow in a thick depression. My body shuts down my mind.
The Iron is the best antidepressant I have ever found. There is no better way to fight weakness than with strength. Once the mind and body have been awakened to their true potential, it's impossible to turn back.
The Iron never lies to you. You can walk outside and listen to all kinds of talk, get told that you're a god or a total bastard. The Iron will always kick you the real deal. The Iron is the great reference point, the all-knowing perspective giver. Always there like a beacon in the pitch black. I have found the Iron to be my greatest friend. It never freaks out on me, never runs. Friends may come and go. But two hundred pounds is always two hundred pounds.
I believe that the definition of definition is reinvention. To not be like your parents. To not be like your friends. To be yourself.
Completely.
When I was young I had no sense of myself. All I was, was a product of all the fear and humiliation I suffered. Fear of my parents. The humiliation of teachers calling me "garbage can" and telling me I'd be mowing lawns for a living. And the very real terror of my fellow students. I was threatened and beaten up for the color of my skin and my size. I was skinny and clumsy, and when others would tease me I didn't run home crying, wondering why. I knew all too well. I was there to be antagonized. In sports I was laughed at. A spaz. I was pretty good at boxing but only because the rage that filled my every waking moment made me wild and unpredictable. I fought with some strange fury. The other boys thought I was crazy.
I hated myself all the time. As stupid at it seems now, I wanted to talk like them, dress like them, carry myself with the ease of knowing that I wasn't going to get pounded in the hallway between classes. Years passed and I learned to keep it all inside. I only talked to a few boys in my grade. Other losers. Some of them are to this day the greatest people I have ever known. Hang out with a guy who has had his head flushed down a toilet a few times, treat him with respect, and you'll find a faithful friend forever. But even with friends, school sucked. Teachers gave me hard time. I didn't think much of them either.
Then came Mr. Pepperman, my advisor. He was a powerfully built Vietnam veteran, and he was scary. No one ever talked out of turn in his class.Once one kid did and Mr. P. lifted him off the ground and pinned him to the blackboard. Mr. P. could see that I was in bad shape, and one Friday in October he asked me if I had ever worked out with weights. I told him no. He told me that I was going to take some of the money that I had saved and buy a hundred-pound set of weights at Sears. As I left his office, I started to think of things I would say to him on Monday when he asked about the weights that I was not going to buy. Still, it made me feel special. My father never really got that close to caring. On Saturday I bought the weights, but I couldn't even drag them to my mom's car. An attendant laughed at me as he put them on a dolly.
Monday came and I was called into Mr. P.'s office after school. He said that he was going to show me how to work out. He was going to put me on a program and start hitting me in the solar plexus in the hallway when I wasn't looking. When I could take the punch we would know that we were getting somewhere. At no time was I to look at myself in the mirror or tell anyone at school what I was doing. In the gym he showed me ten basic exercises. I paid more attention than I ever did in any of my classes. I didn't want to blow it. I went home that night and started right in.
Weeks passed, and every once in a while Mr. P. would give me a shot and drop me in the hallway, sending my books flying. The other students didn't know what to think. More weeks passed, and I was steadily adding new weights to the bar. I could sense the power inside my body growing. I could feel it.
Right before Christmas break I was walking to class, and from out of nowhere Mr. Pepperman appeared and gave me a shot in the chest. I laughed and kept going. He said I could look at myself now. I got home and ran to the bathroom and pulled off my shirt. I saw a body, not just the shell that housed my stomach and my heart. My biceps bulged. My chest had definition. I felt strong. It was the first time I can remember having a sense of myself. I had done something and no one could ever take it away. You couldn't say shit to me.
It took me years to fully appreciate the value of the lessons I have learned from the Iron. I used to think that it was my adversary, that I was trying to lift that which does not want to be lifted. I was wrong. When the Iron doesn't want to come off the mat, it's the kindest thing it can do for you. If it flew up and went through the ceiling, it wouldn't teach you anything. That's the way the Iron talks to you. It tells you that the material you work with is that which you will come to resemble. That which you work against will always work against you.
It wasn't until my late twenties that I learned that by working out I had given myself a great gift. I learned that nothing good comes without work and a certain amount of pain. When I finish a set that leaves me shaking, I know more about myself. When something gets bad, I know it can't be as bad as that workout.
I used to fight the pain, but recently this became clear to me: pain is not my enemy; it is my call to greatness. But when dealing with the Iron, one must be careful to interpret the pain correctly. Most injuries involving the Iron come from ego. I once spent a few weeks lifting weight that my body wasn't ready for and spent a few months not picking up anything heavier than a fork. Try to lift what you're not prepared to and the Iron will teach you a little lesson in restraint and self-control.
I have never met a truly strong person who didn't have self-respect. I think a lot of inwardly and outwardly directed contempt passes itself off as self-respect: the idea of raising yourself by stepping on someone's shoulders instead of doing it yourself. When I see guys working out for cosmetic reasons, I see vanity exposing them in the worst way, as cartoon characters, billboards for imbalance and insecurity. Strength reveals itself through character. It is the difference between bouncers who get off strong-arming people and Mr.Pepperman.
Muscle mass does not always equal strength. Strength is kindness and sensitivity. Strength is understanding that your power is both physical and emotional. That it comes from the body and the mind. And the heart.
Yukio Mishima said that he could not entertain the idea of romance if he was not strong. Romance is such a strong and overwhelming passion, a weakened body cannot sustain it for long. I have some of my most romantic thoughts when I am with the Iron. Once I was in love with a woman. I thought about her the most when the pain from a workout was racing through my body.
Everything in me wanted her. So much so that sex was only a fraction of my total desire. It was the single most intense love I have ever felt, but she lived far away and I didn't see her very often. Working out was a healthy way of dealing with the loneliness. To this day, when I work out I usually listen to ballads.
I prefer to work out alone. It enables me to concentrate on the lessons that the Iron has for me. Learning about what you're made of is always time well spent, and I have found no better teacher. The Iron had taught me how to live. Life is capable of driving you out of your mind. The way it all comes down these days, it's some kind of miracle if you're not insane. People have become separated from their bodies. They are no longer whole.
I see them move from their offices to their cars and on to their suburban homes. They stress out constantly, they lose sleep, they eat badly. And they behave badly. Their egos run wild; they become motivated by that which will eventually give them a massive stroke. They need the Iron Mind.
Through the years, I have combined meditation, action, and the Iron into a single strength. I believe that when the body is strong, the mind thinks strong thoughts. Time spent away from the Iron makes my mind degenerate. I wallow in a thick depression. My body shuts down my mind.
The Iron is the best antidepressant I have ever found. There is no better way to fight weakness than with strength. Once the mind and body have been awakened to their true potential, it's impossible to turn back.
The Iron never lies to you. You can walk outside and listen to all kinds of talk, get told that you're a god or a total bastard. The Iron will always kick you the real deal. The Iron is the great reference point, the all-knowing perspective giver. Always there like a beacon in the pitch black. I have found the Iron to be my greatest friend. It never freaks out on me, never runs. Friends may come and go. But two hundred pounds is always two hundred pounds.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Motivation vs Passion
Motivation is a short term feeling - something that comes and goes. It can be sparked, but a breeze can blow it out.
Passion on the other hand is the drving force behind doing what you love and becoming successful. It can be ignited and will light the path you choose to follow.
Passion on the other hand is the drving force behind doing what you love and becoming successful. It can be ignited and will light the path you choose to follow.
Friday, January 23, 2009
The Law of Attraction
The Secret has been a huge success in dvd and book sales and lots of people are talking about it.
Some people fall in love with the idea that the law of attraction will just work for them, and there is no work involved.
Those people missed the boat. You only attract what you ACT on. Simple, but not easy.
Some people fall in love with the idea that the law of attraction will just work for them, and there is no work involved.
Those people missed the boat. You only attract what you ACT on. Simple, but not easy.
Overdeliver
In everything you do. In your business, in your training, in your personal life/relationships.
Overdeliver. It get results. Period. Show that you care, give that extra effort, and be rewarded.
Overdeliver. It get results. Period. Show that you care, give that extra effort, and be rewarded.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Get out of your comfort zone
Yesterday I wrote about deadlines, and the one thing that deadlines do is make you uncomfortable. You HAVE to act, or else. That feeling drives you.
Being uncomfortable, being forced to act, is what causes growth. The second you get comfortable, the second you decide to stop and "wait" is the second you will start to die.
Not literally, but you're definately not getting any better - and if you're not improving, you're better off dead. This is true in sports, business, personal relationships, you name it. Never get comfortable, never fall into the trap the people around you have.
Being uncomfortable, being forced to act, is what causes growth. The second you get comfortable, the second you decide to stop and "wait" is the second you will start to die.
Not literally, but you're definately not getting any better - and if you're not improving, you're better off dead. This is true in sports, business, personal relationships, you name it. Never get comfortable, never fall into the trap the people around you have.
What do you love to do?
Gary Vaynerchuck on following your passion, hustle, and building personal brand.
Have a Deadline
Its easy to relax and let your goals fade. In fact thats probably what you're used to doing.
Far too often, people think, say, or write down a goal - but there's no deadline. No "if you don't get it done by that day you fail", no public embarassment, no accountability.
The most sure fire way to lock it down and take action on your goals is to set a strict (public if you can) deadline.
People allow themselves to fail everyday, but no one wants to be humiliated in front of friends, family, or peers.
Sports make this easy. If I have a fight scheduled for june 1st, I am going to do everything I can to show up to that event in peak condition - physically,technically, and mentally prepared to my utmost ability on THAT day. June 2nd won't matter.
Personal, business, financial, fitness, etc goals also need to have deadlines and should be also be made public (even if just to a small group of friends). By doing so, you'll find yourself being more productive (cant waste time now that theres a date it has to be done by!), and less apt to quit or push it to the side (again).
Act faster and prosper. Deadline it and make it official.
Far too often, people think, say, or write down a goal - but there's no deadline. No "if you don't get it done by that day you fail", no public embarassment, no accountability.
The most sure fire way to lock it down and take action on your goals is to set a strict (public if you can) deadline.
People allow themselves to fail everyday, but no one wants to be humiliated in front of friends, family, or peers.
Sports make this easy. If I have a fight scheduled for june 1st, I am going to do everything I can to show up to that event in peak condition - physically,technically, and mentally prepared to my utmost ability on THAT day. June 2nd won't matter.
Personal, business, financial, fitness, etc goals also need to have deadlines and should be also be made public (even if just to a small group of friends). By doing so, you'll find yourself being more productive (cant waste time now that theres a date it has to be done by!), and less apt to quit or push it to the side (again).
Act faster and prosper. Deadline it and make it official.
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