Continuing the Andy Andrews series...
Principle #3
I am a person of action.
I see the opposite of this every day. You have to be a self-starter. Go back to my first blog and read about commitment. I hear people give me 1000s of excuses why they can't when all they have to find is ONE great reason why they will. Can't really means won't...and they're right--they won't. Take action NOW regardless of the area of life it is in. For an interesting example I am going to use the exercise/fitness/training phenomenon.
I was discussing this with a chiropractor friend of mine a couple of days ago. He was saying that he has people come into his practice all the time and proceed to give him the laundry list of things that are wrong with them. His response to them is "workout." That simple. One word. Here's why...training and exercise increase a person's vibration bottom line. When you have a higher vibration you are less likely to 'attract' all of those nagging aches and pains because your mind is focused on much higher goals and achievements. Last thing...who you ARE is who you attract. Notice I didn't say who you WOULD LIKE to be is who you attract. Improve yourself...improve your life.
20061130
20061129
I Seek Wisdom
Continuing the Andy Andrews series...
Principle #2
I seek wisdom.
I am in constant refinement of what I have learned from numerous mentors in the strength and conditioning field. Major influences of been Pavel of the kettlebell world and Dragon Door, Dr. Eric Cobb of Z Health and my college strength coach Joe Hadachek.
These 3 and numerous others laid the foundation for my learning at a young age. However, I have learned that too much information is not good without applying it to training situations. So make sure that you gain insight and then put it into practice. Try something new in this next 4 weeks of training...you might like it!
Principle #2
I seek wisdom.
I am in constant refinement of what I have learned from numerous mentors in the strength and conditioning field. Major influences of been Pavel of the kettlebell world and Dragon Door, Dr. Eric Cobb of Z Health and my college strength coach Joe Hadachek.
These 3 and numerous others laid the foundation for my learning at a young age. However, I have learned that too much information is not good without applying it to training situations. So make sure that you gain insight and then put it into practice. Try something new in this next 4 weeks of training...you might like it!
20061127
The Buck Stops Here
Over the next few days I am going to revisit 7 Principles of Success by Andy Andrews. For those of you not familiar with Andrews, he is very accomplished in writing and speaking with his most notable work "The Traveler's Gift" which is where the 7 principles are taken from.
Principle #1
The buck stops here.
Take responsibility for ALL of your actions, not just a few of them. It is easy to make excuses and blame someone else. Blame is the absence of responsibility and responsibility is the absence of blame. Take control of your life. You determine your future regardless of your current life circumstances. Because of the field I am in, I have seen amazing physical transformations. What most don't see along with the physical comes the mental and spiritual transformations as well. When someone DECIDES to achieve something their entire being changes and is forced to transform. What in your life have you been making excuses for? Only YOU know and only YOU have the power to change.
Principle #1
The buck stops here.
Take responsibility for ALL of your actions, not just a few of them. It is easy to make excuses and blame someone else. Blame is the absence of responsibility and responsibility is the absence of blame. Take control of your life. You determine your future regardless of your current life circumstances. Because of the field I am in, I have seen amazing physical transformations. What most don't see along with the physical comes the mental and spiritual transformations as well. When someone DECIDES to achieve something their entire being changes and is forced to transform. What in your life have you been making excuses for? Only YOU know and only YOU have the power to change.
20061120
Lessons from the Deads...
Today marks the beginning of Week 6 into a new deadlift (DL) program that I am following. Prior to 5 weeks ago I hadn't DLed in 4 1/2 years. I was quite surprised that I was able to do 405 for two sets of doubles at the end of my 3rd week (only 9 DL training sessions).
The fourth week was a back-off week and will continue that way every fourth week. My focus will be to do singles, doubles, and triples with linear progressions. I am pleasantly surprised with my sustained numbers, which I attribute to both heavy kettlebell training and gaining movement proficiency in the Z Health specific joint mobility.
The purpose of this entry is for the first time in 5 weeks did the DL feel 'right' this morning. It took me 5 weeks to get back to a proper groove where I felt the way I knew I could. This is intuition from the 2 1/2 years I spent DLing sometime back. This is directed at the many trainees that think we should have the entire training program and protocol packaged in a 'to go' box and opened like take out when you get home and/or go train after being inspired by someone you admire or just read about.
The DL bug has bit me once again and I look forward to my goal of pulling 500lbs raw by March 1, 2007 (current PR is 440) and then progressing from there. There are many cues to think about throughout the form and currently I am minimizing tension while focusing on lengthening through the tailbone and crown of the head simultaneously. I also focus on re-stacking the joints. Tension will have it's time and place...when it gets heavy, and that's when it gets 'fun.'
The fourth week was a back-off week and will continue that way every fourth week. My focus will be to do singles, doubles, and triples with linear progressions. I am pleasantly surprised with my sustained numbers, which I attribute to both heavy kettlebell training and gaining movement proficiency in the Z Health specific joint mobility.
The purpose of this entry is for the first time in 5 weeks did the DL feel 'right' this morning. It took me 5 weeks to get back to a proper groove where I felt the way I knew I could. This is intuition from the 2 1/2 years I spent DLing sometime back. This is directed at the many trainees that think we should have the entire training program and protocol packaged in a 'to go' box and opened like take out when you get home and/or go train after being inspired by someone you admire or just read about.
The DL bug has bit me once again and I look forward to my goal of pulling 500lbs raw by March 1, 2007 (current PR is 440) and then progressing from there. There are many cues to think about throughout the form and currently I am minimizing tension while focusing on lengthening through the tailbone and crown of the head simultaneously. I also focus on re-stacking the joints. Tension will have it's time and place...when it gets heavy, and that's when it gets 'fun.'
20061116
Hard Work Spotlights Character...
I heard this wisdom of the day this morning on my way to martial arts.
Hard work spotlights character...
when faced with work or adversity people reveal themselves in 3 levels:
1 some turn up their sleeves
2 some turn up their noses
3 some don't turn up at all
Surround yourself with high caliber people. The type of people where you say 'there's just something about them, but I don't know what it is.' Don't leech off them or drain them, but be a sponge every time you are around them. Silence is king. Whenever I am introduced to a new system or new way of doing things I just listen. Who am I to vocally judge what the person is saying...I just take what I can use to get better as an athlete, professional, and person and discard the rest.
Most of you who read this are in this type of 'fraternity' or mindset already. There is an unspoken professionalism that exudes and permeates these organizations ...may it continue on the path.
Hard work spotlights character...
when faced with work or adversity people reveal themselves in 3 levels:
1 some turn up their sleeves
2 some turn up their noses
3 some don't turn up at all
Surround yourself with high caliber people. The type of people where you say 'there's just something about them, but I don't know what it is.' Don't leech off them or drain them, but be a sponge every time you are around them. Silence is king. Whenever I am introduced to a new system or new way of doing things I just listen. Who am I to vocally judge what the person is saying...I just take what I can use to get better as an athlete, professional, and person and discard the rest.
Most of you who read this are in this type of 'fraternity' or mindset already. There is an unspoken professionalism that exudes and permeates these organizations ...may it continue on the path.
20061115
The QUEST seeking TRUTH...
This is my first post on my blog. Here's to many more!
I wanted to expand on a recent post I wrote over on the Dragon Door forum. The topic is about programming and starting...this could relate to anything in life worth doing.
Here was the post from over at DD with some additions...
I see this question asked a lot by comrades on the forum. If you are new to kettlebell or PTP style training you are in the right place. If you are new to training altogether you are in the right place.
There are hundreds if not thousands of programs in the archives of the articles on this site, the books sold here (Power to the People, Enter the Kettlebell, Beyond Bodybuilding) and in the training logs of the dedicated few 'doing it.'
My encouragement to ANYONE who asks the question 'has anyone done xxx program' is do it yourself...commit to 6, 8, 12 week cycles or whatever the program calls for and DO it. What works for some on here will not work for others. You may expect similar results but they will not be EXACTLY the same.
You must...
1) DEFINE your training goals
2) COMMIT to a specific program (if not sure, a few on here offer online training)
3) have the DISCIPLINE to see the program through NO EXCUSES
4) apply appropriate INTENSITY
5) report RESULTS (make sure you keep a training log!!)
Do these 5 simple (but not easy) steps and you will be on your way to a better YOU.
Last but not least...look at your goals over the course of the next 1 year, 2 years, 3 years...when you look at them in this manner you will see massive gains and improvements regardless of your goals. (this I finally "got" last year at age 29 after 15 years of dedicated training ;)
Another way to sum this up is in "Unleashing the Warrior Within" by Richard J. Machowicz which I HIGHLY recommend. He sums it up this way:
I wanted to expand on a recent post I wrote over on the Dragon Door forum. The topic is about programming and starting...this could relate to anything in life worth doing.
Here was the post from over at DD with some additions...
I see this question asked a lot by comrades on the forum. If you are new to kettlebell or PTP style training you are in the right place. If you are new to training altogether you are in the right place.
There are hundreds if not thousands of programs in the archives of the articles on this site, the books sold here (Power to the People, Enter the Kettlebell, Beyond Bodybuilding) and in the training logs of the dedicated few 'doing it.'
My encouragement to ANYONE who asks the question 'has anyone done xxx program' is do it yourself...commit to 6, 8, 12 week cycles or whatever the program calls for and DO it. What works for some on here will not work for others. You may expect similar results but they will not be EXACTLY the same.
You must...
1) DEFINE your training goals
2) COMMIT to a specific program (if not sure, a few on here offer online training)
3) have the DISCIPLINE to see the program through NO EXCUSES
4) apply appropriate INTENSITY
5) report RESULTS (make sure you keep a training log!!)
Do these 5 simple (but not easy) steps and you will be on your way to a better YOU.
Last but not least...look at your goals over the course of the next 1 year, 2 years, 3 years...when you look at them in this manner you will see massive gains and improvements regardless of your goals. (this I finally "got" last year at age 29 after 15 years of dedicated training ;)
Another way to sum this up is in "Unleashing the Warrior Within" by Richard J. Machowicz which I HIGHLY recommend. He sums it up this way:
Gut Check
Are you willing to make a choice?
Do you have the courage to start?
Will you make the commitment to finish?
"A lot of people make a choice. Few people have the courage to start. Rarely do people have the commitment to finish. The people who do are those who have the guts to get through the losses along the way in order to reach the victory at the end." "...It's not until you make a target a matter of life and death that you end up living."
My challenge to you today is to commit to the finished product. It won't be easy, but then again EASY doesn't pay!.
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