Words of Wisdom

"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." -Leonardo da Vinci





Some I suppose would expect such words from the man who painted the Mona Lisa, orchestrating extreme sophistication from utter simplicity. Truly, such a simple piece of artwork holds the eyes of so many who gather to see it, I know it was one piece of artwork on my list to see when visiting the Louvre.

While it was not a simplistic approach to study anatomy for the purpose of art, da Vinci studied the human body in as much detail as he was allowed in order to create such masterpieces.

It holds truth, truth that I believe.

Centuries later, Audrey Hepburn is often photographed in a black dress, hair up, and jewels, it doesn't get much more simplistic or sophisticated than that. An icon of beauty without frill, fab, or frolic.



I do not own Gucci sunglasses, I do not own a Prada handbag, I do not own Seven jeans, and I do not drive a foreign sports car.

Simple does not mean boring, simple does not mean dull or less exciting, but rather an exquisite way to make a statement that will last in the minds of many.

So, I guess to tie this into training, it seems as though the simple methods are more effective than the elaborate and complicated. I find truth and effectiveness in kettlebell training or functional training rather than the advanced, high dollar systems that teach us balance and coordination which we can learn simply by practice.

Running, For What?

I always try to find ways to motivate both myself and the people I work with. It's easier to have a goal to train toward, than to randomly train. I encourage all of the people I work with as much as I can, and everyone requires just a little different spin.

It's been over a year since I've been encouraging Susan to do multiple pull ups. In fact last January she accepted a challenge to perform six pull ups, once the testing time came along, she almost got three. A year later I was thinking what could possibly get this woman, totally and completely capable of doing pull ups, to accept another challenge and succeed. I agreed to run a race if Susan got 5 pull ups.

Anyone who knows me, knows I hate to run, unless as I have already professed, it is trail running where I can be as fast or slow as I please, and also enjoy my surroundings. The Broad Street Run, the race I agreed to run if Susan got her 5 pull ups, couldn't me more opposite of the trails. It's 10 miles of grueling pavement down Broad Street in Philadelphia. Yuck, boring, blah, and did I mention pavement?

Susan got her 5 pull ups this afternoon, with ease, in fact I'm sure she could have done at least one more. My first was response was joyful, I was very pleased and also happy that she got them! Who wouldn't be, it's a testament to the training we do. My next repsonse was "Oh shit!" 10 miles on pavement surrounded by a huge number of people running over me! This is not my idea of a fun, let alone relaxing Sunday morning.

I have two and a half weeks. And while all smart sources would tell me to fold, I plan to live up to my end of the deal and hopefully survive.

Odd Object(ive)s

It's funny to me that you can practice a movement with one object, say a barbell or kettlebell and be at best average with them. However when you pick up an odd object, such as a 75lb keg, you find your weakness and work through it.

I admit being hesitant to the 75lbs keg snatch, but then I just did it, and 'it' was easy. To the point where I wish I had participated more. It's rare now that I get to experience a hands-on workshop from the users point of view. Although this past weekend I wasn't the user persay, but I was able to try out a few things that Zach had brought to the table.

This is an easier week for me, light on the lifts, easy on the conditioning, and about 65% on the jiu-jitsu. Back to the straight and narrow starting Monday morning regardless of how I feel. The Challenge is 6 weeks out, and the BJJ tournament is 10 weeks out. Time to get cracking hard!

Kettlebells are in Scotland

A few weeks ago I was on vacation in Florida. I nice long week of relaxing in the sun, on the beach and by the pool. When I got back, I was asked if I worked out while I was vacation, and startled with my response of, "Yes!" I questioned the astonishment.

Of course there are some reasons of vanity behind my workouts, but more than that I find an escape to working out and training hard, I find peace of mind, I enjoy the challenge, and I do it for my health with the hope that it pays me with longevity.

An entirely different conversation got me thinking about whether or not I planned my vacations around being able to continue working out, and while that's not necessarily the case, I wouldn't not workout due to lack of equipment. Friends and acquaintances accross the states, and in several countries would allow for workouts to be completed with equipment, but it's not needed if I were to venture somewhere, where I didn't know anyone.

So, working out for me, is a way of life. I certainly enjoy a day off here and there, but find that I become irritated and edgey if I've missed several days in a row of not working out. It not only makes me stronger physically, but mentally as well.

To my friends accross the states and abroad, I hope to one day train with you on your ground in...

Scotland
South Africa
Australia
Brasil
Murrieta
Ann Arbor
AC
Silver Springs
Edison
Alexandria
DC
Las Vegas
West Chester
Phoenix
San Jose
Avon By The Sea
Jacksonville
Exton
La Jolla
Sacramento
and more...

Back To My Inspirations

Awhile ago I wrote about the people who inspire me to train harder and better. Mostly because of the effort they put forth and the amazing gains they have achieved. While I tend to think of a handful of things when I workout, I'm fortunate to know Mia. Her whole enitre family trains with us, either through CrossFit Philly or through Spear Jiu Jitsu Academy. Five family members!

Mia has done 6 pull ups, and I bet she can do more, she goes to jiu-jitsu 2-3 times a week, not to mention she's involved in quite a few other activities. Mia and her whole family make me smile when they walk in the door. They are all very dedicated for their own reasons.

It's really great to have such a family oriented community training with us. And I'm really proud that both Mia and her older brother Beau, recieved promotions in jiu jitsu this past weekend.

Picking On Me

No worries, I'm not about to start complaining that someone was giving me a hard time or any of that kind of crap. Today, I'm the one picking on me.

If I miss a workout, it's my fault. If I eat bad, it's my fault. Long story short, I hold the key to my health. Now of course some things are completely out of my control, like my genetics and the weather. The rest I can handle, or rather, the rest I need to handle. I can't make excuses for my short comings, if they're my fault. If I can't do something right now then I have to admit I can't do it, and either figure out a way to get it done, or move on.

Looking back on what I should have/could have/would have done is just a waste of time. Looking forward and planning what I will do and when I'll do it, well that's the reason to get it done during the day. I'm the biggest procrastinator I know, always have been, probably always will be, but if I don't complete the task by the time I need it completed then I can't blame anyone but me.

Choosing between what's fun and what needs to be done. If I had my choice I'd play around in the gym all day, make extravagent and healthy foods, nap, and then do whatever moved me for the rest of the night. All play and no work, doesn't get you very far, some work needs to be completed, but that doesn't mean work can't be fun, which it often is!

All these things are a continuous circle, they all feed off of each other, and it's all up to me. If I want a better life, I have to workout, eat well, make good choices or at least learn from my mistakes, and remember to have fun and get work done.

You lead your own life, what you do takes you there.

"Pick up a bee from kindness, and learn the limitations of kindness." -Sufi Proverb

Appearances

'One of the greatest places to just sit back and relax, night or day, Jupiter, FL'


It's said that "the happiest people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything they have."

Ever since I can remember I've had a dream home pictured in my head. It's on a cliff that overlooks the water, and waves crash on the rocks below with a constant rolling sound of ocean water. The windows are big and are always open because the wind is causing the sheer white curtains to blow around in a very unrythmic yet gentle and chaotic pattern. That's just the beginning, the details go on, however the most important part is that I see myself calm, relaxed, and peaceful.

I have no idea how big my dream home is, in fact although I have a very vivid picture painted in my head, I've only ever seen two rooms, so maybe that's all the bigger it is. But if it makes me that happy in my head, two rooms is all I'll need.

What's the point of having dreams and visions if you aren't healthy enough to enjoy them? Too many people gleam in the presence of their new foreign sports car, or pass photos through email of the house they just purchased on the beach, or gossip wildly about their one month vacation to The Greek Isles, yet their health is poor and their lifestyle below par. Bragging rights only get you so far, because if you're too overweight to comfortably fit in your new foreign sports car, or too lazy to appreciate the outdoor climate of your new beach house, or too physically out of shape to sight see along the Mediterranean, then what are you bragging about?

Despite the picture that I have painted in my head, I'd rather have my health. To me that means being able to enjoy everyday life, eating well, working out, and inspiring others to do the same. Extravagances mean nothing in the end if you can't even play with your kids because of how you chose to lead your life. Health and fitness is in our own hands, and we're not only responsible for ours, but for the next generation's as well.


"Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain." -Unknown

Driven by Power

When you have the chance to step back and look at things from a distance it's easier to analyze where you are and what you need to do to change things. Too often we're so set in our ways that we forget to pay attention to what is actually going on around us, make sure our life is in check, and ensure that the things that are important to us are not neglected (family, friends, training, our own quality of life).

It sometimes only takes watching a movie, or reading a book, maybe going on vacation, but whatever it is we need to make sure we do it, so we don't have a distorted view of how things really are, but rather a truthfully painted picture that goes far into the horizon. The present moment is obviously important, but the future guides us. Without knowing what you want out of a situation or a time in your life it's hard and near impossible to make your life lead up to the outcome you want.

Let the sun always shine on you.

All this mess about the 1000 kettlebell swings.

Try it... Don't try it?

1000 swings with the 24kg kettlebell is a lot of swings. (Nice work Tracy) I started out with 500 in 20 minutes, I'll increase that as I go along, but it's taxing on the grip. I must admit my heart rate barely made it to 145 and I try to get it up to 175-180 once or twice a week during conditioning workouts. From this standpoint I was disappointed. I did notice that I started to tense up in my lower back, same problems as before after injury. Still working with my chiropractor, and have seen some very good feedback.

I think I can pull it off in under 40 minutes.


"Creativity is more than just being different. Anybody can plan weird; that's easy. What's hard is to be as simple as Bach. Making the simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity." -Charles Mingus

Mind Freak Part 2

In January I wrote a little blurb on an article I read in the Performance Menu titled Mind Freak. I anxiously awaited Part 2, and now I'm glad I was able to read it today, mostly because of some slightly dissapointing lifts yesterday.

It's all about Mental Training, and it is crucial to serious progress. Part 2 talks about recognizing fear and controlling your breath. All things you think you do, but rarely do you get a hold on them. Or even if you practice them on a regular basis the current situation can sometimes overtake the training you've put yourslef through.

Just as your physical training doesn't end the second you walk out the gym door, your mental training certainly needs to be up to par even outside of actually performing the lifts.

And something else to think about...

A quote from Dan Millman, "Injury most often results from a fundamental flaw in our talent foundation (of strength, suppleness, stamina, and sensitivity), of from impatience, a lack of attention, or some combination of these. Accidents aren't really accidents... to avoid injuries, you need mental clarity and attention, emotional stability, and physical preparation. They are the three bests insurance policies you'll ever have and they don't cost a cent. Injury is the price paid for insensitivity, impatience, or inattention."

Reality and Fiction

M.C. Escher is one of the world's most famous graphic artists. Many of his pieces show that reality is wondrous, comprehensible and fascinating.

Often times we try to make up imaginary worlds, or a better place to be, rather than finding the positives of our own reality. If you are able to spend your days with a person or people you appreciate and care for, eat well, do the things you enjoy, and live comfortably, shouldn't you be able to find the positives in reality?

Life can bring challenges and maybe even be daunting at times. An easy life, is one that was never lived previously. Growing from experiences that resulted in hardship and heartache, as well as absorbing the ones that lead to laughter and love, creates that wondrous, comprehensible, and fascinating reality.

Nothing's picture perfect, and nothing's set in stone. Appreciate your surroundings, and use them to achieve your goals.

Adding In Barbell Work

In preparation for the East Coast CrossFit Challenge, I'm trying to add in some barbell workouts in addition to practicing the lifts for the Total, just to feel more comfortable with it.

I picked up this combination of movements from mtnathlete.com


"Spontaneity is the quality of being able to do something just because you feel like it at the moment, of trusting your instincts, of taking yourself by surprise and snatching from the clutches of your well-organized routine, a bit of unscheduled plea." -Unknown

Strength Trainining In General

I'm working on a project to determine the importance of strength training to women. I'm speaking with women that I know, and even ones I don't to see what reasons they have for strength training, the importance to them, and also why they choose to ignore the stereotype of strength training for women = big and bulky.

To be honest, I don't think women should train any differently then men. I don't think we should do different movements, and I don't think we should have different types of goals. Keep in mind that I'm not talking about body building, I'm talking about strength training. Some people are going to tell me that I'm full of shit and there's no way a girl can lift as much as a guy. Some people are going to tell me that all things being equal that girl should be able to lift as much as the guy next to her. I'm saying there's no reason why a girl can't lift heavy, maybe as much as the guy next to her, maybe not, but all in all heavy, and still be a girl.

I'm not ignoring anatomy or physiology for that matter, they both play an important role and sometimes influence performance. However, if we look at the entire picture, I still think the girl next door can compete with the guy accross the street.

A good strength training program that is carried out properly will have increases occur on all trained lifts. That's the part that needs to be focused on. If you have a goal, then you need a plan to make that goal. It can't be arbitrary.

Stronger or Vulnerable

If you expose your weakness, regardless of what it is, does it make you stronger or vulnerable?

There is always the typical answer where you could say that it depends on the situation. But I'm not interested in each individual situation (not today anyway), I'm interested in the overall affect from all situations combined together.

I'm inclined to believe that you become stronger and the more often your weakness is exposed the less it affects you negatively. I'm not sure if a true weakness, like Superman and Kryptonite or more seriously trusting people, ever disappears, but I'd like to believe that it adds to your character. You become forced to recognize it and find ways to not let it hinder your performance, your thoughts, and your life.

Every aspect of life influences you and your actions. It's true to say that if you don't have your mental game together, any physical training and even daily activities aren't carried out to their highest potential. It's not like one day you can just wake up and say I have it together. Training your weakness is probably more difficult than any physical training goal. I know it is for me, and I know I have to dig down deep to stir things up enough to bring it to the surface to face it. Everytime I do, something good always happens. I'm better than I was the day before, just as it is when I reach a training goal.

I take all those experiences with me and I'm a stronger person in the end, not vulnerable at all, even if for a second I feel like I might be.

Well Rounded Training

Yes, she's spoiled, and it's all my fault!


If you only work on improving one skill at a time, it's hard to expect that you will be able to maintain other skills.

For instance, I stopped pressing heavy because my shoulders started to bother me, in fact for about 4 months I did no presses, no snatches, no pull ups, no push ups, basically very little of anything that could cause stress. I focused on other movements. One day out of the blue I decided to start adding these movements back in, occassionally I have some discomfort but overall, I feel good. I can't press what I used to. But I'm working on it.

Same goes for everything else, if you take the WTH effect out of the picture, chances are, if you stop training a movement you won't see improvements in that movement at a later date. Let the frustration go because it's your fault you took the movement out of your training.

Everyone has their strong point, but unless competition is in the crystal ball, it's far better, in my opinion, to be well-rounded with good effort on several to many movements, than to be the best at one specific movement with not much else to offer.

Controversy or Truth

It's been a long standing misconception to the world of health and fitness that women who strength train will instaneously become equally as large and bulky as our male counter parts. Additionally, women have been poorly influenced to gravitate toward free weights that are hot pink, purple, yellow, orange, and other fun colors that weigh somewhere in the vicinity of 1 to 10 pounds. Often times, the 10 lb dumbbell is too heavy, yet the last time I checked most women carry around purses, laptop bags, or backpacks, all weighing an excess of 10 pounds. Some even carry two bags and balance a cup of coffee in their free hand during their commute to work (talk about functional training!) Yet when asked to press that 10 lb dumbbell overhead, you'd think you just asked them to kill someone with the look that was recieved.

Now I'm not bashing the 10 lb dumbbell if it's used as a starting point, but that's all it can be used for, is a starting point. After a few weeks of strength training, there is no reason why that 10 lb dumbbell should still be in her hand. I usually don't bring science and medicine into my posts, but today I'm going to, briefly. Women want to start strength training to avoid the risk of osteoporosis as they age. Weight bearing exercise and resistance exercise, what a great idea and if that is someone's only reason to start strength training, then I'm glad you have a goal and I'll help you achieve it, but eventually you're going to be using weights that weigh more than 10 lbs. That 1 lb dummbell isn't going to prevent you from getting osteoporosis.

A book weighs more than 1 pound!

A gallon of milk weighs more than 1 pound!

Your child weighs more than 1 pound!

I bet, on Sunday morning, the newspaper weighs more than 1 pound!

One more time, your purse weighs more than 1 pound!

Now, before I get it handed to me because I haven't taken into consideration the women that have a medical issue, or someone with a disability, I'm not talking about that part of the population, although I think they have every right to be strong too, I'm talking about your everyday average woman who wants to 'tone up' and get fit, but who whines, cries, and complains when they actually have to lift a weight.

Let's skip ahead to progress. Assuming 10 pounds is finally overhead safely and even confidently, why stop there? Why not make any gains? Why not challenge yourself again and over time try 15, 20, 25, 30 pounds or even more? If not for your own personal satisfaction of just knowing that you can do it, then why not for your kids? Last time I watched my friend's son he thought the coolest thing that afternoon was that I'd pick him up over my head, twirled him around and now he could fly like an airplane(iguratively of course) My friend's son weighs 40lbs.

Three things that cease to amaze me...

It ceases to amaze me how few women are willing to push themselves hard enough to want to be able to pick up a heavier kettlebell, dumbbell, barbell on their own. Increasing your strength directly affects your quality of life, it builds confidence, creates a sense of pride, but most importantly it allows you to go through everyday life activities without a second thought.

It also amazes me that women (and men) settle for having to struggle through everyday life activities because they aren't strong enough to open a jar, carry in the dog food from the car, or empty the water out of the dehumidifier, among hundreds of other things if not more. These are tasks you don't have to settle for, but I guess it's easier to have someone else do something for you than be able to just do it yourself.

The last thing that amazes me, is when people dumb down an application to sell it to the masses rather than promote it's truth. It all goes back to the hot pink, purple, yellow, orange, and other fun colored dumbbells and kettlebells.

I don't expect everyone who walks through my door to walk over to the heaviest kettlebell, dumbbell, medicine ball, whatever, and pick it up. I don't expect everyone to have the same strengths, the same goals, my strengths, or my goals. What I do expect from everyone that walks through my door is dedication and a starting goal. Once that goal is hit, a new one gets set, and advances are made, progress occurs. No one is happy with a plateau or settles for lifting the same weight they did 5, 10, or 15 months ago.

A Visit to USC Headquarters

As if swinging and snatching kettlebells all day long in NYC wasn't enough for me, stopped off to see Zach on the way home. Finally!

As we walked in the door, it screamed Zach! And I had to start playing with stuff immeadiately. It's like being a kid at a new playground, even if the equipment is similar, it's still different.

I was hoping his stone was a weight I could attempt, but with my last attempt at a 120lb stone only getting to my lap, I knew I shouldn't even touch the 250lb beast, that was staring at me. I was intrigued by the old school dumbbells. That 150lb one-arm deadlift was crazy, it wanted to roll right into my fingers tips as soon as it left the floor!

Next time I'll give the tire flipping a shot!


"Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." -Howard Thurman

All Powers Continued...

If you've been reading the blog, you know that, as of late, I've been not just talking about training. I've written about successes & failures, persistance, goals, aspirations, among other topics.

They all go hand-in-hand, and it's really hard to successfully achieve the whole picture without working with all pieces of the puzzle together. Creating that balance between pushing yourself, resting, and even allowing your mind to do some of the work for you, can be a daunting task. We get caught up in the aspects of every day life, and it's sometimes hard to remember to use your last failure to achieve your next success.

Keeping the balance between training, work, sleep, and the rest of your life, becomes one of the biggest tasks in achieving your goals. Time needs to be allotted to all of them, without skimping on one to add to another. The second something changes, you have to re-evaluate the whole picture, especially if pieces are added or taken away. It's not a set-in-stone scenario, it never can be. More importantly it shouldn't be.

If you follow the same path every day with no adjustments you're allowing yourself to start accomodating. A plateau occurs, no advances are made, and you begin to wonder what has happened to the perfect plan you created. Tweaking things here and there allows for adaptation, a key component to survival, to surviving the changes, staying away from pateaus, and to work through the various things life throws at you; such as injury, extra work, new friends, well just about anything.

It's about finding the balance to make things work for you after you've exhausted your options and not limiting yourself or your expectations because you think it'll be too hard.

Always Trying To Keep Up

I'm always trying to keep up with guys. I might blame some of that on growing up with a brother, his best friend, and six male cousins (notice there were no girls). I never really had any other choice but to fend for myself. I doubt that climbing trees, hiking through the woods, stomping through streams, and being the only bad guy against all the good, developed the physical strength I have today. I'm sure that it helped to establish my mental strength. In fact I know that it did.

Everything we experience in life adds to our character, it adds to our will, and those experiences effect the choices we make and reasons we choose them. So growing up with 8 boys often made me choose between running around outside and playing house.

Although I don't really compete with them now, I always remember the little things I learned from them.

It hasn't changed, on occassion I workout with the guys, I try to keep up with the weights they lift, with the distance they travel, and the amount of time it takes them to complete a task. I usually get beat, but I appreciate their encouragement, and I often think of the one day I might beat them, match them, just as I did when I was a kid. It'll come, all things being equal, it kind of has to.

Aspire

The definition of aspire...

to long, aim, or seek ambitiously; be eagerly desirous, especially for something great or of high value.

That's an awful lot for a six letter word. You can aspire to be great, you can aspire to be strong, you can aspire to be successful, I suppose you can aspire to be just about anything. Most of what each of us apsires to be is relative to the rest of the world.

Perhaps that is why apirations are individual. They account for who we are, our character, our charisma, our actions. We aren't programmed to aspire to just one thing. I hope most of us have, at the very least, a few aspirations to obtain. Some for the short term, some for the long term, and even a few in between. I myself have several. All the smaller ones are the stepping stones to the final one, and once I get there, I hope to have more.

Aspirations need to be driven by something, external or internal factors, just as motivation, one is stronger than the other. Whatever it is you aspire to do or to be, it needs to come from within you. External factors can help with the motivation but you have to want it, think it, and desire to be it.