Put Away Your Toys!

i dont know where this is going... sometimes stupid stuff just pisses me off... actually, not stupid stuff, but stupid lazy people...

you know the guy...

sets up camp inside the squat rack (MY squat rack, by the way)... he's got a bosu, a swiss ball, a collection of dumb-bells, a jump rope, some plates, and a 25lb. kettlebell... bar removed and laying on the floor outside the rack...

no problem... whatever dude... you can do your circus tricks...

i did my warming up and moved to another rack.

and then, dude got done... packed up his bag (which i now refer to as his "douche bag")... and left... all sweaty and obviously quite proud of himself...

and he left all of his crap inside the rack. puddle of sweat in the middle of the floor, swiss ball sitting there, bosu (upside down, of course), 6 dumb bells, various plates scattered, jump rope hanging on the hooks, kettlebell... all just there for someone else to clean up.

and i thought of what a friend of mine would say, "What an asshat..."

and then i thought, "What is this dude like in the rest of his life?" There are some truths... at least things i believe are "universal" behavioral truths...

one of these "truths" is - As we behave in one relationship, we typically behave in all our relationships.

in other words, this dude was selfish, messy, childish, entitled, arrogant in the way he treated the gym and the rest of us there... he's probably this way in his relationship to his co-workers, his job, etc. - when someone isnt watching, this dude is just a selfish and entitled ass... does his "Momma" know he's like this? (actually, i bet she does, he's was probably allowed to act like this as a kid)...

i'm probably making too much about it because he was IN MY SQUAT RACK at MY NORMAL TIME... and set aside for a second that his "workout" was some b.s. made up silliness... rude, disrespectful, and above all feeling "entitled" to behave this way... we all know these types of folks, we all know these people, we see them in our work and in other places... watch folks in the gym... not just how they lift or how they work out, but when they are done, how they treat the bar, the weights, the space they use, the water fountain - are they spitting their snot it in?, do they share? do they treat you and others and the facility itself with respect and pride?

do you?

Fear and Lifting

So, i got under the bar... ready to squat. This week is my heaviest week in this training month. Next week i will de-load... so this week was heavy. I woke up this morning... well go farther back... this weekend, when i was planning the lifts, i started to get nervous... a little sweaty... thinking about how heavy that weight would feel... that nervous / excited / scared / even angry feeling that the thought of putting some big weight on my back engenders...

see, it's been a while

ok... back a little farther still...
not quite 8 months ago, i had both of my hips replaced... arthritis... injury... not paying attention... blah blah blah... the "why" of it... the "HOW did this happen" of it is less important than the forward movement... i had pain, a LOT of it, all the time... i limped, all the time, i couldnt get into a car without some serious gymnastics.

and now, i dont have pain at all... It is awesome. my goal now is to get back to lifting heavy weights.

so there i was... thinking about this all weekend. and the voices in my head were all about the NOISE from fears... fear of injury, fear of failure, fear of disappointment, fear of going backwards in my recovery... those voices were just relentless.

fast forward... back to the gym

and i got under the bar. heart racing. focus on proper form, footwork, bar position ... and lift it off ... small steps back ... DEEP breath ... drop slowly into the hole... good depth ... DRIVE UP ... and... it felt good, solid, strong ... so another rep... dig deep for the third ... cold sweat on the fourth... rack the bar.

the weight felt like weight... but i felt strong and solid.

i've said it before, and probably more often than i should, and i probably make if fit where it doesnt... whatever.

but, i think the bar is often a metaphor for life... those voices of fear or doubt that hit us in relationships, in our work, with our kids, in taking a chance... this is where we are tested! it is the test of our desire and our ability to do what we have committed to do despite the fears and the voices (real or in our heads). the fears are always there, talking... making the obstacles seem HUGE... heavier than we THINK we can move... and the bar is our test... it is MY test. to overcome MY fears.

even if i had fallen, had re-injured, had to "bail" at the bottom ... that matters LESS... moving the weight IS important, but getting under the bar and committing, full on is MORE important.

i feel that simply by getting under that bar, that i ... that when WE do that ... that WE are proving to ourselves that we can overcome what confronts us, that we can quiet those voices that tell us we cant, the voices that tell us we will fail, or caution us that we will be mocked... when we hear those voices, and we STILL get under the bar and willingly put all we have against that obstacle... THAT is the success... THAT is why we are here... to constantly confront our fears and to push against them either to success or to failure - and to do it again - over and over - that is the purpose... the goal... and THAT is the BAR.

dont let fear control you ... get under the bar... silence the voices ... then ... do it again ... it wont get easier, but the voices matter less.

More Rhythms

More on Rhythms…

I've been writing about rhythms, patterns and habits quite a bit, lately… we all have them and most of us will "fall into" rhythms… they can be taught, created, programmed… and they can even be used to manipulate us by governments and corporations… mostly, though, it is about desire, understanding, and discipline. The desire to use what is really a part of our nature and to take control of it; an understanding and learning of HOW we can make patterns and rhythms consciously and to make them work for us; and finally, the discipline to do the work so that they become "auto-pilot" behaviors leading toward our objectives.

It starts with one day… one commitment… one pattern you want to create. It will take willpower, but only until you create a pattern / a habit… then the autonomic nervous system takes over.

Document it… before and after… set the expectation of a time and a place in writing… then come back to it.

Food journals… weight lifting journals… etc. - these all exist because they work… if you want to build a pattern and make it automatic, then you need to first use your will power to make it conscious and to make it happen… writing reinforces that behavior… the goal is to move from consciously making yourself execute the desired behavior to letting that become a part of your natural patterns.

Rhythms...

Rhythms… patterns… habits… whatever you want to call them, we all have them.

Some are genetic… built into our DNA (think our link to a circadian lifestyle)… some are socio-cultural (types of meat we eat for breakfast or the length of our work day)… some are familial (my dad left for work at 6am and got home no later than 630pm… every day)… some are individual (I hit the gym no later than 530a every day… I write in my journal every morning before I hit the gym)…

It doesn’t matter - patterns and rhythms fill our days… by having these in our lives, our brains "move" these behaviors to the sub-conscious level to free our brains up for other activities. Have you ever been driving and then realized you started driving home on "auto-pilot"? That is your sub-conscious being triggered by something (common scenery, etc.), conscious mind being distracted (great song, phone call, kids in the back, thinking, whatever…) and you find yourself halfway home and going in the wrong direction from where you needed to go… happens to me all the time.

The thing is, I think the benefits outweigh the negatives… and, what is cooler, is that we can control, plan, and create these patterns. Unfortunately, and what is also a curiosity to me is that most people won't make the choice to actively choose and build these patterns In fact, that is what marketers and brands count on… they study our behaviors and our patterns… then spend billions of dollars to create products, ads, and techniques to pull us in, unconsciously, so that we can be "driven" on "auto-pilot". There have been tons of studies on this type of "manipulation" paid for and conducted by corporations and governments. That's fine… I don’t have anything against that, I think it is great to understand our wiring… knowing this, though, fuels my need to try to control it… HOW can I better understand my wiring and systems to "create" and control what I want to have happen vs. some corporation or government?

This is at the heart of change... creating the change that you are looking for in your life... your fitness... your business... at the heart of that change is knowing HOW you or your business is "wired" and the habits and patterns that exist...

Socrates instructed us to "Know Thyself"… it is important that you do… because someone will do it for you if you don’t pay attention.

Habits & Rituals

I love Elliot Hulse's stuff!

Watch this!

My wife is always losing her keys… and, well, pretty much most of her stuff (cell phones, books, DVDs, etc.)… on the other hand… I don’t… I know where my stuff is…

And it drives her crazy!

See, in our marriage, she is the "organized" one… the planner… the process person - if you have to move or have a yard sale or do a fundraiser… she is THE person you want. In fact, her career was process development, change management, and continuous process improvement systems. She consulted for years in both "white collar" and "blue collar" environments. She is pretty much amazing at her job.

And yet… "Madame Organization" can't find her keys… (I love it!)

And what really frustrates her is my stuff never gets lost (UNLESS SHE BORROWS them… but I wont go there)… because I have created a ritual around where my "stuff" goes and if I don’t put things in their spot I just know that something is not right… by creating a ritual I have removed clogging my conscious brain with lots of meaningless info…

So, all of this stuff - these rituals play into my work and my workouts. And now, instead of my "opinion" there is some science to it… Form a Habit!

Make it a habit. Create a ritual! Take it out of the "conscious" space and put it in the "sub"conscious or "un"conscious and take "will power" OUT of the equation. I'm reading a great book about food and nutrition called "The Foodist" - by Darya Pino Rose - you should buy it here… she is a neuro-scientist who happens to love food and has done some interesting work on why we eat what we eat… the choices we make… our "will power". It is fascinating and very helpful in the world of nutrition and food… but the same principles can be applied to creating a habit out of anything.

I don’t care what anyone says… workouts and working out regularly is not easy or simple… you don’t just have the gene to enjoy it or not… it takes discipline to get to the gym, I don’t care who you are… but as it is now a habit for me, NOT going puts me just out of sorts and I have to go! In fact, the willpower has to kick-in when I need to make my body take a break to recover…


Learn to make HABITS and RITUALS of the things you say you WANT - your life will change…

Awesome Article here, too!

More Plateaus

Plateaus happen… they happen regularly… you can prepare and do whatever you like but they will come. And it can be beautiful. It was during one of my plateaus that I decided to change my workouts completely - a year and a half later, after some additional variation and trying things differently, I pulled a PR in my deadlift and got certified in teaching Body Pump. Both at the age of 49.

I have met some great folks through both of these changes - and it would not have happened if I didn’t embrace the plateau vs. fighting it!

What I was doing got me great results… and they were things I "understood" and could do without even thinking - I KNEW what to do…how and when to do it… and it stopped working… this new stuff forced me to THINK, to ENGAGE, to LEARN through trial and error and research, to STEP BACK and actually do less, to get HELP from others with more experience, and to WORK my ass off…

PR in Deadlift… teaching others to love moving weight…

It is not easy for me but I now understand that at eventually… down the road… in time… I will be better for it… stronger and more able. I learned to take the long-view and to look beyond the visible horizon.


It happens in business (and the rest of life, too)… what got us where we are becomes a trap - comfort in the known vs. the fear of the unknown… small progress and slight improvement give us the illusion that what we've been doing still works… this is the most deceptive place to be in… when growth and improvement slow significantly - beyond a season and beyond a few months…. They become the new norm and we become complacent… that is where courage needs to step in and when the work should begin…. THINK, ENGAGE, LEARN, STEP BACK, GET HELP, WORK! Or whatever formula you like.

Pursuing Adaptation / Change is Inevitable:

Change Happens

It is a truism... it is something we all know and understand. We want balance, we strive for equilibrium... consistency... stuff we can count on... and change just messes us all up! We resist it... normally, most folks dont like it or respond well to it... that is the beauty of really challenging your body: putting it into situations where it needs to discover something NEW about itself... personally, i love a little discomfort... change... the chaos associated with the unexpected and the unanticipated... and then we chase BALANCE again... that is why i love starting businesses or working with start-ups or trying new things that put me well outside my comfort zone...

the comfort zone - a lot has been written about it and discussed... we all have our comfort zone and our goal is to stay there - psychologically, mentally, spiritually, and physically we FIGHT to stay there... and yet at the same time we all know that Change is going to happen - we are going to be confronted with change! Preparing ourselves psychologically, mentally, spiritually, and physically to anticipate this inevitability will improve our fitness and our confidence and our ability to respond to further change.

IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN!

In the gym, to get around it all, when we hit a plateau... it's time to change things UP... get a new coach, try a class youve never tried, push your self outside what you've been doing - mix up reps or "time under tension" - go lighter... or go heavier... move from barbells to dumb-bells... grab kettlebells for a while...

This also translates in to the work environment - the business world. The world is changing faster and more aggressively than ever before - think of all the new platforms that have developed... what has happened to the "record" industry? what is happening to the film industry? bookstores? record shops? and this is changing faster... it is imperative that businesses become skilled and prepared for the change(s) that are inevitably going to happen... and this means that the people need to understand how to deal with and be prepared to address change - People who can adapt and embrace change as a fundamental part of their character and personality should be valued - MORESO than the technology or other systems.

These are skills that can be hired... these are abilities that can be trained and nurtured... these are perspectives that can be understood and prepared for... these are the experiences that can be anticipated, trained for, and managed.

Successful organizations are able to understand, embrace, and develop Change as a part of their structure.

Adaptation… and Plateau… and Change

The goal of any natural “system” is equilibrium… that’s an incredibly broad statement and of course there are tons of various goals… but a system strives for equilibrium or a sense of balance. An ecosystem… or the body is no different. Your body strives for “balance”. If it’s too hot… it sweats or tells you to turn the air conditioner on… too cold and the heater comes on or, as my father used to say, “Put a damn sweater on!”

The same is true when the body is stressed, whether by extreme environmental conditions or by a challenging work out. If you have never run before, just getting up and running a mile is going to feel very different the first day vs. 2 weeks later when you have been doing it every morning. This happens because your body changes to meet this stress… or, said differently, it adapts to the new environment.

Your body begins to “get used to” this change of experience by adapting to this new norm. That space between “thiscompletelyhurtsandsucksandiwillnevergetusedtoit” and “this is so simple” is the body adapting. It is seeking balance.

This is true of any physical stress you put on your body. Your body begins to actually change as the stresses come and are sustained. At the hormonal level your body secretes different chemicals to anticipate activity and to achieve a faster recovery from that activity. Heck, the body knows this is good for you so it even will release a little “pleasure” in the form of endorphins. This happens at the nutritional level, too, as your “cravings” will begin to change so the body will get the fuel it knows you need. The way that fuel is burned changes. Muscles begin to change, bones and joints change… how your brain functions changes (and maybe even at the genetic level, but the jury is still out on that).
And you get better at that activity.

And then… you feel like you have plateaued. Most of the time, however, this first plateau is typically just not pushing yourself hard enough. FIND A COACH. Find someone who will look at what you are doing and they will be able to help you get a more than you ever thought possible out of yourself.

However, if you have been exercising hard for at least a year and had coaching… you will also at some time hit a plateau. You get in a rut… the level of improvement slows… why is that? Because your body has adapted… it has found balance… equilibrium… it has adapted. If you want to improve and continue to get stronger / faster / have more endurance / whatever … something’s got to change.

One of my favorite lifters, Donny Shankle writes about adaptation for the weight lifter here

In the past, when I was young and I would hit this place of slowed / minimal / feels like NO improvement, I would do what any young ego-centered male would do – continue to do the same things only HARDER and LOUDER … and … still … have little to no improvement.
See, our bodies are just so amazing that they can compensate and cope and adapt to pretty much anything we can throw at them. The body is really an amazing machine.

To get past these plateaus, things need to change. The stresses and challenges we put on the body need to change. Changing the type of squatting or deadlifting I was doing for several weeks or months actually helped me pass my previous plateau easily. By changing the exercise, the stress, shocking the body out of equilibrium has actually made me stronger and quicker when I returned to the previous lifts.

And, these changes have made me fitter overall. Change and variation will help you pass plateaus and will make you more fit and stronger overall.

Say what you will about Crossfit… I believe they have done a great job in defining fitness (constantly varied….. blah blah blah) and the way in which each workout is structured to create that challenge is a great approach. Of course, it may not be perfect for everyone… but it is a great way to look at things.
Seek change… keep the body adapting… it will amaze you.