Is It Possible To Keep Up With Yourself Or Your Goals?

There are aspects of the fitness world that we try to emulate such as being so inspired by someone else that we do our damndest to be like them, train like them and follow their style. The truth is, being somebody else takes away your own individuality and rely on other forms of settling into your aspirations. Now, we can try to imitate them and pretend we are them but can never be exactly like them. 

We have trouble keeping up with ourselves so we're going to completely switch gears and become someone else completely? Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with wanting to change in order to grow and evolve. Sometimes we have to switch things up in order to become better versions of ourselves. Do we even know how to keep up with ourselves? Do we always know the direction we're going? No. We hit forks in the road, we may pick up someone along the way and there might be a new destination along the horizon we don't know about.

Setting goals is always admirable whether in the long term or the short term. We make goals such as PRs, certain length of time of a program, a number of pounds to lose or gain or we go for a number of reps or sets in a given workout. Are those goals sustainable and able to match up, or are they so unrealistic that we can't keep up with the demand? Sadly, very few go the first way and the majority go the second route and they don't even know it. It doesn't make them gullible or weak either, at times it's so demanding on us from others that we just simply can't do it and end up paying a price for it. 

I did have aspirations to train like the greats and had set goals but once I understood how unrealistic they were, during certain periods it was too late and I either got hurt or came close to blacking out. I can't be exactly like a Bud Jeffries or a Eero Westerberg, hell even a fucking Matt Furey but I can be me the best way I can and continue to learn. I admire these guys especially Bud, he was the real deal and if there's anyone worth being like (personality wise), it's him. The goals and demand I made for myself with intention but progressed methodically and intuitively paid off in more ways than one. I can go hard but not get injured, move well but not go to extremes like an acrobat and practice what benefits me, not what someone tells me what benefits me.

We have our own aspirations, our own goals, our own individuality and demands that concern our long term payoff as a person. We can't always keep up the demands of someone else, we take things as best as we can and not try to sprint during a marathon, it'll just wear us down and tear us apart in the end. 

The One Hour Superset Broadway

 When you get an idea in your head and act on it, sometimes it turns out exactly like you thought of and other times it looks good on paper but it becomes more when it actually happens. Yesterday's big workout not only was an ass kicker but was also one of the craziest workouts I've ever done. For an hour nonstop, I went back and forth carrying a 50 lb sandbell and 20 step ups. I don't think I've ever gone that long without ever resting.

My goal was to do at least 40-44 sets in that period of time and managed 46. Throughout, I was going faster and was in such a zone that nothing else around me mattered and focused on one thing only. So think about this for a second, 46 times I carried that sandbell 20 yards (shoulder carried 10 yards each side) and did 20 step ups (10 each leg) which comes out to carrying 4600 lbs (2.3 tons) over a period of 920 yards and managed 920 step ups. Weird thing was, I didn't feel tired or sore. When it was over and the endorphins kicked in hard, it was like a wave of positive energy and one of the most relaxing things I've ever felt. 

This was a big test for me when it comes to conditioning and mental toughness. I wasn't expecting to move that efficiently and never once thought about quitting. It was like a part of me just shut down and let something take over. I don't know if it was some kind of trance or a level of stamina I didn't think I had but I kept going and nothing was going to stop me. That kind of workout is on another level of insanity and it's like that governor we have in our minds like a Jiminy Cricket guiding you and telling you when to stop just went out the window and kept the doors shut. It felt like I was the only person in the world in that moment.

That hour at times felt the longest in my life and as the workout progressed, it felt like the easiest thing ever yet it's one of the most challenging anyone can do. It felt effortless but I assure you, it wasn't easy. As I woke up today and already shoveled snow twice starting at around 415 in the morning, I didn't feel sore whatsoever, no pain, no concerning stiffness and just had a pretty good level of energy. Being out in 15 degree weather, just by myself and listening to the wind and the quietness around me, it felt peaceful. I'm going to be shoveling probably 2-3 more times today minimum and that's ok, just part of life and doing what you can. 

Workouts today might be more Micro Style like Isometrics or Chest Expander work but it's still a way to keep active and keeping the joints loose throughout the day. Just wanted to share my 60 minute Broadway training session and that it was intense but a great way to test myself physically and mentally. Will I do it again? Most likely not anytime soon but you never know. 

Give yourself a challenge today whether big or small and see what you're capable of. Don't hurt yourself or force anything. Make it worthwhile but not so hard that it's going to injure you. Be safe out there and keep being amazingly awesome.   

Being Flexible Is Not Just About Stretching

Being limber and mobile is a couple key aspects to have in our lives otherwise, we would be walking around like Frankenstein (which in many cases today we are). Let alone look like the Walking Dead, being stiff isn't really all that fun. As we get older, we start to lose a few things here and there slowly and at times faster than others but there are ways to fix this. You don't have to be a contortionist or some incredibly flexible Gymnast or Cirque De Soleil performer but having solid flexibility throughout life keeps us as young as we can. 

Although I'm more in tuned with stretching routines or workouts that involve more dynamic movements like Joint Loosening, Animal Moves, some Bodyweight Exercises and from the Mace/Clubs I do like the old school stretching exercises that is supplementary to all those things. In the wintertime, when it starts to really come down, shoveling snow can be a hell of a workout especially if it's heavy slush, so it's important to have the muscles, joints and ligaments prepared for the task at hand. Being out in the cold a while can really tighten up the muscles so take some time before and after to relax them and keep them loose but not too loose, we don't want to be walking around like someone's higher than the International Space Station.

Stretching may seem silly to some people because they want to get to the training right off the bat and dig into that workout hard. The problem is, that can bite us in the ass if we're not careful. That's why we must keep up with the maintenance in order to perform at our best. It's why I start off nearly everyday with some form of flexibility, mobility and/or joint loosening work, at night I do my best to get in my bridges (wrestler's, front and occasionally gymnastic) hold the front and back bridges for 3 minutes each and the gymnastic bridge as long as needed. I love being able to move the way I need to and have had stints of being so damn stiff I couldn't get out of bed in my late teens.

Being flexible is more than just stretching, it's about giving your body the tools it needs to be in better health and well-being. I've known many who've been through the ringer and are so tight and knotted that they can barely tie their shoes let alone try to get out of bed without feeling some sort of pain. Remember that old adage no pain, no gain? Complete bullshit. Yes pain is telling you you're not dead but at the same time, pain is something nobody wants to really live with. If you're a laborer, a soldier, a cop, a fireman or a sadistic crossfitter maybe you're use to pain and it's a part of who you are and sacrificing your body for so long will make you so damn miserable it's unbearable.  

Stretching and Flexibility work doesn't have to be boring either, you can learn some cool dynamic moves, animal exercises that stretch many areas of the body, qi gong, mobility type training and bodyweight exercises like Bridging & Hindu Pushups. They all have a place in developing your elasticity and keeping it strong as long as you're consistent. Find some form of way to keep yourself in shape beyond just moving weight around or doing hundreds of pushups and/or squats. Use exercises that can heal and help you recover so you can have that energy, that drive and be able to perform great tasks while as a job or recreationally. One of the things to help slowing the aging process, limberness and strength to stay relaxed. The better your flexibility, the less chances of injuries.

Be flexible and keep being amazingly awesome.