Training Through Grief And Emotional Rollercoasters

 When certain aspects of life hit you especially after losing a loved one, you still give yourself the time to do what gives you the ability to process in your own way and get the most out of what is possible. Even if its just finding a way to play around it. For me, it was my training.

During those 3 days, I did a total of 4 workouts. First day was traveling day and getting settled in. I did Isometrics at the airport to keep active and then after unpacking and winding down, I went out and did a 500 Rep Circuit with my Dopa Band. Feeling the cool ocean air and just getting that groove in. Nothing hardcore or anything, just doing what I love. It was good to be active and doing what was possible for me in the moment.

Second day, I got up around 430 in the morning cause sleeping just didn't happen a whole lot considering what was going to be a hell of a day. Around after 5 or so, I took my band out, feeling the cool, crisp air in the California Fog. Didn't feel that cold to me but it wasn't very warm out either, then again, what I put myself through did help heat up my body and looking like steam coming off of my body while I trained. I did a 720 Rep Circuit of 6 Exercises, 10 Reps each for 12 Rounds. It was my only workout of the day and I'm glad I had the discipline to do it before things rolled.

Third day, another traveling day, getting up at 4 in the morning to hit up a flight with a layover and then to our final landing which hit around 2 ish. Didn't even get home until sometime after 5 for certain reasons and the only workout I really wanted to do was a round of Isometrics with the WorldFit Iso Trainer. Just enough to get that burst of energy blasting and strengthening the muscles and tendons after a long day. 

Working out in this series of events is more than just discipline, it's knowing that despite the chaotic rollercoaster rides that includes dealing with loss, there's still something you can do even for a few minutes that brings maybe a bit of comfort and making the effort that you can do a quick thing for yourself so later you can be there for others in the present moment. I'm not saying its required or anything but I do encourage you that if you're going through tragedy or dealing with something of this caliber, find an opportunity to do even a small micro workout to help you cope with what has happened around you. When things like this come around, emotions can be very high but can also make you crash hard and people can do some crazy shit when emotions run high and a good workout is a far better choice than certain alternatives.

Those workouts (or at least that morning circuit) gave me the strength I needed beyond the physical to help me be present with the people I care very much about and just be. Sometimes we get anxious and full of adrenaline that it briefly makes us unable to think clearly and possibly go off the rails. For me, it was about fighting back what would've made feel things more than I already was and lose some focus on what mattered that day. It helped me focus but also allowed me to express my emotions in the way I needed them to be instead of possibly becoming unpredictable. 

Our world may have stopped for a short time but it gave us opportunities to learn how we move forward individually and as a family. From an individual stand point, we all did things differently but it also bonded us. As a family, yeah we are scattered and live lives in different places but when push comes to shove, when we are all together, we have our quirks and our interests in things but we also have each other and knew that we were going to be ok. Even in the end, my grandma knew we were going to be ok.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and keep being amazingly awesome. 

The World Stood Still For 3 Days

 The last 3 days have been a rollercoaster that took a toll on all that were a part of the events that unfolded. All had their own individual set of grieving but it was the togetherness that kept things moving forward. Emotions were at their peak levels, some were higher than others but you knew and felt the raw and authenticity of those emotions even beyond reasoning or understanding.

For 3 days, the world stood still as my family prepared, went through and going through the process after of saying goodbye to my grandmother. The funeral in and of itself was the toughest of them all for obvious reasons but it was also a sight of genuine love and coming together that made that tough day not so much easier but tightening what we all needed. Each other. The woman that truly started it all with us was laid to rest with every generation that came after her celebrating her life and bringing memories that will last a lifetime. When I say every generation, it's not an exaggeration; her two children, her 6 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren all attended. She lived to see all these people be born and grow. 

My grandmother left behind a legacy that is the stuff of legends. Born into a world that had arguably the greatest boom in American history, lived through the great depression, saw many presidents sworn in, saw a man walk on the moon, held multiple jobs, ran an antique store, raised two kids by herself, retired at the age of 83, was still a child when the Babe hit 60 and so much more. But, like the above, saw every generation born and grow, the oldest being almost 24 and the youngest being around 8, not many people can say that. She was 105 and gave us something to remember and cherish.

Our world will never be the same again especially to her two kids, my father and my aunt. To us grandkids, no more nights of laughter, confiding and being with the person that helped shape us individually. If there was ever someone who knew how to keep fighting to the bitter end, it was her. She was the closest to us that was considered immortal and if the words "There can be only one" had a name, it was my grandmother's. For her great-grandkids, they learned the hand that held us before them and will live on knowing where they came from and what she represented in the very depths of the human soul that will never be duplicated. 

I'm grateful to have seen this woman live for so long it's still mind boggling. To have lived as long as she did with the way she ate and drank, it ought to be scientifically studied. I don't think there was ever a time she turned us away, she lifted us up when we were at our low points, she carried our pain, our sorrows and she taught us what it means to be a family.

I had the honor of helping her go into the earth next to at least two of her siblings and her parents. I helped one of my sisters read a passage in the bible so she wouldn't do it alone. I got to read my Beacon Of Light Article to all who attended the luncheon after the service upon request of my dad and was happy to do it. I was helped by a nephew, my brother, my uncle and my brother-in law to carry her to the hearse and to her burial place. It was one of those surreal moments that will never fade. 

My siblings, cousins and I all have memories that will carry in our hearts forever and she gave us all something that will never leave us, her hand on our shoulders as she watches us continue on in our lives to be there for the ones we love as she had done for us unconditionally. I will miss her everyday and use her lessons that have been instilled since the day I was born. She was and always will be the greatest strength that our family ever had.   

The Raw Power Of Catch Wrestling: A Look At The Nebraska Tiger Man John Pesek

We live in an era where man chase the latest gadgets and trends. Apps that give you all sorts of info that can lead to shortcuts in Fitness. Sometimes, it's cool to look back at a time when men built their might the old school way. The grit, the farm work, roughhousing and a simplistic but no bullshit approach to wrestle or fight that tested their wills and every fiber in their being. One of these men was John Pesek aka the Nebraska Tiger Man stood tall as a legend in that type of era. 

Born in 1894 on the farm near Ravenna, Nebraska, John wasn't the type of athlete that stepped foot in some controlled air conditioned gym or practiced some off the wall program. The man wrestled because in that time, that was one of the main activities a boy had to do. Just like Dan Severn did decades later in Michigan. He got into scraps with cowboys in the harsh prairie lands under what was called Rafferty Rules. In other words, just fucking survive and be dominant.

You wouldn't find this guy playing the role of a strong motherfucker, he just was. Came up the ranks training with another legend in the Catch Game, Joe Stecher. John in a short amount of time, earned a reputation for being one of the deadliest hookers of his generation in Catch As Catch Can Wrestling. For those playing the home game and don't know what a hooker is, I'm telling you right now it's not a prostitute, giggalo or escort. These guys weren't flashy showmen that can put on a performance, they were the cream of the crop when it came to submissions. I'm talking ankle breakers, cranking joints, tearing ligaments and making grown men scream in agony with vicious holds that turned the mat into a damn torture chamber. These were the men you never wanted to test.

Pesek had those quick reflexes mixed with farm strength and power that made him the stuff of nightmares for opponents. Guys like this weren't the ones that separated Strength Training from Fighting or whatever form of Conditioning. With them, you got the total package bro. With John, he worked the land, took on anyone that dared to find out what he or the opponent were capable of and developed a physique for the time that can dish out and take a hell of a beating that would put most men even today in the hospital. He even had the distinct honor of being a "policeman" for Billy Sandow and Ed Lewis. A policeman was the guy who was more of a mercenary that was sent in to take care of challengers that didn't follow the script in worked matches. When it was called for a shoot (meaning the real thing), Pesek would deliver. He tore guys a part, put them in the ER and commanded respect the hard way. 

-Here's a fun tale of some old school wrestling that shows the legitimacy of John's abilities    

He had a real shoot against not just another incredible wrestler of the time, but a 1920 Olympic Silver Medal winner in the name of Nat Pendleton (although there's controversy surrounding the loss which several high level people believed he won the gold medal). Back in 1923, promoters wanted a legit contest to help settle some business. So, they opened up the cage and let the tiger loose. Not only did Pesek just dominate Pendleton with leg locks and full on control, he killed the match in just under 41 minutes within two straight falls. You have to remember now, Nat was a tough wrestler, tough as hell in his own right but even he was no match for the Nebraskan farm boy in the realm of Rough & Tumble style of wrestling. That's one of the beauties and dangerous forms of Catch, it rewarded men that could really go, not just look the part and play by the rules. 

Like many of those transitioning from the real contests to the crazed spectacle, Pesek was smacked right in the middle of it. He was one of those guys however that didn't love the way things shifted. He was a true hooker and shooter where he preferred the skills, raw strength and enduring pain that decided a winner. Crossed paths with Joe Stecher multiple times, even pulled a double cross that showed he wasn't into playing the game of the promoters. He wasn't called the Nebraskan Tiger Man for nothing, it wasn't just some off the wall nickname, it was real and like a Tiger, he couldn't be tamed. That, was what made him an icon of his generation. 

Later on in his life outside of the ring, he bred Greyhounds and wanted to live on his own terms. He passed on in 1978 but his spirit still carries a powerful entity in anyone with intensity and ferocity. He didn't need Social Media attention or have the perfect program, he had balls the size of grapefruits, heart of a mighty Tiger and skills that very few or arguably ever could match. It's something we should all learn. Get at it, be real and be amazingly awesome. Those old timers are watching.     

Might As Well Jump

 

Every now and then, it's good to just jump and play. Work the fast twitch muscle fibers and make a game out of it. Being explosive has its perks regardless of age. I mean, come on, many of us grew up watching Tigger bounce around since he's the embodiment of someone with ADHD. He made jumping fun. In reality, things like frog jumps, jumping rope, explosive pushups and even burpees had their ways of making a person worn down but have a solid feeling afterwards. Some took these to extremes to the point where they wrecked themselves but if you learned how to balance out what's possible, being able to jump can reap certain benefits.

I don't do a ton of explosive stuff and for specific reasons but when I do play around with them especially when it comes to animal movement, it shoots levels of endorphins and hormone entities that help keep you vital and strong. Sometimes jumping like a frog, hopping like a rabbit or bouncing off the ground like a Kangaroo makes things interesting and when you see and hear things in your imagination, it can make a workout really goofy or stupid serious. Either way, you're getting something in.

Not all explosive movements are created equal, there are some things that aren't meant for certain people. Not because it isn't cool, some just don't have the capacity or the strength to do certain aspects of Explosive Training and it is ok. We all have our strengths and weaknesses. 

Take into account what is possible and build from there. There are some athletes that are just fucking nuts when it comes to things that shoot off like a damn rocket. Some of those old time Russian Wrestlers were insane with the stuff they did and when you look at someone like a Alexander Karelin, you will find out what made guys like that incredibly tough to beat. For other reasons to jump around, it can just be doing a few reps of certain movements just to warm yourself up or cooldown from a crazy workout. Just doing a few jumps per exercise can have an impact on how you work things and find the creative side of training.

Be playful and have fun with it if possible. It's not mandatory and you don't HAVE to do any of these if you don't want to. If you choose to do them, make them work for you and keep it as basic as possible. Training is meant to be adventurous and discovering what your capabilities are. 

Be amazingly awesome, be playful and get to it. It's never too late to explore yourself. 

A Beacon Of Light That Will Be The Hand On Our Shoulders

You were the embodiment of what it means to be strong.

You were a guide, a teacher, a therapist, a hard worker and our Beav.

As individuals, we had our own struggles and battles. They were real, they were powerful and they were even dark at times; yet you fought them along with us because you didn't want us to be alone and comforted us when we needed it the most. You picked us up out of the darkness using your love, your light and your hand.

You fed us whether we liked it or not but you didn't do it for reasons most would think. You didn't want us going hungry and you made it your mission to make sure we ate.

A tradition that went on forever (especially during your birthday, mother's day and Christmas) was to get you to cry for even a brief moment so we can see the joy on your face as you shed a tear. At one time or another, I believe all of us made that happen but we never knew when it would happen.

You were there before I could speak and fought for me when some thought I wouldn't make it. You were there when I was literally broken. You were there to see me play and grow and you taught me more than I can say.

You loved us even when we struggled to love ourselves.

You put your hand on our shoulders and hugged us when we cried or to just hold us because you just needed someone to hold.

The world won't be the same without you.

Your smile, your laugh and your love will never fade as we carry those memories throughout our journeys now. 

The beacon of light on our shoulders will be you continuing to guide us as we carry on what you created.

Rest well and thank you for everything.

I love you grandma. RIP