Train During Minor Setbacks

    A lot of people take time off from training due to certain setbacks like a small injury, out of the blue car trip for whatever reason, kids get sick, cooking for a party and/or doing projects you need to get done. It's not easy getting the time in especially if you're a parent or someone who's on call for a job like a doctor or some who's time is spent a lot at work but if you want to get something done in your training you don't make excuses, you make compromises. You modify what you want to get done whether you have a few minutes or an hour to kill use it wisely. I recently came back from visiting friends and family in California and was running around being with my buds (mostly my best friend) and relaxing during certain times but always made time to train even if it was a few minutes. In Tahoe it was fun being able to train outdoors going swimming, climbing/jumping/crawling on the rocks and doing a little DDP Yoga while I had time to myself. For you it might be different but there's always a way to get something done even if it's just getting a few push-ups here and there or doing isometrics throughout the day. Make it work for you.

 
    Make a habit of training no matter what. Most look for an excuse and some may be understandable but for the most part you have 24hrs in a day, you can't spare 5 min. worth of exercise? Hell what can you do in that amount of time; 1 min. of Jump Rope, 1 min. of squats, 6 different Isometrics for 10 seconds each that's 3 min. so far, bear crawl for 30 seconds than do jumping jacks for 30 seconds and finish off with a 1 min. plank (with palms touching not forearms) and there you have 5 min. Adjust to what you want to do. Exercise can relieve stress and help you think clearer plus you're jump starting your heart rate which can burn fat, help build muscle and gain stamina. You do not need to do an hour of cardio and weights to get in shape who the hell has time for that? Unless you're a pro athlete, weightlifter, bodybuilder or fitness model your time is precious so make the best of it.

 
    Sometimes training in crunch time can be tough and you may have some doubts and you feel like you're not doing enough. I know a few people who bust their ass for what they do and the time they have to exercise is a very small window of opportunity but they make the time even if it means spreading out the exercises throughout the day. Don't bring yourself down when there's a simple solution. Do what you can and go on with your life. You have a choice to make the time or not to put in the effort and yes it's a small sacrifice but you have the power to do it.

 
    Enjoy what you can do, don't dread on about that you can only do this but you want to do something else but it takes longer make the time for what you need to do. Like I said you have choices no matter how big or small they are, if an opportunity arises than get your ass going. Give yourself a chance to train during certain setbacks because you put in what you get out of it. It's tough for a lot of people like on-call doctors, college students, factory workers, laborers, business men and women, contractors, architects and others so use the time that is open to get a little something done that will help your body and mind get stronger, fitter and less stressed.

 
Happy Thor's Day everyone and remember to take up my Coaching Offer up to 5 sessions. Check out the top of the site for more details. This will only last until Oct. 1^st so act now and find out how I can help you achieve your goals and aspirations in Physical Culture, Strongman, Steel Bending, Fitness, Strength Training & more.

Creating A Flow

    This isn't how to build flow using energetic training (Chi Kung) but it helps. What I do want to tell you is, you can create a flow of putting exercises together whatever they may be, could be DDP Yoga, Squat Training, Muscle Control, lifting heavy weight or Farmer's Walk; you can put some of the most intense and even the toughest exercises together and create your own energy by how you move, your breathing and how you bring them together in sequence like a circuit or just resting than moving to the next exercise. It's a practice that develops not only great physical strength but building internal power. Most people believe in order to channel your energy internally you have to do training of that sorts, not always true.

 
    Finding that rhythm for you may not be easy or maybe it will, it's up to you to figure that out. Following someone else's workout is great no question but the other side of that is it doesn't always flow with you because you didn't come up with it, you're just following someone else. Some people don't like me saying that but you know what, I've learned from experience when you build your own workout and it flows for you, it is so much more worthy than just trying to "Keep up" with the other person. I love DDP Yoga it is one of the best systems in conditioning today and combines many elements I'm interested in but as I've said with every other program I like, I learn and study the exercises but I don't feel good about trying to keep up with that person's program when I can just come up with a workout of my own that is just as intense or more and I'm getting greater benefit out of it. "Make it your own" as DDP would say and I have been following that motto for many years nearly a decade actually. Find a rhythm that works for you.

 
    One of the most important aspects of creating your own flowing sequence no matter how intense or the tempo might be is pacing yourself. Most who buy those infomercial crap just want to jump in and not consider the consequences. In reality you are not meant to try to keep up with the people on the DVD, you are meant to build yourself up and keep up with yourself. If you just try to go as fast as they do or anyone for that matter, you're missing out on building your own style and doing your best to flow for you not to see if you're just as good as they are. Nobody is better than the next guy, some have more experience and their bodies can handle greater stress but they're no better than you. You are one person and you need to give yourself a chance to make something out of yourself.

 
    This is my favorite part about the article where I get to tell you about being creative. You can follow along with someone else and just be a mindless sheep or you can break the rules and just make shit up. Let me put it this way; you understand the basics of your program whatever it might be so now, just make up the workout, learn how your body flows through each exercise and follow your intuition about what to do next, follow your instincts, listen to your body and feel in your mind what gives you the most benefit. I rarely ever do the same workout twice in the same week because after doing the same exercises in the same sequence over and over it becomes boring to me real quick. I don't want to feel I'm stuck in this routine, I want to be free to make my own choices and go with how I move and exercises that give the freedom to breathe, stretch and just let my imagination run its course. That's the beauty of just making up your own workout is the use of your imagination and tapping into that power that resides within you and you don't even realize it. Build a flow that creates your own bliss, your own intensity and the only person you should be keeping up with is yourself. No one else has your body and your strength and/or weaknesses so why should you try to keep up with everyone else? Think outside the box and do something out of the norm that only you decide how intense it will be, what the tempo is and making it work for you and nobody else.

 
Have a great weekend everyone. Be awesome and train hard. Next Friday will have me writing my last article for the next few weeks as I will be in California for my 30^th Birthday celebration. You are the most bad ass people I've ever had the pleasure writing for. You all inspire me to do what I love. Keep reading and find the best resources for you or your friends/family.