Out of shape and don’t know where to start to change that? I’ve found that if I coach to change a client’s mindset first, all else will fall nicely into place.
And when it comes to fitness, consistency in working out -- just showing up -- trumps all else. It’s more important than innate ability, available coaching, or accessible equipment. With the flip side being that having the very best of every tool, insight and circumstance will do nothing without consistent, dedicated effort.
You’ve no doubt heard this, or some variant thereof. And yet, I can tell you unequivocally that the fitness “crisis” in the first world is not driven by lack of available knowledge or resources, but is the result of an unbridled mind.
To put it succinctly, we in modern society have lost the ability to, as the Zen Buddhists say, “chop wood and carry water”.
This isn’t just true of exercise, but in most everything. From relationships to reading, the list goes on.
This is not just the passive grumblings of an old curmudgeon, but something I’ve navigated my entire life. First as a young athlete whose day centered around little other than training, and now as a 52 year-old entrepreneur who has to fight like hell just to squeeze in some form of daily training. All of it while dodging -- just like you’ll have to do -- the distractions of modern life. And I don’t say this from a better-than-thou point of view, but simply as someone who’s figured a way around those day-to-day trip-wires. That is, leveraging the best of the modern world, while avoiding (or at least mitigating) those aspects that such the vibrancy from your soul.
But no one needs another exercise evangelist preaching about what they ought to be doing. Which is cool, because that’s not my style anyway. I’m more comfortable living by example, documenting what I do, and answering questions. And if the community thinks it’s worthy, I’ll begin to do that here.
I think if you’re dedicated to your health and patient enough to follow along, you’ll be able to take from my day-to-day examples and formulate a plan that’s yours. The goal is not to copy-cat (you may at first, and that’s ok), but to create a plan that works for you and your unique circumstance. More than anything else though, you’ll see what consistency is the fitness realm looks like vis-a-vis a hectic modern life. In that way, you be able to better create a personalized, workable plan.
My notes will look a little crazy at first, but soon you’ll become comfortable with my shorthand, and begin to pick up on my patterns. Think of this as an ongoing relationship -- an apprenticeship, if you will -- the dividends of which will pay off in time. Chop wood, carry water; soon you’ll see a drastic change for the better in your fitness and vibrancy.
And I too will begin to learn what you need from me by the questions you ask. Every group and individual I’ve coached has need to see things from a different perspective. That’s cool; we all have a personal and group filter through which we view the world.
Anyway, I’ll kick this off by posting here my last few weeks worth of workouts. I’ve documented every workout I’ve done back to about 1980. And in this is the first lesson: one of the most effective psychological tricks to maintain the “chop wood, carry water” mindset is to set yourself up such that you don’t want to break a chain of “wins” -- journaling is a great way to do that.
Note: this is a good example run, as it includes both the Thanksgiving holiday and a 3-day Ayahuasca retreat. In other words, real life is messy, and you’ll need to be able to get back on track quickly before you lose momentum.
Again, there’s a lot to absorb here, so be patient. We’ll work through it in time. Notations, exercise examples, method philosophy... the whole kit-and-kaboodle!
12/7/16
A1) TBDL: 250/5, 5; 340/5
A2) dips: 45/7,7; red +black band +45/3
5 rounds at load; 7 rounds total
12/6/16
A1) front squats: 135/5, 5; 185/5, 225/3, 3, 3
A2) full rollouts x 5
6 total rounds
12/5/16
A1) single arm LM press: 50/7, 75/7
A2) bent over row: 185/7, 235/7
3 rounds at working weight
~ Aya Retreat ~
11/30/16
A1) pull aparts, green band x 10
A2) landmine rows, 200 x 5
5 rounds
11/29/16
A1) EZ tri ext.: 65/10, 85/10, 105/8
A2) EX bi curl: 65/10, 85/10, 105/8
A3) banded HP calf work: 200+ green + purple/10
7 rounds
11/28/16
A1) ARX leg press x 2
A2) 1 clean + 3 front squats: 185
A3) 3 vertical jumps5 rounds...then 5 extra squat clean singles on smoked wheels at 205lbs
11/27/16
A1) BS flyes x 10
A2) Landmine single arm press x 5 ea
A3) sternum chin x 7
5 rounds
11/25/16
A1) decline floor press: 235/5
A2) bent over row: 235/5
A3) ARXFit Omni thruster x 2
A4) standing broad jump x 3
3 rounds
11/23/16
A1) banded Oly Deadlifts: 185 + green & purple x 3
B1) banded dips: 45 + thin black x 3 EMOTM, 10 rounds
11/20/16
A1) banded hip press (hierarchical): 345 + thick green/15; 400 + thick green/8 -----> ARXFit Leg press x 2
B1) dips (hierarchical): 35/15; 60/8, 70/4
11/19/16
A1) EZ Bi culs (hierarchical): 15 at 65, 8 at 85, 5 at 105
B1) EZ tri extensions (hierarchical):15 at 85, 8 at 105, 5 at 125
Rest between sets just long enough to change weight.