Sunday, February 22, 2009

Kind of Busy

I haven't blogged much this month, or last month for that matter. The only excuse I have is that i've been kinda busy. Not a good excuse, but at least its true. I've been working on starting a new business with my friend Mindy. Its a training business of coarse, I really don't know much about anything else besides that.

Anyway, I've been trying to work on that for a while and things seem to be materializing. I hope to have much more to say about this soon. I do have a website for it at least, its www.OPTfitness.net.

My training has been going well lately. At least it has been fun. Doing lots of snatches and presses mixed with lots of Z. Sounds fun, right? It works!




Monday, February 9, 2009

Discipline

Many of us find it hard to start a "lifestyle habit" and maintain it. When I say "lifestyle habit" I am referring to diets, exercise programs, or anything else we are pursuing to better ours lives. It is easy to think these lifestyle habits are hard to maintain because we lack discipline. But I think discipline is something that none of us lack. We are full of it. Most of us get up and go to work everyday. Most of us take care of our children everyday. Most of us take care of several other responsibilities everyday. None of us could do any of these things if we lacked discipline.

We all have discipline. And, we all get lots of reps in cementing that discipline each week when we carry out our normal daily task. Maybe its hard for us to make lifestyle changes because we have SO many reps in doing the things we always do. Or, maybe when we think we want to make a change, it is just a thought and not really a decision. It would be hard to overcome so many reps of being ourselves when we have really only thought about making a change. To truly change and make a new lifestyle habit we have to make a decision; we have to choose to change. Then, we have to start performing lots of reps that will help us change.

Yes, it is hard losing weight. But you can do it. Yes, it is hard to quit smoking. But you can do it. Yes, it is hard to train 4 times a week. But you can do it. Change is not easy, but you can do it. You have the discipline to do anything you want to do.
Its up to you. Good news, right?

Monday, February 2, 2009

How do you move?

Or, how don't you move? If we move well, we perform well. Conversely, if we move poorly we don't perform so well. This applies to all the movements we make. Not just the ones we make when we train. But just for fun, lets look at the movements we make while we train.

If you're like me, you like numbers. Numbers give us information. Like, "I just did 50 swings." I like numbers because I can measure my progress with numbers. However, what if that "progress" I just measured was performed horribly, or at least with not-so-great form. What if I get injured because the numbers I strive so hard to reach are performed poorly. My poor movements could actually get me injured. If I'm injured, I can't perform so well. Also, I don't feel so well either.

What if, instead of focusing on numbers, I focused on quality movements? What if I stopped swinging the kettlebell while my form was still perfect? Or, I put the bell down just prior to my form diminishing? I would certainly be less likely to get injured. Also, I'm pretty sure I'd feel pretty good as well.

Now lets step away from training a bit. Good, quality movement can actually take the "brakes" off your body. It opens the door for increased strength, better range of motion, increased energy, and freedom from annoying pains (the pains caused by bad movements). Good movement can even improve your mental focus and your ATTITUDE.

So how do you move? Do you slouch when you sit or walk? Do you keep your head down when you walk? Do you squat with your feet turned out like a duck? Can you squat? Can your shoulders move in all the directions God intended them to? Do your joints ache? Or better yet, are there movements you could do when you were younger that you can no longer do? Learn to move well. Learn how to own all the movements of all the joints in your body. Learn your body, teach it to move well. Take the brakes off and perform at your best.

Sorry, for the movement rave. I'm just so excited about the body and its capabilities. We are truly wonderfully made.