Archives for July 2018

The Maximum/Moderate/Minimum/Micro/Manifesto II (Maximum.)

Recently contemplating life, goals, aspirations and the quandary of unpredictability that the day can and will bring, I continued and persisted pondering these ideas.

With any ambition, whether it is as daunting as running a 100 mile ultra marathon, or as simple as taking the trash to the curb, we first establish the idea, the end-result that we want to achieve.

This is the goal, the consummation, the outcome we are looking for.

Where it comes from doesn’t really matter. This is your unique vision and your unique motivation.

This is what excites you.

The very best way I can describe it in words is that you feel a sensation of optimistic, yet obligatory “pressure.”

Over the course of your weeks and days, you will consider literally thousands of these end results. Some are routine, some overwhelming, some intoxicating.

Taking the trash to the curb is a virtual automatic, you simply tie the bag, pick it up and take where it needs to be. Your job is done.

Preparing to run an ultra marathon is going to take a whole lot more thought, planning, groundwork, foresight, and ultimately dedicated training.

I have no doubt most of us right now could stop whatever we are doing and take the garbage to the curb, but I would however feel extremely safe in predicting that 99.9% of us may not be able to stop what we are doing right now, lace up the shoes, and run an ultra marathon.

Despite the huge gap in actual Precedent Planning, progression, at the basic, fundamental level is simply focused action.

Inevitably, end results are ultimately achieved for both examples (taking out the trash and completing a 100-mile ultra marathon), by establishing what we want, our end-goal, and then carrying out sometimes monumental efforts( bombardments), at times. mid-level activity, and sometimes the tiniest of basic tasks (micro.)

Those tiny actions, leg-work, possibly what you consider the mundane, are the equivalent of seeds to that “great sequoia tree” that is your monster goal, dream, or lifetime ambition.

 

Before we get our hands dirty, before we get to work, we need a plan.

Success is the maximum utilization of the ability that you have.
~Zig Ziglar

Step one is to figure out what it is you want. There are no wrong answers here.

Remember that you can realize whatever it is your heart and mind visualizes and yearns for.

All great things commence from a thought, a “seed.” Wanting to go from here to there.

Next time we will further delve into the “big stuff,” colossal goals, life’s ambitions and dreams, “The Maximum!”

Stay with me.

 

 

 

 

Do you struggle with having too much to do and with too much you want to accomplish?

Do you have a few,  several, or possibly many goals or aspirations, but are conflicted about where to begin, or what to direct your attention upon?

Or, maybe you find yourself putting things off, possibly saying “I’ll start next week,” then yet another week passes and you are still at square-one.

“Never put off till tomorrow what may be done the day after tomorrow just as well.”
~ Mark Twain

Recently, I have become increasingly frustrated and more and more discouraged trying to fit everything into my schedule (I’m sure that I am far from alone in this challenge.)

Like most of us, I have my day job, PT job, landlord duties, family obligations, and then there are the typical responsibilities, paying bills, household tasks, appointments etc. Finally, there are things that you may just want to do like going to the gym, spending time with your partner, spending time with family, friends, hobbies, sports, interests, watching a movie, or your favorite show.

Most days fill up rapidly, and there are always those “wildcards” that show up and must be dealt with.

Despite perfectly laid plans, or precise “time management,” each day you will undoubtedly encounter at best, a “speed bump” or two, or quite possibly a huge “road-block.”—-and no GPS to re-route.

If we are going to spend precious time planning our day, our workout, an event, a date, a meeting, whatever it may be, we need to increase our chances for success, even if it rains on our parade.

Figuratively, I was beating my head against a wall, trying to figure this conundrum out.

I tried just about all the productivity approaches that are out there, and there are some excellent ideas, but something was missing. At least for me.

At one point, I considered just giving up on some of the “less important” things (hobbies, interests, etc.)—- here’s a hint. They are very important too.

“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.”

~ Jack Torrance 😀

I decided that I needed to devise a system that would ensure progression no matter what the day threw at me, so after a whole bunch of experimentation, trial and error, and feedback, I settled on a simplistic yet feasible, flexible approach that works in “real-time,” based upon the day in front of you.

This system has added a great deal of value to my day(s) and if your experiences are similar, I can’t wait to share these concepts with you.

Stay tuned!

 

The Positive Side Of Negativity.

No matter your interest, passion, life’s-work, paid employment, or “indentured servitude”, no matter what level of the game you are at, there is always, always more to learn.

We live in an amazing time in which virtually anything you want to know, learn or study is just a search and click away.

After selling my business a few years ago, I knew that I wanted to pursue more meaningful work, to attempt to combine my passions and interests, with sustainable income. —not an easy feat for sure.

In some ways I am a dreamer.

But, I’m also a realist too.

I have had the absolute blessing to in the last year create a personal training business and help clients with their individual goals, share their wins, emphatically share their challenges.

I also still have a “day job,” I wait tables. Not quite ready to go full time with the training.

Having been working out for over 25 years, I have volumes of experiences to draw from, both personally and through observation. I often think about specific training ideas, or even specific workouts that may have been from the early 90’s to achieve a result I am looking for.

Anyway, optimization of training, nutrition, lifestyle and supplementation is not only an ongoing curiosity, it is also a responsibility by my estimation.

I read manuscripts, watch videos, ask questions, you name it. I want to soak up all I can.

Recently, I have been noticing a trend in my searches and also on social media platforms of load for the sake of load.

Piling weight onto the bar.

Emphasizing resistance, but relinquishing quality repetitions.

Form be damned.

If you get nothing else from this post, please consider this.

As a natural trainee, strict textbook form is your friend. The target muscle(s) do not know whether you are pushing 50, 100, or 500 lbs.

I recently have rediscovered “negatives” as a excellent high-intensity technique.

I’ve really pushed this idea while I’m “working the impressive areas.”

I have been utilizing a minimum of 3 second negatives on nearly every movement.

Interestingly, I am not only seeing some increase in muscle, I’m also enjoying strength gains that I haven’t experienced for years.

Stay tuned.

Starting out the new week, I decided today was going to be a deltoid-focused session.

Being possibly the most important muscle-grouping of what I consider “The Impressive Areas Circa 2018,” I wanted to prioritize the complete shoulder complex.

I usually have a fairly decent idea as to what I want to accomplish in the gym several days out, and there were three main thoughts that kept recurring as this session grew closer.

First, my thoughts were fixated on what exercises seemed to give me the best results in building the complete shoulder girdle. What movements were going to give me the most bang for my buck?

Secondly, I have been dealing with a dueling bout of recent lower left-trap strain & right medial deltoid strain.—–most likely connected and progressive tendonitis.—my day job + a little overzealous training. 😀

Thirdly, and lastly, I have been more and more moving into the opinion that the deltoids, being comparatively small, complex individual muscles (working in unison), with a whole lot a varied function, might be served better with not so much an approach of focusing on purely heavy work, as in overhead presses, military presses, or push presses.

I can’t tell you how many videos I see with trainees struggling, pressing weight that actually is beyond their scope. The bar stagnates, the form breaks, basically we are talking about a standing incline bench when it’s said and done. lol

Anyway, this is getting a bit long-winded, so here is this early morning’s session:

Wall Handstand Push-ups (I can’t recollect when I last did these, probably 2010,11. I went for the GVT effect 7 sets of 10.)

Neutral Grip D. Press (20 rep sets.)

Javelin Presses (these isolate and turn your boyish delts into men. 😀 )

Lateral Raises  (with what I call The Fonzie-Grip.)

Dumbbell High Pulls.

Bent Raises.

External Rotations. (prehab/ rehab.)

 

Today was arm-focused work, part of my “Impressive Areas Circa 2018” training, my current experimentation.

I started by alternating between weighted dips & weighted chin-ups, working up to a final heavy set of 5 respectively.

Then it was time for some close-grip bench pressing, followed by incline dumbbell curls.

Next, some rolling triceps extensions, alternated with body weight chins.

I then finished up with some dumbbell curls/dumbbell triceps extensions, performed in non-stop superset fashion, very light weight, no rest, with the intention of flushing blood into the entire upper-arms.

A little later, it was time for some conditioning, so I decided on a 20 minute run through the city.

I don’t know exactly what it is about running, but this is the time that I seem to develop all sorts of creative ideas.