Where things left off, is where they really began. It started with me doing something that I hadn’t done in a long time…playing music in front of a crowd. There was an open mic night at the Columbus Bar, not so long ago. It was exciting and scary all at the same time. I have to say, that I was moved beyond words by the number of people who came to see me play. It was such an unbelievably good feeling! This is when several things began to occur to me…

If you know anything about me, you know that I believe in living to help others. This, I feel, is my purpose in life. I realize that I’m not the only person to feel this way, but it feels like I’ve lived 5 or 6 lifetimes in just three and a half decades. Let me explain:

Just like all beings, I have had to find my way through this life. I have had so many different interests throughout different points; martial arts, poetry, music and fitness. For the longest time they seemed to have been there for a while, and then gone, and sometimes they come back. I could never figure out what I was supposed to do with all of these things. I just thought that they were things that I was fairly good at doing, but that was it. It had occurred to me that they were there to reach people, but it still felt like a bunch of fragmented pieces…that was, until the open mic night.

When something you been trying to attain (whether you realize that you’ve been trying to attain it or not) clicks inside of you, it can be both rewarding and frightening. It was no different in this case. People from all of my different worlds; fitness, poetry, music and Kung Fu had come together. It was like the Universe was screaming in my ear, and saying, “Wake up stupid! Your entire life’s purpose is in one room!” The feeling that washed over me was indescribable!

In the subsequent time since that evening, I have done a considerable amount of soul searching. I have really been trying to get back to exactly who and what I am inside. It has definitely come with some balancing. In the past, I have made the mistake of riding to high on the wave, only to have it come crashing down. I am now trying to learn from the previous challenges, and make more positive changes in my life so that I may affect other lives in a positive way. So far, not bad…I feel it will continue to improve. It is, like all things, a matter of devotion and daily practice.

I have realized that no matter what you go after, you still have to live everyday, and do all of the things that make you…well…you. I let my workouts slip a bit, and the nutrition kind of went to hell. It is only now that I feel I am on the other side of things with a new and improved point of view. I can still spend hours at work, and achieve all of the things that I am here to achieve. It is, as I have said before, a matter of balance. Finally, I think I’ve got a better handle on things, but I will always bear in mind that everyday, I must reaffirm my purpose and direction. Stay tuned….you are all a big part of it….and thanks in advance!

Monday started off kind of slow. It was a good workout, but I allowed to much stress to affect my focus. When you don’t block out all of the things that are on your mind, you can’t possibly reach your potential. If you do nothing else, you have make time for yourself everyday. Never rob yourself of that valuable time when you can just be who you are. If time you don’t take, then your mind will surely break.

Tuesday was fairly uneventful. I trained with my teacher, as per usual, and got hit a lot…as per usual. It was so much fun! I know this isn’t everyone’s idea of fun, but I like it. It is a great stress reliever. Something else that I think is wonderful happened on Tuesday.

For those of you who don’t know, I have a good friend named Matt Jackson who is responsible for putting together local poetry slams. If you’ve never seen performance poetry, you really must have experience. It is a very intense and spiritual form of expression. I really enjoy listening to what everyone has to say. It’s one thing to have stories, but to put them together in such a way that reaches people of all walks of life, is truly an art form.

This time they were having an open mic night for both music and poetry. I, unfortunately wasn’t able to make it, however, it did spark me to pick up the ol’ guitar and dance across the strings. This coming Tuesday, after 15 years, I will be performing in front of an audience again. It really feels good to get back to my roots in music. They have been there my whole life. It’s kind of like talking to a good friend that you haven’t seen in a while. I can’t wait.

Wednesday felt great. I had a new direction, and the things that were bothering me before, couldn’t touch me. I had a great workout, and made an instructional kickboxing mini-video which will air soon on Facebook and this blog.

Thursday…I wanted to throw up! I ran some accelerated sprints with John Hayden from Acceleration Indiana. It was soooooo hard. You start off at a certain speed, and gradually increase by 4mph for 10 seconds, then hold that speed for another five seconds. This is all at inclines of ten and five percent. Talk about painful! It was so worth it. I felt great the next day.

Friday’s workout was stellar. I got back to my old workout self, and it felt great!

The nutrition has been going very well. I have been eating a lot of lean foods. The trade, however, has become beer…again. Luckily I have still been able to keep the consumption relatively low. My weight and body fat are down.

See you next week!

I had a mini-vacation this week too…well.. maybe it was more like a mini-adventure. If you’ve read “Fork in the Road”, then I briefly touch on the beginning of the week. Yes, it’s true…truck trouble. One of the most helpless feelings in the world, comes from the problems that arise with our vehicle. It is easy to feel very defeated, and uncertain about what to do.

Well, after giving Ian a call for a ride, and just not worrying about it while I was at work, I decided to take Tuesday off to get this handled. So there I was, Tuesday–about noonish–waiting for my friend to come help me get my truck started, so I could have it fixed. I was not in the best of moods, as the blistering winds cut right through my soul. In point of fact, I was very angry and stand-offish. This is not a usual mood for me, and as a result, I become really unpleasant to be around. It’s nice to have a friend who accepts you at face value and weathers the storms with you.  Nonetheless, if I had paid a little more attention to my vehicle, it wouldn’t have come to this.

You see, sometimes we just live our lives at break-neck speeds. We are so caught up in the pace, that we forget to listen to what our vehicle is saying to us until it stops working. In the case of my truck, I needed to change battery, in the case of our bodies, we sometimes need to re-charge our batteries. Tuesday…I did both.

I came back Wednesday with a vengeance! I worked out in the morning instead of the afternoon as I had been doing. It felt good. All the usual suspects were there: the tire, TRX, the jump rope and also the long shoreman’s rope and heavy bag. Then, I had an idea. I sent one of my Kung Fu brothers a text. He was going to be off work at about 1:30, so I asked him if he could come in and do a little sparring. It was great! We did an MMA-style sparring session without pads. Oh man! Sparring is awesome, but when you both have enough control to fight bare knuckle, it is even more realistic and fun.

Thursday’s workout was pretty intense. John had me running on a slight incline for longer intervals. It was very taxing, but I felt good after I was finished.

Friday’s workout was good. I warmed up on the treadmill and hit the resistance hard. I was on another plane of existence–it was awesome!

The nutrition this week, was a little tough. There’s something about catching up with an old friend that lends itself to throwing back a couple of beers…and fried mushrooms, and some ungodly chocolate dessert with ice cream and chocolate sauce all over it. That was probably the biggest leap off of the straight and narrow nutrition path that I have this week. Luckily, by staying fairly faithful to my nutrition, it didn’t have too negative an effect on me.

In reality, staying on your nutrition plan is helpful way to keep your body burning a lot of calories, but you can “shock” your body by eating outside of your plan. Here’s how it works:

Your body grows and changes based on the fact that it gets “shocked”. When you alter something e.g. exercise, nutrition or rest, it has an effect on your body that causes it to work harder, hence it burns more calories. So the next time you want to spark that metabolism; change something—it will keep your vehicle running at top speed.

Adversity–it’s all around us–and we all deal with it in a different way. My nature is strongly in tune with bending things to my will, and forcing my them into submission if they don’t. This is a very strong karma to overcome. My common sense and experience tells me that this just won’t work, but sometimes we want to accomplish certain things so badly, that we forget to look at the situation or goal. Instead, we run head-first into the issue without looking at the things that surround it. Impatience becomes our downfall. Here’s an example:

You wake up one morning, and feel like you can take on the world, then you realize that you woke up late and missed a very important appointment. Realizing this, you get yourself together and head out the door. You throw your stuff in the truck, and get ready to take off. But wait! Now your truck doesn’t start. This is nice. So now what do you do? You get a ride into work and get your day started. This is how today started for me. In the past, it would have driven me crazy. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not happy with the fact that today hasn’t flowed like I wanted….and therein lies the issue.

So what?! If you wait for outside conditions to change so you can be happy, you’re missing the point entirely. You have to be happy and experience joy just because you are happy and want to be joyful. So, by the same token, if you are sad, is it because you have allowed something to make you that way? More often than not, that is the case. The key word here, is “allowed”. If you allow things to get in your way, then that’s always going to happen. So, how do you overcome? How do you not let things get in the way? How do you remain unfettered? I can only tell you how I do it. I hope that this will be of some use to you, as you find your way along your own journey.

The first thing that I always try to remember, is that I couldn’t possibly be the first person that this has ever happened to in the course of human history. It doesn’t seem that way at times, but you have to think about the fact that we all share the same or similar experiences and that although the conditions of those experiences may not take exactly the same shape, they do sometimes share the same issue at heart.

The next thing for me to think about is that, no matter how seemingly impossible, it’s not insurmountable. We all have the ability to adapt and change and grow, and affect the world around us in a positive way. You just have to make the choice to do that. This is where being stubborn is of the most use to me. Countless times I have tried to accomplish things, and countless times I have failed, only to find that I have grown stronger and gained victories in other areas.

The third thing for me is to realize that I have gotten to where I am by being what I am. I have to trust that. If you don’t have some kind of faith in yourself, you’ll never be able to help others find faith in themselves.

Everything that happens to me, happens because I have to endure it–not just for my own growth–but so that I become stronger for those around me. It is my path, my karma, my calling. When I think of it in those terms, how can I possibly think that my problems are so big? They aren’t, and once that sinks in, I move past it again.

Trust yourself, and let the chips fall where they may. You’ll be surprised at just how much easier things are to deal with.

This week has been very challenging, because I have been very tired. Again, nothing new, but when times like these present themselves, it’s really important to recharge your spirit. And here’s how I did it:

Monday was a great workout! I had probably the hardest workout that I have had in a long time. I ran at the 6 minute mile pace for 4.5 minutes. It hurt worse than the week before (of course), but it was so worth it. After that, I worked out for probably another hour. I did some really fun snatches with the kettlebells and combined them with plyo push-ups. That was tough, but it wasn’t quite enough. Tire flips and one-handed sledge hammer swings added to the torture, and I finished off on the heavy bag. It was a great workout, but when I was done, I was done.

Tuesday, I had intended to work some technique, but I was so tired, and so busy, that I just couldn’t get motivated. I still did my Kung Fu workouts with my teacher in the afternoon, and my friend in the evening—and that was enough.

Wednesday felt pretty good. I did some more resistance and felt re-charged. It is always very taxing on Wednesday. It is hump day for lots of people, but it’s a little more like “mountain” day for me. It is a 14 hour day every week that has very little down time. When things do slow down, I exercise. The workouts that I have on Wednesday are probably the most important in terms of taking some time for myself, so I really have to make them count. This is something that I hope everyone can do for themselves. Even if you are at work, you could do push-ups or squats or just sit in silence in your office to unplug from the rest of the world. It’s a great way to keep your energy up.

Thursday was a good workout with John from Acceleration Indiana. I was pressed for time, so I ran flat sprints on the treadmill. I do believe that I am getting faster. It’s like anything else; sometimes you don’t see the results right away, but they are there. John had me run at increasing speed for 8 seconds at a time. To put this into perspective, when you do a speed test, you run for six seconds. I know this doesn’t seem like much, but it really is another world. The final run was for 6 seconds at my top speed. I am handling it better, but it is still hard. I’ve just got to keep chipping away at it.

My Kung Fu workout with my teacher was good. I made a few more minor improvements. They all add up, and the end result is pretty cool. Hard work over time equals great skill—it’s just not always so easy to remember that.

Friday’s workout was awesome! I have been working out in the afternoon, because I’ve been so busy in the morning. This has actually been good. It’s always kind of nice to change things up a bit, and make your body grow and adapt. Sometimes the changes that occur are unexpected, but our ability to adapt is one of the most valuable attributes that we can have.

My nutrition is still improving. The great thing is; the more stable your nutrition becomes, the more you are able to deal with a bad eating day. I try to keep my nutrtitional falterings limited to the weekend, but sometimes it’s hard. When we are on the go all the time, we sometimes get caught up in the moment, and forget or don’t care about nutrition as we should. I’m still working on making small improvements—-one day at a time.

Monday was pretty amazing. I ran for four minutes @ 10mph, which is 2/3 of a mile at a six minute mile pace. I have decided that from now on, Monday is going to be my day to do this, as I am stronger coming off an ample amount of rest from the weekend. Every time I do this, my goal is just to run for 10 seconds longer, it’s been a really good feeling to have increased the distance by 30 seconds more over the last two times. I know that it doesn’t necessarily mean that I will be able to do that every time, but at least I am starting to close in on that six minute mark. When I get past this goal, I’ve decided to work on a five minute mile. We’ll see what happens. One step at a time.

My Kung Fu workouts this week were really good, I am starting to pass through the material somewhat quickly. It doesn’t hurt that I already had a decent foundation to build on and, of course, that I have a great teacher. He really has an amazing ability to disseminate information. No matter how long it takes, he seems to touch on auditory, visual and sensory methods of teaching in a way that makes sense. I am very thankful.

This week, John and I had to do our speed workout on Tuesday. My calf was already sore from Monday’s run, but I pushed through. It was all about more incline super-sets. They are so difficult, but working that stretch reflex is a vital part to speed development. It was fun; I always love a good challenge, and taking it to failure is something I enjoy.

Wednesday’s resistance workout was off the charts. It was the tire, the hammer, kettlebells, dumbbells, the heavy bag, and the wall bag. I so much energy that day that it overflowed into my personal training. It was an amazing feeling! I have found, however, that it’s sometimes hard for others to be quite as elated about my energy. Don’t get me wrong, they love a good, hard workout, but when my energy peaks like that, it sometimes makes people a little apprehensive. It’s completely understandable. I have always had energy like this. It is definitely a gift, but it comes with a price. I have to reel it in and control it a little or it gets out of  hand. I don’t understand it one hundred percent, sometimes it’s just a huge wave that I ride, I just have to make sure that it doesn’t come crashing down in the wrong place.

I think, however, the workouts for clients and TRXers were well received. I love pushing people to their limits….at times.

Thursday was a great day because I worked on fluidity. I got some great cardio while working on my kickboxing skills. I HIGHLY suggest to all pugilists, enthusiasts or people who just want something different, to do a cardio session for 10 or 15 minutes in front of the mirror every morning. It is a great way to stoke that fat-burning machine, and it develops speed, timing and coordination.

Friday was a good workout, but what was even more important than that, is we had the first TRX Bowl. I thought that in the spirit of the Pro Bowl, I could get all of my superstars together for a great workout. I think that everyone enjoyed it. We used the football, ran through tires and around obstacles. It was something different that I think everyone needed. It was fun for me to be a part of it, and feed off the laughs and energy of people that are very important to me.

My nutrition is getting better and better. I am starting to shed some unwanted poundage. My body is getting leaner, and I really have everyone to thank for that. If it wasn’t for all of the good people around me giving motivation, I wouldn’t be pushing so hard. Thank you!

Stay tuned: I am going to start dropping posts and videos very soon, and in the middle of the week!

After the last post, I decided to not do a Saturday traditional workout. I did do a little Kung Fu practice, but no super cardio session or ultimate resistance throwdown. I listened to my body and let it rest—that was the best thing I could’ve done. Monday was an outstanding workout. I got on the standard treadmill and ran at 10mph. Last Friday, I was able to do this for 3 minutes which is a half mile at a six minute mile pace. This time, I decided that I would try to just go for 10 extra seconds…I pushed it to 30 extra seconds. It felt great. I am just trying to close in on that 1 mile mark a little more each time. I am getting there…slowly but surely…I am getting there. I gather so much inspiration from all of the fantastic athletes that are around me, here at the club. It still amazes me how some people can run so fast for so long. I have really gained a greater respect for their abilities through attempting to incorporate some of their practices in my own regimen. Thank you!!!!!!!!

Tuesday was a good Kung Fu workout. As always, Sihing never lets me down. His technical prowess and ability to translate it effectively, are unmatched. I am really starting to break the rust off and tighten up that structure.

Wednesday’s workout was good, but I had to take down the intensity—just a little bit. The human body is an amazing machine, in fact, I believe it to be the greatest machine ever. But, like any machine, there must be a period in which it doesn’t run at it’s maximum performance level. If the machine is pushed too much, it begins to fall into a state of disrepair and ultimately; it shuts down. Knowing this is one thing, knowing this and making yourself take it down a notch or two is an entirely different matter. I try to approach this by realizing that no matter what I do, it’s all for the good of the goal I’m trying to reach. When you have to back down the intensity, you can use the time to enhance your performance by perfecting your technique. Even sitting here, right now with my hamstrings screaming, I am thinking about how to improve my form take certain skill sets to the next level.

Thursday was a breakthrough in my Wing Chun training. I finally sharpened the skills I needed to progress further into more intricate techniques.

Friday, I got back on the treadmill, and felt like I could push the mile pace again. I had a great workout, but again, felt that my legs needed to rest, so I only ran the pace for 1/3 of a mile. I then proceeded to do my resistance and plyo—this was all before Fun Friday Fitness Frenzy (a class I teach Friday mornings at 9:15, all people are welcome–hint, hint). Because of my legs feeling heavy, I was forced to workout in a non-typical way. This was great, but I still felt like I needed to do a little more. Now, here’s the lynch pin to the whole story; class began and I started putting people through some exercises. It was well received, and when we got to the point of focusing on the core a little bit more, I did the exercises with everyone else. This doesn’t seem like a big deal, but it pushed me to do something that I would have made excuses for, and found a way not to do it. But because I feel that my purpose in life is to help others, and that I have to practice what I preach, I knew that I needed to do that. This is why I am in a constant state of thankfulness to all of the people around me. As much as you all think that I help you; you help me that much more. If my purpose in life wasn’t to give all that I can, then I would just be a boat on dry land. You are all the great ocean that carries me to my destination and, in return, I hope to be that vessel that charts these vast waters. I owe you all so much. Thank you!

My eating is getting better and better. There were, however, a few minor mishaps. The great thing about staying the course is; when you wander a bit, it’s easier to get back on track. Again, I have to thank everyone for inspiring me to stay that course! Until we meet again my friends, keep moving forward!

Monday’s workout was good; I did some very explosive TRX-ing–new word–  and ran some longer intervals on the treadmill, which is something new that I am trying to do. In the past, I wouldn’t do more than about a one minute segment at a fairly high speed. This time, however, I ran an interval for 3 minutes and 2 minutes with different speeds. This a great way to burn calories, especially if you are accustomed to running for 10-30 seconds at a time. On the other hand, if you run for endurance and add some faster shorter segments, you will find that it also has a very intense, fat-burning effect. Try it out and let me know what you think.

Tuesday was even tougher than Monday. As you know, I have been working with John from Acceleration Indiana on my speed and running mechanics. This guy is tough! He gets every ounce of performance out of me, everytime. When I asked him, “What are we working on today?”, he replied, “Speed.” Now this does seem like the whole point of going over there and training, but sometimes we work different inclines to enhance the stretch reflex, or he has me run with the power cords on my legs. This time he meant that we were just going to run flat and very, very fast. It sounded good, but my calves were still screaming from the day before. No matter, I knew that they would get warm and loosen up, and they did. Long story short, I was able to run at my top speed with better form and what seemed to be more power—so excited.

Tuesday afternoon meant working out with my Sihing at the school. Again, deep breath, and let’s go. We took one technique, and drilled it, and drilled it, and drilled it some more. By the time we had finished, I felt good, but I knew that it still needed some work. This particular drill was important because it was directly related to the structure that I need for the entire system, and I totally fine with doing something over and over until I get it right.

Wednesday was a kind of light day, as my calves had tightened back up, and I was waddling around. It really stinks when you want to push those limits, but sometimes you have to take it easy and let your body recover so that you can come back even stronger the next time.

Thursday meant more Wing Chun, as I trained with my Sihing again. Same drill, more progress this time. I can really feel my structure improving, and I know that it won’t take too much longer, and I’ll be caught up on all the material.

Friday’s workout was fantastic! I worked out for a longer period, and got a half mile in at a good pace, and felt strong doing it. I plan on stretching out my endurance levels as well.  I got to hit the bag, and do a little shadow-boxing as well.

Today, as of now, I am relatively undecided on whether I am going to work out. My lats are calves are sore.  We’ll just see how it goes. Because of my busy schedule today, I had to run to the bank and get something to eat. Here’s my advice: PLAN AHEAD! If you have food with you, it’s harder to make excuses, and then your not relegated to eating fast food. Coincidentally, if you happen to go to a fast-food restaurant that specializes in chicken, do not get their version of the wrap. I unfortunately faltered, and ended up eating, what would have normally been two meals worth of food.

Here’s my workout advice for today: Step out of your normal way of doing things. Just try one new exercise that you wouldn’t normally.

Until next week; keep pushing yourself toward your goals. Thanks everyone!

To make sure that everyone understands how I am going to approach the journal, here is a general overview:

I will be posting every Saturday about the week prior. Each entry will be a synopsis of the past week’s events with some of my insight into the various workouts and general routine of my day. I do not intend to make this look polished or pretty–it’s going to be, what it’s going to be. The reason for this, is that that is exactly what I ask of my clients when they log food or exercise. It’s not meant to be perfect, as I myself am not perfect. I would rather everyone see an honest representation of the life of a personal trainer with all of the hopes, aspirations and goals. Through that honesty, there are struggles and victories just like anyone else. At the same time, it is important to understand that, when I do struggle, it’s all on me. I don’t mean for this to be something to garner sympathy. I just want to further bond with the good people around me, by showing them that we are not so different. So, having said that, thank you all in advance for inspiring me, and making me better.

ENTRY #1 WEEK OF SUNDAY, JANUARY 30, 2010

This week has been a roller coaster. Everyone has come back from vacation and enjoying time with their families. Scheduling really hasn’t been as difficult as I had previously thought, but it has been different. As a personal trainer, you are there when the people need you to be there. That is one of the first things you learn. I absolutely have no problem with this. It does, however, become a little trickier when you have people on both ends of the day, but,  I refuse to use that as an excuse; it’s simply a matter of making the necessary adjustments. It’s kind of like doing the first exercise in your routine; it kind of catches you by surprise, but when you make that decision to keep going forward no matter what, it becomes easier. I have overslept way too much, and I just won’t accept failure; I am going to repair this problem.

My workouts this week have been good, but at odd times—actually that has kind of been helpful. It’s good to step outside of the box and force yourself to do things when you don’t feel like it. As a result of this, my approach to exercise has taken a different look. Instead of just going over to the TRX and doing the usual, I have been incorporating elements that I haven’t for a while, or wouldn’t normally. I picked up the kettlebell for the first time in a long time on Wednesday–it felt amazing. It’s funny how we forget about exercises, and then somehow find our way back to them. Ian and I have both talked about that; if we could only remember every single exercise that we have ever known. It’s impossible, but it would be nice. Instead, we just have to grow and become sharper all the time, which is even better.

On Thursday, John from Acceleration Indiana, worked me out on the super treadmill. We ended up pushing the incline to 40%! It was unbelievable! What made it even harder, was that I had to remain upright while I was running–what a task! Kudos to John for his patience in teaching an old dog some new tricks. My legs when first we began the workout, but they finally woke up, and I think that I ran a little better toward the end.

I just started to workout with my teacher again; Sifu Todd Wright of Guardian Kung Fu. For those of you who don’t know, I moved down here to open that school with him in 2005.

This past week, Sihing [that's his kung fu relationship to me; it means "older brother", whereas Sifu means "father". It all depends on when and where you started.] has been feeling a little under the weather, but we’ve still been talking about my goals and the path I need to take with Wing Chun Kung Fu. In fact, he is feeling better, and today I will be going over to the school for a while. That’s a great feeling as well. Wing Chun has really helped me in so many ways over the years. Don’t misunderstand me, I have a long and intense road ahead of me, as I have fallen a bit behind on the curriculum over the past couple of years, but, I look at it as a fresh start with an old friend. Eventually, I will have some videos to share with everyone, so you can see some of the training. It is really interesting and different–just like me, except maybe, for the interesting part–lol. I’m sure that someone will find it entertaining when I get hit, but don’t worry, I will as well.

My nutrition is recovering from the holidays, but I am still struggling with eating too many cheese balls. Did you know that you can buy a 35oz container of these things for like 6 bucks? Yeah, great deal, but also a great deal of damage to the body fat. I have such a hard time stopping once I start eating them. Arrrgh!

Other than my addiction for cheese, the rest of the nutrition has gotten better. I have stopped drinking beer for a while so that I can really concentrate on my goals and stay lean. It really hasn’t been too hard. There have been times when I thought it would be nice after a long day to go home and crack open a brew and watch some kung fu movies, but if I do that, I won’t get out of my chair and practice and stretch on my own like I should. I really don’t anticipate any problems with that one, it’s not a necessity for life– but damn those cheese balls! Oh don’t worry, I’ll get it worked out–I’m almost out of cheese balls.

So there it is, the first of many entries. I am off to a flying start. I hope this opens up a little more insight into me, and makes you comfortable in knowing that I have struggles as well. So this week, help me stay accountable, and I’ll help you stay accountable.

Thanks Friends!

Autumtiger

So, for the next year, I will be logging my personal progress toward my goals. That includes my struggles as well. I really hope that through all of this, you get a good glimpse behind this trainer’s life. I don’t intend to paint a flawless picture–quite the contrary–I want everyone to see a realistic view of my life and what I am trying to achieve. I’m not making this to brag or show off, rather, I just want to give an accurate account of someone in fitness, trying to reach their goals.

I will be posting on Saturday for the week before, beginning January 9th 2010.  Eventually, there will be some video footage of me training toward these goals. I hope that everyone will enjoy the journey with me. So here we go my friends…let the journey begin….

1. GET STRONGER. Maybe that sounds like a modest goal, but I think if you look a little deeper, you might just find a different meaning. For me, getting stronger begins on the inside. I spent the better part of my youth having people I grew up with, tell me that it couldn’t be done, or that I would never accomplish certain things. Thankfully, being incredibly stubborn is a wonderful gift that runs in my family. Don’t get me wrong, I have to constantly fight doubt and insecurity, but there is one thing that keeps me going: all of you.

This brings me to the point of this goal: I wish to continually get stronger, so that I may better help or serve all of those around me. I can’t make anyone else stronger, if I don’t constantly try to grow stronger myself. My life and my purpose is for everyone else. I was born, and that is who I am.

2. PERFECTION IN MARTIAL ARTS. For those of you who don’t know, I do a lot of different martial arts. My two favorites are Wrestling and Wing Chun. I dare say that in the 23 years of wrestling, I feel that I have gained a  certain amount of proficiency.  That is due in large part to having people who needed my help, and spending countless hours perfecting it so that I could simplify and teach it. Wing Chun, on the other hand, is a different animal. There is quite a storied history here, but the long and the short of it is; that I have spent nearly twelve years practicing this art, but have let my goals slip. It is now time for me to kick it into gear. I have just begun working with my teacher again, and I have a lot of ground to cover—but I will do it. Almost every good lesson I have learned in life, has come from Wing Chun. It keeps me balanced and busy, and enriches the training I do with clients and classes because it forces me to think in different ways.

3. BECOME FASTER. Not too long ago, I started trading out workouts with John Hayden from Acceleration Indiana. One time a week I train him in Kickboxing, and in return, he trains me in speed on the super treadmill. I have learned so much about myself and running mechanics, and that has helped me help everyone else. It has been great to step out of my comfort zone, and learn something from the ground up again. By being trained, it keeps me in touch with what other people experience when I train them. In my opinion, it’s not meant for a trainer or teacher to be on some unattainable level. I would rather people view me as an ordinary person who has some knowledge and experience to share, but understands how rewarding, and sometimes frustrating it can be.

We all rely on everyone around us everyday—whether we always realize it or not. I am fortunate enough to belong to a community that cares about growth and supporting each other.

4. BE A BETTER PERSON. It is absolutely my wish to become a better person. It seems like a meager, or perhaps inconsequential goal, but it is very important to me to use the abilities I have been given to help the world—or at least my corner of it. Having said that, I have come to a place in my life, where I understand my experience more and more.

In the not-so-distant past, I didn’t give enough thought to helping others as I should. Working here at the club has been a blessing; it has been a second chance for me to get things right. Make no mistake; there are still things in my personality to overcome, and the best way for me to do that, is to give all that I can to everyone—it’s only then that I will further understand myself and grow.

So here it is; I am putting myself on the front lines. My hopes and ambitions are on display for everyone to see. It isn’t going to be easy, it isn’t going to happen overnight, but it will happen. So now, my friends, I am asking you to help keep me accountable, as I keep you accountable. You are all a part of my journey, as I hope I am a part of yours. So let’s take a deep breath, and walk the path together! Again, thank you in advance!