Wednesday, October 26, 2011

No Off-Season

I'm taking a minute to look back on this past year of training.  Thinking about the sessions, the outdoor workouts, the birth of Blue Chip, the people I've worked with and for, the gyms I've been in and all those miles on my car. 

I think it's an amazing foundation and the tone is set.  I love my view right now.  I think this past year kicked ass and proved a point.... and that can be said after nearly every workout "We kicked ass and proved a point."  Right now, Im so excited to get my next apt... because I train some serious badasses :) 

So I'm looking back on this "training quest"... and I'm very happy....
...and now I'm looking forward. 

Last winter, we had some hiccups and we were temporarily "homeless."  This fall/winter, we're settled.  We're "home," and we are going to kick ass all winter long.  The bad weather, the snow, the crappy roads, none of that is going to slow us down this year.  (Yes "bad weather, snow and crappy roads" was a metaphor for where were in late 2010:).   

There is no off-season.  Our training is on fire right now.  Get your 2012 "To-do list," ready!  More importantly, get your 2012 "TO BE," LIST ready!

Make a mental note:  If you know we're working out at 2pm or whenever, 2 hours before that, start getting your thoughts in order.  Get some protein in your system, get some water or gatorade and start getting your mind right.  You have to come in and be prepared for the ride.  Yes, we will defintely have some fun, we'll crack some jokes and defintely have a good time... BUT this is not social hour.  YOU/WE are here to do things that we cant do and dont do anywhere else.  Every single workout.  Every single time.  This is not "Do 1 set and bs for 3 minutes," personal training.  This is "Lets go off!  Every single time, every single set!" type personal training. 

***Womens only class, every Sunday at 11am at Titans Gym in Mentor.  $5 for non-members, free to members.  For those of you who have trained with me before in either the one on one setting or in the summer workouts or even the volleyball workouts... imagine those workouts and turn up the volume to "10."  I promise you, come for one month, stay and talk some nutrition after, stay and lets set up a cardio plan, stay and lets talk goals... within 2 months, you'll be well on your way to reaching some big goals.  Promise.

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

beat

It's football season.  And every season, at some point, I start to "lose," it.  And I'm not sure exactly what it is that I'm "losing," but something happens.  Crazy things fly out of my mouth, people close to me get really sick of hearing me talk, and every single thing is under a microscope.  My sleep goes down, my energy goes up, the seasons change, back to wearing hoodies, leaves change colors... i cant explain it.  Other than football is more of an analogy to life than anything I can think of and it adds another element to my day and another outlet for me to...  I really dont even know what I do sometimes. 

I was at practice the other day.  I dont talk about it on here much but I coach at a high school in the area.  We have some very talented young men with more potential than they know.  I dont fault them one bit because I think we were all that way at that age.  There was always someone who saw more than we did.  So anyway,  we're conditioning and I could see they were starting to drag it a little.  It was a tough drill but they were starting to "coast."   I pulled them in and said something along the lines of  "We're at the point in the season where we need to find another gear.  We know we're fast, we know we hit hard, we catch, we run, we block and we do alot of things right.  And odds are we'll have a physical advantage on most nights.  So now its time to tap into another advantage... one we dont even know we have yet..." and I pointed to my heart.   I paused because I had a mini flash back... I usually do... when that screachy voice jumps in my head... time to breathe and slow down before things really fall apart (if you know me, you know what and who I'm referring to :))   These kids arent dumb and they know they're good.  They know they have very real football skills and sometimes those skills are enough to slide by.  So I told them "We're going to see a team just as fast... who hits just like we do... who can run and jump like us... and then it wont be about out-hitting, or out-running... it will be about out-hearting."  It may have went on... hard to remember when things get going. 

(I think when I was a younger coach, I would address the same topic but in a very immature way.  Kind of challenging whether or not they had a heart.  Its different now.  I know its there but sometimes hiding... and I want to help bring it out.)

But it all is about that.  The analogy is right there.  We see it everyday.  We have jobs, we have friends and family and things we care about.  And every single thing eventually comes down to who has the heart. 
In my job, there are 100 trainers in the area, all with different skills, certifications, experiences and resumes.  Some have masters degrees, some have been around for 20 years and some think the'll be successful because of looks or who they know... it will always come down to "heart."

This Is Blue Chip