met a guy...

and we started talking about some random things... somehow we got into talking about animals and local wildlife.  
He said something along the lines of "I cant wait til we can hunt in larger areas."   I asked why. 
He responded "So we can kill more deer."   Again, I asked why. 
He said "Because they really destroy alot of the area."  So I asked how...
"By eating all the leaves, they can reach."

Huh?

Good thing someone isnt watching us with the same line of thinking...
"Well, time to hunt them... they're pretty much destroying everything they can get their hands on."

@ home behind the sun...

I recently decided to remove the blog from the Blue Chip website and also remove Blue Chip from the title here as well.  I think I was feeling too much pressure (from myself) to keep it fitness related... and that was beginning to bore me a little.

Do I still want to write about what goes on in the gym and yoga room?  Do I still want to write about the amazing people I meet everyday?  Definitely. 

But I went away a couple weeks and had some time to read and think... actually alot of reading and alot of thinking.  I would wake up and go for a run and try to spend as much time as possible just sitting with my own thoughts and reading.  Something I've had very little time to do lately and I could feel it.  I started writing very randomly and it felt great.  Felt great that no one was even looking at me wondering "why that weirdo is carrying around that note pad, randomly scribbling."   On the Blue site, it felt like someone was reading over my shoulder sometimes and I felt Iahd to keep it real clean and safe... and I dont want to write like that anymore.  Its not very fun.  :) 

What I wrote...


I think I'm going to rename the blog... actually rename the old name.  @ home behind the sun.
I actually rolled my eyes at the sun today...
"Oh you again?  Alright then, lets get on with it."

I dont need a 24/7 life-attack-dog.  But I do need people who know when to attack life... "people," who know when to rip off your clothes and jump on in because the water is perfect and this could be it.  not irresponsibly, but knowing when... not pumping the breaks with fear of ruining your hair or concerned with a shower.

Went for a run... and a waiter from a resort started running alongside me... said "where are we going?"  I motioned down to a building down the beach.  He laughed and said "see you tomorrow," and it made me think... we all need to give more.  WE make life worth living.  WE need to give more of ourselves to each other.

The irony in vacations is that we actually have the effort to make time to do the things we should be making time to do anyway.  This week I worked out, ran, had a nice time going through some yoga, meditated, read two books and started writing.  Other than time with my daughters, these things should be top on my "to-do," list every week. 
Instead... most of us are plagued with pressure and work and other bullshit time fillers like television, or iphones, or the internet... not to go all hippy and tell you turn them off but... damn they soak up our time and drain our brains.

In most of our minds, we need busy schedules and busy lives to keep us far away from whats really important... ourselves.  We're hiding.
We take prescirption drugs, drink alcohol and other drugs to fade our thoughts... in an attempt to ease the stress or the pains.  When we really the exact opposite.Think of how we got over our fears... we go through them... we experience them.  When you were a kid and the closet or shadow or under the bed were some of the scariest thoughts imaginable... we turned on the light, and the fear was gone.  Think of our physical strength... the only way to get stronger is to expose the weakness.... then they dissolve.   So we dont need prescriptions or vodkas or drugs to fix our minds or hearts.  We need to turn the light on and open the door, to our weaknesses... and allow ourselves to become what we truly are.

We are not our surroundings but we allow oursleves to immitate.

I need to build a cooler Facebook page for the people I work with...

MySpace offered a cooler set up...

 3 guys w/ everything in common... prefrat boy, frat boy, post frat boy.

Seeing alot of really nice tattoos here... but double in cheesy/wish i was cool or 22 again style tattoos.  those = One very boring tattoo on the upper arm so you can hide from friends and co-workers.  Thats for guys only.  Women can have any tattoo and its probably amazing.

Went for a workout...
Got bored so I ran...
Got bored so I stripped and swam...

"Let the oceans... dissolve way my mask."

Have you stopped asking yourself... "who am I?"   "Why am I here?"

And on Wednesday... the Americans arrived!  There goes vacation.  Things very quickly went from a week of peace and quiet and relaxation to a very annoying frat party.  And not a good frat either.  This is a very lame frat where 100% has some obnoxious nickname and its cool to scream for Kenny Chesney to the foreign DJ who clearly isnt taking requests.   What was once a pool view of couples lounging, drinking mojitos and margaritas is now a landscape of crooked baseball hats and bud light beer.  Ironically, Im glad they came... it strongly reinforces my desire to vacation away from a resort.  This group defintely would not dare to get a hotel anywhere there could be danger in rudely reqesting "save a horse, ride a cowboy."  Theyre here because its safe... and all the sudden I dont like my hotel anymore.  Ive been in sun for some time now and have had quite a few Pina Colados... I could be a few coronas away from really "american-izing," this situation and slapping the texan that wont stop screaming "Hey Amigo!  Play american country!" in the face with a pool side lounge chair. 

I seriously considered asking hotel mgmt to let me run a 7am Boot on the Beach!  But after witnessing several of the fitness classes offered... I think I'd probably kill someone.  Be proud NE Ohio!  Imagine the "Matrix Workout," in 80 degree Mexican heat.. Not many would enjoy that here and Ive been told the Mexican justice system isnt very fast... I might miss my plane.

Ive seen 200 people at the MetroParks this year... 2 hellos
Here.... 100% hellos and all smiles.

4 and 6 packs are great... but if it sticks out past your chest... we'll have to discuss this.  

If your eon vacation wiring random observations in a notebook... you might have a serious mental problem....

We've never had more ways to communicate at our fingers... yet we feel more alone than ever.

The blog needs to come off Blue Chip

Blue Chip needs to do more... offer more... give more... get more people involved... give it away.

We are what we consume... food, drink, watch, read, internet, music, conversations, relationships...

... is the path "right," enough to dissolve the "wrong?"

"home," needs to become ALIVE again.

Happiness is not a $500,000 home...
...not a fancy car
...not an extravagant vacation
...you cant buy it

religion is inside us.
you god is inside you.

wake up.  be mindful.  be happy.

Time to start blowing some extra cash on live music...
Time to find some extra cash.

I'm in deep shit when Vedder, Stipe, Harper and Bono pass on one day...

(found a page that was apparently my coaster for some time... cant read it all.  Something about Ben Harper not being human)

Considering the number of people at this resort... I know exactly who is from Texas and Jersey... because theyre completely obnoxious and yell where theyre from.  no clue why theyre proud.

"to the universe, i dont mean a thing."

35 is suddenly feeling experienced... rahter than late or old.  Ironically, I could say 35 is the half way point as easy as I sid it at 20... yet even though my new outlook has relieved some stress and anxiety, I still say 40 or bust.  40 is too old to gamble.

i had a dream last night about a fitness center that writes a presciption for what you need....
I remember seeing the gym.... I climbed over a wall where people were doing pilates and started talking to someone in charge... he knew who i was but i didnt know him.   he was checking people in.  i asked where they were headed... he said "1-4 are headed to yoga, want to get them started?"  and he handed me their daily schedule.
made me think of blue chip... and where it currently is... maybe not that different.maybe that dream could be closer than i thought.

The life that leaves me very little room or time to breathe... is the life i need to survive.  what i do, is exactly what i want to be doing.  create & serve... its that simple.  so many great things on the horizon... so many great people around me... i wonder if they can tell...

follow the music.

Nice try Amigo!  Frontier Arilines doesnt have first class!!!   wish I wouldve known that when the 20 year old at the check in desk tried selling me an "upgrade," for $20.... cash only.  hahaha I can smell home already!

Went out for one last run... hit SHUFFLE... Big Sun by Eddie Vedder... toooo perfect.

breathe deep and smile

This past week...

someone e-mailed me and asked "Have you ever, personally, gone through great amounts (more than 25#) of weight loss? Or strength training to gain muscle/weight?" The firt part of my response was something along the lines of "wow, no one has ever asked me that!" Ever. And I have no idea how or why thats never happened because as I thought more about this past week, it's probably one of the most important questions someone could ask.

I think the question and answer help develop a communication line. In coaching, it's always been important to me that the players know and understand the thought process behind everything. I also feel it's important that they trust the "coach," could play. That he knows how to compete and has an intensity. On the flip side, when talking to high school kids about larger issues that surround them in the classroom, at home or with friends, I think it helps having an element of "yeah, I've also been there." I never knew if my coach was all-state or played big college ball, but I could see it in his eyes, he knew what it took to make us great. So again, in the questions asked above, I feel that the answer is a definition that says "Yes, I've been on the same path you're on and actually still working that path."

I might have been 22 or 23 years old and somehow gained a considerable amount of weight after high school. I think it was partially due to alcohol, maybe some depression and general lack of activity. I remember going to find a pair of jeans at the mall and literally couldnt find a decent pair. I had an event to attend and needed something new to wear and because I couldnt find clothes to fit, I didnt go to the event and missed out on an opportunity. I weighed around 315 lbs.

I very clearly remember the following weeks. I remember being very angry with myself and i'm not even sure if 315 sunk in. At the time, my issue was being too big for the clothes I wanted. So I decided to join Ballys.

I had some workout experience from high school but not much. Ironically, I was never really into the weight room. No clue why. I think I was lazy and complacent. I was one of the those dumb kids I now bitch at... kind of a big fish in a small pond. I knew I'd start on Friday nights without the weight room so I didnt care... which was a very large mistake. So I pulled some generic workouts out of a magazine and started my training. Monday was chest, Tuesday legs, blha blah blah boring workout. I remember my cardio was very, very lame. I thought I could hop on an elliptical for 20 minutes and think I was burning "x" amount of calories and be great. I would swim maybe twice per week as well.

One day two guys came up to me who were in very good shape, turns out they were Marines. One asked what I was trying to do and and I told him "lose 80lbs." He asked to see my workout routine and I handed him my notebook. He said "I'll give this back to you tomorrow. Til then, run. Just run. Dont try to be cute and mix in all these toys, go buy new shoes and just run." The next day, I came in and he handed me my notebook back with 7 new routines. He told me rotate through and run every day. They took me through the workout a couple times to show me the form and that was it. They also said to cut carbs and alcohol and to eat alot of protein.

So I listened. I wasnt a great runner and ever really ran more than 1 mile per day. (Maybe because it sucks counting 16 laps at Ballys to get to that mile.) Every morning was a shake, every lunch was a salad and every dinner was 1 chicken breast, 1 cup of brown rice and some vegetables. Thats it. Every single day, all winter long.

5 months later, 225lbs.

I dont think it was that hard because I wanted it so bad. It's all I wanted. Nothing could distract me.

I remember weighing in every week and thinking "Damn, 5 lbs this week!" I remember when I dropped under 275, then 250, then 240... then things slowed down but I stayed with it and got there.

I never even knew the guys names that stopped me and told me "run." I would see them everyday and they would watch me, but I kept my headphones in and just worked (plus I was shy and I dont think they wanted to bother me.) Thinking about it now, its probably why i say some of the things I say. Maybe why I train how I train. I learned firsthand why cardio is so important... actually why running is even more important. Can it be done without running? Yes. Could I have? I'm not sure. Everyone I train, I say "Get a pair of running shoes," or "That treadmill is our goal, so get comfy with it asap."

If you're reading this and wondering "Can I lose 40lbs?" Absolutely, you can. I know you can. But its not easy. It takes sacrifice and discipline. And I'm even throwing myself in the equation and not as a trainer. I let things slip late in 2011 and I'm back at it hard right now. Im back to shooting for 225 and I know i'll get there. I'm back to that mind set of nothing stopping me. And I know I have to run and I have to be disciplined and I'll have to sacrifice.

Its not a mood. Its a life decision. I think thats the difference. I think people get into a mood where they think "Jeez, I need to lose 15lbs. I feel chubby," or anything really. "Jeez I need to improve (fill in the blank)." But that mood fades and then it's gone. When you make a decision and commit to yourself... then thats it. It's happening.

Every say "I'm going to (fill in the blank)." Did you do it? Did you commit to it? What happened? Success or failure?

Another season is coming... the weather is getting warmer and soon it'll come and go all over again. Will you be sitting in that same seat in one year wishing you did something different?

Eastside (Blue Chip Stamp)

I referenced a couple times "Andy and I have been fortunate to play under or train with great coaches who were able to install certain attributes..."  Install might not have been to most fitting word, at least not with Andy.  I have a feeling he was born with the fire the displays now.  I think it was always there, he just had coaches (or role models), that may have helped him find comfort level in displaying it.  So it didnt need to be installed, just ignited.  There isnt a thing he touches that he doesnt have the intent of making it great.  Better than great. 
Tonight we finished the winter training with Eastside Volleyball and this past weekend, we knew we wanted to have some things to talk to the girls about at the last workout.  Again, our coaches found ways to motivate and we both still hear their voices.  If there was one thing we said that help even one girl find a way through a situation, job done. 
One consistent topic was work ethic.  This past Sunday I saw Larry Bird talk about the difference between LeBron and Kobe.  He said "If you want to have fun, play with LeBron.  If you want to win, play with Kobe."  The interviewer asked why.  "Work ethic," was all Larry said.  It's the intense, borderline obsessive drive to be the best at everything you touch.  Sports, training, school, life.  Shoot for the stars.  I know it sounds cliche' but you have to.  You cannot go into any situation thinking "Oh, well #2 would be cool."  No.  #1 is the only thing in mind and anything less is unacceptable.  #1 is it.  Train to be #1, practice to be #1, study to be #1 in your class.  Go hard every moment of everyday. 
I cant get into everything we talked about... we talked about alot.  But tonight there were a few points that somehow came out that I hope hit home.  I said "I couldnt tell if this was one of those bitter-sweet moments or not..."  and its not.  I'm not happy the training has ended... not at all.  I love training this group, Andy does the same.  But I also feel like "hey, we put in some hard work, harder than any group they'll play against... time to get some trophies!"  I really feel excited now.  I cant wait to watch them play!      I fell like they've been through the ringer and now its time to reap the benefits of the hard work... so I'm not feeling bitter-sweet (maybe a little... i couldve talked all night tonight) and I'm not sad it ended.  I'm happy it happened and pumped to watch those girls go out to their tourneys and win. 
The other point I brought up to the 17-18 year old group was actually off-topic from training and volleyball.  It was more of a life thing.  I heard a coach mention it once maybe 10 years ago and wanted to give it my own spin.  I said "Ever hear someone go on and on about 'the good ole' days?  About how 'Oh everything was awesome in 1999!' and stuff like that?  That sounds so loser to me."  I told them yeah, these days your going through now are great and you will look back on them with fondness... but its not your highlight.  These are not your 'good old days.'  Every year is your highlight year.  Every year is a 'good ole day.'  Make sense?  You will be great and better at every stage of your life!  Great high school careers, great in college, great jobs, great friends and great lives.   Believe in yourself with all your heart.  Even when the chips look down, dig deep and believe.  Remember, work hard and you can accomplish absolutely anything. 
I look at them... Andy and I watch them during our downtime.  I see strength and confidence that I dont see in many other places.  I do not see any fear in their eyes. I see excitement and energy and enthusiasm.  We asked a football team to challenge each others heart and dedication and asked "who would you go to war with?"  I 'm sitting here asking myself that question in regards to these girls.... any one of them.  They are tough as nails and they dont back down from a challenge. Full of heart and passion.  Leaders and role models.  These "kids," are amazing... barely kids really.  Kids now have so much more to deal with than we did, we all know that.  They have to be stronger now... the world is different.  The girls that Andy and I have had to pleasure to train over the last few months... hands down amazing and I cant wait to see who they become down the road. 
Parents, congratulations.  You have amazing daughters.

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I don't train...

...your spike.  I don't coach your swing.  I don't coach boxing or how to defend in the ring.  I don't teach you how to shoot a 3 or run the pick-n-roll.  I don't "x," and "o," your sport.  But I do watch you play and study how you move and that is what I do train, your movement. I hear your coaches coach and ask them what they need from you, then I help you make it a-whoooole-lot better.
I train the muscles that make the movement more efficient, faster, stronger, and more functional.  If you need to jump higher, run faster, be stronger, hit harder, breathe better, move quicker... I'm the guy that helps you make that happen.  Without a doubt.   If you're interested in posing... might want to keep googling.  I'm not interested in beach muscle.  I'm interested in your vertical, your power and strength, your movement... your scholarship.      
I train you mind.  By that I mean, I show you how to find a new level of "full go." Something we all think we know... but then we meet someone who shows us there's another level.... BlueChip is that level.  By the time we're done, you'll never have "I'm tired," in your thoughts.  You'll never give up. 
You'll train so hard and develop such a passion for your success, you won't let anyone beat you without the absolute best fight of their life.  You'll work so hard that every single time you step on the court, onto the field or in the ring... you will believe, 150%,  with all of your heart that you will win

Say it aint so, Joe

***This is not a fitness story***

My x-mas list has been the same since I can remember. 

“Anything blue & white.”

I have book ends, picture frames, clocks, every book the staff has published, their coaching manuals, DVDs, and postcards.  I have socks, boxers, t-shirts, sweat pants, coffee mugs, calendars, pictures, old rosters and jerseys.    One year (when I had a Velcro Penn State wallet) I thought it would be funny to add a formal picture of Joe Paterno to the others.  I would show off pictures of my daughters and then "Hey, whats this guy doing in here?"  Even though they usually stink, I still draft one Penn State player in my fantasy football league to be silly and say "I have a strong locker room leader." 

When I was little younger, I had the chance to meet the staff and later on would receive scouting materials for whatever school I was coaching, so you can imagine, this was basically a dream come true to be on Fran Ganters, Larry Johnsons and Ron Vanderlindens (members of the staff) mailing list.  An open invite to come up whenever I wanted to work with their strength & conditioning staff and be involved with their training was obviously even better. 

Every year, I would influence the linebackers I coached to go to their football camps and to work with their staff.  So much of what I learned about coaching, I learned there. 

I will never, ever forget the very time I saw Coach Paterno in person, just a 100 feet away, at a coaches clinic maybe 8 years ago or so.  I was his shadow for as long as possible.  Followed everywhere he went and listened to everything he said.  He'd walk from drill to drill and bitch out kids 5x his size for not using a proper technique.   

Penn State couldve showed me a water boy who said "Drink water like this, its better this way," and I would've done it.  I trusted every single syllable that the staff and most importantly Joe Paterno uttered as absolute gospel. 

I was wrong.

Joe Paterno had an opportunity to save kids, not just give them a scholarship, but to save them from an absolute monster.  An absolutely disgusting human being that was empowered by one of the most prestigious football programs in the country.   He enabled a monster to use the platform that he built for over 45 years to dominate, bully and terrorize under privileged children. 

Those who willingly stand by and watch a crime being committed are not guilty but they are far from innocent.     

They say its a privilege to play football and to play sports, but its more of a privilege to coach and to be around young athletes and their energy.  Its a privilege just to have an opportunity to be in a position to help kids grow and evolve and learn.  Joe Paterno and his staff no longer deserve that privilege.  They lost it when they decided to stay quiet and not give a voice to those who needed it. 

Every single coach or staff member, from top to bottom should step down because none of them deserve to wear blue & white.