Mental strength

Mental strength is the difference between success and failure, it's what separates the mediocre from the great and it's something that every one can improve on.


This is the way I look at life. Life is a series of challenges, every day presents a number of challenges and your ability to complete tasks in a productive and timely manner will indicate the amount of success you have in life. The more efficient you are at completing these small tasks the more time and energy you will have to do other things which will ultimately lead to your over all success and happiness.  Every task, chore, challenge, and obstacle you come across is achievable but your mental strength and preparedness will determine whether you succeed or fail. Believe it or not you have the potential to achieve anything but being unprepared and in the wrong mindset can lead to failure. 


How can you improve?
Every time I am in the gym I practice good habits and success. It starts in the morning or the day before, I plan out my day and my meals and make sure I get enough sleep so that I have the energy to leap over any obstacles that may get in my way. By preparing one day in advance I am not only preparing my body but I am preparing my mind. I have gone over in my head at least 10 times of what my entire day will look like and at the same time I am ready for any monkey wrenches that get thrown into my plans. I've packed 3 meals, my gym stuff, I've got my wallet, house keys and bus pass and I'm off to work. Everything goes smooth but I forgot water (monkey wrench) this is going to effect my training later tonight. I get to the gym prepared with my workout that I've gone over in my head several times, I have my journal, gym clothes and some chalk or tape. Every exercise I am succeeding and every rep is a point in the win couloumb for me. These points are small mental victories that will aid me later in my workout and in the days and weeks to come.


Now I could be thinking about other things like "oh I forgot to drink my quota of water today I shouldn't be able to do so many reps" or you can focus on each individual rep. Think this: if rep 1 was easy then so should the next and the next and the next. Don't let your mind wander from the task at hand and you will be a winner every time. Again I'd like to point out that anything is possible, and I may have watched hook one to many times as a kid but if you can convince your mind that it is impossible to fail ten it is. 


I am at a hypnotist show and there are two stools on stage, a lady who is hypnotized is asked to place her heels on one and the back of her head on the other and remain sturdy as a plank. The hypnotist then jumps onto her midsection and remains standing there for several minutes. Once the mind has been convinced of something it is impossible not to succeed. power of the mind.


The mind is a powerful tool and  training your mental strength by testing your body can have a tremendous impact on the way you live life. Don't just let life throw things at you, catch them throw them back and own  your life, get out there and attack it and begin to live life and succeed.


Don't be satisfied with glowing, Shine!

Why do we need to be fit?

Besides the obvious points like reduced body fat and ideal body type there is a plethora of health reasons why it is important to be fit. By reducing the fat that your body carries you are helping your heart to work more efficiently. think of your body as a car and your heart the engine. now imagine you filled up the inside of your car with bricks and added a trailer, you also haven't changed any of the fluids for years and you need to get up over a long steep hill. Do you think the car will make it? who knows maybe the engine blows?. But if you think about that in terms of your body and you don't make it, that's heart failure. That's quite a bit more serious than a blown engine. people spend thousands of dollars on their cars but never take the time to do upkeep on themselves. If you go too long without doing maintenance on your body you are more at risk to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and heart failure.

If you think of your health in terms of a continuum, at the bottom is death closely followed by sickness, in the middle would be wellness and at the top end would be fitness. if you plot a point on that line where your fitness is the space between where you are and sickness or death is time. The more fit you are the more time you have before a health problem can become life threatening. do yourself a huge favour and spend some time and money on yourself , get in the gym for a little tuneup and find a nutritionist to help you re calibrate.

My unique perspective on nutrition

There are three macro nutrients you need to fuel your body and they are Carbs, Protein, and Fat. Finding the right combination of these three is essential if you are going to achieve any sort of fitness goal. Finding this balance is like knowing the right mixture to make mortar. You need a certain amount of sand, water and concrete. You don't know what the correct mixture is unless someone tells you I happen to know the correct mix for both Nutrition and Making Mortar. But like Nutrition there are variables in determining the perfect mix. What exactly is being built? is it a walkway a foundation or a wall? are you using stones or brick? is it raining or is it sunny? And that's where timing comes into play. Just like Making mortar you need to have the answers to some questions before you start out on a nutrition program. What is my goal? weight loss, weight gain, increased energy, or increased athletic performance? Each person has a unique metabolism, body shape, and genetic layout therefore everyone should have a unique ideal nutrition plan. To find your ideal nutrition plan you need to go through years of trial and error, or you can ask someone who already knows the starting generic mixture to give you a starting point


At this point you will need to consult an expert, or someone who really knows what they are doing to personalize and perfect your nutrition program.

Nutrition

Recently I have decided to volunteer  some of my time with with the south seas connection sevens rugby team. I am providing basic physio services like taping ans assessment of minor injuries. One of the things I've done is I have written them a basic food guide to follow with a few tips on hydration. 


After implementing a very vague nutrition plan for only one week the guys who have chosen to participate are already seeing a difference. By paying extra attention to the needs of their bodies they have already started to see improvements in their performance, in the the way they feel, and in their health.


John Morris "my knee feels much better after paying attention to how much water I'm drinking. I think my knee feels a lot better from just drinking more"


Pita Savea "I followed your diet plan for the last few days and I feel so good. I stopped eating bread and I feel great"  


Nutrition is so important and we have only begun to understand the level of fitness our bodies and minds are capable of. Unlocking the secrets to proper nutrition and exercise is key in improving our health and eliminating many life threatening diseases. 


Be Healthy Friends!

Crossfit Games

Being at the crossfit games this weekend was one of the craziest experiences. This was my first time being part of the games and it was in the role of the judge. Being a judge was quite strange, I felt nervous every time I was judging, but not because I thought I would make a mistake, it was because I was nervous for the competitors. As a judge it is my job to ensure the standards of each movement are met on every rep and that the playing field is as even as possible. In the short time you spend with the athlete you go over the movement standards to ensure you don't have to call no rep and that they understand the standards. Like I said I felt so nervous for all of the athletes and each athlete I judged I developed some sort of relationship with. In an arena full of total strangers I built friendships and made many new contacts. Crossfitters are some of the most upstanding individuals everyone is friendly, energetic, and so positive.

Exercise and proper nutrition clearly contribute to the over all happiness of these people, maybe that's why everyone there was such an upstanding individual. When you exercise you feel good, when you eat well you feel good, and when you look and feel good from committing to your health you learn more about yourself and become more successful in everything you do. Exercising isn't only about getting fit, it's also about developing good habits for life. Every time you exercise and provide your body with good nutrition you are practicing being successful and winning. Turn winning into a habit and win at everything you do.

Be happy

Crossfit Games

The Crossfit games open is at an end and the top 60 athletes from each region will be competing head to head for top spots to advance to the crossfit games at the home depot center in Carson California. the Canada west regional is being held at UBC thunderbird stadium in Vancouver BC I highly recommend coming out to watch. It runs from Friday May 27th to Sunday may 29th. Its a three day Event where men and women of all ages compete against each other in the sport of fitness.


I am looking forward to Being around lots of people who have made fitness a priority in their life. I also look forward to cheering the athletes on as a judge and a spectator. surrounding yourself with highly motivated, determined people is a great way to get inspired, and this weekend will be nothing short of inspiring.


While the pure focus of the weekend is to witness incredible athleticism and see some of the hardest working most well trained amateur athletes in the world, there is always an emphasis on sportsmanship, comradery and friendship.


 In the Crossfit community there is a mutual respect for every athlete from the athlete able to complete just one push up right through to the Crossfit games champion. If there is one thing you will take away from this event it is the ability of a large community to get together for a weekend of fun and intensity and genuinely cheer on every athlete out there whether it be your friend or your direct competitor.

Take care of your self

Every day we stress our muscles and our bodies. With all the stresses we put on ourselves we create muscular and structural imbalances. Life creates all sorts of impingements and restrictions and they prevent our bodies from functioning the way they should. If you leave these impingements and imbalances for a prolonged period of time it can lead to pinched nerves, restricted movement, back pain, neck pain, headaches, insomnia, and an overall lack of energy.


If you haven't been for a deep tissue massage before it's probably time you went for one. A skilled massage therapist will be able to get deep down into any knots you have and release the tension and the toxins that have built up over time. This type of massage may not be relaxing for you it can be quite painful and uncomfortable. Many times the day after you will feel like you worked out the day before this is normal. Much like a workout your body will recover from it and get used to the pain. 


Treat your body well, you only get one, and remember you are always your greatest investment.


Respect your body, your mind , and your spirit

WOD

Try this 50 chest to bar pullups then 50 burpees

There's a first time for everything

There's nothing quite like achieving something you have been working towards. 
I remember how long it took me before I did my first muscle up. I had been trying for about a week then decided I was not strong enough to pull my body up. I spent the next few weeks strengthening my arms and back but still couldn't do it. There was still some serious technique that needed to be taught to me before I would make it. On the first day of the Crossfit level one cert I asked a fellow Crossfitter who looked to be in way better shape than I to kindly show me and teach me how to do it. but after trying 10 times I felt like it just wasn't happening at 245lbs. The class got called back in and I thought "you idiot Gord you've never quit at anything in your life." so I grabbed the rings whipped my heavy ass up and pressed up to the heavens. A  glorious beam of light shone on me and a short chorus of Hallelujah was sung by voices of angels. John one of the coaches snaps at me "Gord! get off the rings, we cant have people getting hurt" I sulk a bit. John whispers "props on the first muscle up bro" fist pound. I had a smile on me like you wouldn't believe.  


My Client Brianna hit her first snatch on Monday she ended up doing 55lb snatch. Awesome job Brianna!


Let me know about your firsts! post in the comments. Keep it clean;)    

WOD

This WOD nearly killed me
20 minute AMRAP (as many rounds as possible)
complete as many rounds as you can in 20 minutes of:

5 handstand pushups
10 kettle bell swings 55lb
15 pullups

I completed 9 rounds, 5 hspu, 10 kb swings, 6 pullups
so close to  ten rounds common, maybe next time.

Make your protein drink go from bland to shazam!

I just tried coconut water for the first time and it was great!
It is 100% natural with no additives, no sugar and no preservatives.
Its straight from the coconut to the can.


I usually add a banana and water to my protein powder but this time I went with just protein and coconut water and wow it made a world of a difference. I am actually looking forward to my next post workout shake.


I suggest giving this hidden gem a try

WOD

This WOD was done at crossfit Zone.
If you have never experienced a workout in a crossfit affiliate I suggest giving it a try
You get more out of yourself than you thought was possible try a competitive workout in a group setting and see what pushing yourself to the limit is really about.

WOD
4 rounds of:
200m row
15 kettlebell swings
10 burpees

When I yelled out time I was too tired to listed to what the time was when I finished.
I believe it was 8:21

Whats your time?

Tips

Learn to control your mind.What kind of skilled human are you if you cannot even control your own thoughts? While the human mind is described as being a stream of consciousness, that does not mean you can’t decide where your stream flows. Techniques like meditation and the 3 ways to flush out negative thoughts will aid you immensely in learning to control your mind.Learn to control your emotions.The only person that can make you unhappy is you! You are the one that decides to be affected by the words and actions of others. Realize this so that the next time you experience a negative emotion, you can find the strength within yourself to overcome it.Take a class in speed reading.Books are full of information that can enhance your knowledge-base, vocabulary and yourself as a person. Speed reading is an easy way to get at this info faster so that you can have more time for other endeavors.Relax!This one is for you work-o-holics out there (myself included). Yes, work is very important and productive but you need to take some time to chill out everyday or you are going to burn out faster than a candle with no oxygen. Additionally, you need to reward yourself for a job well done. What’s the use of doing all of that work if you can’t have a little fun from time to time anyways?Work on making good first impressions.Practice a strong, firm handshake and the small talk that generally goes along with meeting someone for the first time. People won’t know what to think of you if you have nothing more to say beyond “My name is _______, nice to meet you.” Also make sure you remember names, as mentioned previously. Who knows, you may be going into business with or marrying this person you’re meeting for the first time if you make a good impression. Be sure and make an excellent one.

WOD

Tabata pushups

8 intervals of 20 seconds all out intensity followed by 10 seconds of rest.
the total time for the workout is 4 min

how to score this workout: the least amount of pushups you performed in one of the intervals is your score

Tips

Develop the ability to forgive.Forgiveness is something that most people fail miserably at even thought it’s so simple. Grudges only bring more misery to those who hold them and prevent good relations with the target. YOU makes mistakes all of the time so why not have mercy when other do? Remaining angry feels horrible while forgiving someone brings a refreshing sensation to the mind and healing to the relationship.Be the person that makes others feel special.Be known for your kindness and sympathy.Learn to lucid dream, or to realize when you are dreaming so that you can control your dreams. Sleep feels good, but its rather boring and unproductive. With lucid dreaming under your belt, night time can be even more exciting than when you are awake. You can do anything: fly, travel to other planets, party with a celebrity, get intimate with your dream boy/girl, etc. Many lucid dreams have also reported being able to speak directly with the subconscious during dreams by demanding to be taken to it after becoming lucid. For those that know a thing or two about your subconscious, that is a BIG deal.Visualize daily.It has been said and proven time and time again that what you focus on is what you get. If you complain all of the time, you will run into more of the things you complain about. The same goes for good things like health, wealth and happiness. So spend some time in the morning imagining yourself achieving whatever it is that you currently desire. Focus is key in this exercise, so choose a quiet environment where you won’t be disturbed. If you’re having trouble focusing and continually find that your mind has wandered to something else, read about meditation in the following life tip. There is a lot more to this concept, so check out the full article on visualization and the law of attractionhere.Meditate everyday for at least 20 minutes.In this modern world where everyone is so connected to everything else via cell phones, TV and internet, most people rarely enjoy the beauty of silence. The ability to quiet your mind and relax your body is an art and skill that everyone should develop. Simply sit somewhere, preferably in nature, and focus on your breathing or try to think about nothing. This is going to be extremely hard at first! You might find it boring or just plain impossible to think of nothing, but you will get better and you will learn to love it. Post-meditation, you will feel extremely clear headed and.. well, just plain wonderful. The only way to really understand this sensation is to try it.