New totals for 10/4 and 10/5 10,000 Swing Challenge 2016

Hello TEAM!

Went into Tuesday 10/04 with 1,050.

Did 450 like this: Alternating sets of 15's and 10's  18x.  Took me about 50 minutes.  In between sets, I did this.

15 Swings
10 Rockbacks
10 Swings
5 Push Ups
15 Swings
5 Bodyweight Squats
10 Swings
5 LEGO Crawls (OS)
15 Swings
10 Cross Crawls
15 Swings

REPEAT

Brought me to 1500.


THEN TODAY 10/05, I woke up and did the same.  10s and 15s.  Same stuff in between.

10 sets of 15

15 sets of 10

300.


Currently at 1800.  Feeling good, hands and hips are great, loving the mobility work in between. Tomorrow, I'll shoot for 400 to make it 2200, then 300 on Friday for 2500, then rest on Saturday.

Day 3! 400 done. Swing Challenge 2016 1,050!!

WHEW!!


That SUCKED.  Did 400 today, October 3rd, 2016.  During the Price is Right.  Here's what I did

10 sets of 20 to begin.  200

20 sets of 10 on the minute for 20 minutes.  200

PRO TIP: When I allow myself to do 10's, I try to do them ON THE MINUTE consecutively.  That way, I'm building my engine, and saving my grip.  I also try and pepper in other movements in the Hinge, Push, Pull, Squat, Carry, 6th Movement (lunges/get ups, etc.) until the minute turns over. Today my 10 sets went like this.

Set of 10
5 Body weight squats
Set of 10
10 Cross Crawls
Set of 10
5 Push Ups
Set of 10
10 Rockbacks
Set of 10
3 OH Press each arm

Began at 11:00 with the first COME ON DOWNS, finished by 11:40, the second wheel spin.  I took a few breaks here and there.  Additional minutes in between the 20 sets and between the first and second 200's.


Grand Total over three days: 1,050.

Day 2 10,000 Swings 2016

10,000 Swings returns!


Day 2 was yesterday!  Did 350.  7 sets of 20 for 140, then 21 10s on the minute.  Mallory Hewell joined me at Mark Fisher Fitness in the Dragon Lair for some accountability and swing-spiration.

ABS on FIRE today.  That's a good sign.

SO grand total going into Day 3= 650.

Gonna 400 today.

October 1st 2016!

The 4th annual 10,000 Swing Challenge begins!  Every year, dear friends and readers the weather cools off, the soup begins to simmer, the sounds of football ring through the air, and we begin to offend each other with political rhetoric! It must be October, which means it's time for the 10,000 Kettlebell Swing Challenge.


This was put forth by Dan John, with his article in T Nation.    I have begun to do it as a personal challenge and swing refresher each October to honor the 10th month, I have my own little swing harvest.

I will be keeping track of my reps and sets here.  Feel free to check in with me for accountability.  In fact, if you are one of the few readers of this blog, I LOVE YOU, and nag me about this shit CONSTANTLY, PLEASE.

The weight is a 24kg KB, OR my 55 pound asshole bell from Modells.  That's the one I use at home. It's a BEAR.  The handle is thick and rough as HELL.

Today:

I broke them up because I had my final day of Snatched 2 at Mark Fisher Fitness.  I did 120 in class.

6x20= 120 Snatched 2

Then I came home and did:

10 sets of 15=150  Did 15 on the minute for 10 minutes

OS Resets: Head Turns/Neck nods
Commando Rocking
LEGO Crawls x 5 on each side
Wrist Vents

3 sets of 10=30  10 on the minute for 3 minutes

SO 150+120+30=300

300 Day one.  9,700 to go.

Hello Dear Readers!


Thanks for reading!  I appreciate it very much.  I'm trying my very best to write a blog post a week, and if you'd keep me accountable I'd appreciate it even MORE.

Today, I'd like to talk about PATIENCE.

In the world we live in, patience is in short supply.  We have everything we could ever want at our fingertips.  24-hour news and election coverage, Seamless and Grubhub for instant snacks, Facebook and Twitter for instant friendship, whatever you need and mostly what you DON'T need, you can have in seconds.  

This is why I feel that patience is a lost art.  So many of us are doing our best to be present in the moment and live in the now, but we've lost the ability to be patient, which makes living in the moment nearly impossible.  How can I live in the moment, when I just wish the fucking line at Target would move faster so I can get home and wear this cool new Milennium Falcon T-shirt I'm buying?
Or when someone is on a walk with their dog, and instead of enjoying the time outside and bonding with their pet friend, they are on their phone, or yanking the dog toward home immediately after the little guy pees.  Poor dog.  He wants to smell some garbage and shit!

I see this kind of behavior in the weight room all the time. Without the dog, of course.  There is a great rush to lift more weight, burn more fat, get more this, lose more that. (that shit rhymes, I know).  The tragedy of no patience in the weight room is that it leads to injury more often than amazing success.  Like the song says, fools rush in, and in this case fools are rushing themselves into surgery, long term recovery time, and no friends.  And THAT my friends, is having patience FORCED upon you, which is never ideal.  

And now we've come to the real root of it.  (FINALLY!)  The real question is, are you going to practice patience a little everyday?  Or are you going to go go go go, until it is FORCED upon you by your own reckless behavior?  Personally, I'm beginning to practice patience every day.  I do my best to take in my surroundings, the people I am with, the activity I am choosing to spend my time doing.  I will say, it's leading to some very revealing thoughts about the way I conduct myself in all my relationships and interactions.  Practicing patience has made me slow down, which makes it easier for me to relax, and helps me open my mind to opportunities all around me.  Instead of constantly wondering "what's next?" I've started to ask, "how long can I sit and savor this moment?"  It's been a beautiful 180 for me.

I encourage you to do the same.  Find small moments in your day when you normally would be exasperated, and practice breathing, and relaxing into those otherwise tense situations.  When the train is late, or the line isn't moving, take that time and practice patience.  Don't pull out your phone right away.  Take in your surroundings.  Reflect on your day, or think of something or someone you are truly grateful for.    Delay your gratification a little and you will yield major benefit.

All we really need is a little....

Gushing on Gratitude

Good Morning TEAM!

I know it's been FOREVER.  It's always been forever.  I'm a terrible blogger.  I am doing my goddamn BEST to get better, though so please bear with me.


Today's post has been inspired by my colleague, friend, and mentor Brian Patrick Murphy.  He writes a regular blog.  He's a LOT better at it than me and I highly recommend his stuff.  Today his post was about things he is grateful for, and I'm going to take a page from his book and list some of the things I am grateful for as well.  Sorry to copycat, Murph, but a good idea is a good idea.


First of all, I am so grateful for my darling wife Rose.  She puts up with a lot from me on a daily basis.  From my lazy, bum-like habits, to my cranky, end-of-day attitude, she takes it in with a smile and her gorgeous laugh.  She makes me better every day by being in my life, and I would be lost without her.

My PARENTS are two of the greatest people in the world.  They have always supported me in whatever harebrained adventure I was undertaking, and they have never made me feel that I could be less than exemplary in all things.  Thanks folks, for always holding me up and making me the best person I could be.

My siblings are truly unique.  I am so grateful that they are in my life, and we have the same sense of humor, the same taste in movies and music.  I am fortunate enough to work with my brother-in-law Dan from time to time, and being paid to travel and work with family is one of the greatest experiences I have ever had in my life.  So thanks fam, for shaping me into the person I have become, and never letting me get too big for my britches.

 I am grateful for the city I live in.  I am SO grateful for my job at the Ninja Clubhouse.  I am beyond grateful for Mark Fisher, Brian Patrick Murphy, Michael Keeler, and Kyle Langworthy for creating this safe space and allowing me to participate in this Grand Unicorn Experiment.

I am so grateful for the Ninjas I get to meet, and talk to and work with.  Each of your journey's are fascinating to me, and I am grateful for the opportunity to be even a small part of your path to success.   And I am obsessed with everyone I have the joy of working with and for at MFF.  It truly is the greatest team I have ever been a part of.  Such love and compassion for each other, it's unreal.

I am grateful for the other professionals in my field who have been so welcoming and inspire me everyday to become better.  BPM, Rog Law, Kevin Larrabee, Kevin Carr, Aleks Salkin, Dan John, Harold Gibbons, Eric Cressey, Mike Boyle, Laura Smith, Amanda Wheeler, Todd Bumgardner, Kyle Balzer, Connor Ryan, just to name a few.  These are the professionals I want surrounding me at all times.

I am grateful for the twilight time of the evening, when the sun goes down, and it isn't quite dark yet. It's cooling off, and it's still half light....that's my FAVORITE time of day.  I am grateful for snacks. All kinds.

WHEW!  That feels great!  Thanks MURPH.  I honestly believe you can store gratitude inside you, almost like pent up frustration, and DAMN if it doesn't feel good to air that stuff out.   I am grateful to Brian Patrick Murphy for this inspiration.

Professor Woland Workout Number 1

The Professor and I have begun work building a strength machine.  It will be beautiful in all it's power and awesomeness.   BB=Barbell, DB=Dumbbell

Warm Up

90/90 Hip Lift Breathing x10
Rocking x10
Bird Dog x5 each side
Crawling (Bear, Crab, Underswitches) :30 seconds

BB Romanian DL   5 sets of 5  95/5   115/5  135/5  135/5  135/5
BB Floor Press       5 sets of 5   75/5    85/5    85/5     85/5   85/5

DB Goblet Squat 3 sets of 8:  45lbs/8  45lbs/8  45lbs/8
Chin Ups                                     5            5           5

Pistols 5x each leg   5/5  5/5  5/5
DB Thrusters x8      15/8    25/8  25/8
Loaded Carry           35lbs/:45   40lbs/:45   40lbs/:45

AB SECTION: Pull Down Stick x10
Stability Ball Deadbug 2x:30 seconds
Ab Wheel Rollouts 2x10

SUNS OUT GUNS OUT:  2x 8 1/2 mast Bicep Curls/5 Tricep Extensions

YEAH!! EXCELSIOR!!  Then we went and strolled with our beloveds by day under the cherries bursting into bloom and in the evenings listened to Schubert's music.

Thoughts on the Whole 30!

Hello Internet Friends!!

How are you?  How was your month of May?  Mine was CRAZY!  Rose, that's my lovely wife, and I decided to embark on a nutritional adventure called The Whole 30.

Now, a brief summary of Whole 30 for those who don't know.  It comes from the book, "It Starts With Food" by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig.  BASICALLY, you strip away pretty much EVERYTHING from your diet.  Sugar, grains, legumes, beans, alcohol, dairy, ALL THAT SHIT for 30 days.  For 30 days, you are eating like people in the fucking 20's and 30's.  Meat, fruits, and vegetables.  You can have coffee, but no cream, no sugar.  That kind of thing.  Then, at the end of the 30 days, you slowly begin to re-introduce things back into your life.  That way, you will be able to see which foods are responsible for making you feel less-than-great.   IDEALLY, you'll reset your food habits and the choices you make at meal time even PAST the 30 day limit.

Friends, let me begin by saying I was SUPER skeptical.  I kept thinking I would do this for 30 days, be MISERABLE, and then immediately BINGE on pizza and beer on Day 31.  Nothing could have been FARTHER from the TRUTH.

The first week was a BITCH, I'm not gonna lie.  If you're considering doing this program, your gonna NEED a support group.  Doing it alone would be more than I could even IMAGINE.  Luckily a group of Ninjas at the MFF Clubhouse were doing it simultaneously and allowed me to join their Facebook group where I gleaned recipes and lots of support.  ALSO and this was CLUTCH for me, Rose and I did it TOGETHER.  She SAVED me friends.  Rose made her own KETCHUP, her own Ranch Dressing, and so many other amazing things that made this program easier.

By Week 2, we had settled into a nice groove.  If you really think about it, in a week most of us cycle through the same 5 or six recipes we know or the 5 or 6 things we really enjoy ordering.  We live in a food rut.  Whole 30 was really no different, we just changed ruts a little.  Instead of burgers and fries, we made burger bowls.  No bun, ground turkey, chopped onions, tomatoes, Rose's HOMEMADE PICKLES, and some avocado.  We make OUR OWN French Fries now BITCHES.  It's INCREDIBLE.  Dip those babies in some of Mama Rose's Homestyle Ketchup and you've got it MADE.

Now for the final test friends.  Yesterday was our LAST DAY and we went to a Memorial Day dinner party.  Our hosts were INCREDIBLE in their hospitality and snack selection.  EVERY snack group was represented.  The CHIP GROUP, DIP GROUP, POUR SOME BOURBON TAKE A SIP GROUP!!  Those old pitfalls that used to send me into a snacking shame-spiral.  We all know the one.  The kind where you're at the snack table so much you have to start making excuses to walk back...."Did I leave my phone by the chips?  No? No phone?  Oh well, I'll just take some more chips for the road..."  THAT KIND OF SHIT.   BUT....

I didn't want ANY of it friends.  The THOUGHT of eating flour tortillas or sweet desserts just made me a little nauseous.  Oh, I had two shots of tequila, but even those felt hollow and worthless, like a broken slinky.

The Whole 30 WORKED TEAM.

Now, am I saying this is an end-all, be-all?  No.  I am saying this really worked FOR ME.  I set out to change my eating habits from a pint of ice cream a day and cheeseburgers to healthier snacks and less drinking and I DID.  Not only that, my darling wife and I realized how much happier we are with our new nutritional lifestyle and how our bodies are looking and feeling.  THIS IS SO IMPORTANT.  True HABIT CHANGE.

Will it LAST?  That's up to Rose and I.  We are moving forward with these new habits, but I'm sure we will fall off the rails at some time.  What's BEAUTIFUL about this whole thing is we've done it once.  We've navigated the traps and pitfalls, and if our consistency falters, we will set a new course and explore those options.

As far as The Whole 30 goes, I'm a huge fan.  Oh and I also lost 13 pounds and 2.5% body fat.

Starting weight 05.01.2016: 185.4
Finished weight 05.30.2016 172.2

NEAT.  Thanks for reading if you did.  More posts to come shortly!!

The Challenges of Challenges.

Hello TEAM!!!

I'd like to talk about CHALLENGES.   Now, when I say challenge, I'm not talking about how hard it is to get out of bed in the morning, or how tough that six hour road trip with your in-laws was.  I'm talking about taking on physical or mental task that is outside your comfort zone for a finite period of time.  Some examples: 2-minute plank challenge, food journaling for a month, Dan John's 10,000 Kettlebell Swing challenge, trying to crawl for 10 minutes a day, etc.  You get the picture, I'm sure, if not just look at Facebook, these things are EVERYWHERE.

Now, I've done a TON of these.  I'm a bit of a challenge expert.  Every October, I'll do the 10,000 swing challenge because it's the 10th month.  I also do the Pat Flynn 300 Swing-a-Day program in March, because it's the 3rd month.  I'm heading in to April with a goal to track my food EVERY DAY, which is a BIG one for me personally.  I've also participated in the Velocity Diet (only made it two weeks), a daily pull-up challenge, and many others.  FOR ME, it's the best way to make your personal goals interesting.  Challenging yourself to explore something new for a week, month, or any extended period will teach a person a whole LOT about themselves.

 Since the new month begins TOMORROW, and the first of the month is always a great time to start a new challenge, I wanted to give you, dear reader, my three main guidelines on how to choose the correct challenge for YOU.   To make this easy and accessible, I've boiled these down to three A's!  ALLITERATION WINS!!  Now....the HEMINGWAY TRIPLE A!!

ACCESSIBILITY: First of all, your challenge should be ACCESSIBLE.  What do I mean by this?  To put it as simply as possible, make sure you can actually DO your challenge.  If I challenge myself to do 20 pull ups a day for a month, I'd better be DAMN sure I can do a pull up.  You laugh, but you'd be surprised how many people approach me about doing a 300 KB Swing a day challenge, and then ask me to teach them the KB swing, or ask me where they can find a kettlebell to use when they aren't at the gym.  In my experience, for your challenge to succeed, you need working knowledge of the basics, and you need all your equipment accessible at ALL times.  TRUST ME.  When you're 15 days in, you're not going to wanna worry about tracking down a bell to get those swings in. In that scenario, you're more likely to just give up and start feeling like you've failed.   I want you outside your box a little, but don't build a new box just to step out of it.

ADAPTABILITY: SECOND criteria.  How will this challenge affect your life?  How is your life going to change during and after you perform this mighty feat of physical and/or mental prowess?  This is a big one not just for you, but for those around you.  The Velocity Diet is an extreme fat loss program where the subject drinks nothing but protein shakes 6 days a week, and then has ONE meal on the 7th day for a month.  You can bet your SWEET BIPPY that anyone who undertakes The Velocity Diet needs to take a hard look at how they will adapt to these massive changes in their daily structure, and how it will affect their loved ones and co-workers.  Eating out is going to be NO FUN. This is just one example.  If you're undertaking a Squat challenge, you're gonna be pretty sore and irritable on some of those days.    Also, examine how your life will be different post-challenge?  Are the results sustainable?  How long will you need to recover?  Are the results just a step in the right direction for a lasting life change?  This is another great tool in determining if a challenge is right for you.

LASTLY.....and I bet you KNEW IT....

ACCOUNTABILITY!  Yes dear reader, this is EVERYTHING.  Without accountability, when your challenge gets tough, and it will, you will most likely just walk away.  And why not?  No one will stop you, you took this on yourself, right?   NO WAY MAN!  Put that challenge out there.  Talk about it on social media, tell all your friends you're in the middle of keeping a food journal.  Shout out that you're doing 5 pull ups a day from the rooftops!  Ask your friends to join you in your meditation challenge, whatever it takes to have those around you checking in and keeping you on track with your accountability.   Not only will this keep you honest in your challenge, it's a wonderful way to build an intentional community around something that's going to benefit you and those around you in the long run.

So my friends, you now have three great guidelines to determine if a monthly challenge is the right thing for you.  And in reality, trial and error is the very best guideline of all.  Taking that first step and choosing something that will challenge you for an extended period of time is a wonderful way to stay fresh and add new skills to your already expanding AWESOMENESS.

Thanks for taking the time to read this! And come see us at Mark Fisher Fitness!!