3 Practical Steps: Get More Done in Less Time and Create Time to Enjoy Your Life
"What's it going to be?" I mused blithely to myself as I rummaged through the gift bag. "A 21st century shaving kit? A manly hunting knife? Perhaps some Under Armour Boxers*?"
I was seated at the rehearsal dinner for the wedding of my eldest brother, Brian. The dinner and celebratory toasts had recently subsided, and Brian had just made his rounds passing out the gifts to his groomsmen, me being included in the bunch. As I extricated The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss from my gift bag, I had no clue of the impact it was about to make on my daily living.
Upon holding the book in my hands, perusing through the table of contents and the back cover, I was honestly a bit dubious of the book's promises and claims. I had heard of Tim Ferriss and his book (as probably most of you reading have, too), as Ferriss had quickly launched into semi-celebrity status in the sphere of lifestyle design and blogging upon the release of The 4-Hour Workweek. However, I'm not typically a fan of "Self-Help" materials, which is what I thought this particular book embodied. I find that 95% of the people who read self-help books may, yes, genuinely enjoy what they’re taking in during the read, but they then typically walk away and do nothing about it; they fail to implement any of the nifty solutions to their problems. And as we know: Education without action is just entertainment. Nothing more than that, really.
But at the same time, I knew that Brian had read (and applied) the concepts in The 4-Hour Workweekhimself in order to successfully create his own business, shortly after he made the decision to leave a steady and "safe" position he held at a company ranked top 100 on the Fortune 500. Not to mention, he was now living and working according to when he operated most productively (as opposed to the non-negotiable 9-5 workday most corporations enforce), and enjoying the convenience of working from home.
So I decided to give the book a shot. I was looking for a new book to read, anyway…
350 pages and a few action steps later, I realized that the 4HWWwas far from your ordinary feel-good, lets-sit-holding-hands-in-a-circle-singing-kumbaya self-help book. No, this was a book chalked full of practical, real-world strategies that anyone – be they an employee of a large corporation, an entrepreneur, a business owner, or manager – could immediately follow and see instant results.
Taking myself for example, I’ve already found myself experiencing an extra two hours of free time per day, more enjoyable weekends, and increasingly productive work periods in which I produce more output in less time. And I'm just getting started.
And so I wanted to share some of the information here, to help those of you reading who may be in need of a bit of lifestyle redesign.
-Are you perpetually buried by the incessant and stubborn flow of emails? -Do you check your Facebook 15 times per day (I'm being generous here by lowballing this number...), and wonder why you can seemingly never complete anything? -Does your To-Do List add items to itself faster than you can check them off? -Do you feel like you never get to do the things you actually ENJOY doing?
Now, before I continue, let me be clear that I have absolutely no intention of working only four hours per week; I simply love my job too much and personally prefer to be actively and intimately involved in what I do on a daily basis: Teaching athletes and regular people how to move and feel better. (If you hate your job, maybe it's best to reevaluate what you're doing as a career before we even think about moving further with this topic.)
Nor do I pretend that the majority of you could achieve a realistic 4-hour workweek, even if you followed all of the steps in the 4HWW to a tee.
But what I do think that all of you reading can (hopefully) agree with is this: We should work so that we can live, NOT live so that we can work.
And my wish is that these steps can at least help you get started walking down the right path.
1a. Check and Respond to Email Only Twice Per Day
Email (and I'll throw Facebook and Twitter into the mix, too) is perhaps the greatest time waster in modern society. With large thanks to the invention and widespread use of the smartphone, email has become a flighty temptress that people can't resist checking into at every possible moment: first thing in the morning, every 5 minutes during the work day, standing in line for coffee, walking down the city street, in between sets of squats at the gym, right before bed and even during dinner with family. Heck, when I was working as a personal trainer, I had a client who insisted that he carry his phone with him during every session, checking the incoming email as soon as his phone buzzed.
With instant access to each other and instant access to information, we have created this false sense of urgency that the world is going to end unless we check our email and/or social media accounts every few seconds.
Why does this really matter, and how does it pertain to the title of this article? Accomplishing critical tasks in less time (and thus freeing up extra time in your day) requires complete focus on the project at hand, with as few interruptions as possible. Quoting Ferriss:
There is a psychological switching of gears that can require up to 45 minutes to resume a major task that has been interrupted. More than a quarter of each 9-5 period (28%, or 134.4 minutes) is consumed by such interruptions, and 40% of people interrupted go on to a new task without finishing the one that was interrupted. This is how we end up with 20 windows open on our computers and nothing completed at 5pm.
In fact, a psychiatrist at King's College in London performed an IQ study in which he determined that people stoned (under the influence of marijuana) actually performed HIGHER on IQ tests than those who were "under the influence" of distracting email! You can read the story HERE.
I love what Ferriss points out later in the book:
Multi-tasking is dead. It never worked and it never will. Intelligent people love to sing its praises because it gives them permission to avoid the much more challenging alternative: focusing on one thing.
Here are a few steps I've employed to reduce my frequency of email interruption down to just two times per day. Guys, I really can't emphasize enough how this has RADICALLY altered how much more I accomplish in a day, and even (which may sound counterintuitive) how much more punctual it has made me with responding to emails.
A. Turn off the audible alert that lets you know when a new email has come in. B. Turn off the automatic Send/Receive feature that delivers new email as soon as it's sent to you.
I don't know anyone who can honestly say they can resist the urge to pull up the email screen as soon as they hear that oh-so-familiar "Ding!" that rings every time new email comes in. It creates an unnecessary distraction, and it's the virtual equivalent of crack.
Or, for those of you Mac users (I have one), you know how hard it is to resist perpetually checking the notification on your dock informing you of how many unread emails you have.
C. Only check email TWICE per day. This, for me personally, has been the greatest difference maker.
Ferriss recommends 12noon and 4PM, as he says that these are the times that provide the greatest likelihood of ensuring you've received a response from a previous email sent. I personally use 11AM and 2:30PM because of my schedule, but it's really up to you.
In fact, while I follow this policy for my business email, I now only check my personal email once per day, at 11AM.
Paranoid that you're going to receive something so critically important that it can't wait until your allotted email checking? Use an autoresponder to let people know of your new policy, such as the example Ferriss provides:
Greetings All,
Due to high workload and pending deadlines, I am currently responding to email twice daily at 12pm ET [be sure to indicate your time zone] and 4pm ET .
If you require help with something that can’t wait until either 12pm or 4pm, please call me on my cell phone at 555-555-5555.
Thank you for understanding this move to greater effectiveness.
All the best, Tim Ferriss
The beauty of that is you are providing your phone number for those that genuinely need to immediately reach you for an issue that's actually important or time-sensitive. You can see another example of a more "boss friendly" autoresponder HERE.
You know what a surprising side effect of this new policy has been for me, personally? I'm now actually MORE productive and punctual with responding to people via email!
Since I know that (if I'm doing my 2:30pm email check) I won't be on my email for the rest of the day, I can't use the "Oh I'll respond to them in 30 minutes" excuse, which as you know, can quickly lead to a stacking of 'Marked as Unread' items in your inbox, stressing you out to no end.
1b. Don't Check E-Mail, Texts, or Facebook First Thing In The Morning
This habit alone has changed my life. Checking email used to be one of the very first things I did every single day, even on the weekends. I'd wander out into my living room, pet my cat good morning, and then flip open my computer and check my email. I don't know what it is, but I think that most of us are now programmed to check email whenever possible, and not even out of necessity, but out of mere habit.
And I don't have a smartphone, but I can only imagine those that do probably check their email and/or social media while lying in bed. C'mon', admit it, I know you do!
After refusing to do it for a couple weeks now, I've experienced firsthand why checking email first thing, while a seemingly innocuous habit, is actually quite detrimental:
1. It will automatically cause you to get caught up and distracted by whatever you have seen arrive in your inbox. Say goodbye to a distraction-free morning, and hello to immediate saturation of seemingly uber-important, really-can't-wait-another-minute matters.
2. You will now have your thoughts occupied by the emails that arrived, dramatically hindering the real, important tasks you had to accomplish or work on that morning.
3. It can subconsciously sets the tone for the day of checking email nonstop. As we've seen above, we want to avoid this at all costs.
4. It can take up a deceptive amount of time (especially if you throw Facebook and Twitter into the mix), erasing hours from your day before you even knew what hit you. This can be especially dangerous during the weekends, pulling you away all morning from things that, oh I don't know, involve you doing something fun with the people you care about the most?
---
Some of you may be sitting there thinking "This would be impossible and impractical for me to do." And you know what, I thought the same thing. But I dare you to try it. You can thank me later, don't worry.
I realize I've only covered Step 1 out of the 3 practical steps I promised you in the title of this post, but I'll be back on Friday with Part 2. (**Update: You can view Part 2 HERE**)
*The inventor of those can have my firstborn son.
Attitude vs. Environment
Great teams create an environment and culture that allow players to unlock their potential. Outside of sport, where we grow up, who we socialize with, and what our family structure is often shapes our personality. There’s no doubt that a strong and positive environment can be a major factor in determining success, however environment isn’t everything.
As a coach, or organization, it is your job to try to create the best possible environment for your players. The signs in the locker room, the practice facilities, and the marketing of the team, can all have a great impact on the performance of an athlete. Don’t take for granted the ability to shape environment and give athletes the best opportunity for success.
As a player you often have little control over your environment. You don’t pick your team, your teammates, the coaches, where you play, etc. In fact, we may be forced into certain environments that we have little control over. It’s often in those situations where excuses manifest and frustration takes over. Examples like, “my team doesn’t care about winning”, or this team “isn’t any good”, or “nobody takes this seriously”, are real examples of environment dictating attitude.
As a player figure out how you can have the best possible attitude even in the worst possible environment. Let your attitude be a driving force in changing the environment for the better. Often when our environment is poor, we fall into the trap of allowing ourselves to blend into that poor environment.
If your environment is a 2 out of 10 and your attitude is a 4 out of 10 then you may be contributing to the poor environment. However, if you take that 2 environment and improve your attitude to a 7 then maybe you can improve your environment. It’s a simple change that can often be the difference between winning and losing. Make the change and improve your attitude and environment today.
As the great Gandhi said, “be the change you want to see in the world.”
Running & Wrestling: Like Oil and Water?
I have this very special file on my computer that is titled "Master Programs" and inside are all the important tidbits of information that have helped define SAPT's training approach and the template variations we have created. Looking through it is like taking a trip through time, as I remember where I was and who I was working with when each variation was put through its paces. There are a number of sub-folders with names like: 400m Training, Agility, Assessment, Healthy Knees, Intensity Tools, Nutrition, PL/WL (that's powerlifting and weightlifting), and Sport Specific. Within the Sport Specific folder I found an old document I put together in 2007 where I polled a number of other active D1 strength coaches regarding their approach to conditioning (specifically running) and wrestling.
To give this a bit of context, SAPT was in its infancy... I think the company was like 2 months old, and I had somehow convinced a high school wrestling coach to let me take his team through a 6-week pre-season training (thanks, Jack).
At one point we touched on the idea of running and wrestling. My stance was (and still is) that long distance running would actually do more harm than good for a wrestler. WELL, let me tell you this was not well received by the guys. So, in case I was crazy, I polled these other coaches. Here were their responses:
What’s the deal with running?
Responses from a variety of collegiate coaches…
“The majority of the AU wrestling conditioning is done on mat. The running is predominantly sprint work on the track at distances of approximately 30m, 60m and 100m. The long distance runs are primarily for recovery or for dropping weight. You need to explain that to those parents as best you can. Maybe you can use this to help you: "Due to the previously discussed increased risk of injury during periods of fatigue (30), designing the injury prevention program to incorporate metabolic system training proves essential. Specific to wrestling are activities that require high levels of anaerobic power and muscular endurance (8, 22, 54). Over the course of a 2-minute period, an explosive attack occurs approximately every 6 to 10 seconds (35). Simulating the metabolic needs of practice and competition is best accomplished through interval training (33). Intervals involving periods of intense resistance exercise, running, or biking interspersed with periods of relative rest should be considered the ideal training method to achieve physiological responses similar to wrestling. If possible, injured athletes should continue conditioning programs that also mimic the physiological needs of practice and competition (Table 3) to prepare for return to competition after adequate healing occurs."
From:
Terry L. Grindstaff PT, ATC, CSCS, *D and David H. Potach PT, MS, CSCS, *D;, NSCA-CPT, *D. 2006: Prevention of Common Wrestling Injuries. Strength and Conditioning Journal: Vol. 28, No. 4, pp. 20–28.
Or check this article out:
Zsolt Murlasits MS, CSCS. 2004: Special Considerations for Designing Wrestling-Specific Resistance-Training Programs. Strength and Conditioning Journal: Vol. 26, No. 3, pp. 46–50.”
Email response from Jason Riddell, Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at American University
“LSD for wrestlers depends on why they're doing it. For performance gains it's worthless, it's like having your sprinters do it for greater speed improvement. But, for improved aerobic capacity to aid in match recovery it has a small place, and I think there are much better ways to improve this capacity rather than going on long slow runs or staying on a bike for a long time, so I would say on occasion it may be okay but not as a regular activity. Last, and probably the one most wrestlers use as their excuse for wanting to do LSD is for weight loss, cutting weight.
There are a lot of variables to this debate, LSD or no LSD?
LSD has been proven to cause:
Decrease in strength and power
Decrease in anaerobic power
Decrease in muscle mass
Last time I checked wrestling relies pretty heavily on all three of those, and a decrease in them will ultimately cause a decrease in match performance.
I prefer the Tabata method of HIIT (high intensity interval training) and this is what we had our wrestlers doing. But, there were always those guys that went on the LSD runs to cut weight.
I hope this answers your question.
Give my best to Handy.
I look forward to meeting you some day. Feel free to come down and visit when you have time.
GW”
Email response from Greg Warner, Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at JMU
“First of all, thanks for being an avid reader of Elite. Funny you asked this question, b/c we just had this conversation with our wrestling coaches. They were all about these long distance runs and once we finally explained it to them in a way they could understand, it clicked!
Here’s how we explained it. You know how wrestlers get “heavy leg” syndrome? Well, that’s due to lactic acid build-up. The more that they are trained at lactate threshold, the better their bodies will get at getting rid of and recycling the lactic acid. Running long distance is aerobic. It won’t help them at all when they are in the third period and their muscles are “heavy” or filled with lactic acid. Some longer recovery runs are beneficial on days in between hard workouts or hard practices. We typically do a “2 minute/ 3 minute routine”. Two minutes of running (either done on a football field where they have to make a certain number of yards or on a treadmill at a certain speed…. Heavy weights and light weights are different, of course), then 3 minutes of recovery (walking). This is the longest running we will do with almost any of our athletes. They do need to have some aerobic training, but not 5 miles straight, know what I mean? Most of our training is done in shorter intervals (30-60 seconds).
I hope that helps to explain it. Once we explained it in terms that the coaches could understand (they understood “heavy leg syndrome” not lactic acid build-up), then it made sense to them and they were more open to changes.
Let me know if you have any more questions.”
Email response from Julia Ledewski, Assistant Director of Sports Performance at New York University at Buffalo
“Ok, here is my advice......GOOD LUCK!!! Seriously, this is a tough battle to fight, and one that I think very few can win. Why, because they have been doing it for so long that they are convinced it works.....yet too close-minded to acknowledge that there might be a better way. Also, as I have learned since coming to UTEP, people in athletics really don't like change.....even though if you don't change you will never get better. If you have Jason Feruggia's book, "Tap Out!!!", he gives an excellent description that may help you fairly early on in the book.
#1. I remember when I was wrestling in high school that we did distance runs for the first couple weeks of training, but after that never ran anything that lasted more than 2 minutes. And, these were sprints. How long is a period in wrestling?.....2 minutes. We also had one of the best wrestling teams in Missouri. In fact, after I left they won the state championship 3 years in row. They also place in the top 6 nearly every year. Several of the guys I wrestled with went on to wrestle at the D1 level. In fact, one guy competed at the international level and was expected to go to the Olympics, but had a few distractions. In high school, you don't get to recruit your athletes, instead you have to train the ones you have. For me, that's enough evidence to say that wrestlers don't need to run long distances to be good.
But, to play devil's advocate, what did nearly all of us do on our own after practice? We went for a long distance run. But, that was more to keep our weight down than to stay in shape.
#2. If you walked into a wrestling meet, and had to bet on one of two wrestlers, which one would you bet on? One wrestler looks like a marathon runner....thin, frail, no muscular development, and slow. The other looks like a sprinter.....lean, hard, muscular, fast, explosive. Knowing nothing else, except what you see, which one would you bet on?.........Here's a hint, most high caliber wrestlers have more similar characteristics of sprinters than marathon runners.
#3. Running long distances requires you to be slow. Why would a wrestler want to be slow? Sprinting requires you to be fast. Don't wrestlers need to be fast and explosive?
#4. They might like this arguement. Have the athlete run six 400 m sprints at a challenging pace (1 min 35 sec or less) with only 5 minutes rest, then on a separate day have them do a 1.5 mile run at their normal distance pace. Then, ask them which is harder and requires more mental toughness? If they are being honest with you, and running hard on the 400s, the answer should be obvious. By the way, which one is more similar in energy demands to a wrestling meet? In high school a period lasts 2 minutes, and there are 3 periods per match. Furthermore, I would be willing to bet that you could increase the distance run to 3 miles and it would still not be as hard as the 400s. *(The time I listed is what one of my soccer girls ran her 480 yd sprints in, so it may need adjusted for a male athlete who is only running 400 meters).
#5. You can try explaining the energy systems to them, but I don't think you will get very far doing this. They will not understand, nor do they want to understand science. Even if they say or they think they believe in science, their "honest" opinion is that there is no science in athletics. The only thing they will see is results. And, some are sold on hard work, but carry it WAY TOO FAR in that they will actually tear their athletes to pieces before backing off. These are the people that blame losing on not working hard enough, so that after a loss they kill their athletes in workouts so they are too tired to perform in the next match, and lose again.......from here it is a downward spiral. Again, it all comes down to results that they see (W-L). If you do your running, and they win, you are a genius and they will be sold on your ideas. If they lose, it will be your fault and they will never buy into your ideas, regardless of whether you are right or wrong.
I saw the Thinker's response. That arguement will go nowhere with the people you are dealing with.
All the weights on our racks are in kilos, so I don't bother to do the math on anything I don't think is close to a PR. Also, if I do want to do the math, seeing it in kilos first distracts me from the depressing number of pounds I am lifting, in that doing the math is so fun that it takes the focus off what I actually did. By the way, how can you say "stay" strong when you know how much I am lifting? Shouldn't you be saying "get" strong, instead?
yes, it is depressing,
David”
Email response from David Adamson, Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at University Texas at El Paso
“Thinker: How much value (or lack of) do long slow distance runs bring to the table of conditioning for wrestlers? I'm trying to dispell myths among parents and athletes... running seems to be a VERY hot button for them! Thanks so much for your help!
Hello Sarah, Let's consider this from a physiological perspective:?? Long slow runs are certainly a viable means of developing oxidative capacity; and running in general provides a great deal of latitude in terms of how it may be manipulated (intensity, duration) in order to develop a multitude of capacities (developing cardiac power, pushing the anaerobic threshold, developing speed strength, sprint speed, speed endurance, etc).??The question, however, is: is long slow running the optimal means of developing oxidative power for the wrestler???Sarah, the answer is no.?? The oxidative power may much more effectively be developed via the performance of exercises that also develop the local strength endurance of the muscles of the legs, trunk, arms, and shoulder girdle.??These exercises may be performed with the most rudimentary of apparatus (bodyweight calisthenic/gymnastic, barbells, dumbbells, med balls, kettlebells, etc)??The key, however, is that the exercises are performed via the appropriate method (such as circuit or serial), the appropriate resistance, for the appropriate durations, and at the appropriate speed of movement to yield the targeted adaptations (in this case oxidative power). A heart rate monitor is an exceptional tool for regulating such a form of exercise.??In regards to developing oxidative power, most of the literature suggests that heart rate zones 60-70% of the maximum are ideal for recovery purposes and at the higher end (70-80%) you will begin to develop the power of the oxidative system. At you progress into the 70th percentile you are still beneath the anaerobic threshold and continuing to develop the power of the oxidative system. ??So, essentially, any form of exercise beneath the anaerobic threshold (which must ultimately be quantified in the laboratory or with technology like the Omega Wave) is stimulating the oxidative process (the lower the intensity the more the restorative the stimulus- the higher the intensity the more developmental the stimulus to the power of the oxidative system)??Specificity to sport is then imparted via the exercises performed and the work/rest intervals.”
Response from Pitt Performance Department
I have to say, it was pretty cool getting such thoughtful responses from so many of my mentors at the time. The take-away here is whether you are a wrestler or not, you should always examine the reason(s) why you are doing the conditioning you are doing. Is it actually helping you gain a performance improvement? Or is it actually hindering your peak? SAPT's tremendous coaches can, of course, help you reach that peak.
Simplicity vs. Complication
The health and fitness industry is notorious for making things more complicated than they need to be. I am guilty of it, you are guilty of it, and everyone you know is guilty of it, or at least has been at some point in time. I think it must be inherent in our nature as humans to find the most complicated solution possible.
Hence the logician, William of Ockham, creating the often-cited principle Occam's Razor in the 14th century, in order to help guide scientists in the development of theoretical models (the razor essentially states that "when you have two competing theories that make exactly the same predictions, the simpler one is the better"). But that's a story, and perhaps a long discussion, for another day.
The more I journey down the path of my own training, and help an increasing number of people journey down their own respective paths of physical training and preparation, the more I acutely understand the truth of Da Vinci's statement from the image at the top of this post.
Whether your goal is to get stronger, run faster, or lose bodyfat, the simplest solution is usually going to be the most effective. In the age of the internet, where you can pick from any multitude of websites and YouTube videos showcasing the latest and greatest plyometric drills, exercise gimmicks, and fancy schmancy exercises, it's tough to remember that simple is better.
Here are a few quick examples, giving first the problem (and a person's typical proposed solution) along with the simple solution that will be much more effective:
Problem: I want to put on more muscle on my legs. I'm going to do leg extensions, leg curls, walking lunges, static lunges, side lunges, stepback lunges, and then do supersets of each and make sure I do different leg exercises every time I do "leg day." Solution: Put a bar on your back. Now squat it.
Problem: I want to get stronger. I'll follow a conjugated periodization scheme for twelve weeks, and then enter undulated periodization for another month or two, cycling bands and chains in and out of my training. I'll also change up my exercises every week so my body never knows what's coming. Muscle confusion, baby. Solution: Pick a lift. Now put a little more weight on the bar each session.
Problem: I can't seem to lose any weight. Maybe I should try intermittent fasting, carb-cycling, do high intensity intervals every day, and switch up my workout one every other week. Solution: Eat more whole, unprocessed foods, and consume less garbage.
Problem: I missed the bench press max attempt I wanted. Was I failing to set my shoulder blades, use leg drive, breathe correctly, or set the bar path in the right direction? I must need to do it again focusing on one of those things, or is it something else I'm not doing? Solution: The weight's too heavy.
Problem: I want to improve my 1-mile time, become an elite-level Olympic lifter, do a powerlifting meet, and get absolutely shredded. Solution: How about pick just one. Then we'll get started.
Problem: I've hit a plateau in my training, I always feel so tired and can't seem to improve the weight I'm using on the bar, even though my partner is helping me do forced reps. Do I need a different periodization scheme, or should I order some specialty bars? Solution: Stop lifting to failure.
Problem: I've heard sandbag training is the secret for preparing for mixed martial arts. The ever-shifting sand challenges the core, consistently attacks different muscle groups from all angles as the bag moves around, and is really sport-specific. Solution:Uh, no.
Problem: I want to improve my squat, it just doesn't seem very good. I'll switch it up between speed-strength work, squats vs. bands, squats vs. chains, box squats, anderson squats from pins, and cycle the volume and intensity each week. Solution: Go into the gym. Squat. Do it again.
Problem: I'm a skinny guy and I can never seem to put on any weight. I really want to put on mass. Maybe I'm not following the right bodybuilding routine, or maybe I'm not doing enough exercises and total volume. Do I need to lift six days a week instead of five? Am I missing the magic chest exercise? Doing the wrong "split" routine? Solution: Pick a few barbells lifts and get better at them. Then go home and eat. Eat again. No seriously, eat more; you're not eating enough.*
Problem: I'm depressed. I need to see a psychiatrist, delve into my social and emotional past, look for triggers, shift my attention-focus, and perhaps read a few books on the matter and attend some support groups. Solution:Eat more bacon.
I'm certainly not implying that simple solutions are analogous to easy. No matter who you are, there comes a point where it's admittedly difficult to train with purpose day in and day out, to continue to push back at the iron on the days it doesn't seem to want to give anything to you, and to eat real foods when you're stressed, tired, and hungry.
But regardless of the situation, making things more complicated than they really are only going to suspend progress. Once you learn to keep things simple, and continue to keep your head up even when crap goes down, then you'll see success like you never have. You might be surprised. Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.
*HINT: You're not eating enough.
Friday Musings: Mental Mondays, Zelda Symphony, Walking into Mordor, and Harry Potter
1. As Sarah mentioned earlier this week, starting on Mondays, we're going to have a pseudo-permanent guest blogger, Brian Levenson, do a "Mental Monday" piece each Monday. Check HERE for a bit more information. Brian's extremely skilled at what he does, and he and I are actually working together on an upcoming project which, to say the least, I'm quite excited about.
I know this means you won't be hearing from me on Mondays for a while, but hey, at least you'll be spared the continual nerd references I can't seem to stop myself from making, right?
2. Speaking of nerdy things. Any of you who have been reading my material on here for an extended period of time know that I have a borderline dangerous love of all things Zelda.
Well, last night, the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) was playing at Wolf Trap, which is America's National Park for the Performing Arts and also just happens to be 30 minutes from my house. And guess what the event was? The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddess. In which the NSO was performing a symphony based on the themes from the game, along with highlighting memorable moments from all the Zelda games on the big screen above the orchestra.
So of course I had to go. And it was amazing. The only thing that could have made it more enjoyable was consuming a Chipotle burrito during the show. Which I did, thank you very much, so it was as good as it gets.
The place was PACKED, with nerds and non-nerds alike, and heck, even if you have no interest in the Zelda series, you'd still enjoy the show as the symphonic movements the the orchestra played were spectacular.
Before the show started, I met the guy in the picture below, who, come to find out, owns the most valuable Link outfit currently on the internet. It's valued at over $2,100 and he fashioned it all by hand himself. He even has chainmail under the cloak....crazy!
3. Guess what fun fact I found out recently?
If you go into GoogleMaps, click on Walking directions, and type in "The Shire" as your origin, and "Mordor" as your destination, a little box pops up saying:
"Caution - One does not simply walk into Mordor"
Hahahaha. Enter #255 why Google is the coolest company ever. I'm sure the programmers over there have a boatload of fun messing around with stuff like that.
4. I recently began reading the Harry Potter series for some fun reading to do in my spare time, and I must say: I'm hooked, and I finally see what all the fuss is about. It makes for a fantastic "cooldown" session when I get home from work around 9pm, and am able to read it for two hours thirty minutes or so before plopping into bed.
I realize I'm - oh I don't know, maybe a decade or two behind on this one - but I can't recommend them highly enough for those of you who haven't read them. J.K. Rowling is obviously a brilliant writer, and I'm continually blown away by her sequencing of events, character development, and the themes she weaves throughout the series.
I honestly can never seem to extricate myself from the book once I get started, and it has become my latest Sunday afternoon pastime. I just began the fifth book (Order of the Phoenix) and I think the only thing I'm regretting about beginning these books is that they have to end at some point.
.....Well, that wraps it up for today. I do apologize for completely inundating today's post with all things dorky. I'll do my best to make it up next week by discussing manly things like chopping wood, blowing up stuff, sports, and lifting heavy things.
Monday Musings: New Facility, Backpacking Europe, and Deadlift Foot Placement
Gotta make this one brief today... 1. I'm thrilled to say that, last Friday, we successfully moved SAPT into our new location last Friday. To those of you who train with us, you can look forward to a climate controlled environment during your next session!
Also, thank you again to all those that came to help us move. Your assistance was MUCH appreciated, and we're extremely grateful that you gave up your time on Friday to aid us.
Our new address is 3160 Unit E, Spring Street, Fairfax, Va 22031.
2. This October, I'll be fulfilling a childhood dream of mine by going backpacking in Europe. Thanks to pretty much the most awesome boss, SAPT team, and wife, that I could ask for, I'm able to take a couple weeks off to backpack through Ireland, Switzerland, and Italy.
Needless to say, I'm already as giddy as a little schoolgirl for October to arrive, as I've been literally dreaming about it (and slowly, very slowly....been saving up for it) since I was twelve years old.
For those interested, I'll be glad to share more details in the future, but for now I did want to share one of the things I'm most excited about: Canyoning in Interlaken, Switzerland.
One of my good buddies did this last year, and told me it was literally the experience of a lifetime. Basically, you take a bus up right into the heart of the Swiss Alps, and then repel, jump off, and slide down the canyons and waters of Switzerland to return to the bottom.
Here is a video of what I'll be doing, you can catch the gist of it in the first 45 seconds of the vid:
While in Switzerland, we also plan on visiting Schilthorn, the breathtaking summit of Burnese Alps, upon which a revolving restaurant sits. The restaurant, Piz Gloria, was actually a setting used during the old James Bond Film, On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Here's a picture of the location:
Needless to say the entire experience will be pretty surreal and I'm definitely open for suggestions from those of you who may have traveled Europe before.
3. My friend Tony Gentilcore recently uploaded a brief video explaining the "ideal" foot placement for deadlifting. Given that he discusses what is easily one of the most common mistakes I see (both in commercial gyms and in people entering SAPT for the first time), I thought I'd share it here:
Hope everyone is having a great start to the week!
