No Music Workout

For the past few weeks, I have been lifting without music. Now, granted, I am still plugged in during my runs, but that's about it.

It's no secret that there have been studies that cite the benefits of listening to music during a workout, and I'm not here to challenge them. However, I am saying that based on my personal experience with this little experiment so far, I've found that I am able to workout with greater concentration and at a higher intensity than before. Perhaps this is all in my head. Much of life is psychological - it's all a mental game. But, I cannot deny the improvements that I have made, especially in terms of the increase in weights I am lifting.  (Yes, girls lift. And yes, I will make a post about this another time).

So, I am challenging you to give it a try. Put your music player away, and really try to make a connection between your mind and your body. Concentrate on each movement -- the contractions of your muscles, your breathing. Focus your mind solely on your body without the distraction of having music blaring in your ears. Some of you are going to scoff at this and say that music helps to push you, to motivate you, to get you to do that final rep. But we all know that fitness is about more than your body. It's not just about having a strong body. It's also about developing a strong mind. There is no way you would have the discipline to workout consistently, or to eat healthily without mental toughness. Impossible. So before you decide to mock this music-less experiment, give it a shot. Let your mind push you, motivate you, get you to do that final rep. Work on improving not only your physical and physiological health, but also your mental health. Be in control of your own mind, and stop letting external forces be the driving force behind your progress. And like I said, perhaps the success of this theory is dependent upon my own belief in this system. If that is so, it means that my mind is the driving force behind this increased concentration and intensity. And if that's true, what's stopping you?

Try it. Give it two weeks. What do you have to lose?

Until next time,

C

The Importance of Rest

As much as I am an advocate of constantly working towards becoming one step closer to achieving your goals, I'm also a strong believer in finding time to recharge your batteries. It's impossible to keep going and going without eventually burning yourself out. Unfortunately, we don't run like the Duracell bunny. We're human. We can only go so long and so far until we hit our breaking point.

So, the point of today's post is to remind you to find time for yourself. If you don't have time, make time. Rest and recovery are as equally important as the steps you take in actively becoming a stronger version of yourself. Everyone has their own ways of recharging. Some meditate, or go for long drives, or hang out with friends. For me, it's all about finding complete solitude. It's about isolating myself and being able to hear myself think. I'm very much an introverted individual, and sometimes, it becomes overwhelming and draining to have to spend so much time around many different people. I guess that's one of the reasons why I love working out, and running in particular. It's just another opportunity for me to be alone, and to fully reconnect with myself.

Anyways, I'm going to keep this post short. Just remember that even when you feel like you have a million things to do, always try to make time for yourself. Nothing-- no goal, no accomplishment, no desire, can ever be so important that you need to sacrifice your own well-being.

Until next time,

C

CrossFit Games 2013: The Fittest on Earth

I am so glad that tomorrow is finally Friday, and that we have a long weekend coming up! Been feeling physically and mentally drained, so I'm definitely looking forward to having some down time.

I originally planned to post this for Motivation Monday, but other things came up. This is a bit delayed, but it really doesn't hurt to share about people who motivate and inspire me to be better. If you were unaware, the 2013 CrossFit games ended this past Sunday. Since I do not have ESPN2, I watched it online. If you want to check it out, go to the official CrossFit Games website.

And now, here are pictures of the 2013 Fittest Man & Woman on Earth. It takes hard work, dedication, and determination to even make it to the Games. Now imagine how difficult it must be to not only compete in it, but to end up taking home the title. These athletes are pushed both physically and mentally, and endure three gruelling workouts a day during the competition. Regardless of where these athletes faced, they are all incredible. When I watch them compete and give it everything they've got each and every time, I can't think of anything more motivating. And now, here are a couple of the most badass athletes around.....

Samantha Briggs in the Cinco I at the 2013 CrossFit Games

Rich Froning in the Cinco II at the 2013 CrossFit Games

There is obviously a lot more that I want to say about these athletes, and about the CrossFit Games in general, but that will have to do for now. Just amazing individuals with qualities that I admire so much-- qualities that I'm still working to achieve. 

Work hard, and never stop striving for greatness.

Until next time,

C

Making Time For What's Important

It's no secret that many people often complain that they cannot find the time to exercise-- that they cannot find the time to work towards their fitness/health goals. This is a valid argument, especially for those struggling to make ends meet. However, that is still nothing more than an excuse. Think about why so much time is dedicated to working. For most, it's because of the end goal-- money. So it would be safe to say that people spend so much time working because of how much they prioritize money. Now, if you were to apply that same ideal to fitness, wouldn't you get the same result? In other words, what if you just shifted your priorities around? You're still going to have the same number of hours a day, but it's how you spend that time that makes a difference. The only way you'll have time is if you make time. But of course, who's going to make time for something they do not find important? No one.

The key to prioritizing is spending the time to figure out what you want. I'm not here to tell you what to do. Rather, I just want to offer ideas/suggestions for you to consider. Figure out if leading a healthy, fit life is what you want. Think about how such a lifestyle would affect you. And realize that you need your mind to believe these things before you will actually stick to it.

If you decide that this is what you want, then make a plan. You need to write down how you're going to break up your time, ie how you're going to reach your goals. The most important part of having a plan is to be able to hold yourself accountable. It doesn't matter if you don't feel like carrying out the plan, you need to do it anyways. There's a saying that most people fail right before they succeed, and that's true. People quit when the going gets tough, or when they "don't feel like it" anymore. But you can't do that. You need to put in the work, and know that it will pay off. Just trust the process. Trust that each time you complete a single step in you plan, you are that much closer to reaching your goal.

As I've mentioned in my last post, things are pretty busy on my end, and will be this way for the next 5-6 months. But I've made a plan, and I've been executing this plan. So the following is what my 7-day week looks like.

Anyways, I hope this gives you an idea of how to make a proper schedule/plan that will ultimately guide you in achieving your goals.

Until next time,

C

Update

Life has been pretty hectic lately. From working 40 hours a week, to volunteering, to working out 4 times a week, to studying for my LSAT, to trying to get in a decent number of hours of sleep an night;  I'd say my schedule is pretty jammed pack. I'm not complaining though. Amidst the seemingly shorter days, I know that sticking to my prescribed routine will require a lot of discipline. It's not easy going to bed when the sun is still out, or to sit in an office when you know you could be at the beach. But that's all part of being disciplined, and staying true to your commitments. And of course, it's also about realizing that there are going to be times when you do things not because you want to, but because you need to. It's about doing the right things in order to get to where you want to be.

This idea of discipline and remaining committed has been discussed in my post "The Lack of Motivation is an Excuse for the Weak." So because of that, I'm not going to get into that again.

I guess the point of this post is to provide a little bit of an update. I haven't posted since I started my new job, so thought it was about time.

And I'll leave you with this quote:

"A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life" 

-- Charles Darwin

Stay busy, and keep trying to improve yourself each and every day.

Until next time,

C