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

"First: What It Takes to Win" by Rich Froning [Book Review]

As someone who loves fitness, I am also a strong supporter of CrossFit. I have nothing but respect for individuals who continuously challenge not only their physical capabilities, but also their mental capacities as well. It is no easy feat completing one CrossFit Workout of the Day (WOD), much less competing in and winning the Crossfit Games. That admiration is only one of the reasons why I look up to the many Crossfit athletes, and in particular, Rich Froning Jr. Rich began as a CrossFit unknown who did not even imagine making it past the first day of the CrossFit Sectionals in 2010. But by the end of it all, he was runner-up to the 2010 Fittest Man on Earth, Graham Holmberg. And from then on, he only went up.

But much like many other fans, I only knew Rich Froning as the "CrossFitter." As the dark horse turned number one target. As the two-time Fittest Man on Earth. So when he released his autobiography titled First: What It Takes to Win on June 21st, 2013, it only took me a couples days before I downloaded the e-book version onto my Kobo. And after taking only another couple days to finish reading it, I can say that I admire Rich for more than being an extremely talented athlete. I admire him for his hard work, his ambition, his drive, and his passion to serve the Lord. I am not a religious person, but I do believe in Rich's message that there is more to life than serving yourself. And there is more to Rich Froning Jr. than the title of the Fittest Man on Earth.

To keep from spoiling the book, I'll keep the summary brief. It began with a foreword written by Dave Castro, Co-Director of CrossFit, and soon launched into the story that changed the life of Rich Froning. If you want to know what that is, you better read the book!

Following that, Rich organized his book in a fairly chronological way. First included narratives about how his childhood, and his family has contributed to who he is today. It was nice that Rich was not afraid to invite the reader into reliving the personal struggles that he faced. There was also in-depth retelling of his journey that eventually led to competing in three CrossFit Games, and the recollection of each stage of the competitions. Although Rich did a great job in defining CrossFit terms, I felt that an average gym-goer, or someone unfamiliar with these movements would not have truly understood the tenacity of those workouts.

In addition to insight into "Rich the CrossFitter", he also explained his journey to spirituality. Often when authors discuss religion, it comes off as being too "preachy." But that was not the case here. Instead, it felt more like Rich was merely talking about what he believed in, and why.

The latter sections of the book talked a bit about his gym, CrossFit Mayhem, and his workout "routine," and diet. And to cap it all off, First was sealed with pictures and some other CrossFit related information regarding definitions and classic workouts.

Overall, it was an interesting and fairly easy read. As someone who has watched many interviews of Froning, it comes as no surprise that Rich Froning is a genuine guy who worked his ass off to get to where he is today. Much like other athletes, he is competitive, but at the same time he is also humble about his success.

To those interested, Rich has once again captured a spot to compete in the 2013 CrossFit Games. This year's games are held from July 22-28, so don't forget to tune in! There's nothing more motivating than watching amazing individuals give it their all in each and every workout.

I'll leave you with a quote from Chapter 21 (page 7 of 14): "Every day begins with the potential of learning something new about myself-- that ability to say, 'You mean I could have been doing this the whole time?'"

Until next time,

C