fat loss

Is Sitting is the New Smoking? Is Strong is the New Skinny?

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Spend a few minutes scrolling through your news feed on Facebook, you’ll inevitably come across someone posting spirited words of inspiration.

Diagram A:

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Diagram B:

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Very spirited posts indeed.

Let’s start with “strong is the new skinny”…

I recently read a Huffington Post article that made a great number of points about the concept that “strong is the new skinny”.  I have to say that I agree with many of the points made in the article.  I felt that the author made some really good points that seemed to be deeply tied to her preferences.

I’ve never preached skinny.  I actually think that “thinning out”, “getting skinny”, “slimming down” are all as annoying as “strong is the new skinny”.  Strong definitely is strong.

What’s even cooler than saying that “strong is strong” is building up a person’s confidence to the point that they are about to explode with ambition, drive and the pursuit of their own form of greatness.  Whether “getting skinny” or “getting strong” is the path to jump starting a person’s legacy, it doesn’t matter to me.  Use whatever fuel gets you moving.

I once trained a 12-year old hockey player in Detroit, MI, who will remain nameless.  At 12 years of age, most males are just starting to figure out their bodies, muscles, etc.  They are on the brink of puberty, so this makes sense.

This young man was one of my favorite training sessions of the week, by far. I always looked forward to working this kid because I could tell that he didn’t have much confidence, and his Mom- after a few training sessions- praised my efforts by telling me that her son really looked up to me as a coach.  I praised him every chance I got.  High-five’s, knuckles, shouting and clapping when he succeeded was my formula.    As with any enjoyable client, his strongest trait was that he listened.  He was coachable.  He may have been smaller and weaker than other kids his age, but he was willing to listen to my advice and follow through with my suggestions.

A few months down the road, after never missing a scheduled training session, he walked into our training center smiling from ear to ear.  “I made the Peewee A team (hockey), I am the strongest on the team and a girl at school said I have big muscles”.

Naturally, I laughed, particularly at the end part of his comments.  I was ridiculously proud of this kid.  His entire demeanor had changed over a course of months.  Not necessarily from an introvert to an extrovert, but definitely from a kid that lacked confidence to a kid that realized he could accomplish whatever he wanted if he stuck to the recipe and did the work.

Strong may not be the new skinny, but building strength, both physically and mentally can change a person in a matter of weeks.  You’d be surprised at home many people, kids or grown-ass adults have displayed a new-found confidence from improving that strength, ability to move, performance and most recently… their composition of their body.

So, I really don’t care what you choose to refer to “it” as,  but in this situation, strength is confidence.

 

Next, “Is sitting the new smoking”?

Kelly Starrett thinks that it is, and while Kelly Starrett isn’t god, he is certainly a massively influential face in the movement world right now.  Right up there with Ido Portal.

The truth is that I don’t think that comparing sitting to smoking is really a good comparison.  I understand the message that people are aiming to convey by saying that over-indulging in sitting is kind of like smoking, but sitting is sitting, and smoking is smoking.

Everyone needs to sit at some point.  Quite honestly, I enjoy sitting.  It usually means that I am reading a book, listening to music, watching the waves roll in on a lake, watching NHL hockey (as I am right now) or writing.  All great activities that I thoroughly enjoy.

I don’t punish myself for sitting and nor should you.  However, I also don’t sit 8+ hours day for my career.  That fact, makes me consciously accepting of times that I sit.  I feel that I earned the right to sit, rest my feet, relax and reboot.

The magnitude of the negative effects that sitting has on a person should be related to each person and their unique situation.

If you’re a person that remains seated and stationary during most of the waking day, you probably need to be more conscious of your sitting.  You probably need to move more.  You probably need to consciously focus on an improved posture for sitting.

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Photo credit: bodybuilding.com

You probably need to consider a standing desk (if you can have one where you work or at home), you probably need to take more walking breaks throughout the day.  You also probably need to be more aware of the structural changes taking place with your body as a result of such prolonged periods of sitting.

If you sit too much, you just need to be aware.  Don’t get compulsive about it, just be aware of the events that are taking place as a result of sitting so much.

Also, if you are sitting for prolonged periods, understand that you need to be consistently diligent about off-setting the effects of sitting.  Here are some simple things that you can do:

1)  Open up your thoracic spine using the tennis ball peanut.

2)  Yoga (donate 30-60 minutes of your time, you’ll feel great after)

3)  Rapid circulation (aka:  exercise)

4)  Foam roll aggressively and then hold this stretch…

Although sitting affects us all differently (just like getting punched in the head affects us all differently), the rules of unwinding and off-setting the negative adaptations of sitting can be somewhat generalized and still provide tremendous benefit and relief.  As I have said in the past, our bodies are extremely complicated and yet at the same time, extremely predictable.

So is sitting bad?  For some people, yes, it’s a slow road to a whole host of future issues.  But sitting is not evil and there is no need to pull your hair out if you sit down for a while.  Just be aware of how much you are moving around, and do you best to increase it or sustain that movement for the long haul.

Smoking, on the other hand, is terrible.  I cannot think of one benefit that anyone receives from bucking a dart.  I have an orthopedic surgeon colleague that was telling me a story not too long ago about a patient that he saw in his clinic.  This particular patient was in severe pain from bone on bone knee articulation.  Obviously, the average person is supposed to have nice lubricated cushion of meniscus, but this lady had worn through her cushion.  So, bone on bone grinding was taking its place.

Surgeons do extensive health checks for any patient that is a candidate for total joint replacement.  Upon conducting a health check on this lady, it was identified that she was a heavy smoker.  By heavy, I am talking about a pack of cigarettes per day, if not more.  This is common for orthopedic surgeons to see during consults.

After taking this patient’s knee through range of motion tests, exhaustive questioning about symptoms and an evaluation of her x-rays, the doctor told the patient that she was in fact over-due for a knee replacement.

“I would like to see you again in a week for another series of tests so we can properly schedule your surgery”, the surgeon told her.

“Another visit?!  I can’t afford that!”, the patient responded.

“Why is that?  It’s important to make sure that you’re able to make it through the surgery, it’s in your best interest ma’am”, said the doctor.

“I won’t be able to buy my cigarettes if I have to drive down to the clinic again”, the patient said.

The irony in this story is that the patient had terrible bone quality from smoking, diabetes and no meniscus in her knee from her lack of activity and her weight.

But she just couldn’t give up those cigarettes.

Sitting is not smoking and smoking is not sitting.

 

 

Cheers to moving more, sitting less and the pursuit of your greatest self!

KG

A Quick (and effective) Kettlebell Swing + Bodyweight Movement Workout

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I’ve started to trend some of my posts toward topics that people are searching for in Google, which I am informed of on my blog.  You cannot see these stats and search terms, but I can, so advantage to me!

I won’t sell out and write what I think will drive more traffic to this blog (a lot of fitness bloggers do), but I am interested in what kind of traffic numbers will arrive if I direct some of my posts toward the needs of the people.  My goal has always been to write authentically and reach as many people as possible.  We will see how it turns out.

Ha, listen to me… “The needs of the people”.

Photo Credit: tv.com

Photo Credit: tv.com

I sound like I should run for city office, or city treasurer on Boardwalk Empire.

Anyways, I put myself through what I would consider an intermediate workout tonight.

This workout was heavily centered around kettlebell swings, and supplemented with various other bodyweight movements.  I feel like “supplemented” is the proper terminology in this particular situation, as you’ll see from the workout below.

The bodyweight movements that separate the kettlebell swings are nothing more than filler exercises used to keep my heart rate elevated in between bouts of swings.  More muscles worked, more calories burned during and after training.

I tend to choose both upper and lower body bodyweight movements to disperse the training stress to  more of a total body approach.  Splitting the movements to upper and lower allows for a brief period of training stress directed at a specific movement pattern (horizontal push, squat, vertical pull, etc) without exhausting that pattern completely.  This allows for intelligent fatigue management during other bodyweight movements and more importantly during kettlebell swings.

When fatigue sets in, technique gets ugly, people are exposed to bad habits and injury.

So, without blabbing any further, here is the structure of the workout, please notice that it is very similar to the multi-method cardio approach:

sample kettlebell and bodyweight workout

A couple of points…

First, there is a lot of work being done here, as you can see.  There is a lot of muscle being stressed and the rest is light.  A workout like this could be a complete training session for a beginner or an intermediate, or scaled up for an advanced lifter.  Scaling up for an advanced trainee might involve a bump up in bodyweight exercise progression or adding a weight vest to those movements.  It’s all a matter of tweaking the variables based on your unique situation and needs.

Second, I kept the reps to even numbers, 10’s and 20’s.  Why?  Because it is annoying having to check your notebook after every movement.  I want you to be focused on what you’re doing during the training session not counting reps like people count food calories.  Focus on your movement, your breathing, your recovery.  Forget about complicated rep schemes… I have plenty of those that I will post in good time.

Third, go sub-maximal but not too light on your kettlebell swings.  Grab a bell that you could swing for 30 reps and focus on hip snap during those suggested 20 reps.  Guys you might grab a 24kg or a 28kg, gals you might grab a 16kg or a 20kg.  Both guys and gals, you’re allowed to grab more or less than that, but on average, males and females will use those weights.

Remember, don’t gauge your energy expenditure on the first set of swings because you’ve got 3 more sets of swings and 4 different bodyweight movements lying ahead.  Manage your fatigue appropriately.  If you have a heart rate monitor, I would suggest using it to check you heart rate.  Of course, you’d want to already have an idea of the beats per minute that separate you from exhibiting crappy movement technique.  When you reach that heart rate, you can back off, rest for a few seconds, then get back into the workout once you can control and OWN the movement.

Why 20 reps of swings?  Because I personally feel that anything more than that really doesn’t provide much benefit other than poor technique (lack of finishing in full hip extension, slouching, etc) and a rising risk of losing the bell on the backswing or at the highest point of the arc.  One slip will kill your pet or put a hole in your wall, and the other will destroy your brand new LED TV.

20 reps (or less depending on your conditioning level) seems to allow for a sufficient elevation in heart rate without making the swings pointless from lack of load and endless volume.  There will be plenty of work performed in this training session, it doesn’t all need to be accomplished with kettlebell swings.

If you’re bored with your typical cardio routine, I would highly recommend giving a workout like this a real shot.  You will be pleasantly surprised at how hard your cardiovascular is taxed during a training session like the one described below.  20 minutes seems to be the sweet spot for me.  I have tested up to 30+ minutes of work like this, and it just doesn’t work for a couple of reasons…

1)  I feel like I am just going through the motions with regard to loading (aka weight used).

2)  I feel like I am adding  volume for an unjustified purpose.

These days, workouts like this serve as a great follow-up to my 2-day on/1-day off training schedule.

Day 1 is a heavily focused on strength work with a splash of jump rope or Airdyne cardio work, while day 2 (this workout) is dedicated to sub-maximal movements strung together to work cardio-strength (traditional strength moves with incomplete rest periods).

Ultimately, the goal is to stay physically prepared until I shift my training toward a particular goal.

Also, although the 20-25 minutes of work being completed in a workout are definitely stressful and draining, I feel as though it’s a short enough bout that allows for adequate recovery between training sessions, avoiding over-training.  The full 24+ hours of rest is also a motivating factor to work hard during this type of training session.  The rest day is just that… a rest and recovery day.

Be a perfectly golden marshmallow at the end, not a crusted black scabby marshmallow.

Give it a shot and let me know how you make out!

Cheers to short effective bouts of exercise!

Kyle

Hang In There… The Kettlebell Clean is a Great Exercise and an Acquired Taste

Quick Tips

The kettlebell clean is an acquired taste, for sure.

It reminds me of a craft beer drinkers first sips of an I.P.A. or a Double I.P.A.  Do you remember the bitter beer face commercials?

One quick search on the old Dragon Door article library or the new StrongFirst forum, and people will praise the hell out of this move, but I am here to warn you up front, you might not enjoy this exercise at first.

It’s an acquired taste.

Both from a technique standpoint and a “Why the hell would I choose this exercise over kettlebell swing variations, kettlebell snatches, weighted jump squats or even barbell cleans”?… standpoint.

For quite some time, I wasn’t exactly sure what significant purpose kettlebell cleans served.

At that time, the kettlebell clean seemed more like a sweet little method to move the kettlebell from the floor up to the rack position, and not much more than that.

Photo credit: FitBomb

Photo credit: FitBomb

In case you’re not familiar, the rack position describes a static posture where the bell rests for a given amount of time (split second or for multiple seconds) against the chest with elbow tucked tightly to the side.

Also, at that time, my timing was way off with the kettlebell clean.  I was mostly pulling the bell up from between my legs using my upper extremities, and flipping it over the top of my knuckles.  Obviously, the upper body does have some involvement in most kettlebell training, but one of the main principles of any ballistic kettlebell movement is hip snap.  I have always viewed “hip snap” as the slang terminology for aggressive/powerful extension of the hips.

Kettlebell drills like swings, snatches and cleans all thrive off of aggressive hip extension, or hip snap to catapult the bell through its trajectory/range of motion.

[Improving your ability to aggressively extend your hips is incredible for sport performance and fat loss.  The research on the influence that kettlebell swings has on body fat elimination has been growing rather consistently in recent months.  Anyone that has spent any time working out with kettlebells in a dedicated manner will no doubt give the nod to kettlebell training (specifically swings, cleans, snatches) and its dramatic effect on fat loss.  Almost to the point of zero dietary intervention.  That’s not to say that you shouldn’t pursue higher standards of eating… because you should.]  

Ok, back to kettlebell cleans.  Originally, I didn’t like them.  I just didn’t see the value.  Swings (moving the bell to about sternum height) provided a noticeably large training stimulus that mimicked an explosive deadlift and kettlebell snatches (moving the kettlebell overhead) worked very similar to dumbbell snatches, which are amazing for building uni-lateral explosive power.

But kettlebell cleans seemed like the red-headed step child (forgive my joke if this offends anyone).  I kept asking myself,  “What are they good for?”

I never felt like I was achieving anything while practicing the kettlebell clean.  The hip snap didn’t feel like it was present, and quite frankly, it didn’t seem like it really needed to be present in order to execute the clean.  So then what?

Again, as I stated early in this post, the clean (to me) felt like an efficient method to transport the kettlebell vertically to the rack position so that I could set up for other exercises like:  squats, overhead pressing or carries.

Eventually, I made the decision to work on my clean technique in a diligent manner.  I also spent some time combing over the forums and articles from trusted resources for to increase my understanding of what the kettlebell clean is and why it was important.

Here’s a messy synopsis of what I found…

From a basic observation, I thought of the kettlebell clean as a variation of the swing, and still do.  Obviously the motion is different, but hiking the kettlebell through the legs, moving forward into an arcing pattern is very similar to that of the kettlebell swing.  However this arching pattern is interrupted as the hand/arm pulls the bell much tighter to the anterior (front) aspect of the body than the arc of the kettlebell swing.  Some people will refer to this as “taming the arc”.

You can read more about “taming the arc” from this excerpt:

Kettlebell Taming the Arc

Once the bell begins its ascent vertically to the chest, this is where most people will get lost, as I did.

Why?  Because in the time that it takes to blink your eyes, the bell needs to transition from a prone (hand over the top) grip to a neutral grip (palm toward the midline of the body) with the kettlebell nestled partially against the forearm and chest, at armpit height.  The entire sequence happens really quickly.

The most common mistake here is “flipping” the bell.  Technically, it’s incorrect yes, but the bigger mistake is that flipping the bell over the hand is essentially beating yourself with the greatest mass of the kettlebell.  Kettlebells are constructed of dense cast iron so… it hurts.  Once the bell flips over the hand, the only object to stop its motion is your body, and this can be painful.  If you’ve played contact sports, the sensation of the bell impacting your body will be eerily similar to the impact of another human hitting you.

So what is supposed to happen?

Around waist height, the bell begins to turn over and rotate.  It’s a combination of both.  The only way to successfully accomplish this, is to relax your grip and allow the kettlebell to turn over/rotate around your forearm.  I said RELAX, NOT LET GO.  Your hand position changes on the bell, without your hand ever leaving the bell.  I use the terminology turn over/rotate because I feel this is the best description of what happens to the kettlebell as it transitions into the rack position hand position changes on the bell, without your hand ever leaving the bell.

This “relaxed” grip was uncomfortable for me at first.  It didn’t feel natural to loosen a grip and relax while dynamically swinging a 53lb piece of cast iron.  I am sure that you might feel the same way when you give this movement a go.  It can be unsettling for the first few reps.  Make sure that your hands are dry and free of any grease.

Chalking your hands is a great technique for improving hand/grip integrity kettlebell training, although chalking can be messy for you house over time.  Check out this Metolius Eco Ball chalk bag that really helps to save yourself the hassle of cleaning up chalk mess.

But, like anything other new stimulus or skill, consistent practice will move your  technique of the clean from completely foreign to second nature.

Filming my kettlebell clean (which I encourage you to do always) revealed that I wasn’t initiating my turn over/rotation of the bell soon enough.  I was attempting to mimic the barbell clean, where the hands and elbows (and body) move under the vertical moving barbell above waist level.

Again, if you attempt to “flip” the kettelbell above waist level you’re going to get some tough love from the bell in the form of a shot to the chest/shoulder.  As long as you don’t hurt yourself, this type of feedback is probably a good thing, as there will be no question that your timing is off.

The kettlebell should park itself into the rack position rather peacefully.

The kettllebell clean is a “steering strength” movement that requires adequate attention for successful completion.

You might start out despising it like I did and end up loving it as I do now.

A series of simple tips that can help you out:

  • In the beginning feel free to learn using a lighter bell.  This is important.
  • Quickly move into a heavier kettlebell that demands some  hip snap to make the bell move.  Otherwise, you may find yourself “muscling” the bell as I was.
  • Work the single arm kettlebell clean until you feel you are proficient with technique at heavier weights.  Forget about “work capacity” training while you are learning, learn it first, don’t get ahead of yourself.
  • Once you’re moving a heavier kettlebell (32kg men/24kg women), consider transitioning into the double kettlebell clean, which will require attention to be paid to both arms and an increase in hip snap to move the bells to the rack position.
  • Practice, practice, practice.

On a positive note, if decide to dedicate some time and practice into learning the kettlebell clean, you’re going to find great carryover to all of your other lifts also (kettlebell swings, presses, etc).  The move requires timing and coordination, but improving both will boost your performance and your results in the race to lose fat.

The clean is nothing that I thought it was and everything that I thought that it wasn’t.  I have been pleasantly surprised and challenged by its technique and it’s purpose inside of a balanced strength and conditioning program.  I highly suggest that you work it for yourself and see how it benefits you.

 

 

Cheers to kettlebell cleans babies!

KG

The RKC Deep Six Kettlebell Workout

Kettlebell Training

 

The RKC Deep Six Kettlebell Workout is movement challenge that creates a potent cardio and strength training effect using six of the best kettlebell exercises. 

  • Snatch
  • Swing
  • Clean and Press
  • Squat
  • Turkish Get-Up

There are hundreds, if not thousands of kettlebell exercise variations stemming from these six exercises.  

The “original 6” kettlebell exercises create the foundation on which pretty much all other results-based kettlebell training is built.  

For the home gym, this type of training is perfect.    

The RKC Deep Six Kettlebell Workout ONLY requires 1 kettlebell and leverages HIGH VALUE exercises.  

The RKC Deep Six Workout

The RKC Deep Six Workout leverages the effectiveness of the six premiere kettlebell exercises.  

Snatch, swing, clean and press, squat and Turkish Get Ups.  

Here’s what the workout looks like.

Screen Shot 2020-07-29 at 8.20.49 AM

Workout Structure

Each movement is performed in the order above, 1 through 5, starting with snatches.

Complete 5 snacthes, move to 5 reps of single-arm swings, then 5 reps of clean to press, and so on.

Each exercise must be performed on BOTH SIDES OF THE BODY before advancing to the next exercise.

Again, the exercise order and repetition structure of The RKC Deep Six Kettlebell Workout looks the following:

5 Snatches

5 Single Arm Swings

5 Clean to Press

5 Squats

1 Turkish Get-Up

  • 5 reps per exercise (except turkish get-ups) per arm.
  • 3-5 total rounds
  • 1-2 minutes rest after each round.

Turkish get-ups are the only exercise following a different rep structure, 1 rep per side.  

Change hands/sides after the Turkish Get-Up.  

Changing Sides with the Kettlebell 

If possible, transition the kettlebell from side-to-side without letting the kettlebell touch the floor.  

This requires a hand-to-hand swing transition, which looks this:

 

If you’re unfamiliar with hand-to-hand transitioning, don’t worry.   

Slow the kettlebell and set it down.  Pick it up with the other hand and continue the workout.

Rest Periods

Rest periods are an important consideration for training hard and smart.   

Exert, then rest.  Gear up for the next round.

The decision to increase or decrease rest periods will depend on your fitness level and past experience.  

It’s better to start with longer rest periods and shave the rest period duration down as you see fit.  Chase movement quality, not extreme fatigue.    

In general, plan on resting 1-2 minutes between each round.

Hands Dry and Know the Exercises

Keep a towel nearby to dry your hands.

Snatches, swings and clean are all exercises that require a good grip on the kettlebell.

If sweat gets between your hands and the kettlebell, it’s extremely slippery and can result in slippage.  Losing hold of a even a light kettlebell will destroy bones. 

Exclude any exercises you’re unfamiliar with.  I say again, learn all of these exercses in isolation, free of accumulating fatigue and sloppy body position.  

You should be proficient in each of these exercise before trying this workout.

How often should you do this workout? 

You could use this workout 2-3 times a week.  

Monitor your fatigue level and don’t force a workout if it’s not right.  

People get excited about exercise and tend to overdo it.

I’d suggest positioning this workout in with other activities like active mobility training, resistance training, steady-state cardio and plenty of walking.

Yes, walking.  Walking will change your body and life.

Weight

You’ll have to play around with the best weight.  Sounnds like shit advice, but different fitness levels will find different weights challenging.  

Males might want to start with 16kg-24kg.

Females might start with 12kg-20kg.

These are general weight recommendations.  Go heavier or lighter depending on your fitness level.  

Investing in 3 different weight kettlebells is a nice approach.  

A light, medium and heavy option.  This allows for regressing or progressing the load used for an exercise if needed.

Scale this Workout to YOUR Fitness Level

Adaptation to physical stress can occur quickly with discipline and consistency.

If you do the same workout over and over, without your gains will come to a halt.  

Simple ways to INCREASE the difficulty:

  • Increase kettlebell weight
  • Add more reps per exercise
  • Add more rounds per workout
  • Decrease the length of rest periods in between rounds

Did you cruise through all 5 rounds no problem?  Bump up to the next size kettlebell.  Increasing weight is a simple way to challenge your training. 

Conversely, to DECREASE the difficulty, do the exact opposite of the bulleted points above.

  • Decrease kettlebell weight
  • Lower the reps per exercise
  • Lower reps per exercise
  • Remove rounds per workout
  • Increase the length of rest periods in between rounds.

Kettlebell training is brutally effective, and few other gym tools are as versatile. 

The RKC Deep Six Workout is a good example of how effective simple exercises can be.  

You’re getting cardio and strength in one shot, while keeping the workout time efficient.   

Forget spending hours in the gym.  

Turkish Get Up Favoritism

Turkish Get Ups are a game-changing exercise.  

TGUs are my go-to movement for building total body strength.

They’re incredible.  Maybe a little more of a learning curve, but well worth familiarizing.

👉 Read more about one of my favorite TGU and swing workouts here.

 

Learn more about kettlebell training

👉 Kettlebell Swings|Benefits and Workout Ideas

👉 3 Fresh Turkish Get Up Variations

👉 Kettlebell Clean – Press – Squat Combination

 

A Great Trick for Stationary Bike Workouts to Boost Conditioning

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Stationary Biking

The stationary bike is not the devil.

Riding the stationary bike might be on the lower end of eventfullness  and brutally repetitive, but it is not the devil.

I’m about to share completely unscientific and unsupported Jedi Mind trick for your next stationary bike workout that will boost your conditioning efforts.

I use it extensively in my home training sessions on my trusty Schwinn Airdyne.  If you’ve read any of my work in the past, you know by now that I believe that the Airdyne (yes the old school Schwinn Airdyne) is one of the best conditioning tools on the market.

Browse on Craigslist and I best you can find one dirt cheap.

Craigslist Schwinn Airdyne

It’s well worth the investment assuming you give it a little TLC to ensure that the nuts and bolts stay tight and the chain is lubed.

But you don’t need the almighty Schwinn Airdyne to reap the benefits of making this simple switch to increase the effectiveness of your biking sessions.

The fact is, although it might not be the BEST option, you can get yourself into excellent cardiovascular shape by riding the stationary bike on a regular basis.  At the very least, you can lay a great foundation of conditioning to build from.  If you’re a runner, you might find that the carryover from the bike to the pavement isn’t the greatest, as it really isn’t.

The demands of running and cycling are different.  Just because you are efficient at one doesn’t mean you’ll be efficient at the other.  Look at Lance Armstrong’s (all doping aside) plunge into the running world.  A lot of people thought based on lab statistics that he could finish quite high in the marathons that he ran, but this just wasn’t the case.  Lance was quoted to say post-marathon, “that was the most challenging thing I’ve ever done”.

Interesting don’t you think.?

But anyways, the stationary bike is a low impact alternative to other higher impact methods of cardio such as running.  Running also isn’t the devil, but high impact all of the time can agitate and overwhelm a person’s body.  The stationary bike becomes a valid alternative in these situations, and with the properly prescribed training session, it delivers.

At some point, despite your personal preferences, you may find yourself forced to ride a stationary bike, and I am here to tell you that it really doesn’t have to be a nightmare.  Embrace it, make the best of the situation.  Put in your headphones and get to it.

As mentioned in past posts, a person doesn’t need special equipment to leverage the benefits of a workout… but you have to be wiling to adapt on the fly and try something new occasionally.

So, here is a subtle trick for you to squeeze even more out of that dreaded pedal session…

Schwinn Airdyne Ride for Distance Training Protocol

What’s different you ask?

Riding for distance, that’s what.  I want you to ride hard for a distance versus riding for time.

In fact, forget about riding for time, ride for distance for the next 4-weeks.  When you ride for time, people tend to give a much lower effort, just “surviving” against the clock.  A lot of us will quit pedaling well before the clock hits our target work time.  I’m guilty of it.

When you pedal for distance, you want to get the pedaling over with a quickly as possible.  This is a natural tactic that promotes effort beyond what you may have given had you been riding against the hands of the clock.

Although I have a sickening love for the infamous 5-mile Airdyne Trek for time, if I am performing short burst work, I typically keep the distances between .2-.5 miles.  On the big fan, .3 miles typically takes me between 39-45seconds to complete.

That is a long time to be pushing it hard.  Remember to remind yourself not to judge the demands of the workout based on the first set, second set or even the third set either.  As I have said before…

… the fatigue is coming, be patient, it is coming.  

If you are curious about the timing of fatigue in a work capacity style workout, read about the golden marshmallow.  Although that I wasn’t referring to stationary bike conditioning… fatigue is fatigue.  The article still applies.

So as you can see, the concept is beautifully simple.  Switch your target effort markers of hard pedaling from time-based to distance-based.  Spin to that .3 mile mark as hard as possible, then verify the time that it took to get there.

It’s just a simple mind trick and it works.

Give it a shot… reading without implementation will yield the same results.  You have to actually do it to see reward!

Cheers to tricking yourself to boost the reward of your workout investment!

KG

Look! Movement is the Benefit :)

Quick Tips

Screen Shot 2013-08-22 at 6.59.07 PM

Non-traditional movement has been the name of the game lately.

Pure ground based locomotion and flow.

It’s not that I don’t have time for more mainstream forms of movement, because I believe in that also,  but I am becoming increasingly intrigued with other methods of movement training.  I almost used the term “time-tested” instead of mainstream.  It might have been a better description, but admittedly, 95% of my personal workout habits and the habits which I recommend to others seeking movement regimens are in fact, mainstream.

A simple blend of squats, lunges, hip dominant hinging, upper body pushing and pulling in a vertical and horizontal fashion will set you up for success.  Add in some chops and lifts and you have got yourself a damn good routine.  It’s all in how you organize it and tweak the variables to best fit your goals.

A squat is a squat, but with a few tweaks here and there, you can make the squat conducive to building a number of different human physical qualities (strength, endurance, power, etc), all completely different from each other.

Always remember, in the beginning… establish mobility, establish stability in that new-found range of motion, then begin the process of building strength.

It’s a layering effect.

This is a recipe that works every single time for the person that is willing to be diligent in their training efforts.

Are you that person?

Because here is the reality:  Movement works every single time.  100% effective.  It’s people that fall short.

Movement works.  People don’t do the work.  Shame on us.

Over the past few weeks, I have progressively integrated more and more Ido-style movements into my pre-work training block.  Maybe I shouldn’t refer to these movements as “Ido-invented” (after watching some of his videos he probably would deny they are his but were there from the beginning of time), but he was one of the first (and still the best that I’ve seen) to make sense of less mainstream forms of movement.

He is a mover, in every sense of the word.

From one-arm hand stands and other hand balancing, single arm chin ups, planches and twice bodyweight back squats, Ido can move with flow and move load if necessary.

Planche training

Planche

I keep referring to Ido’s teachings as “movement”, and that’s because it is.  He neither specializes nor generalizes.

I guess I never really stopped and thought about it, but most of what is published and preached today is purely about fitness.  Even Yoga, with it’s cult like following, doesn’t necessarily make a person MOVE better.  It might help a person increase flexibility and improve range of motion, but it doesn’t guarantee that you will move better.

You have to practice movement to improve your ability to move.

Now, I will say that I don’t necessarily believe that the mere act of practicing movement is going to grant you access to better movement.  It may open a few doors to becoming a better mover, but I also think that each person needs to be real with themselves and their own situation.  Some folks have got some real compensations, imbalances and dysfunction going on.  Who knows where or how these issues manifested themselves (a lot are from sitting too long) but they are there, so it may be completely necessary to address these movement restrictions before you’ll ever be a great mover, or even an average mover.

The Functional Movement Screen is a great system for evaluating yourself, and your ability to move.  Why?  Because it is systematic.  You grade your movement quality, and lesser quality scores in any given movement pattern has a roadmap of corrective drills that you can use to clean up that movement pattern.  In essence, you can correct faulty movement rather quickly.

Realistically, you can perform a poor man’s movement screen at home on yourself.  It will always be better to have a knowledgeable FMS certified trainer evaluate you, but hey, we can DIY.

Use a big mirror or better yet film yourself performing the tests from the movement screen.  Don’t feel dumb filming, you can delete it immediately.  The filming of your movement capabilities is extremely valuable.  What you “think” you’re doing isn’t always what you actually doing movement-wise.

Take your video and compare it to some perfect screens (which you can easily find on YouTube) and take note of the differences.  Most people will notice that their overhead squat is a lacking, rotational stability nearly impossible to complete and the inline lunge makes you feel like you’re balancing on a tight rope.

Cleaning up these patterns will make you a better mover, and probably decrease the likelihood that your dysfunction manifests itself into an injury.

However, cleaning up the screen doesn’t mean that you’ll all of the sudden be a great mover.  You have to practice moving to be a great mover.  Are you sick of me saying move?  Mover?  Movement yet?  Sit tight I’ll drop those terms a bunch more in the coming paragraphs.

In many cases, I have substituted ground based crawling variations (supine and prone) and walks in  place of my go-to dynamic warm up.  I haven’t felt like I am sacrificing anything by doing so.  My joints still move through a full range of motion and my muscles are activated in a low-impact fashion.  I would even argue that my time is being maximized by practicing my movement flow using Ido’s training drills versus my standard cookie cutter warm up.

I’ve actually exited many of these warm-ups in a pool of sweat, even before beginning what I would consider to be the “work” portion of my session.  Interesting.

I’ve quickly found that I am ridiculously weak in certain positions, uncoordinated and all around uncomfortable as I work in some of the Ido Portal warm-up drills and ground based training.  It’s an ego check for sure, especially since he refers to many of these flow-like drills as being “beginner”.  Ha!  Soreness has also been a product of the unfamiliar movements, although it’s never a goal.  Unfamiliar movements almost always produce soreness because your body hasn’t experienced it yet.

I am reminded – as I continue to force myself to become more vulnerable by the day with Ido’s training idealogy- of how a newbie to the workout scene feels at first.  It’s an emotional uppercut showing up to a personal training session or a group class (even training by yourself behind closed doors) knowing that you’re going to struggle to complete what is being asked of you.

But the key is to keep coming back.  Keep grinding.  Keep learning.  Realize that it’s a process, just like everything else.  And as a process, you’ve got to work at it, consistently and in a focused manner.  Leave your feelings at the door and work.

We’ve become detached from our bodies and desensitized to our physical abilities.  In fact, many of us no longer have a relationship with our body, and our physical abilities.  Things that we could easily do as kids are now foreign and seemingly impossible.  But all of that can be regained.

One major takeaway from the my small bit of reading Ido’s work is this:  We’ve got to establish a lifelong relationship with our movement.  Every one of us.  We will all start at different points and need different adjustments along the way- and this makes sense because we are all individually unique- but you’ve got to make sure that you start and find a way to make it stick.

Enjoy the challenge of learning new physical skills.  Embrace the frustrations and work out the solutions on your own.  If you find yourself stuck, hop on the computer or tablet and search out a solution.  The internet is packed with incredible free information that can get you where you need to go.

I suck at many of Ido’s locomotion drills right now.  I’ll admit that.  I filmed myself and I look stiff and the opposite of gracefully.  But that will change with time and practice.  It’s frustrating to know that I am practicing something that I am not good at (yet).

I think many people may find that they actually like dedicated workouts more when you a aiming to develop a certain movement skill.  Pursuing skills transforms a person’s daily workouts into a journey instead of a dreaded 60 minutes of robotic physical activity that we feel we need to participate in to chase the idea of “fitness”.

A movement journey may not have an end point.  But that is the beauty of it.  You achieve a goal and begin planning and preparation for the next goal.  One day you look back and realize that over the course of time you hopped over barriers that you never imagined you would hurdle.  That’s an incredible feeling to evaluate significant forward progress, especially when looking at where you started.

People often ask me what the benefit of an exercise is, or which exercises will best target a specific area of the body…

For a long time I couldn’t find the exact words to answer this question in a way that felt true to myself… but try this one out because I think this might be where I stand…

Ido Portal Movement

 

 

Cheers to getting uncomfortable in your movement endeavors…

 

KG

What is Ido Portal’s Training Philosophy Doing To Me?

Quick Tips

Ido Portal

I’ve been following Ido Portal for nearly 2 months and I’m starting to question how we “practice” fitness, what it means to be “fit”, how we get to the point of being considered fit, what humans should be able to do movement-wise, and on and on  and on.

I have to admit, thought process-wise, I am going through a shift.

Ido makes incredibly great points about movement and body control.  It’s a raw thought process, completely stripped down to just… movement.

The point that Ido conveys time and time again is that we should be able to move freely.  He references movement patterns, but I know from reading through his blog and watching his YouTube videos that he isn’t referring to the “safe” movement patterns that we fitness professionals beat into the ground.  He’s expanding far beyond that thought process.

Here are some snapshots of Ido-style movement…

I realize now, more than ever, that the modern-day human really doesn’t know how to handle their body.

We are slaves to sitting in chairs, cubicles, in front of the television and in cars.  If you really stop and think about how much we sit on any given day, it’s nauseating.  Even if we have no choice but to sit for our careers, when the weekend comes we still choose to grab a lawn chair and sit, sit at the bar, sit at restaurant.  Sit.

I can partially throw myself into this group also because I have to sit down to write on this blog.

I consider myself to be an athletic dude, but watching some of these videos leads me to believe that I have handicapped my own movement performance.  I am not even in the same realm as some of the people that have been under the Ido Portal tutelage for as few as a few months.

I can squat (ass to grass) and rest in the squatting position for long periods of time, elevate my arms overhead without breaking at the low back, and exhibit rotational range of motion at my thoracic spine when it’s required… but integrating of all of these elements into a free-flowing long sequence without making it look painfully difficult was humbling for me.

The low lizard crawl is a basic locomotion pattern in the Ido Portal Training Method, and it’s basically used as warm-up!  I am here to tell you that it is humbling how difficult it is to crawl 10-15 yards like this (fast forward to 1:56)…

Are the followers of the Ido Portal Method been practicing different techniques than I am?

Yes, of course.  They are following strict progressions that allow for a appropriate movement education.  A repetitive approach to learning movement in a progression-friendly manner will ensure that no fundamental steps were skipped along the way, all while achieving desired results.

The human body will adapt and increasingly better how we ask to move, or how we don’t it to move.  That is why a lot of people have back pain, poor hip mobility and loss of muscle activation from sitting.  But humans naturally want to stand up straight, so in order to make this possible, we compensate to achieve.

So I think that over time my movement will begin to flow like some of his videos, but it is going to take some work, some practice, dedication and time.

Many of Ido’s students YouTube videos display what I would consider to be “test-outs” or results from following his teachings, so I think that it’s important (when watching these videos) to keep in mind that there was an incredible amount of dedication and work put in prior to shooting each person’s testimonial of the Ido Portal Method.

It didn’t happen over night, in a week or in a month.

The other night, I was trying to find the words to describe my perception of how we pursue health and wellness, and where I stand on the matter.  It’s a difficult topic to discuss because there are so many elements that combine to form, health.

I continue to find myself veering away from “safe” more and more.  Now, I don’t mean that I am moving toward “unsafe” and negligent, but I really am questioning why we do what we do in the gym or outside of the gym (wherever we train).  It’s cookie cutter and robotic in nature.  It’s lacking exploration.  Reps, sets and rest cannot be the pot of gold at the end of the movement continuum.

Who established these rules that we follow so closely?  Science?  Industry leaders?

Do we continue to teach and preach these methods because that is what the masses want?  Or are we lacking in our own understanding of more complex movement patterns, integration and improvisation?  Are we aiming for the wrong target?  What does fitness mean anyways?

We aim for reproducible results- and I don’t think that we should be aiming for anything different- but we have become robots in our pursuit of fitness.  The entire idea is skewed.  Everything that we preach for people to do is cookie cutter and safe.

There is very little room for anyone to stray from the path, and if you do (as I am exploring currently), you’re branded and thrown out to the wolves.

We preach moving within our means, avoiding compromising body positions and alignment, moving weight safely, employing safe rep and set ranges for maximizing our goals, adequate rest to perform that work safely, etc.  Safe, safe, safe.

Before you label me a hippocrate, let me say that I actually also believe in safe.

Ido Portal’s methods of movement might be right for everyone at some point, but maybe not at this moment.

The human race have never moved less or eaten worse.

We sit more, we move less. We are walking time bombs with regard to our ability to move effectively or for any duration (endurance, etc).  We eat food created in factories, food that has never seen the earth’s soil, food that contains ingredients that we cannot pronounce much less identify… and because we eat so much of this food, our body’s have become a reflection of these poor choices.

Make no mistake, we are what we eat.

But the problem is that we don’t even know we are heading down a path of self-destruction.  Eating crap has become the norm, and we don’t even know it.  But food chatter is outside of the scope of this blog post.  I’m not a nutritionist nor do I really want to be.  I’ll end the nutrition talk here.

We walk around commenting that a person is “in shape” if they don’t cast a bubbly shadow on pavement on a sunny day.  Not everyone needs to have a six-pack, but we are desensitized to what health looks like.  “Lean” is almost taboo is some areas of America, and the world.  One look back in history will show that most of civilization is getting bigger.  And by bigger, I am not referring to taller.

In many instances, our body shape is actually limiting our ability to move.  Yes, the amount of tissue that we are carrying on our bodies are preventing us from moving the way that we are supposed to move.

Studies like this support my bantering…

I started thinking like this a few years ago, and I thought I was crazy, because my background is strength and conditioning.  Strength and conditioning workouts and programs are EXTREMELY structured, and EXTREMELY safe.  There is very little room for movement exploration in the eyes of strength coach.  Strength based programs, as I mentioned, are extremely structured.  You work through phases that place focus on building different athletic qualities (hypertrophy, strength, power, work capacity, etc).  The reps and sets are calculated, training days, rest, etc.

I got trapped in that way thinking for everyone, athlete or otherwise.  More like handcuffed.  To the point that I felt like if I explored anything outside of a 4-phase workout program, a barbell squat or a systematic approach to “core training”, then I was a Looney Tune.

Then I picked up a kettlebell for the first time.  Kettlebells had been around for a little while, but they were still considered taboo by some of the leaders in the strength and conditioning industry.  After executing some kettlebell swings and some turkish get ups in a hotel room after a performance conference, I realized that movement was different from exercise.

Movement is different from exercise.

This is movement:

This is exercise:

I was strong, but my integrated movement was shit.  In fact, I wasn’t graceful at all.  My muscles were powerful and my joint were mobile and stable, but I had zero grace in pure movement.  I was powerful, strong and stable within the confines of identified movement patterns, but when I challenged myself outside of these confines, I was at beginner level.

Again, I realized that movement is different from exercise. I was certainly moving when I exercise, but I was trapping and limiting my ability to move freely with traditional exercise.

In fact, I don’t even like the word exercise.  I use it but I don’t like it.  I use the word “movement” on this blog over and over again.  I would even prefer to say “train” or “practice” or “drills” over the word exercise.  Exercise makes me cringe.  “Exercise” makes me think of automated robots on a treadmill.  I don’t want to be an automated robot.  I want to move.  I want to move because I enjoy moving, and seeking out new methods of movement is challenging.  I want to move in an unrestricted 3-dimensional manner.

I’m not going to discard structured movement training using such drills as push ups, squats, and lunges, because they have their place.  But I am damn well going to explore un-traditional forms of movement from here on out.  Climbing, hanging, swinging, etc.  Full integration of movement play and practice starts now.

We fitness professionals think that we know movement and that we are teaching people how to be “functional”, shame on us.  We stop our teachings at “flat back”, “shoulders down and back” and “pressurize your core”!

I learned a long time ago, after crumpling up and throwing away probably 2-3 books worth of writing material that I should trust my thinking.  I feel that I should trust my thinking now.  I have grown to appreciate being exposed to new ideas that initiate an evolution in my own thinking.

Why be trapped?  Go explore, go move…

Oh and here is that picture that I promised some 910 words ago…

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Cheers to stumbling onto ideas that open our minds!

KG

KISS KISS KISS!!!

Quick Tips

ImageThe KISS method is the most effective path to jumpstarting a consistent training program.

It’s also how you make a active lifestyle stick for the long-term.

If I handed a lot of people a 12-week training plan, most won’t progress passed the first week, if not the first few days.

It’s just too much to process.

Too much information to process.  All of the information creates a surplus of anxiety and excitement inside of a person’s head.  They have EVERYTHING that they need in that 12-week program, but there are way too many moving parts to concentrate on completing them.  

We lose focus and end up doing nothing when we get overwhelmed.

We shut down.  

What you can handle (mentally and physically) will determine what you need right now, at this very moment.

And surprisingly, the amount that you need to make significant change is relatively small.  

If I write the world’s greatest fat loss program, not everyone is going to hit a home run with it.

Why?  Because the world’s greatest fat loss program might be way too much for most people to digest.

My hesitation in talking about kettlebells on this blog has always been that not everyone is ready for kettlebells.  Some people don’t even know what they are until they read about it on here.  Are they good candidates for kettlebell training?  Maybe, maybe not.  

Maybe we should consider that there are far better places for these folks to start.  Places that will engrain powerful habits of exercise that will one day evolve into kettlebell training and all of the amazing benefits that come along with kettlebell training.

Some folks cannot execute a bodyweight squat, push up or run a 1/2 mile without taking a pitstop.  And that’s fine if you can’t, all in good time.  You have to start somewhere.

I reference the Bruce Lee quote consistently on this blog:

“Absorb what is useful and discard the rest”.

This blog is a la carte style.  You pick the information that you can apply to your situation right now.  Act on it.  Everything else, discard.  You won’t hurt my feelings by doing so.  

And truthfully, I write about whatever I feel like writing about for that day.  My most popular posts have been centered around sharing detailed workouts, but I don’t want to be the blog that just shares workouts without discussing WHY you’re engaging in them.  

Treat this blog like a menu at a restaurant.  At a restaurant, not everyone in the group is going to order the same meal, which is why they provide a vast variety of options.  

Back to KISS…

The next time that you get the motivation and inspiration to push forward with a movement program, take a second to step back and ask yourself, “How complicated does this process need to be?  Can I arrive at my destination (goal achievement) by employing simple strategies?”

KISS is a theory that thinks so.

Many before you have used KISS to absolute perfection, achieving amazing results over time.  Be patient and proactive in your approach, and for heaven’s sake… KISS!

Try this KISS workout today:

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Cheers to KISS!

 

KG

Building Yourself Through Experimentation and Experience

Quick Tips

[This blog post has ZERO pictures.  Straight written word kids]

I’ve read a lot of books on health and wellness.

Nutrition, biomechanics, fat loss, athletic development, psychology of sport, anatomy and physiology, Orthopedic volumes and so many more.

I cruise through blogs that are maintained by some of the brightest and most innovative on the planet.

While I do feel that all of my reading has been for something, I also feel like at the end of the day… you’ve got to continue self-experimenting.

Some of the biggest names in the industry frown about self-experimentation, but I look at the concept as being no different from playing as kids.  You live, you experience,  you learn.

Obviously, don’t dabble around with something that could potential harm your life permanently, but don’t be afraid to… just… try stuff.

Try it.  See if it fits in your program.

The truth is that almost anything that you do exertion-wise is going to move you closer to your goals, especially if those goals are aesthetically based goals.

If you want to trim down, create less of a shadow, decrease your pant size, drop lb.’s on the scale, flatten that stomach, develop some muscular definition…

You’ve got to make an effort to progressively move more and eat with a sense of urgency.

Exercise is simple.  Start somewhere that fits your current strength and conditioning level and training know how, and begin climbing the staircase.  Stop over thinking it, just put on foot in front of the other and climb.  There are free resources all over the internet that can get you moving forward.

Progress yourself as quickly your body can tolerate over time.  Keep progressing.  The body is no different than the mind.  Imagine if you would have stopped learning mathematics at addition and subtraction.  Would you have understood Calculus?  No, you wouldn’t have.  You would have been lost like a puppy and miserable.  You’ve got to progress and build up to learning Calculus, at least most of us did.

Trust me on one quick thing here… you’re going to reach a point in your progressions where it feels like you’ve reached the top, but believe me, you can bust through that barrier.

There is another gear that you can drop in to.  Always another level of effort.

If you disagree with me, ask yourself if your body is holding you back, or if your MIND is holding you back.  You might be surprised at what you find here.  The mind is the command center of your universe… get it in check.

With eating, explore everything.  I am serious with this suggestion.

Buy something, cook it and eat it.  If you like the way it tasted, right down the recipe.  If you didn’t, find a new one.  Just because something doesn’t taste good the first time you try it, doesn’t mean that it will never taste good.  Give food another chance.  It’s not all vegetable’s fault that you don’t like eating it, it might be your desensitized palate.

If your diet primarily consists of processed foods, of course most veggies and fruits are going to taste like cardboard at first!

Everyone eats differently.  What I like to eat, and can tolerate eating on a daily basis is not the same as what you can tolerate eating on a daily basis.  This is just my guess.

If you don’t like boiled broccoli, sauté it.  If you don’t like either of those options, throw it on the grill.  If you still don’t like it, season it for heaven’s sake!  I don’t even think that plain broccoli is that appetizing.

If you hate broccoli, stop complaining about how much you hate broccoli and eat something else.  Find a substitute, an alternative.  There are thousands of foods on the planet.  Choose something else that provides a nutrient load that you body can use.

Seasoning can change a food, and to be quite honest, who cares if you add some salt to your food. Just don’t be a donkey and throw a pile of it on there.  Be sensible in your approach, a pinch is more than enough.  You season foods to enhance their flavor, not drown it out.

I’ve always wondered why people drown food in condiments.  Why eat something if you have to bury it in so much ketchup, BBQ sauce or some other condiment on it to the point that you don’t even taste the meal?  Not judging, just wondering why we do it.

Eating for performance is different from eating for aesthetics.  This might be getting a bit too detailed, but when I was eating to sustain my athletic performance, I didn’t have the greatest physique.  I was lean, but only because of my daily energy expenditure.  When I finished my athletic career, I cut out a few foods that I was initially led to believe that I “needed”.  Bread was one of them.

Thanks government created food pyramid for that load of B.S.

My abdominals popped through in less than 3 weeks.  Ironically, my performance didn’t suffer a bit.  I had no idea if this elimination would work, but it seemed logical.  Pure trial and error here.

Actually it was more like trial and success.

One thing that gets beaten like a dead horse is the concept of avoiding trying to out train your diet.

I should stop telling you not to try this, and let you try it for yourself.  Go ahead, workout like a maniac and eat whatever you please.  See what happens.  It’s an experiment right?  So, go ahead and experiment with it.  Challenge the thought.  If you’re an Ironman, I don’t want to hear a word from any of you, because you’re about the only category of human that can make this work.

Experiment and experience.

Guys and gals are writing books, shooting DVD’s and maintaining blogs (just like this one) that preach a certain way of doing things in order to get results.

But how about this… learn a little something, enough to get you started, and begin carving out your own path.  Nothing about fitness is the law.  There are theories that I would prefer to follow, but if you break them, who cares!

The more you do something, despite your knowledge, know-how or skill level, the more you learn.

You develop knowledge that sticks because you experienced it.  You didn’t read about it and do nothing, you experienced it first hand.  You became an eye-witness to what works well for you and what doesn’t.

It’s important to break out of your shell… practicing and experiencing things.  My suggestion, as I have learned in my own life, is to get out and practice as many things as you can.  You’ll develop likes and dislikes, and you’ll carve your own path.

I tried not to get too specific with anything here.  This is a thought process that applies to everything.

Trial and error, self-experimentation and experience are tremendously powerful methods for catapulting a person forward toward their goals.  If you have the conviction and dedication to follow through over the long-term, you’ll find methods that are the best fit for you.

Just remember, the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.  Trust yourself…

 

 

Cheers to trial and success!

 

 

KG