Why Go To Camp?

I'm heading to Stanfordville New York on july 7th. My good budies Tony & Dawn Barca have volunteered to run my fitness camp at the Roseland Ranch. We had such a blast at the Chicago and Portland camps. These camps give you the opportunity to really get this fit lifestyle wired. So often I see people with tons of desire, but not enough information. We know that variety, consistency and intensity are important, but going about it the right way isn't always clear.

The two workshops on form & function & The 11 laws of health and fitness have proved to be invaluable when it comes to really understanding what it takes to get awesome results and to stay motivated for a long time. Watching a workout on TV and reading the material that comes with it is only part of the many steps needed to become and stay healthy and fit into old age. These camps are like taking a giant step forward.

As I turn 47 I'm still learning the nuances of health, fitness and proper eating. As time moves forward, so do my priorities. Benching 350lbs is not one of them. Staying flexible and less vulnerable in day to day life is more of a priority. These camps are designed to give you the opportunity to understand your journey better. The information, inspiration and motivation that occurs at these camps will allow to get better results faster, avoid injury, bordem & plateaus and keep the whole process fun and interesting.

I encourage you to put your fears aside, put your money down and come join me and the kids at camp this year. The New York camp is July 15 - 17. the Santa Monica Camp is August 12 - 14. The San Antonio Camp is September 9 - 11. The Miami Camp is October 14 - 16. If you want more information go to the Power90 Message boards and look around. You'll see the threads for all 6 camps. Chicago & Portland Camp threads are still going strong. Check out how much fun we had. You learn ~ you laugh. It's good clean American fun. Sign up now!

Feeling Good

Monday's Off

I woke up today feeling like I was hit by a truck. Everything hurt. My neck was killing me. My shoulders tight as a drum. I pushed a little harder this past Sunday because I felt like I could. Eighteen lever pull-ups, Thirty switch grip pull-ups, two rounds of swing hand-stands and far too many (or not) plyo push-ups. It felt good (at the time) to dig down and go hard. The way I felt this morning reminded me of the way I felt every morning during football season in High School.

My good buddy (and yours) Traci Morrow and I had scheduled a workout on the Santa Monica stairs (a well known place to have your butt kicked) for 2:00 today, before we went to Beachbody for some Power90 Master Series work. When she showed up I informed her of my condition, and after a short discussion she went for a 4.2 mile run and I headed for the tailor & dry cleaner. My mind and neck pain convinced the rest of my body to take the day off.

Before, during and after my decision my noggin was filled with oodles of mind chatter. Disappointment about skipping the workout, guilt about letting Traci down, mad at myself for pushing too hard on Sunday and frustrated about a bad night of sleep. What could I have done differently that would have allowed me to show up for today's workout? The answer is nothing. Things change and that's okay. The best laid plans...

I want to believe that I'm Superman all the time, and the truth is, that sometime I need to be Lay Low Guy. Can Lay Low Guy and Superman live in the same bat cave? Only if Robin has a spare room. I digress. Burnout, injury and disappointment crash together when you don't know when to say when. If you don't listen to your body (I mean really listen) you'll get fried. I'm here to motivate you to rest and relax. The positive changes you're looking for also come on the days you leave your body alone.

Me & The Kids

This morning I was in Glendale California at the Horece Mann Elementary School hangin & playin with 7 amazing kids. Andrea Glassner their equally awesome teacher had posted on the boards that she and her amazing 7 were all working out to "Tony & The Kids." Mary Cecy (Wisconsin Superstar) contacted me and Mike K. at Beachbody to let us know that Andrea was using "Tony & The Kids" on a regular basis in class. After hearing that Andrea and the kids were having so much fun, we decided to head over to Horece Mann Elementary and see for ourselves.

The momment I walked into their classroom I felt like Elvis. I was the King...of Crunch Frogs. At first we all got to know each other, then we got right into the workout. They knew routine better than me. Heather Church was flasing me mini Q-cards with the hope that I could keep up with the kids. We ran through all the classics. Marching, Swimming, Leapfrog, Muscle Maker, The Radar Twist, Wacky Jacks, Bunny Rabbit & no workout is complete without the Loosey Goosey Shuffle.

It was an awesome morning filled with fun and inspiration. I want to thank Andrea Glassner for having us in her classroom today. I also want to thank her amazing 7 special kids for bringin it.

Yoga Y

You can say what you want about Pete Rose, but when asked why he was such a good player he said, "I work on my weaknesses." The exercise that makes you crazy, that's hardest for you is the one that changes and improves everything else. When you presently struggle with something and you're willing to be open to the possibilities you will discover levels of fitness you never thought possible.

As some of you know I've been working on this gymnastic move called a swing handstand for almost two years. Two years! I was foreverly struggling with this thing. I was questioning why I was even bothering with it from week to week. It was so frustrating to be so lousy at something for so long. Finally I asked my friend Phil (Chest-Shoulders-Triceps Phil) to meet me at the beach on Fridays to work on it with me. He agreed (he was struggling with it as well) and in three short weeks we improved ten fold.

Today we each nailed it three times in a row. It was the best feeling in the WORLD! I hated yoga at first. Too slow. Too long. Too many silly moves that don't do anything. blah, blah, blah. I was so wrong, wrong, wrong. Yoga made everything else I do better. Yoga made that swing handstand possible. Fit stiff people get hurt. Fit flexible people get better.

Yoga...that's Y

Fight or Flight

I sometimes suffer from what I call the "fight or flight" syndrome with some of my workouts. When everything is perfectly lined up, I'm fine. It means the weather is perfect. I'm meeting buddies at a specified time. I've had plenty of sleep the night before. My energy and willingness is high. Under these conditions I never miss a workout. But sometimes when the stars are not lined up properly, all I want to do is find a good reason to flee from exercise.

Today was one of those days. I awake to a dreary gray morning after a night of restless sleep knowing that 6 out of 9 workout buddies are away for the weekend. Everything was saying..."blow it off!" Should I fight or flee? I just hate when that thought meanders inside my head. I layed in bed and thought about how much crap I'd get from the three guys who were showing up. I kept telling myself to go through the
routine of getting ready. Before I knew it, I was dressed and fed and ready to go to the beach a do the workout.

About 20% to 60% of the time, flight wins out under these kinds of adverse conditions. Fight or flight sydrome hits me once or twice a week. So, 2 out of 6 workouts a week are in jeopardy. This is why people who pre-schedule only 3 workouts a week have a very hard time seeing results. Most people suffer from fight or flight once in awhile. If you schedule 6 workouts a week your less likely to ruin the big plan.

I've been working on this crazy exercise called a swing handstand for almost 2 years. Today is the first time I nailed it. I felt like I won the lottery. And to think I was so close to blowing it all off. Fight or flight...whatcha gonna do?

Beyond The Walls

When I was a kid I was scared all of the time. I'm not kidding. All the time! Everything around me seemed frightening. I was so self conscience that I put up hundreds of barriers (in my mind) to keep me from changing and growing and exploring the things that would help me. As a boy I was convinced that I was dumb, weak & ugly. I walked around with that in my head 24/7. The one thing I had, was a sense of humor. Silliness saved my life. It was the one thing I could count on when things were looking bleak.

Getting laughs helped me get by, but my brain and and heart were telling me that there was more to life. In my 20s I had the wherewithal to seek betterment for myself. At that time I was always stuck, lost (dazed) and confused. I hated it! In my stuckness I would try to figure things out alone. Without help. What an amazing waist of time. My intentions were so good, yet my results were so lousy. I would tell myself to be more positive, but I didn't know how to find the tools that could make that happen.

Thank God for self help books. The first one I ever read was Dr. Wayne Dyer's "Looking Out For Number 1". The book didn't change my life forever, but it did allow me to look at things in a new way. It gave me a new perpective to see beyond the walls I had created in my life. It was one tier on a long ladder to help me scale some of those walls.

This web site with it's message boards, chat rooms, WOWY, coaches threads and MyBeachbody are here as a support system to help you move beyond the walls that keep you from your life. You change, grow & learn every time you eat better than before. Every time you push play. Every time you listen to someone who asks for your help. Every time you look for help.
~See Beyond The Walls In Front Of You ~ Bruce Springsteen

Tip-O-The-Day

Bachelor's Lunch

I threw together an awesome lunch today...bachelor style.

I dumped a handful of brown rice on top of half a bowl of frozen green, yellow & red bell pepper strips. I then placed an AMY's frozen black bean vegetable enchilada on top of that.
Covered the whole thing and stuck it in the microwave for 5 mins. Can you say FOOD/FUEL?

Eat On!

T. S. Hortonhead

Project Earth

What if we lived in a country where everyone had tons of energy and motivation to be their best? Some folks have that. Most people don't. What is being your best anyway? Curious, hard working, happy people don't just happen. Most of the folks that come under that catagory work on mind, body & soul. I use a combination of reading, research & seminars for the mind. Yoga, weight lifting, skiing, gymnastics & cardio for the body. My soul work stems from philosophies that teach me to live and let live, avoid judgement and share what I know with people who want to learn it.

I believe that the root of all joy and happiness starts with the body. The use of body feeds the mind and soul. Food and exercise provides the chemical balance required to be your best. A sedentary garbage eater has little energy and motivation to do anything. If you decide to clean up your fuel and begin to move your body then the whole Earth starts to change. The things you talk about change. The things you do change. People around you see the change in you, so as a result you change their perception of you. All this positive change is effecting thousands of people every day.

This energy that flows out of you and around you doesn't just evaporate into thin air. It has very powerful consequences. The fitness camps are filled with it. The message boards are jam packed with it. We go from being lost, stuck and confused to people who want to help each other. That change in us grows and grows into something bigger than all of us. It is the energy of love. It's certainly not hate or fear. We don't yearn to connect with other people because we hate or fear them. We do it because something good is happening inside of us. It's the desire to connect, help, share, communicate and explore without judgement. That's love people...and what the world needs now... is love. A healthy diet and exercise is a simple and powerful way to change the world. Who knew?

Blog-O-Rama #1

Hey boys and girls, sitting here with my ole pal Neil the wheel at Beachbody Central....

Here we go on a glorious super-incredible LaLaPaBloga journey....

I have no idea what that means, but I'm sure it's gonna be a blast! :-)

Here's my opportunity to fill you in on everything I know when it comes to health, fitness and life in general....So sit back, relax... cause we're gonna have some fun!

Stay tuned...T.S. Hortonhead