SCHEDULE ALL WORKOUTS IN ADVANCE. This creates accountability. Plan an entire month ahead of time. Try to schedule as many workouts as possible with friends and/or family who have similar goals. WOWY was developed so that you could find an easy and effective way to stay accountable and work out together. Now we’ve got people in Trumbull, Connecticut (my hometown) doing Power 90 with people in Hollywood at the same time. That is cool!
I believe that your workout calendar is our most important tool. Power 90 and P90X have everything you need to stay consistent. But for those of you that are having trouble with motivation and consistency, you need to place that calendar where you’ll see it every day. The bathroom mirror, refrigerator, next to the TV, or right on your front door if you have to. I have a desk calendar that stares back at me every day. After 25 years of training I still write down the type of workout I’ve done, and circle the day I did it. At the end of the month, I add them up. My goal (for the last 21 years) has been a minimum of 20 workouts a month—that’s 240 a year with 125 days off.
I’ve always said that you can focus on Intensity and Variety, but if you don’t know what you’re doing and when, you’re toast. It amazes me how so many people wake up in the morning and don’t know the exact time they’re working out that day. We’re pretty good at scheduling when to go to bed, when to eat, and when to watch our favorite show on the tube. We find ourselves trying to squeeze workouts in. The “fit it in whenever” approach might work for a little while, but never survives in the long run. You can’t have a fitness lifestyle if you don’t have a long-term plan.
Beachbody provides the variety—and even the motivation through the boards. Your job is to plan ahead. If you don’t lock down a time for your workouts, they won’t happen. If you make a point to schedule your workouts in advance, your chances of success will skyrocket. My calendar has been a simple and powerful tool for me for over twenty years. Without it…I’m lost. With it, I’m organized, committed, and successful.
WOWY is another tool to help you lock it in because it creates accountability. Accountability: the obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one’s actions. I schedule six workouts every week. I am accountable to the people I schedule them with. Monday I take off. Tuesday I meet four guys at 5:00 PM for a weight workout. Wednesday I meet one to three people for cardio at 5:30 PM. Every other Wednesday I meet friends at 7:30 to rock climb. Thursday I do weights at 5:00 PM with the boys. Friday is cardio or leg/plyo day at 4:30 or 5:00 PM with one to three friends. Saturday is yoga at 4:00 PM. I meet two to four friends at the yoga studio. Sunday is a gymnastic work out with my crew. It’s locked in!
Stop winging it and schedule in advance when to Push Play. Move your workouts to the top of your priority list. Don’t think about doing them whenever. Schedule them as if they were very important meetings or appointments. BECAUSE THEY ARE! You can love what you’re doing and eat like a star, but if you don’t plan those workouts (a month in advance) you won’t go far.
Sunday, June 18, 2006
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Law # 6 ~ Sport
Take your mind off of weight, inches, and body fat percentages, and put the focus on MOVING—dancing, rock climbing, in-line skating, running, team sports, mountain biking, etc. I personally happen to enjoy the graceful sport of table tennis. I don’t care what you say, it’s a sport! Think more in terms of “can do” and less in terms of “look like.” Sports are fun and help develop balance, coordination, and stamina—which helps accelerate and maintain your fitness. Go outside (or inside) and PLAY!
Every Sunday I head down to the original Muscle Beach in Santa Monica and meet a group of friends for a two-and-a-half-hour fitness extravaganza. We do a crazy combination of pull-ups, handstands, swinging plyometric dips, 15- and 25-foot rope climbing (hands only and sometimes upside-down), tons of wacky push-ups—we even throw in a back flip or two, and finish with a rendition of Ab Ripper X. Anyone that has attended one of the Santa Monica Fitness Camps has seen it firsthand. It’s extreme with a capital X. I love it, because it hurts me so good. This is NOT a routine I would do alone. I show up every Sunday morning to hang with the crew. As hard as the workout is, we’re there for the camaraderie, laughter, and encouragement.
We look at Sundays as an opportunity to incorporate sport into our weekly fitness routines. What started out as push-ups, pull-ups, and dips, has turned into (thanks to Chuck Gaylord) gymnastics for old guys. Sport is the main reason I stay fit. On the occasional Wednesday night, I meet up with a group to go rock climbing. Every fall, I get together with ski buddies and come up with ways to get our legs ready for the hill. Where do you think the Plyometrics workout in P90X came from? The Plyo/Legs routine in the Master Series is what I used to prepare for this year’s ski season.
To me, there is nothing better than the great outdoors. My sports involve cool crisp air, gorgeous views and climbing up or ripping down mountains. When I’m skiing or rock climbing, I’m one with my surroundings. I’m happy as a clam and at peace with the universe. I also try to mix in other sports like inline skating, ping-pong (trust me, it’s a sport), basketball, and mountain biking. These are sports I love to help me stay in shape. I encourage you to get involved in SOMETHING athletic—anything that would be fun and enjoyable for you. Try to care a little less about weight loss and more about accomplishment. There are so many different kinds of sports to choose from. Set a goal, take a class, sign up for a race, anything that gives you a reason to focus on “can do” and not so much “look like.” If you shift to an athletic mindset you won’t obsess about calories, inches, and your weight as much. “Can do” numbers like reps, range of motion, and amount of resistance become more important. Athletes care about improving their game, not how they look in their climbing gear.
If you can find one thing/sport that you really enjoy, then your day-to-day workouts will be less of a chore and more of a means to an end. Sports will also give you the opportunity to better connect and share with a partner. Whether you’re single or partnered with someone, it will give you a chance to meet like-minded folk. The people I know who have a regular sports pursuit are consistently fit over time, are rarely depressed or anxious, and meet tons of amazing people in the process. (See Fitness Camps)
For some of you the excuse of time or money, or fear of looking uncoordinated in front of other people will keep you from trying something athletic. There were tens of thousands of Power 90 and P90X customers who had those same fears. They stepped through the door anyway, and found a brand-new and exciting reason for staying fit and healthy.
Every Sunday I head down to the original Muscle Beach in Santa Monica and meet a group of friends for a two-and-a-half-hour fitness extravaganza. We do a crazy combination of pull-ups, handstands, swinging plyometric dips, 15- and 25-foot rope climbing (hands only and sometimes upside-down), tons of wacky push-ups—we even throw in a back flip or two, and finish with a rendition of Ab Ripper X. Anyone that has attended one of the Santa Monica Fitness Camps has seen it firsthand. It’s extreme with a capital X. I love it, because it hurts me so good. This is NOT a routine I would do alone. I show up every Sunday morning to hang with the crew. As hard as the workout is, we’re there for the camaraderie, laughter, and encouragement.
We look at Sundays as an opportunity to incorporate sport into our weekly fitness routines. What started out as push-ups, pull-ups, and dips, has turned into (thanks to Chuck Gaylord) gymnastics for old guys. Sport is the main reason I stay fit. On the occasional Wednesday night, I meet up with a group to go rock climbing. Every fall, I get together with ski buddies and come up with ways to get our legs ready for the hill. Where do you think the Plyometrics workout in P90X came from? The Plyo/Legs routine in the Master Series is what I used to prepare for this year’s ski season.
To me, there is nothing better than the great outdoors. My sports involve cool crisp air, gorgeous views and climbing up or ripping down mountains. When I’m skiing or rock climbing, I’m one with my surroundings. I’m happy as a clam and at peace with the universe. I also try to mix in other sports like inline skating, ping-pong (trust me, it’s a sport), basketball, and mountain biking. These are sports I love to help me stay in shape. I encourage you to get involved in SOMETHING athletic—anything that would be fun and enjoyable for you. Try to care a little less about weight loss and more about accomplishment. There are so many different kinds of sports to choose from. Set a goal, take a class, sign up for a race, anything that gives you a reason to focus on “can do” and not so much “look like.” If you shift to an athletic mindset you won’t obsess about calories, inches, and your weight as much. “Can do” numbers like reps, range of motion, and amount of resistance become more important. Athletes care about improving their game, not how they look in their climbing gear.
If you can find one thing/sport that you really enjoy, then your day-to-day workouts will be less of a chore and more of a means to an end. Sports will also give you the opportunity to better connect and share with a partner. Whether you’re single or partnered with someone, it will give you a chance to meet like-minded folk. The people I know who have a regular sports pursuit are consistently fit over time, are rarely depressed or anxious, and meet tons of amazing people in the process. (See Fitness Camps)
For some of you the excuse of time or money, or fear of looking uncoordinated in front of other people will keep you from trying something athletic. There were tens of thousands of Power 90 and P90X customers who had those same fears. They stepped through the door anyway, and found a brand-new and exciting reason for staying fit and healthy.
Friday, June 09, 2006
Law # 5 ~ Reality
Why do we want life to be different than it is? Why do we think about who we were and who we’re going to be more than who we are now? We certainly talk a good game about who we are now. Why do we try to predict the future with the hope that wishful thinking is enough to change it? Life is NOT the way it was. It’s the way it is. Life is not our fantasy predictions of the future or our glory days of the past. Life is that thing that is happening to you as you read this. We fall into the trap of past and future because we think the here and now is not good enough. Back then and up there are keeping you from right now.
This crazy cycle of mind hockey stems from our inability to stop caring about what we think other people think of us. The truth is that other people aren’t thinking about you as much as you think they are. We lament for days, weeks, or years over some comment made in passing, by someone who forgot what they said two minutes after saying it. Other people’s opinions of us are none of our business. Their opinions are their unfinished business. “The man in the mirror should not cast stones from his glass house.” —T. S. Hortonhead (will explain during camp)
If you want positive long-term change in life, accept the truth of your situation and ignore the people that don’t support it. Let go of your ego and find ways to love who you are right now. Living in the past, the future, and for others destroys your ability to stay in the moment. Life has peaks and valleys, ups and downs, lessons and celebrations. This is how we grow and learn. If you’re struggling with your finances, get financial advice. If you’re unhappy with your health and fitness, do Power90. You could do nothing and hope that it all gets better on its own, or you could open a new door and find some answers. “You can’t solve a problem with the same brain that created it.” —Albert Einstein.
To know reality is to take risks. Risk requires perseverance, courage, and wisdom.
Take The Risk*
1. Risk Saying No—The first step toward having your own life begins with daring to refuse the demands of others. Saying “yes” because you’re afraid to say “no” is a recipe for resentment. Risk walking away from the fear of saying NO.
2. Risk NOT Defending Yourself—It’s only when you risk laying down your armor, shield, and sword (quips, retorts, and criticisms) that you discover who you really are. You can’t be hurt by letting others win.
3. Risk Appearing Stupid —Pretending to understand something you don’t, for fear of appearing stupid, only ensures that you’ll remain a fearful pretender. That is stupid. If you truly want to understand something, risk asking all the questions you need to. That’s smart.
4. Risk Bearing Your Negative Outlook—The weight of your problems is determined by how much you fear them. But the only weight any fear can have is determined by how much you try to push it away. Risk not “burdening others” with your negativity. The less you burden other people with your problems, the less of a burden they’ll be for you.
5. Risk Being Rejected— “No” is just a word, but fear of it is a prophecy self-fulfilled. Be bold! Risk asking for what you really want. Reject the fear of being rejected by daring to say “no” to the fear of NO.
6. Risk Catching Yourself In The Act—Your life can’t be both a show and be real. Whenever you catch yourself in the middle of some self-created drama or lie, just stop it. Risk being “The Real Thing” and not “all Show and no Go.” Life is real only when you are.
7. Risk Taking The Lead—You can never know the true pleasure and personal satisfaction of having your own life until you take the risk of finding it for yourself, all by yourself. Followers fear the road less traveled. Risk going out front by traveling the road called, “My Own Way.”
The way to live in this world is to live in the real world. Lift the burden of having to “keep up with the Joneses” all the time. Stop lying to yourself and everyone else about what you’re doing, what you’ve done, and what you’re going to do. Stop telling others about your hard workouts and clean diet, and all the while pretending that what you’re saying is true. If it is true…guess what? We’ll know. Reality is about discovering the truth about the here and now. Reality is the ability to accept your present situation and love who you are through the process.
* Source unknown
This crazy cycle of mind hockey stems from our inability to stop caring about what we think other people think of us. The truth is that other people aren’t thinking about you as much as you think they are. We lament for days, weeks, or years over some comment made in passing, by someone who forgot what they said two minutes after saying it. Other people’s opinions of us are none of our business. Their opinions are their unfinished business. “The man in the mirror should not cast stones from his glass house.” —T. S. Hortonhead (will explain during camp)
If you want positive long-term change in life, accept the truth of your situation and ignore the people that don’t support it. Let go of your ego and find ways to love who you are right now. Living in the past, the future, and for others destroys your ability to stay in the moment. Life has peaks and valleys, ups and downs, lessons and celebrations. This is how we grow and learn. If you’re struggling with your finances, get financial advice. If you’re unhappy with your health and fitness, do Power90. You could do nothing and hope that it all gets better on its own, or you could open a new door and find some answers. “You can’t solve a problem with the same brain that created it.” —Albert Einstein.
To know reality is to take risks. Risk requires perseverance, courage, and wisdom.
Take The Risk*
1. Risk Saying No—The first step toward having your own life begins with daring to refuse the demands of others. Saying “yes” because you’re afraid to say “no” is a recipe for resentment. Risk walking away from the fear of saying NO.
2. Risk NOT Defending Yourself—It’s only when you risk laying down your armor, shield, and sword (quips, retorts, and criticisms) that you discover who you really are. You can’t be hurt by letting others win.
3. Risk Appearing Stupid —Pretending to understand something you don’t, for fear of appearing stupid, only ensures that you’ll remain a fearful pretender. That is stupid. If you truly want to understand something, risk asking all the questions you need to. That’s smart.
4. Risk Bearing Your Negative Outlook—The weight of your problems is determined by how much you fear them. But the only weight any fear can have is determined by how much you try to push it away. Risk not “burdening others” with your negativity. The less you burden other people with your problems, the less of a burden they’ll be for you.
5. Risk Being Rejected— “No” is just a word, but fear of it is a prophecy self-fulfilled. Be bold! Risk asking for what you really want. Reject the fear of being rejected by daring to say “no” to the fear of NO.
6. Risk Catching Yourself In The Act—Your life can’t be both a show and be real. Whenever you catch yourself in the middle of some self-created drama or lie, just stop it. Risk being “The Real Thing” and not “all Show and no Go.” Life is real only when you are.
7. Risk Taking The Lead—You can never know the true pleasure and personal satisfaction of having your own life until you take the risk of finding it for yourself, all by yourself. Followers fear the road less traveled. Risk going out front by traveling the road called, “My Own Way.”
The way to live in this world is to live in the real world. Lift the burden of having to “keep up with the Joneses” all the time. Stop lying to yourself and everyone else about what you’re doing, what you’ve done, and what you’re going to do. Stop telling others about your hard workouts and clean diet, and all the while pretending that what you’re saying is true. If it is true…guess what? We’ll know. Reality is about discovering the truth about the here and now. Reality is the ability to accept your present situation and love who you are through the process.
* Source unknown
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