Success Warrior: The Blog That Embraces ADHD

Chopping Down the Tree

Martial arts class was a little bit brutal today.  We were working with sticks today.  Mind you, the sticks are plastic covered with foam so you have to wrap your head around what kind of hits with those cause bruising.  My left knee is bruised from a couple of the harder hits.  Can you imagine what it would be like if we were hitting with metal batons?  Busted knee caps, fer shure.

A lot of the techniques today attacked the legs.  You know:

• You can't see, you can't fight
• You can't breathe, you can't fight
• You can't stand, you can't fight

The last technique especially just blasted the left leg, with a charity strike to the right leg so that it wasn't jealous.  When we do this, we call it chopping down the tree.  Striking the same leg over and over until it just gives out.  You will see this used in kickboxing, where one attacker will keep kicking the same leg over and over to slow down an opponent. 

The technique we were doing had three fast stick strikes to the leg.  Bobo (the guy I was working with) was also throwing in two kicks to my left shin as well between the stick strikes.  Nice, eh?

It's effective.

After practicing that a few times, I didn't want to stand back up.  I did of course, but I didn't want to.

Now, I have 6 days to heal up before we do it again.

And now, I have to mow the lawn and then get the new martial videos uploaded to YouTube.

Wishing You Success!

***

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Success Warrior is an Independent BeachBody Coach for BeachBody.com, a company that offers fitness programs, supplements, and equipment that have absolutely changed my life. 

Have you heard of P90X?  That's BeachBody.  They also have Insanity, Turbo Jam, TurboFire, RevAbs, Brazil Butt Lift, and many more.  They have some of the best exercise programs on the market.  These aren't just DVDs but are complete programs to transform your body.  They also have the hugely popular, and what they call "the most important meal of the day", Shakeology.  Go HERE to learn the most inexpensive way to get Shakeology.

They have equipment and supplements in addition to Shakeology and popular exercise programs.  Visit BeachBody.com and click on the "Shop" link to see everything they offer. 

There is also a business side to all this fitness that you can take advantage of.  Whether you're looking to just make a couple hundred extra dollars in fun money or are looking to take complete financial control of your life, BeachBody can help you get there.  If you have a desire to be more fit and would love to help other people do the same while making some money at it, visit BeachBody.com and click on the "Coach" link.  Team up with me and I'll help you reach your goals, in fitness and finance.

Go With Your Strengths

 While you may have to leave your comfort zone to make improvements in fitness, you still want to exercise in a way that fits for you.

For example, I tried for years and years to lift weights in a more traditional way.  3 sets of one exercise done one after another with breaks between the sets, then move on to the next exercise.

This absolutley doesn't work for me.  I tried and tried to do it for over 10 years.  I get too bored during the rest periods and I end up wandering around.  It just didn't suit me and although I had read about circuit training, it just didn't seem to click with me.

That changed when I did P90X.

I don't know why it didn't click before but Tony Horton put it together in a way that really made sense to me.  It really played to how I like to do things. 

You may have to experiment around a bit and try a few different things to see what works for you.  You can't go by what works for other people necessarily.  I still look at the workout plans for other people to see if there are new ideas that I can incorporate into my plan but I'm looking at them through my filter.

Try some different things.  Find what works for you.  Then stick with it.

Wishing You Success!

***

Follow me on Twitter to get updates on when new posts show up on this blog (plus get random thoughts on the life of Success Warrior) and feel free to "friend" me on Facebook.

Success Warrior is an Independent BeachBody Coach for BeachBody.com, a company that offers fitness programs, supplements, and equipment that have absolutely changed my life. 

Have you heard of P90X?  That's BeachBody.  They also have Insanity, Turbo Jam, TurboFire, RevAbs, Brazil Butt Lift, and many more.  They have some of the best exercise programs on the market.  These aren't just DVDs but are complete programs to transform your body.  They also have the hugely popular, and what they call "the most important meal of the day", Shakeology.  Go HERE to learn the most inexpensive way to get Shakeology.

They have equipment and supplements in addition to Shakeology and popular exercise programs.  Visit BeachBody.com and click on the "Shop" link to see everything they offer. 

There is also a business side to all this fitness that you can take advantage of.  Whether you're looking to just make a couple hundred extra dollars in fun money or are looking to take complete financial control of your life, BeachBody can help you get there.  If you have a desire to be more fit and would love to help other people do the same while making some money at it, visit BeachBody.com and click on the "Coach" link.  Team up with me and I'll help you reach your goals, in fitness and finance.

Inertia

That's the reason why I continue to push to do my workouts even when I don't feel like it.  I'm not talking about when I'm sick or injured or think that overtraining/under-recovery is the problem.  I'm talking about when it seems like the problem is all in my head. 

Even if you do a half-assed workout, you still accomplish a few things.  First, anything is better than nothing.  Second, you keep the habit going.  Third, very much related to second, you don't replace that time with a new habit.

It's about sticking with your plan and your schedule to the best of your ability.  Things will come up, no doubt, but those should be the exception, not the rule.  For a lot of people, it's hard to start an exercise program and it's easy to quit.  You want to build it into your system so that exactly the opposite is true.

At a certain time of the day, that's just what you do.  It's locked in just like other aspects of your life.  It's not a "when there's time" or "If I feel like it".  It's an penned-in appointment with yourself.

Obviously, you should exercise in a way that you usually find enjoyable.  It shouldn't be a chore every single day but there are going to be days where you would rather stay in bed.  On those days, you have to get up and do your exercise.  Most people feel better afterward anyway, both physically and mentally (plus they usually kick out some feel-good chemicals too).  No one feels good about wimping out.

So, even when you're not feeling the love, go exercise.  Things will turn around and you'll be glad that you didn't give up on the habit.

Wishing You Success!

 

Segway News

I was going to go talk a little bit about exercising even when you don't feel like exercising but then I ran across this bit of news and long time readers know that I am duty-bound to report on this.

The owner of Segway apparently drove his Segway off a cliff in England and has died. 

That sucks.

7th Day; 7 Words

The fall allergens are kicking my butt!

Leave your seven words in the comments.

We Went to the Airshow Today

Trying to Nap Through an F18 Attack

 Essential fact:

I got up earlier than normal because I couldn't sleep and it was okay because I had things to do before I had to head in to the city.

I just figured that I would have a nap when I got back so that I was ready for work tonight.

I did fall asleep before the F-18s started buzzing my house practicing for tomorrow's airshow.  As luck would have it, my house is in line with the runway.

Anway, if you're anywhere near Wendover, come on out to the airshow tomorrow.  I lost some sleep so the pilots could do a good job for you.  Sometimes, I am way too nice.

See you there!

Food Freefall

 
So,

Trey had strep throat and there have been a lot of other things going on and we didn't make it to the grocery store.

We usually have a plan for the week and buy groceries to meet that plan.  We have no plan and are wingin' it big time this week. 

It's so easy to eat "wrong" when it seems that you are constantly on catch up mode. 

Just gotta hang in there for a couple more days and pull the plan back together.

You ever feel the same way?

A Beginner's Guide to Sticking with a New Exercise Regime (Guest Post)

Today, Roger Elmore is giving me a break from posting on my own blog so I can disinfect my house and, as a bonus, he is bringing my blog back on topic.  Read on:

A Beginner's Guide to Sticking with a New Exercise Regime

After months of planning and futile "I'll start working out next week" promises, you have finally decided that you are ready to actually begin exercising again (or for the first time). This is great news indeed because not only will regular exercise keep you physically healthy, it will also help to improve your mental health by helping you regulate your stress levels. However, despite all of the good things that exercise can bring, many people find it difficult to stick with an exercise routine for more than just a few weeks, especially if they are beginners to the realm of regular work outs. Luckily, there are some simple ways in which beginners can find a new exercise routine and stick with it for the long haul.

One of the most common mistakes that beginners make is simply aiming too high too quickly and scaring themselves out of working out. While it is admirable to dive right into exercising with a gung-ho all-or-nothing attitude, that brazenness and disregard for your body's actual capabilities can also set you up for failure. After all, nothing is more disappointing than repeatedly failing to accomplish one of your personal workout goals. The key to preventing this from happening is to set reasonable goals throughout your workout routines. Do not attempt to run ten miles if you are working out for the first time. Instead, simply aim to run for as long as you can and then create your workout goals based on how well you performed. This way, you will set goals for yourself that can be attainable within a reasonable amount of time rather than setting goals that would take months to achieve, which can make working out seem useless because you are not seeing any immediate improvements. Also, keeping your exercise goals reasonable will prevent injuries from occurring.

Another thing to make exercise routines stick is to keep things entertaining. While some people may find running on a treadmill perfectly palatable, others may find it insufferably dull. Try out several different things to determine what types of activities you prefer. In addition, keep switching up your routines from time to time to keep your muscles from getting too accustomed to any one activity as well as to keep things fresh so that you do not get bored of exercising. Try working out with a buddy, too. The friendly competition will keep you on your toes and you will be less likely to skip workouts if someone else is relying on you to show up.

Eating healthy is another big part of sticking to an exercise regime. You are less likely to continue working out if you do not see results within a reasonable timeframe, so nix the fast foods and frozen TV dinners in order to help the pudge melt off. This way, you will know that your exercise regime is making a difference in helping you get into shape. Finally, simply committing to working out regularly will help make your routine stick. Do not create excuses for yourself as to why you should skip a day because skipping one day can quickly lead to skipping another and another until you have abandoned yet another exercise plan. Instead, get off that couch and strap your running shoes on the next time you find yourself wondering whether or not you should work out.

 

By-line:

This guest post is contributed by Roger Elmore, who writes on the topics of hospitality management schools.  He welcomes your comments at his email Id: rogerelmore24 @gmail.com.

Another Sick Day and Rambling

Trey still had a fever this morning (101 degrees) so we stayed home again.  It means I'm going to have to cram some things together tonight.  I have two city council meetings tonight with a bit over an hour of a break between them.  I'm going to use that time to go into work to take care of a couple of important things.  I'm hoping to get them wrapped up so that I can come home after the second city council meeting and spend some time with my wife. 

I think I slept funny last night.  I woke up with white paint on my face and a big red rubber nose.  A sure sign that I slept funny, if ever there was one. 

Plus, the right side of my neck hurts.  Maybe it was cramped in the clown car.

Speaking of clown cars, we had someone at the casino say that he lost his wallet and that it had $30,000  in it.  Have you ever seen $30,000?  Liar, liar, pants on fire.  The officer that took the initial complaint says the guy must have a clown wallet. 

Did you know that taking L-Lysine can help you absorb calcium better?  I just learned this today.  I've known that it can help with energy but I didn't know about the calcium thing.

On the other side of the coin, do any of you (or have any of you) taken melatonin to help with sleep.  What are/were your results?  Just curious.

May I say again that I love DVR.  You know, as much as I watch TV, but still.  Trey and I watched the first half of the Saints/49ers game last night while Tia worked on homework.  Today, since Trey is home, we watched the second half of the game.  Alex Smith looks like he's figuring it all out.  Of course, Drew already has it figured out but it was a close game and the wind made it necessary to use different strategies depending on which way the teams were going. 

I don't think that the bug that had my stomach last week has completely gone or maybe now I'm fighting off the strep throat that is in the house.  Tomorrow is going to be Clorox/Lysol day in this house.  Trey should be past the contagious stage and well on the mend. 

Anyway, I did my workout today and I have to say that I just wasn't feeling the love.  Drill Sergeant was in the same boat.  I really thought that we would be back to full speed and intensity today but that did not happen.  I dropped down in weights from where I was at the beginning of the month and still struggled to get out the same number of reps.  I don't know what's up. 

I do need to get better sleep.  I know that but that doesn't account for how little energy I felt today. 

At least I worked out.  My whole intense 2-month plan has been thrown out the window and now I'm just trying to maintain some semblance of fitness.  This has been a tough year.

That's been the theme for Tia and I for much of 2010.  Health problems for both of us, accompanied with the expense for health problems, and the disruption of being sick/injured and all the trips to doctors that are 120 miles away.  Sheesh!  I'll be doing good if I'm anywhere near the neighborhood of maintenance.

Not to wish the time away but I hope 2011 is a better year. 

Hey, I found out (and by "I", I mean that Tia found out and then told me) that if you take a doctor's note to the school when your son misses class, they don't count it as an absence.  If they would have told me that last year, I wouldn't have to have gone off on my rant when the school threatened to turn me into child services because my son was getting close to missing too much school for the year.

Oh, on that note, they tested his reading ability to start first grade.  He's reading at second grade level.  I pity the social service worker that shows up on my doorstep. 

I have been amazed at how quickly Trey is picking up on the rules of football.  I tell him things one time and then in a later game, he puts the knowledge to work.  He has figured out the scoring thing and today, because I hadn't told him about the possibility of a 2 point conversion, he declared that the Saints were going to win because they were leading by 8 and the 49ers could only get 7 points.  Math and rules all right there.  After I told him about the 2 point conversion, he said that the Saints were still going to win because they were playing better than the 49ers.  Nothing to teach him there.

Of course, as a Rams fan, I can't cheer for the Saints but anyone that smacks the 49ers around a bit has a little bit of good in them.

The Rams didn't lose by very much on Sunday.  That's how a Rams fan has to think.  We can't the numbers in the "W" column because there aren't any.  We just have to hope for some kind of improvement.  Losing by only 2 points.  Not bad.  I'm hoping that they win in the exhibition game against the womens' lingerie team but I'll be happy if they don't lose by more than a field goal.

Time to go get a new toothbrush for Trey so we can throw away the strep-brush tomorrow morning. 

Wishing You Success!