08 Feb
Blog

How I Found CrossFit and Community During Lockdown

As a jiu-jitsu practitioner for the past ten years, I have naturally adopted the mindset of staying calm and seizing opportunities. However, it is difficult to practice the art as regularly as you want as you start to lose muscle memory, rhythm, and accuracy.

In this case, I had to find another sport that instilled the same discipline while outside of my comfort zone.

Enter CrossFit Firefly, a boxing gym I found on Facebook with no website, no significant presence, and no Yelp account. That would be interesting.

How I found CrossFit and Community during Lockdown - Fitness, Crossfit, Wod, Kettlebells, Mobility, Community, Jiu-Jitsu, Dance, Capoeira, Rhythm, Creative Movement, Cleaning, AMRAP, Pandemic, Covid-19, Boxing Gym, Lockdown , Brazil Jiu Jitsu

Good coaching cues trigger neurons

Ferdinand Thieriot taught my first session with a glassblower who became the trainer and co-owner of Crossfit Firefly. While pointing out my poor form, he eloquently eloquently addressed the small details that kept my arched back and shape fixed during AMRAP exercises.

It's not exactly what he said, but how he said it that made it all click.

It was like dealing with an eccentric fitness guru who spent his time and effort perfecting another person's art of exercising.

His few words opened up a new perspective that resonated with me.

My neurons and nerves fired as I increased the habit of distributing weight on my feet, not just the balls of my feet. And within three weeks during AMRAP WODS I did a series of cleanings with perfect shape.

Building a CrossFit community

Ferdinand runs and owns CrossFit Firefly, which was founded in 2015, with his wife, Tracy Thieriot. Avid Breaking Muscle readers, you recognize Chris Holder's kettlebell tutorial as one of their best resource for form and movement.

While Ferdinand built his career in the fitness industry through great attention to detail, intense self-awareness, and a certain sense of direction, Tracy relied on her fiery creativity and sense of adventure as a major in dance communication and ethnic studies who believes entropy is her standard state. Her modern dance and contact improvisation background led her to find CrossFit and explore other arts such as capoeira and Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

How I found CrossFit and Community during Lockdown - Fitness, Crossfit, Wod, Kettlebells, Mobility, Community, Jiu-Jitsu, Dance, Capoeira, Rhythm, Creative Movement, Cleaning, AMRAP, Pandemic, Covid-19, Boxing Gym, Lockdown , Brazil Jiu Jitsu

We immediately connected by sharing our experiences in dance and mobility. Tracy says WODS helps her develop a better sense of managing her center of gravity as she explores mobility and movement through her craft.

As a competitive athlete at 5 & # 39; 11 "with an ectomorphic body type, this conversation hit.

CrossFit is an excellent form of exercise for getting in shape and conditioning your body if you are a practitioner who specializes in another art form.

The circular concept of energy transfer

If you've read this far, you may find that Tracy and Ferd are purists who believe in the healing effects of exercise and its impact on community.

They talk about this concept of circle technology – specifically the transfer of energy through support, suffering, cheering, and giving up all pretenses.

It's raw and real.

How I found CrossFit and Community during Lockdown - Fitness, Crossfit, Wod, Kettlebells, Mobility, Community, Jiu-Jitsu, Dance, Capoeira, Rhythm, Creative Movement, Cleaning, AMRAP, Pandemic, Covid-19, Boxing Gym, Lockdown , Brazil Jiu Jitsu

We've all seen the best and the worst of each other, so we might as well do the real work.

It can be said that the stars were aligned for the CrossFit couple to serve the community through their boxing gym.

If you are being asked by all of your members to stay open throughout the lockdown, how can you not be motivated to fight for the right to keep your doors open?

08 Feb
Blog

How I Found CrossFit and Community During Lockdown

As a jiu-jitsu practitioner for the past ten years, I have naturally adopted the mindset of staying calm and seizing opportunities. However, it is difficult to practice the art as regularly as you want as you start to lose muscle memory, rhythm, and accuracy.

In this case, I had to find another sport that instilled the same discipline while outside of my comfort zone.

Enter CrossFit Firefly, a boxing gym I found on Facebook with no website, no significant presence, and no Yelp account. That would be interesting.

How I found CrossFit and Community during Lockdown - Fitness, Crossfit, Wod, Kettlebells, Mobility, Community, Jiu-Jitsu, Dance, Capoeira, Rhythm, Creative Movement, Cleaning, AMRAP, Pandemic, Covid-19, Boxing Gym, Lockdown , Brazil Jiu Jitsu

Good coaching cues trigger neurons

Ferdinand Thieriot taught my first session with a glassblower who became the trainer and co-owner of Crossfit Firefly. While pointing out my poor form, he eloquently eloquently addressed the small details that kept my arched back and shape fixed during AMRAP exercises.

It's not exactly what he said, but how he said it that made it all click.

It was like dealing with an eccentric fitness guru who spent his time and effort perfecting another person's art of exercising.

His few words opened up a new perspective that resonated with me.

My neurons and nerves fired as I increased the habit of distributing weight on my feet, not just the balls of my feet. And within three weeks during AMRAP WODS I did a series of cleanings with perfect shape.

Building a CrossFit community

Ferdinand runs and owns CrossFit Firefly, which was founded in 2015, with his wife, Tracy Thieriot. Avid Breaking Muscle readers, you recognize Chris Holder's kettlebell tutorial as one of their best resource for form and movement.

While Ferdinand built his career in the fitness industry through great attention to detail, intense self-awareness, and a certain sense of direction, Tracy relied on her fiery creativity and sense of adventure as a major in dance communication and ethnic studies who believes entropy is her standard state. Her modern dance and contact improvisation background led her to find CrossFit and explore other arts such as capoeira and Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

How I found CrossFit and Community during Lockdown - Fitness, Crossfit, Wod, Kettlebells, Mobility, Community, Jiu-Jitsu, Dance, Capoeira, Rhythm, Creative Movement, Cleaning, AMRAP, Pandemic, Covid-19, Boxing Gym, Lockdown , Brazil Jiu Jitsu

We immediately connected by sharing our experiences in dance and mobility. Tracy says WODS helps her develop a better sense of managing her center of gravity as she explores mobility and movement through her craft.

As a competitive athlete at 5 & # 39; 11 "with an ectomorphic body type, this conversation hit.

CrossFit is an excellent form of exercise for getting in shape and conditioning your body if you are a practitioner who specializes in another art form.

The circular concept of energy transfer

If you've read this far, you may find that Tracy and Ferd are purists who believe in the healing effects of exercise and its impact on community.

They talk about this concept of circle technology – specifically the transfer of energy through support, suffering, cheering, and giving up all pretenses.

It's raw and real.

How I found CrossFit and Community during Lockdown - Fitness, Crossfit, Wod, Kettlebells, Mobility, Community, Jiu-Jitsu, Dance, Capoeira, Rhythm, Creative Movement, Cleaning, AMRAP, Pandemic, Covid-19, Boxing Gym, Lockdown , Brazil Jiu Jitsu

We've all seen the best and the worst of each other, so we might as well do the real work.

It can be said that the stars were aligned for the CrossFit couple to serve the community through their boxing gym.

If you are being asked by all of your members to stay open throughout the lockdown, how can you not be motivated to fight for the right to keep your doors open?

14 Jul
Blog

How to Grow Like a New Lifter After Lockdown

Calvin Huynh is a trainer, online coach and author. He is the founder of Awesome Fitness. Calvins delves deep into scientific research and distills the information into easy-to-understand and actionable guidelines.

His articles teach you everything you need to know to look good naked, live healthy, and act like a beast.

In this special episode, we'll discuss how to best approach your workout after locking. Have your pen and paper ready to take notes as you learn how to determine the number of days you should exercise, how many exercises to do, what intensity to work with, and how many sentences to do .

Calvin also identifies the surprising opportunities that come from being out of the gym and how you can use them to make new profits.

If you haven't been to the gym for a while and rely on body weight training or minimal equipment during the lockdown, don't miss this!

If you liked this podcast and you cared about it, rate and rate it so that we can spread the word and motivate and inspire others to take their performance to the next level. More podcasts of this kind can be found on the Six Pack of Knowledge page.

Your host Tom MacCormick is a personal trainer and online coach whose goal is to be the curator of the world's greatest hypertrophy experts. If you are interested in working with Tom or learning more about him, follow him on Instagram @tommaccormick or visit his website www.tommaccormick.com.

14 Jul
Blog

How to Grow Like a New Lifter After Lockdown

Calvin Huynh is a trainer, online coach and author. He is the founder of Awesome Fitness. Calvins delves deep into scientific research and distills the information into easy-to-understand and actionable guidelines.

His articles teach you everything you need to know to look good naked, live healthy, and act like a beast.

In this special episode, we'll discuss how to best approach your workout after locking. Have your pen and paper ready to take notes as you learn how to determine the number of days you should exercise, how many exercises to do, what intensity to work with, and how many sentences to do .

Calvin also identifies the surprising opportunities that come from being out of the gym and how you can use them to make new profits.

If you haven't been to the gym for a while and rely on body weight training or minimal equipment during the lockdown, don't miss this!

If you liked this podcast and you cared about it, rate and rate it so that we can spread the word and motivate and inspire others to take their performance to the next level. More podcasts of this kind can be found on the Six Pack of Knowledge page.

Your host Tom MacCormick is a personal trainer and online coach whose goal is to be the curator of the world's greatest hypertrophy experts. If you are interested in working with Tom or learning more about him, follow him on Instagram @tommaccormick or visit his website www.tommaccormick.com.

30 Jun
Blog

15 Lessons Learned for Lifters From the Great Lockdown

Before the Great Lockdown, many of us refused to take time to the gym. The forced absence may have been a blessing in disguise for you. At the very least, it has forced you to rest and heal excruciating injuries.

It may also have affected you on a more fundamental level. Perhaps you've re-evaluated why you're training and what your goals are. Hopefully you have more clarity about what you want to get out of the gym and how you can best achieve it.

Perhaps a global pandemic that threatens obesity, diabetes and the elderly to a greater degree has caused you to rethink your approach. Perhaps you have decided to do more conditioning work to complement your weightlifting, or you have decided to get out of the super heavyweight class and end your quest to become a 300-pound giant.

Perhaps in contrast You realize that your sporting activities give your life great meaning. Lockdown has let you know that accomplishing these things is something you deeply want, and you vowed to double your efforts to realize your potential. Whatever the outcome, I hope you have taken the time to reflect, evaluate and plan.

If you're not in the gym, you can appreciate it more. You can reevaluate your relationship with training:

  • Was it a healthy relationship?
  • Did you like the challenge and the process?
  • Did you train because you thought you had to prepare?
  • Did you train to burn off some donuts?
  • Have you trained to punish yourself or reward yourself?

Do you see health differently and your approach to optimize it now? Your goals may have shifted. Are ours Longevity and increased resilience are more important than adding an inch to your arms? Or do you realize that if you build additional muscles, you won't be happier and more fulfilled?

The answers to these questions are yours and yours alone. Take the time to reassess, gain clarity and make adjustments. You may have just needed a break or a change.

1. Do what you want

Doing what you want is something I think is essential. Pre-lockdown Many of you may have chosen a path that was set for you, or at least been heavily influenced by someone else. Your goals may have been projected on you and may become your goals. Don't train to make others happy.

Exercise to make you happy. Set goals that mean something to you. Make a specific plan for these goals and then work hard to achieve them. This will do you much more than going through the movements of chasing someone else's dream.

It will also make the ride much more enjoyable. Have your mission and work towards it.

2. Maintain the muscle mass

About the lock:

  • I have exercised less than at any point in the past decade.
  • I had access to less equipment than when I started lifting almost 20 years ago.
  • I had the stress of turning around and doing a lot of my personal business online to earn enough income to support my family.

Despite all that, I haven't lost any muscles. I think I won something. I have not worked miracles, but I certainly have no muscle bleeding and have returned to the body of my 11-year-old self.

Although I knew that strength and muscle mass were resistant to decay through withdrawal, I never really had to put it to the test. While recognizing the theoretical framework and scientific research was reassuring, It doesn't make you immune to the fear that something you've worked so hard for may go away.

I am pretty sure that there are many rational, well-read exercise rats between the competing thoughts of

"It will be fine, I will maintain my muscles and strength while training in body weight." And "Oh crap, I'm going to lose all my winnings – I won't even look like I lifted myself after the lockdown."

Fortunately, the research was right. It turns out that maintaining muscle mass is much easier than building it. Once you've created a decent physique, you can have him do very little.

3. The value of nutrition

Proper nutrition can:

Your diet is critical to building an impressive body. We all know that, but many fitness junkies have cut back on their diet.

They fall into the trap of overdoing a lousy diet or at least compensating for a less than ideal diet. It's pretty obvious that a newbie to fitness trying to lose fat by pounding the treadmill or signing up for a spin course is frustrated.

They have to deal with their diet, especially their big mocha-frappe-latte-cinno with syrup and muffin breakfast habits, and pizza and beer nights.

Most of us gymnastics rats assume a strange moral superiority here. We mock them for their naivety. We think they are ignorant and lazy.

However, many of us do not see that we too make similar mistakes. The difference is that we like to do sports and use this to cover up some of our nutritional faux pas.

Many fitness junkies who are stuck at home and unable to exercise for 90 minutes every day have found that they are not quite as tough and disciplined with their diet as they thought.

You now have access to a fully equipped kitchen just a few meters away. Many lifters that I know have started to give in to the cravings they never had before. Suddenly, hourly trips to the fridge or cookie jar take place every hour.

We are not so bulletproof if our routines and security blankets are removed. Since we are not armed with Tupperware filled with prepared foods, we are now making a food selection when we search the fridge hungry. It gives us an insight into how most ordinary people live.

I know I've had a few weeks dipping my hand into my child's chocolate and biscuit stock more often than it did. In combination with my reduced activity, my weight started to increase.

The lightness and accessibility of delicious treats in the next room became difficult to resist. I started to get used to having a candy bar after dinner.

I would choose the one-for-you-one-for-me approach when handing out the goodies to the kids. All this temptation meant that I started building bad habits and a bigger gut.

4. Eating based on activity levels

Maybe you haven't started treating yourself yet. Perhaps you have maintained the same eating habits as before. You probably gained weight anyway. Why? Because your activity levels have dropped and you are denied access to your beloved gym.

All of this sounds negative, but in fact it can be a real blessing in disguise. It will force you to develop a better understanding of how your diet needs to reflect your level of activity.

If you can stay slim or get slim if you can't exercise regularly, it will be a breeze when you can get back to your beloved gym.

If you are a trainer, this is a valuable insight into the struggle that ordinary people face. It should make you more empathetic and help you solve your problems. You are a more valuable resource and a better coach for your customers.

5. Slow down

In recent months, you may have taken your foot off the gas for the first time in your adult life. Modern life demands so much from us. It moves incredibly fast and we feel compelled to keep up by tapping on the treadmill of life.

I started the lock with a long task list of all the things I would accomplish. A hyperproductive machine was what I wanted to be. Then I took a breath, slowed down and realized that these few months at home with my wife and children were a unique opportunity.

I tried my best to appreciate and enjoy the experience.

  • I've postponed plans to produce multiple items every week.
  • I decided not to interview a podcast guest every day.
  • I didn't force myself to wake up at 5:00 am to have a few hours of work before the kids woke up.

I was still working and was relatively productive:

  • I have finished writing a book
  • My customers trained online
  • Recorded a number of instructional videos
  • Helped kids homeschooling
  • Played soccer outside with the kids
  • I remember how fun playing Monopoly is
  • Read several books
  • Outlined

I also sat on the sofa and watched Netflix with my wife. I was generally present and less distracted. I was by no means perfect – just better than me.

Hopefully, the lock is a one-off. I might as well look back on that. I also hope to have the ability to slow down and be present for the rest of my life.

6. Love locally

You may have noticed that the large supermarkets in your area had difficulty meeting demand in the early stages of the closure. In the meantime, many local businesses have been well filled and have done everything possible to support their local community.

They showed that they took care of it and we found that we had taken them for granted.

In our distress we turned to them and found the last pack of toilet rolls, a bar of soap or a bag of flour. I am confident that this will lead to real loyalty to these deals. I really hope so. As the lock is lifted and we move back to normal, these businesses deserve our continued support.

Supporting local businesses goes beyond sourcing your groceries. This also applies to your gym.

When the lock is out, your local independent gym will need you. because they were hit hard. In contrast to the Globo-Gym chains:

  • They don't have piles of private equity funds to pull them off.
  • You have no profit reserves or substantial marketing budgets.
  • They are the place where you can use chalk for your elevators.
  • They allow you to make a lot of noise while cheering on your training partners' PR attempt.
  • They give you real advice.
  • They offer you a community of like-minded lifters.

For some of you, these gyms are a home away from home. When they open again, they need your business. Unlike the faceless large chain gyms, they will greet you personally and appreciate your help.

Support them and your training can thrive. Ignore them and they will go down and you will be stuck in a gym that cares more about your monthly direct debit than your results.

7. Community is powerful

Times of crisis bring people together. Did you have the support you need from your community? Did you step up to make your contribution?? If not, it may be time to build or join a better community.

This follows my point above about local businesses. Perhaps now is the time for you to start your Garage Lifting Club or join the local independent gym and meet people who will support and motivate you.

They say you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. You can choose who these people are. Maybe now is the time to look for new people to bring to your community. The synergistic effect when good people come together will all lead you to new heights.

8. Do the first repetition

The motivation to exercise is usually not an issue for me. I enjoy the challenge and the results. I've been training consistently for years.

I was so used to the training that the sessions almost start with the autopilot. About 90 minutes after lunch, I go to my favorite cafe without thinking about it. I am preprogrammed to have a coffee and 30 minutes later I do my first sentence. That's the way it is. I've got this habit so deep that I don't have to think about it.

In a lockdown, however, I often don't feel like exercising. I don't have my routine. I have no triggers that unconsciously prepare me for training.

Instead, it is suddenly late afternoon and I have little energy and am more interested in the sofa than in the squat. I am often upset after trying to help children in school in the morning and hungry after not eating for hours. The temptation to end the session is great. I admit it was several times stronger than my willpower during the ban.

Overcoming this resistance training can be done very quickly. Just do the first repetition. The hardest part is getting started. Once you get started, everything will be easy.

Make a deal with yourself that you will only make the first sentence. You complete the entire workout nine times out of ten. And if you're ten out of ten like me, you won't regret it.

One of my favorite authors, Ryan Holiday, says, "The best advice I've heard about writing a book is" … producing two crappy pages a day. By making a small profit every day – by putting words on the page – a book is created. "

Apply this lesson to your workout even if you don't feel like it. Just finish the first few sentences and see where it takes you.

9. The importance of routine

As I indicated in my last point, a lack of routine can make it more difficult to maintain good habits. I suggest you fix this by setting up a routine.

This can apply to your whole day. Set a time to work at your desk. Have a set lunch time – plan workouts in your diary.

If you work from home for the foreseeable future, this routine may need to be adapted to your old pre-workout rituals. Maybe you can just replace similar elements. For example:

  • Make yourself a cup of coffee before your workout and take your supplements 30-45 minutes before your scheduled workout time to replace the usual pre-workout espresso or food supplements that you would normally have before your workout.
  • Listen to your favorite workout playlist.

Whatever it takes to get familiar with the process and put you in the mood to exercise.

10. Body weight training can be brutal

Did you think that weight training would be a breeze? Too easy for you? Not enough challenge? Yes me too. Guess what? If you choose the right exercises for yourself and push them hard, body weight training can be brutal.

In some ways, they are more difficult than my regular training:

  • Most of my training is done in the range of 6 to 15 repetitions.
  • Most of it is in the range of 8-12 repetitions.

When training with body weight, I knew that I had to approach failure to make it effective.

  • This meant sets of more than 20 repetitions for many exercises.
  • I sometimes did 30 reps before I failed.

These high reps sets challenged me in a different way than my regular workout. The burn and the pump produced were painful.

The mental challenge was also different. In many sets, I wanted to stop at 20 when the burning sensation in my muscles became uncomfortable.

Despite this burning, I still had reps in the tank, and grinding out those reps was a deeply unpleasant experience. It was also a shock to the system. After a few workouts with high reps, I had a newfound respect for body weight training.

My body adjusted quickly and pretty soon I was able to reach the rep range more efficiently. My body had gotten better at buffering the acid in my muscles.

Then I tried to make the exercise more challenging by slowing the repetitions, doing paused repetitions, or moving to a more advanced variation of the movement. Sure enough, the train of pain came back.

So body weight exercises are not too easy and can be very effective if you program them correctly and prepare for the work required. This increases your:

It could also make you crave the safety of heavier weights and sets of 8-12 again. I know it did it for me.

11. Kettlebells are cool

I'm not a kettlebell type. I use them in my training and to train customers, but they are not at the top of my work. They are just another tool and, to be honest, not a tool that I use so often. Since the ban I was reminded of how versatile a kettlebell can be.

I ordered one at the beginning of the block because it was one of the few parts of a kit I could get. I'm glad I did it. I managed to get an 80 pounder and it was used for:

With only part of the kit, my training was fun, varied and effective. I just scratched the surface of what I could do with the KB. When it comes to having only part of the kit, I now think that a heavy (ish) KB would be very high on my shortlist.

12. Walking is good for you – Duh

An outside walk was one of the few activities allowed in lockdown, but since I couldn't go anywhere, I didn't take advantage of it in the beginning.

The overwhelming workload from homeschooling tended to take over, meaning that we were desperately trying to teach our five and seven year maths, English, the big fire in London, and random facts about Tokyo (I don't make up the curriculum). .

I usually go to and from work. It's about 25 minutes each way. I knew that was good for me, but only when I stopped running every day did I realize how good it was.

I am not an expert on the specific physiological benefits of walking, although I am aware that there are many advocates of its benefits for both physiological and psychological health.

Some say that "just putting one foot in front of the other changes your inner chemistry to complete the spiraling cycles of tension."

Anecdotally I can say that a walk works miracles for me. Getting the body moving, the blood flowing, getting some fresh air and letting the mind wander always seems to lead to finding solutions and having more clarity. It seems to me that walking makes me a more effective, efficient and productive person.

If you're struggling with stress and anxiety or hesitate, take a 30-minute walk. When you return home, you will almost certainly feel better and be ready to do whatever tasks you have postponed.

13. Fitness matters

In fact, don't miss something until it's gone. For many fitness junkies, blocking was a challenge. People who had not previously followed a strict training routine also wanted to do more sports.

When everyday activities were taken away, many people asked for ways to improve their fitness. Whether it is:

People instinctively knew that they had to move their bodies. Physical activity is one of the best medicines. It will also help make you more robust in the face of serious illnesses. Statistics show that younger, fitter individuals tend to have fewer symptoms and faster recovery times.

While the benefits of exercise are not a new lesson for us, it is impressive to see the creative ways people have improved their fitness. This has taught me that although I have my personal training preferences, the discipline of physical practice surpasses this. I would rather do something than nothing.

14. You are stronger than you think

Adversity forces you to adapt. Hard times develop resilience. They also inspire innovation. You've almost certainly found creative and clever ways to get things done.

Perhaps you have seen how to attract a child to school or diversify your business to continue making money. Perhaps with a backpack, canned beans, water bottles, a heavy flower pot, and a cargo of ingenuity, you've found a way to further achieve your fitness goals.

Whatever it was, I'm sure you've found a way to learn and adapt. I am sure that there are many examples of how you can overcome it, be it through inspired innovations or through relentless beasts to force yourself past a problem.

They show unused strength. You may not have honored yourself for these successes. You should. And when it's all over, you'll have new skills and strength to keep getting better.

15. Every day is a school day

Last hour – The school is always in session. For parents of school-age children, this was the case both literally and figuratively. Did I mention teaching your kids at home is difficult?

Aside from the horrors of homeschooling, lessons can be found in any situation. The lessons listed above and the lessons you learned personally during the suspension will serve you forever. They are universal and not limited to times of crisis.

Remember that you will get through this and if you apply the lessons you will be better for it. We may need to learn a new way of life, learn from the lock, and keep learning. One of our biggest advantages is the ability to continue learning.

Think of the lock as a fast-paced crash course in life class and decide to be a lifelong learner.

29 Jun
Blog

15 Lessons Learned for Lifters From the Great Lockdown

Before the Great Lockdown, many of us refused to take time to the gym. The forced absence may have been a blessing in disguise for you. At the very least, it has forced you to rest and heal excruciating injuries.

It may also have affected you on a more fundamental level. Perhaps you've re-evaluated why you're training and what your goals are. Hopefully you have more clarity about what you want to get out of the gym and how you can best achieve it.

Perhaps a global pandemic that threatens obesity, diabetes and the elderly to a greater degree has caused you to rethink your approach. Perhaps you have decided to do more conditioning work to complement your weightlifting, or you have decided to get out of the super heavyweight class and end your quest to become a 300-pound giant.

Perhaps in contrast You realize that your sporting activities give your life great meaning. Lockdown has let you know that accomplishing these things is something you deeply want, and you vowed to double your efforts to realize your potential. Whatever the outcome, I hope you have taken the time to reflect, evaluate and plan.

If you're not in the gym, you can appreciate it more. You can reevaluate your relationship with training:

  • Was it a healthy relationship?
  • Did you like the challenge and the process?
  • Did you train because you thought you had to prepare?
  • Did you train to burn off some donuts?
  • Have you trained to punish yourself or reward yourself?

Do you see health differently and your approach to optimize it now? Your goals may have shifted. Are ours Longevity and increased resilience are more important than adding an inch to your arms? Or do you realize that if you build additional muscles, you won't be happier and more fulfilled?

The answers to these questions are yours and yours alone. Take the time to reassess, gain clarity and make adjustments. You may have just needed a break or a change.

1. Do what you want

Doing what you want is something I think is essential. Pre-lockdown Many of you may have chosen a path that was set for you, or at least been heavily influenced by someone else. Your goals may have been projected on you and may become your goals. Don't train to make others happy.

Exercise to make you happy. Set goals that mean something to you. Make a specific plan for these goals and then work hard to achieve them. This will do you much more than going through the movements of chasing someone else's dream.

It will also make the ride much more enjoyable. Have your mission and work towards it.

2. Maintain the muscle mass

About the lock:

  • I have exercised less than at any point in the past decade.
  • I had access to less equipment than when I started lifting almost 20 years ago.
  • I had the stress of turning around and doing a lot of my personal business online to earn enough income to support my family.

Despite all that, I haven't lost any muscles. I think I won something. I have not worked miracles, but I certainly have no muscle bleeding and have returned to the body of my 11-year-old self.

Although I knew that strength and muscle mass were resistant to decay through withdrawal, I never really had to put it to the test. While recognizing the theoretical framework and scientific research was reassuring, It doesn't make you immune to the fear that something you've worked so hard for may go away.

I am pretty sure that there are many rational, well-read exercise rats between the competing thoughts of

"It will be fine, I will maintain my muscles and strength while training in body weight." And "Oh crap, I'm going to lose all my winnings – I won't even look like I lifted myself after the lockdown."

Fortunately, the research was right. It turns out that maintaining muscle mass is much easier than building it. Once you've created a decent physique, you can have him do very little.

3. The value of nutrition

Proper nutrition can:

Your diet is critical to building an impressive body. We all know that, but many fitness junkies have cut back on their diet.

They fall into the trap of overdoing a lousy diet or at least compensating for a less than ideal diet. It's pretty obvious that a newbie to fitness trying to lose fat by pounding the treadmill or signing up for a spin course is frustrated.

They have to deal with their diet, especially their big mocha-frappe-latte-cinno with syrup and muffin breakfast habits, and pizza and beer nights.

Most of us gymnastics rats assume a strange moral superiority here. We mock them for their naivety. We think they are ignorant and lazy.

However, many of us do not see that we too make similar mistakes. The difference is that we like to do sports and use this to cover up some of our nutritional faux pas.

Many fitness junkies who are stuck at home and unable to exercise for 90 minutes every day have found that they are not quite as tough and disciplined with their diet as they thought.

You now have access to a fully equipped kitchen just a few meters away. Many lifters that I know have started to give in to the cravings they never had before. Suddenly, hourly trips to the fridge or cookie jar take place every hour.

We are not so bulletproof if our routines and security blankets are removed. Since we are not armed with Tupperware filled with prepared foods, we are now making a food selection when we search the fridge hungry. It gives us an insight into how most ordinary people live.

I know I've had a few weeks dipping my hand into my child's chocolate and biscuit stock more often than it did. In combination with my reduced activity, my weight started to increase.

The lightness and accessibility of delicious treats in the next room became difficult to resist. I started to get used to having a candy bar after dinner.

I would choose the one-for-you-one-for-me approach when handing out the goodies to the kids. All this temptation meant that I started building bad habits and a bigger gut.

4. Eating based on activity levels

Maybe you haven't started treating yourself yet. Perhaps you have maintained the same eating habits as before. You probably gained weight anyway. Why? Because your activity levels have dropped and you are denied access to your beloved gym.

All of this sounds negative, but in fact it can be a real blessing in disguise. It will force you to develop a better understanding of how your diet needs to reflect your level of activity.

If you can stay slim or get slim if you can't exercise regularly, it will be a breeze when you can get back to your beloved gym.

If you are a trainer, this is a valuable insight into the struggle that ordinary people face. It should make you more empathetic and help you solve your problems. You are a more valuable resource and a better coach for your customers.

5. Slow down

In recent months, you may have taken your foot off the gas for the first time in your adult life. Modern life demands so much from us. It moves incredibly fast and we feel compelled to keep up by tapping on the treadmill of life.

I started the lock with a long task list of all the things I would accomplish. A hyperproductive machine was what I wanted to be. Then I took a breath, slowed down and realized that these few months at home with my wife and children were a unique opportunity.

I tried my best to appreciate and enjoy the experience.

  • I've postponed plans to produce multiple items every week.
  • I decided not to interview a podcast guest every day.
  • I didn't force myself to wake up at 5:00 am to have a few hours of work before the kids woke up.

I was still working and was relatively productive:

  • I have finished writing a book
  • My customers trained online
  • Recorded a number of instructional videos
  • Helped kids homeschooling
  • Played soccer outside with the kids
  • I remember how fun playing Monopoly is
  • Read several books
  • Outlined

I also sat on the sofa and watched Netflix with my wife. I was generally present and less distracted. I was by no means perfect – just better than me.

Hopefully, the lock is a one-off. I might as well look back on that. I also hope to have the ability to slow down and be present for the rest of my life.

6. Love locally

You may have noticed that the large supermarkets in your area had difficulty meeting demand in the early stages of the closure. In the meantime, many local businesses have been well filled and have done everything possible to support their local community.

They showed that they took care of it and we found that we had taken them for granted.

In our distress we turned to them and found the last pack of toilet rolls, a bar of soap or a bag of flour. I am confident that this will lead to real loyalty to these deals. I really hope so. As the lock is lifted and we move back to normal, these businesses deserve our continued support.

Supporting local businesses goes beyond sourcing your groceries. This also applies to your gym.

When the lock is out, your local independent gym will need you. because they were hit hard. In contrast to the Globo-Gym chains:

  • They don't have piles of private equity funds to pull them off.
  • You have no profit reserves or substantial marketing budgets.
  • They are the place where you can use chalk for your elevators.
  • They allow you to make a lot of noise while cheering on your training partners' PR attempt.
  • They give you real advice.
  • They offer you a community of like-minded lifters.

For some of you, these gyms are a home away from home. When they open again, they need your business. Unlike the faceless large chain gyms, they will greet you personally and appreciate your help.

Support them and your training can thrive. Ignore them and they will go down and you will be stuck in a gym that cares more about your monthly direct debit than your results.

7. Community is powerful

Times of crisis bring people together. Did you have the support you need from your community? Did you step up to make your contribution?? If not, it may be time to build or join a better community.

This follows my point above about local businesses. Perhaps now is the time for you to start your Garage Lifting Club or join the local independent gym and meet people who will support and motivate you.

They say you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. You can choose who these people are. Maybe now is the time to look for new people to bring to your community. The synergistic effect when good people come together will all lead you to new heights.

8. Do the first repetition

The motivation to exercise is usually not an issue for me. I enjoy the challenge and the results. I've been training consistently for years.

I was so used to the training that the sessions almost start with the autopilot. About 90 minutes after lunch, I go to my favorite cafe without thinking about it. I am preprogrammed to have a coffee and 30 minutes later I do my first sentence. That's the way it is. I've got this habit so deep that I don't have to think about it.

In a lockdown, however, I often don't feel like exercising. I don't have my routine. I have no triggers that unconsciously prepare me for training.

Instead, it is suddenly late afternoon and I have little energy and am more interested in the sofa than in the squat. I am often upset after trying to help children in school in the morning and hungry after not eating for hours. The temptation to end the session is great. I admit it was several times stronger than my willpower during the ban.

Overcoming this resistance training can be done very quickly. Just do the first repetition. The hardest part is getting started. Once you get started, everything will be easy.

Make a deal with yourself that you will only make the first sentence. You complete the entire workout nine times out of ten. And if you're ten out of ten like me, you won't regret it.

One of my favorite authors, Ryan Holiday, says, "The best advice I've heard about writing a book is" … producing two crappy pages a day. By making a small profit every day – by putting words on the page – a book is created. "

Apply this lesson to your workout even if you don't feel like it. Just finish the first few sentences and see where it takes you.

9. The importance of routine

As I indicated in my last point, a lack of routine can make it more difficult to maintain good habits. I suggest you fix this by setting up a routine.

This can apply to your whole day. Set a time to work at your desk. Have a set lunch time – plan workouts in your diary.

If you work from home for the foreseeable future, this routine may need to be adapted to your old pre-workout rituals. Maybe you can just replace similar elements. For example:

  • Make yourself a cup of coffee before your workout and take your supplements 30-45 minutes before your scheduled workout time to replace the usual pre-workout espresso or food supplements that you would normally have before your workout.
  • Listen to your favorite workout playlist.

Whatever it takes to get familiar with the process and put you in the mood to exercise.

10. Body weight training can be brutal

Did you think that weight training would be a breeze? Too easy for you? Not enough challenge? Yes me too. Guess what? If you choose the right exercises for yourself and push them hard, body weight training can be brutal.

In some ways, they are more difficult than my regular training:

  • Most of my training is done in the range of 6 to 15 repetitions.
  • Most of it is in the range of 8-12 repetitions.

When training with body weight, I knew that I had to approach failure to make it effective.

  • This meant sets of more than 20 repetitions for many exercises.
  • I sometimes did 30 reps before I failed.

These high reps sets challenged me in a different way than my regular workout. The burn and the pump produced were painful.

The mental challenge was also different. In many sets, I wanted to stop at 20 when the burning sensation in my muscles became uncomfortable.

Despite this burning, I still had reps in the tank, and grinding out those reps was a deeply unpleasant experience. It was also a shock to the system. After a few workouts with high reps, I had a newfound respect for body weight training.

My body adjusted quickly and pretty soon I was able to reach the rep range more efficiently. My body had gotten better at buffering the acid in my muscles.

Then I tried to make the exercise more challenging by slowing the repetitions, doing paused repetitions, or moving to a more advanced variation of the movement. Sure enough, the train of pain came back.

So body weight exercises are not too easy and can be very effective if you program them correctly and prepare for the work required. This increases your:

It could also make you crave the safety of heavier weights and sets of 8-12 again. I know it did it for me.

11. Kettlebells are cool

I'm not a kettlebell type. I use them in my training and to train customers, but they are not at the top of my work. They are just another tool and, to be honest, not a tool that I use so often. Since the ban I was reminded of how versatile a kettlebell can be.

I ordered one at the beginning of the block because it was one of the few parts of a kit I could get. I'm glad I did it. I managed to get an 80 pounder and it was used for:

With only part of the kit, my training was fun, varied and effective. I just scratched the surface of what I could do with the KB. When it comes to having only part of the kit, I now think that a heavy (ish) KB would be very high on my shortlist.

12. Walking is good for you – Duh

An outside walk was one of the few activities allowed in lockdown, but since I couldn't go anywhere, I didn't take advantage of it in the beginning.

The overwhelming workload from homeschooling tended to take over, meaning that we were desperately trying to teach our five and seven year maths, English, the big fire in London, and random facts about Tokyo (I don't make up the curriculum). .

I usually go to and from work. It's about 25 minutes each way. I knew that was good for me, but only when I stopped running every day did I realize how good it was.

I am not an expert on the specific physiological benefits of walking, although I am aware that there are many advocates of its benefits for both physiological and psychological health.

Some say that "just putting one foot in front of the other changes your inner chemistry to complete the spiraling cycles of tension."

Anecdotally I can say that a walk works miracles for me. Getting the body moving, the blood flowing, getting some fresh air and letting the mind wander always seems to lead to finding solutions and having more clarity. It seems to me that walking makes me a more effective, efficient and productive person.

If you're struggling with stress and anxiety or hesitate, take a 30-minute walk. When you return home, you will almost certainly feel better and be ready to do whatever tasks you have postponed.

13. Fitness matters

In fact, don't miss something until it's gone. For many fitness junkies, blocking was a challenge. People who had not previously followed a strict training routine also wanted to do more sports.

When everyday activities were taken away, many people asked for ways to improve their fitness. Whether it is:

People instinctively knew that they had to move their bodies. Physical activity is one of the best medicines. It will also help make you more robust in the face of serious illnesses. Statistics show that younger, fitter individuals tend to have fewer symptoms and faster recovery times.

While the benefits of exercise are not a new lesson for us, it is impressive to see the creative ways people have improved their fitness. This has taught me that although I have my personal training preferences, the discipline of physical practice surpasses this. I would rather do something than nothing.

14. You are stronger than you think

Adversity forces you to adapt. Hard times develop resilience. They also inspire innovation. You've almost certainly found creative and clever ways to get things done.

Perhaps you have seen how to attract a child to school or diversify your business to continue making money. Perhaps with a backpack, canned beans, water bottles, a heavy flower pot, and a cargo of ingenuity, you've found a way to further achieve your fitness goals.

Whatever it was, I'm sure you've found a way to learn and adapt. I am sure that there are many examples of how you can overcome it, be it through inspired innovations or through relentless beasts to force yourself past a problem.

They show unused strength. You may not have honored yourself for these successes. You should. And when it's all over, you'll have new skills and strength to keep getting better.

15. Every day is a school day

Last hour – The school is always in session. For parents of school-age children, this was the case both literally and figuratively. Did I mention teaching your kids at home is difficult?

Aside from the horrors of homeschooling, lessons can be found in any situation. The lessons listed above and the lessons you learned personally during the suspension will serve you forever. They are universal and not limited to times of crisis.

Remember that you will get through this and if you apply the lessons you will be better for it. We may need to learn a new way of life, learn from the lock, and keep learning. One of our biggest advantages is the ability to continue learning.

Think of the lock as a fast-paced crash course in life class and decide to be a lifelong learner.

21 Jun
Blog

High-Frequency Fat Loss – What I Learned in Lockdown

When I came to terms with the reality of lockdown, I had to develop strategies that would help my customers continue to achieve their goals. I decided to use the time at home to lose some body fat.

Of course, sensible eating habits were essential, but since my usual physical activity was drastically reduced (this happens when you swap on the gym floor 8 hours a day to sit in front of your laptop), I had to be intelligent about my workout. One of the most important tools I've used for this is high frequency weighted cardio.

To be able to take a high-frequency approach with any training method, you need to be able to recover quickly. When it comes to high-frequency training, high muscle damage and days of pain are the number one enemy of the state!

There is an often neglected training method that causes almost no muscle damage, but provides a strong training stimulus. And that's the way I lean down during the lockdown. Here's how I developed my blocking plan.

Concentric training

There are two main phases of muscle contraction during strength training:

  1. Concentric muscle training
  2. Eccentric muscle training

The concentric phase is when a muscle shortens under tension. You can think of this as the lifting phase. The eccentric is when the muscle lengthens under tension. This is the lowering phase.

Most of the muscle damage occurs in the eccentric phase. By eliminating the eccentric phases, you can reduce the stress, muscle damage, and breakdown that occur with traditional training.

I would not recommend excluding all eccentric workouts from your program indefinitely as the eccentric part of the lift offers many benefits and is a key element of the size and strength puzzle. However, tactically removing the eccentric phase from certain elements of your training can have significant benefits.

Concentric training creates the potential for:

  1. Higher training frequency
  2. More volume

These are both very useful when it comes to fat loss. Even better, a 2017 study (Stock et al., 2017) showed that only concentric strength training (with minimal muscle damage) causes hypertrophy in just 3 to 4 weeks. Concentric training can help you slim down and gain (or at least maintain) muscle mass.

Studies show that only concentric training creates much higher metabolic requirements than eccentric training (Kraemer et al., 2001). Concentric training leads to significantly higher VO2 and lactic acid levels. These increased metabolic costs mean more calories burned.

Improved recovery through concentric training only

Concentric training is very popular in rehabilitation programs for injuries. In the early stages of rehab, many therapists use high-frequency concentric training as the first step in strengthening muscles.

Improved recovery from injuries is an advantage of concentric training. Improved recovery between sessions is also a big plus of concentric work.

Stimulating blood flow to the working muscles improves recovery time from one heavy session to the next. For this reason, only concentric training is a great addition to your regular workout.

Bonus training without overtraining

Concentric training means that you can do “extra” or “bonus” training with a much lower risk of overtraining. Concentric work allows you to get a training stimulus without the mechanical or neurological fatigue caused by regular exercise. As a result, you can do more training with minimal risk that it will interfere with your usual lifting sessions.

The more you can exercise without exceeding your recovery capacity, the better your results. The fact that concentric training gives you the opportunity to increase your workload without exceeding your recovery capacity is a huge bonus when it comes to winning the fight against body fat!

Lifts, concentric lifts and conditioning

Westside Barbell has made concentric sled training popular for conditioning work. Pushing and pulling a sled is an incredibly effective workout for burning fat. I have used it in the programs of countless customers with great impact. This is one of the best ways to maximize fat loss while minimizing muscle loss.

In contrast to conventional cardio, sledge work requires a relatively high resistance. This resistance signals the body to hold the muscles. So you don't lose the trouble of looking like a marathon runner when working with weighted energy systems.

Concentric training at home

Unfortunately, I don't have a sled or I don't have enough outdoor space to use one. Living in central London means that space is scarce. What I have are 6 stairs in my block of flats and I use them to get the same benefits of sledding.

Here's how:

  • I load my backpack with books and dumbbells
  • I go up the six stairs
  • I climb into the elevator and return to the ground floor
  • I repeat for 5-10 sentences

Going up is primarily a concentric activity. By loading my backpack with textbooks and dumbbells, I can add 50 pounds of external load. Climbing stairs is like a hundred weighted steps.

I climb into the elevator to go back down because I'm lazy. Obviously I'm joking, there is actually a method for my insanity / laziness. Going down with 50 pounds of extra weight requires a lot of eccentric work and a lot of muscle damage.

Walking up and down stairs would mean I was sore and it would take longer to recover. As a result, I would not be able to do this on a daily basis. Since I want to use this method as my daily cardio, taking the elevator down is the wise choice.

So if you have a backpack, something heavy and a staircase, you can isolate yourself.

Now it looks like a sense of normalcy is returning, although I think some people still choose to exercise at home until they feel comfortable when they go to a gym. Connect to mine on my Tom MacCormick Instagram account and send me a message if you need help.

20 Jun
Blog

High-Frequency Fat Loss – What I Learned in Lockdown

When I came to terms with the reality of lockdown, I had to develop strategies that would help my customers continue to achieve their goals. I decided to use the time at home to lose some body fat.

Of course, sensible eating habits were essential, but since my usual physical activity was drastically reduced (this happens when you swap on the gym floor 8 hours a day to sit in front of your laptop), I had to be intelligent about my workout. One of the most important tools I've used for this is high frequency weighted cardio.

To be able to take a high-frequency approach with any training method, you need to be able to recover quickly. When it comes to high-frequency training, high muscle damage and days of pain are the number one enemy of the state!

There is an often neglected training method that causes almost no muscle damage, but provides a strong training stimulus. And that's the way I lean down during the lockdown. Here's how I developed my blocking plan.

Concentric training

There are two main phases of muscle contraction during strength training:

  1. Concentric muscle training
  2. Eccentric muscle training

The concentric phase is when a muscle shortens under tension. You can think of this as the lifting phase. The eccentric is when the muscle lengthens under tension. This is the lowering phase.

Most of the muscle damage occurs in the eccentric phase. By eliminating the eccentric phases, you can reduce the stress, muscle damage, and breakdown that occur with traditional training.

I would not recommend excluding all eccentric workouts from your program indefinitely as the eccentric part of the lift offers many benefits and is a key element of the size and strength puzzle. However, tactically removing the eccentric phase from certain elements of your training can have significant benefits.

Concentric training creates the potential for:

  1. Higher training frequency
  2. More volume

These are both very useful when it comes to fat loss. Even better, a 2017 study (Stock et al., 2017) showed that only concentric strength training (with minimal muscle damage) causes hypertrophy in just 3 to 4 weeks. Concentric training can help you slim down and gain (or at least maintain) muscle mass.

Studies show that only concentric training creates much higher metabolic requirements than eccentric training (Kraemer et al., 2001). Concentric training leads to significantly higher VO2 and lactic acid levels. These increased metabolic costs mean more calories burned.

Improved recovery through concentric training only

Concentric training is very popular in rehabilitation programs for injuries. In the early stages of rehab, many therapists use high-frequency concentric training as the first step in strengthening muscles.

Improved recovery from injuries is an advantage of concentric training. Improved recovery between sessions is also a big plus of concentric work.

Stimulating blood flow to the working muscles improves recovery time from one heavy session to the next. For this reason, only concentric training is a great addition to your regular workout.

Bonus training without overtraining

Concentric training means that you can do “extra” or “bonus” training with a much lower risk of overtraining. Concentric work allows you to get a training stimulus without the mechanical or neurological fatigue caused by regular exercise. As a result, you can do more training with minimal risk that it will interfere with your usual lifting sessions.

The more you can exercise without exceeding your recovery capacity, the better your results. The fact that concentric training gives you the opportunity to increase your workload without exceeding your recovery capacity is a huge bonus when it comes to winning the fight against body fat!

Lifts, concentric lifts and conditioning

Westside Barbell has made concentric sled training popular for conditioning work. Pushing and pulling a sled is an incredibly effective workout for burning fat. I have used it in the programs of countless customers with great impact. This is one of the best ways to maximize fat loss while minimizing muscle loss.

In contrast to conventional cardio, sledge work requires a relatively high resistance. This resistance signals the body to hold the muscles. So you don't lose the trouble of looking like a marathon runner when working with weighted energy systems.

Concentric training at home

Unfortunately, I don't have a sled or I don't have enough outdoor space to use one. Living in central London means that space is scarce. What I have are 6 stairs in my block of flats and I use them to get the same benefits of sledding.

Here's how:

  • I load my backpack with books and dumbbells
  • I go up the six stairs
  • I climb into the elevator and return to the ground floor
  • I repeat for 5-10 sentences

Going up is primarily a concentric activity. By loading my backpack with textbooks and dumbbells, I can add 50 pounds of external load. Climbing stairs is like a hundred weighted steps.

I climb into the elevator to go back down because I'm lazy. Obviously I'm joking, there is actually a method for my insanity / laziness. Going down with 50 pounds of extra weight requires a lot of eccentric work and a lot of muscle damage.

Walking up and down stairs would mean I was sore and it would take longer to recover. As a result, I would not be able to do this on a daily basis. Since I want to use this method as my daily cardio, taking the elevator down is the wise choice.

So if you have a backpack, something heavy and a staircase, you can isolate yourself.

Now it looks like a sense of normalcy is returning, although I think some people still choose to exercise at home until they feel comfortable when they go to a gym. Connect to mine on my Tom MacCormick Instagram account and send me a message if you need help.

14 Apr
Blog

Lockdown Is Temporary, Community Is Forever

As I sit here, writing and hearing in this cold, empty bathtub, hearing my thoughts echo from the smooth white porcelain cocoon that I have built, I am reminded of warm memories from my childhood. It was a place where my only job was to make mud holes, burn everything I could find with a magnifying glass, and take care of my butterfly that couldn't fly.

You see, I was the one who stole the gift of flight from my beautiful friend and was now his sworn protector. A few weeks earlier, I was outside and patrolling our vegetable garden for unwanted pests when I came across a blurry caterpillar.

He chewed on a particularly juicy tomato leaf and I was thrilled to have caught the killer in action. I quickly pushed him out of our vegetable garden, locked him in a large glass and provided sticks for sprinkling and leaves for eating in his glass cell

I checked him every day to make sure he wasn't causing any problems, and every day he went to the food I was going to give him. One day the caterpillar stops eating, hangs upside down on a branch that I have provided, and turns to a shiny doll. In its protective shell, the caterpillar radically transforms its body and finally appears as a butterfly.

But what does this radical transformation involve? How does a caterpillar turn into a butterfly and how long do I have to wait?

I waited a whole week that felt like life until I could see the slightest movement and it looked like it was difficult for him to break free. Ignorant and impatient, I cut a small hole in his makeshift grave and he appeared immediately.

I was no longer a threat to our family vegetable garden, but hurried it outside so that it could fly into the sunset. I put him on a flower so he could use it as a launch pad and nothing happened. What happened? What prevented my former inmate from taking off?

I hurried back into the house so my boss could help me solve this problem. I explained to my mother what had happened and she smiled softly at me as if to say, "It will be okay."

She explained that the hole I had cut that should help the butterfly was why the butterfly was grounded. Your fight develops your strengths and the butterfly was not allowed to fight and develop the strength in its wings.

Self-isolation may be the model for fuzzy caterpillars, but we're much more used to social interaction.

Things that we took for granted and considered to be constant in our lives, such as dining in restaurants, going to the gym, and sporting events, have become uncertain, and the indefinite amount of time we have to stay at home is increasing day by day more concerned with shaking the ambiguity of our situations.

One of the hardest things for us is to change our patterns because we live from structure and consistency. It doesn't matter how crazy this appearance of structure and consistency could actually be.

Nature reminds us that nothing is permanent and everything has to change, and denying this truth causes us to become victims of our own device.

Breaking our patterns can be the necessary driver that we need for our life to evolve and achieve a more comprehensive development of ourselves. Remember, while the caterpillar is sleeping in the cocoon, it will eventually need to be released.

Find your temporary normalcy

Consistently performing our normal daily routines may have been difficult at times, but implementing a brand new enforced routine is different. In order for a caterpillar to turn into a beautiful butterfly, it first digests itself after building its cocoon and almost literally becomes a caterpillar soup.

This process is not highly recommended by most doctors, so it may be better to listen to Aristotle when he said, “We are what we do repeatedly. Excellence is not an action, but a habit. "

A routine can be a fine-tuned mechanism to use a range of limited resources such as time, willpower, self-discipline, and optimism. A solid routine promotes a worn groove for the mental energies and regulates our constantly changing moods.

Staying at home is temporarily normal due to the current pandemic. Therefore, it is important to develop a healthy schedule and evaluate your energy level. Every part of your body, including your immune system, works better when protected from environmental influences and strengthened by strategies for a healthy life.

Diet, exercise, and stress relief are three of the most effective ways to accomplish this task. They enable you to wake up passionately and excited about the possibilities that the day offers.

Because our immune system is a complete system and not just a unit, the harmony and balance of this system is important. With so many moving parts of our immune system, regular nutrition offers our body the opportunity to defend itself against intruders from outside.

Scientists have long recognized that malnourished people are more susceptible to infectious diseases due to various micronutrient deficiencies. For example, a deficiency in zinc, selenium, iron, copper, folic acid and vitamins A, B6, C and E has been shown to negatively affect the response of the immune system.

Because we are limited in how we can collect our food, we need to make sure that we eat some of the most nutritious foods out there. These include salmon, kale, garlic, potatoes, blueberries, egg yolk and dark chocolate.

If you're not used to consuming some of these products, Project 13 Gyms in San Francisco hosts digital dinner clubs where you can join a large group of people who learn from a professional chef how to prepare healthy and delicious meals .

Project 13 not only offers nutrition courses, co-owners / coaches Nate Chambers and Thomas Conway offer virtual courses that focus on building better people through fitness, thinking and community.

Make practice a constant

There are few things that are more transformative than movement. It improves cardiovascular health, lowers blood pressure, helps control body weight and protects against a variety of diseases.

When you exercise in the morning, it prepares you for the day ahead, increases your overall energy level, and helps you stay in optimal health. Numerous studies have shown that exercise is the key to fighting depression and anxiety. A Finnish study found that exercise even correlates with increased wealth.

Exercise, like a healthy diet, can contribute to generally good health and thus to a healthy immune system. By implementing a daily exercise routine, you will be prepared for maximum success throughout the day. There are many great options to choose from right now.

Budo Ryu, a Krav Maga and Muy Thai gym in San Luis Obispo, California, is a fun way to learn how to protect and get in shape in your virtual classroom. The owner and founder of Budo Ryu, Eric Sandahl, is one of the best Muy Thai and Krav trainers in the country. Its programs are tailored to get the best results for you.

Another great option is G-Fit, a kettlebell studio founded by trainer Gianna Bandoni who has a thorough understanding of the anatomical, physiological, biomechanical, biochemical and psychological aspects of human experience. Your workouts will educate, encourage and empower you to discover a balanced and healthy body.

Find a balanced schedule

Although you may feel that your home is your personal cocoon and your routine and expectations may not be nearly as perfect as you expected, it is fine.

Remember, like the caterpillar in its cocoon, you will be released at some point. See when you're most productive and least productive, and then plan your days according to your most productive times.

Your daily routine may be fairly fluid due to your current commitments, but this allows for more variety in your routine. Take advantage of the productive times and support small businesses like Project 13, Budo Ryu and G-Fit that had to close their doors to protect the community.

Not only will you learn a new skill, but you will also serve your community by allowing these companies to open their doors once this pandemic has subsided. We're stronger together than we are alone, so support a community where you can share, help, and support the people you care about.

13 Apr
Blog

Lockdown Is Temporary, Community Is Forever

As I sit here, writing and hearing in this cold, empty bathtub, hearing my thoughts echo from the smooth white porcelain cocoon that I have built, I am reminded of warm memories from my childhood. It was a place where my only job was to make mud holes, burn everything I could find with a magnifying glass, and take care of my butterfly that couldn't fly.

You see, I was the one who stole the gift of flight from my beautiful friend and was now his sworn protector. A few weeks earlier, I was outside and patrolling our vegetable garden for unwanted pests when I came across a blurry caterpillar.

He chewed on a particularly juicy tomato leaf and I was thrilled to have caught the killer in action. I quickly pushed him out of our vegetable garden, locked him in a large glass and provided sticks for sprinkling and leaves for eating in his glass cell

I checked him every day to make sure he wasn't causing any problems, and every day he went to the food I was going to give him. One day the caterpillar stops eating, hangs upside down on a branch that I have provided, and turns to a shiny doll. In its protective shell, the caterpillar radically transforms its body and finally appears as a butterfly.

But what does this radical transformation involve? How does a caterpillar turn into a butterfly and how long do I have to wait?

I waited a whole week that felt like life until I could see the slightest movement and it looked like it was difficult for him to break free. Ignorant and impatient, I cut a small hole in his makeshift grave and he appeared immediately.

I was no longer a threat to our family vegetable garden, but hurried it outside so that it could fly into the sunset. I put him on a flower so he could use it as a launch pad and nothing happened. What happened? What prevented my former inmate from taking off?

I hurried back into the house so my boss could help me solve this problem. I explained to my mother what had happened and she smiled softly at me as if to say, "It will be okay."

She explained that the hole I had cut that should help the butterfly was why the butterfly was grounded. Your fight develops your strengths and the butterfly was not allowed to fight and develop the strength in its wings.

Self-isolation may be the model for fuzzy caterpillars, but we're much more used to social interaction.

Things that we took for granted and considered to be constant in our lives, such as dining in restaurants, going to the gym, and sporting events, have become uncertain, and the indefinite amount of time we have to stay at home is increasing day by day more concerned with shaking the ambiguity of our situations.

One of the hardest things for us is to change our patterns because we live from structure and consistency. It doesn't matter how crazy this appearance of structure and consistency could actually be.

Nature reminds us that nothing is permanent and everything has to change, and denying this truth causes us to become victims of our own device.

Breaking our patterns can be the necessary driver that we need for our life to evolve and achieve a more comprehensive development of ourselves. Remember, while the caterpillar is sleeping in the cocoon, it will eventually need to be released.

Find your temporary normalcy

Consistently performing our normal daily routines may have been difficult at times, but implementing a brand new enforced routine is different. In order for a caterpillar to turn into a beautiful butterfly, it first digests itself after building its cocoon and almost literally becomes a caterpillar soup.

This process is not highly recommended by most doctors, so it may be better to listen to Aristotle when he said, “We are what we do repeatedly. Excellence is not an action, but a habit. "

A routine can be a fine-tuned mechanism to use a range of limited resources such as time, willpower, self-discipline, and optimism. A solid routine promotes a worn groove for the mental energies and regulates our constantly changing moods.

Staying at home is temporarily normal due to the current pandemic. Therefore, it is important to develop a healthy schedule and evaluate your energy level. Every part of your body, including your immune system, works better when protected from environmental influences and strengthened by strategies for a healthy life.

Diet, exercise, and stress relief are three of the most effective ways to accomplish this task. They enable you to wake up passionately and excited about the possibilities that the day offers.

Because our immune system is a complete system and not just a unit, the harmony and balance of this system is important. With so many moving parts of our immune system, regular nutrition offers our body the opportunity to defend itself against intruders from outside.

Scientists have long recognized that malnourished people are more susceptible to infectious diseases due to various micronutrient deficiencies. For example, a deficiency in zinc, selenium, iron, copper, folic acid and vitamins A, B6, C and E has been shown to negatively affect the response of the immune system.

Because we are limited in how we can collect our food, we need to make sure that we eat some of the most nutritious foods out there. These include salmon, kale, garlic, potatoes, blueberries, egg yolk and dark chocolate.

If you're not used to consuming some of these products, Project 13 Gyms in San Francisco hosts digital dinner clubs where you can join a large group of people who learn from a professional chef how to prepare healthy and delicious meals .

Project 13 not only offers nutrition courses, co-owners / coaches Nate Chambers and Thomas Conway offer virtual courses that focus on building better people through fitness, thinking and community.

Make practice a constant

There are few things that are more transformative than movement. It improves cardiovascular health, lowers blood pressure, helps control body weight and protects against a variety of diseases.

When you exercise in the morning, it prepares you for the day ahead, increases your overall energy level, and helps you stay in optimal health. Numerous studies have shown that exercise is the key to fighting depression and anxiety. A Finnish study found that exercise even correlates with increased wealth.

Exercise, like a healthy diet, can contribute to generally good health and thus to a healthy immune system. By implementing a daily exercise routine, you will be prepared for maximum success throughout the day. There are many great options to choose from right now.

Budo Ryu, a Krav Maga and Muy Thai gym in San Luis Obispo, California, is a fun way to learn how to protect and get in shape in your virtual classroom. The owner and founder of Budo Ryu, Eric Sandahl, is one of the best Muy Thai and Krav trainers in the country. Its programs are tailored to get the best results for you.

Another great option is G-Fit, a kettlebell studio founded by trainer Gianna Bandoni who has a thorough understanding of the anatomical, physiological, biomechanical, biochemical and psychological aspects of human experience. Your workouts will educate, encourage and empower you to discover a balanced and healthy body.

Find a balanced schedule

Although you may feel that your home is your personal cocoon and your routine and expectations may not be nearly as perfect as you expected, it is fine.

Remember, like the caterpillar in its cocoon, you will be released at some point. See when you're most productive and least productive, and then plan your days according to your most productive times.

Your daily routine may be fairly fluid due to your current commitments, but this allows for more variety in your routine. Take advantage of the productive times and support small businesses like Project 13, Budo Ryu and G-Fit that had to close their doors to protect the community.

Not only will you learn a new skill, but you will also serve your community by allowing these companies to open their doors once this pandemic has subsided. We're stronger together than we are alone, so support a community where you can share, help, and support the people you care about.