Julian Ho
The ABCDE's of Decision Making
The ABCDE's of Decision Making

I finally conquered THE UNDERPASS PARK BOULDER!

I told myself I’d buy a membership to a rock climbing gym if I was able to climb around and over in one attempt; basically to test my commitment. I’ve been practicing 1-2x a week for 30 minutes at a time since my return from my South East Asia trip (it was in Railay, Thailand where I developed an interest in climbing).

It’s fun, challenging, and humbling to do things that you aren’t naturally good at. My forearms and grip strength were never my forte. But with time and practice, I proved my weaknesses wrong, since I wasn’t able to do the Boulder before my trip.

I wonder which climbing gym I should trial????

The Limberlost Challenge 2014

“Julian’s 56k trail ultra marathon win in Muskoka came as no surprise” says my girlfriend, as unbiased as possible. Unknowingly, on my 2nd lap, I had told her bluntly “I’m going to kill it, I’m going to win this (race)”. By the 4th lap, she said “I could just tell he was going for the win”.

The 56 kilometer race was comprised of 4 x 14 kilometer laps around the best that Muskoka had to offer in regards to terrain. Trails covered in hidden roots, scattered rocks, fallen trees, rickety bridges, mud-filled paths, deep puddles, urdle height boulders, boggy uphills, carpet-like mulch, and dodgy downhills.


I was in flow: my body yearned for water and electrolytes throughout; 2nd lap watermelon; 3rd lap stretch; 4th lap pineapple, so I gave it those. I listened, it responded.

I listened to music to keep me focused. I started off running against the other racers, duking it out for rank, but over time, the thrill of conquering the trails, the precision to pace, and the mindfulness/awareness for fuelling changed my reason for running. I ran for Time. No matter what came in my way, be it a fast competitor, a slow competitor, a river crossing, hidden rocks, a fall into a bush, a foot cramp, a stomach stitch, Sun fatigue, or dehydration, beating the clock kept me running. My yearning to beat my previous time was a stubbornness I never knew I had in me. My determination to endure discomfort for 5 hours and 52 minutes was a force to be reckoned with and a force to be afraid of.

I learned that being in the zone or in flow is a very powerful state of mind. It can show you your true potential; things you never thought possible.

I learned that the elements to achieve flow comprise of psychological and physiological awareness and balance.

I learned that we are more afraid of what we CAN DO than what we cannot do.

I’m afraid of what’s next …

Dairy-Free Chocolate Milk Green Smoothie

Julian’s Post workout Non-dairy Chocolate Milk Smoothie


By popular demand, here is the recipe for the dark green/brown/purple smoothie drink I carry around during and after my classes. It is my super refreshing and nutrient dense Chocolate Milk substitute…boy have I come a long way since recommending regular chocolate milk to clients and students for a post workout drink. It is free of dairy, gluten, soy, and processed foods. Clean to the system and very regenerative after any workout.

Makes approx. 16 ounces (i.e. a pint or 2 servings)
Time to prepare: 3 minutes
Equipment: High powered Blender (e.g. vitamix, blendtec, etc.), mason jars

In order of assembly:
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 frozen banana
1 scoop chocolate Vega protein powder
0.25 cup walnuts
1 tbs chia seeds
1 tbs raw cacao nibs
1 tbs gogi berries
2-3 leaves of dino kale
2 handfuls of spinach
2 cups water
2 cups rice milk (or coconut milk or almond milk)

Another version that is quite similar is found on my girlfriend’s blog here:
http://eatliveandlovelife.blogspot.ca/2013/04/my-go-to-green-smoothie.html

What’s the deal with smoothies anyways?
Check out my Q&A blog post http://www.julianho.ca/qa-smoothies/

Get creative with fueling your body. Make it a new hobby.
We are what we eat and drink, so eat and drink beautifully.

Mind Over Muscle 2.0

Created to showcase the enjoyment, effectiveness and advantage of team-work over solo-work through competition and cooperation.

...To offer multi-dimensional variety, in hopes of sparking creativity in movement not just in the gym (on the court), but also beyond the gym (off the court).

...To stimulate curiosity about one’s mind-body connection and how to continually value it, respect it, and optimize it.

...To encourage positive lifestyle habits through soft coaching, leadership by example, co-coaching via social media, and communal assignments.

MOM 2.0 was born out of my yearning to go above and beyond not only as a trainer and instructor, but as a lifestyle coach. I am passionate about sharing what I learn and experience because there is so much life value to holistic health, fitness, and nutrition. With MOM 2.0, I had the freedom to apply new teaching techniques and skills, I had students that were open-minded and patient, and I received immediate feedback. This teaching environment motivated me to be innovative, creative, and strategic with each lesson plan. MOM 2.0 made me want to be a better coach.

 

I aim to experiment with industry-leading, forward-thinking training techniques, and alternative methods of cuing and coaching. I hope to redefine the delivery of “group fitness” programming with an unconventional approach to group dynamics, movement and body management. Due to the experimental nature of this class, my teachings are not 100% tried, tested, and true. Know that you are my focus group, my dependents, my liberators, and my success stories.

The purpose of this program is to offer an experience that delivers challenge, excitement, reflection, and ultimately, change.

 

As my MOM 2.0 following grew stronger in volume and energy, I became more accountable to each and every one of my teachings. My lesson plans no longer stemmed simply from the latest exercise trend and technique, but additionally stemmed from the latest philosophy, quote, or article that was rousing my mind. With MOM 2.0, I was able to educate through fitness; teach life lessons using fitness as the platform for delivery.

Within this written documentary, as a means to provide insight to the MOM 2.0 experience, I have provided excerpts of my correspondence to my students.

 

For this sequel set of classes, I would like you to wrap your minds around the act of refinement, focus on the details, practice the art of mastery, appreciate the smaller things, further yourcraftsmanship, think outside the box, and learn that you still have a lot to learn.

I would like you to bring your open mindedness, set your font to bold and be confident, and come with an empty stomach, figuratively, be hungry to work hard.

They say you are what you eat, but can you eat the way you want to be? We eat what is available to us. We eat according to our social activities. Do you eat according to your goals? Do you eat according to your ideal optimal lifestyle?

 

As much as coaching should be about the students; I was learning from them as much as they were learning from me. My philosophy: I strive to be a teacher as much as I dedicate to being a student. MOM 2.0 has taught me more about myself than any class I have taken, any lecture I have listened to, and any workshop I have attended.

The spotlight that shines on a coach is apparent, but during a game, the coach steps into a different role, one that is behind the scenes, out of the spotlight. As a ‘mediator’, the coach can observe, appreciate, be mindful, and learn from the participants and the game that they play. The full 60 minute class transforms into an organic learning process.

What I have been taking away from these 2.0 sessions is my enjoyment of being a coach that mediates; admiring the players playing, while still guiding softly. This ability gives my career meaning and purpose.

 

Introspectively, MOM 2.0 has been transformational. Changing the way people think about health and fitness through structured actions and classes is truly “next level”, aka “2.0”. In this case, thoughts have influenced actions. The glimpse of what comes next is through MOM 2.0’s curtain call. In this case, the team’s last bow comes in the form of an action that influences thought.

 

I have always thought of “2.0” as the next level in fitness; faster, stronger, smarter, and tougher. But as I grew to understand what people took away from each class, it was beyond skill building and technical mastery, it was life enhancement and positive change.

As your coach, I have made a gift in your honour to Right To Play. Words cannot describe the power of what we have created. At its simplest, we are a group of adults playing together! Having this right to play is something I am grateful for, hence why I have decided to donate to this charitable organization. It is through this philanthropic action that the legacy of our Team Mind Over Muscle 2.0 will continue to echo throughout our lives and beyond.

I am honoured to have been able to lead you through this beautiful journey.

Continue to 2.0.

 

The way we interpret holistic fitness and health is truly ‘Mind Over Muscle’. The way we motivate ourselves to get out of what we put in is truly a ‘2.0’ effort.

“Love of humanity”, “what it is to be human”, and “private initiatives, for public good, focusing on quality of life” are definitions of philanthropy. This is ‘3.0’.

As one chapter ends and another one begins, I end off with a new and improved send off,

Act 2.0, Think 3.0,

Julian

Julian’s 2.0 Holistic Fitness Event

 

This video showcases the accumulation of my career efforts. It represents my life’s work thus far. Though small, grassroots, organic and humble, this single drop, into the ocean of fitness events around the world, hopefully represents the future of fitness. My goal was to bring together many talented instructors from around the city, ranging from yoga to cross fit, dance to bootcamp, pilates to pre-natal, minimalist to choreographed, and cycle to MMA, to showcase our potential to work together to deliver a premier fitness event experience like no other.

 

The event started with opening remarks to introduce the event charity, The Humber River Hospital Foundation, and motivational words to set the tone for the hours to come. It quickly shifted into the YANG portion whereby 12 high intensity movement instructors put the attendees through 10-15 minutes of their teachings. The day flowed into the YIN portion whereby 2 yoga instructors regressed the high energy into a calming and relaxing energy. Our appetites were satisfied with the YUM portion whereby post-recovery quinoa salad bowls, date and nut energy-replenishing bars, and refreshing green smoothies were consumed. While taking in the yumminness of the food, our thoughts were provoked by a Doctor of Naturopath, a Practical Everyday Nutritionista, and a resilience teaching Life Coach. Closing remarks were made to leave participants with positivity and success.

 

Many thanks go out to the instructors that dedicated their time and effort. Without them, there would be no 2.0.
Many thanks go out to the participants that pushed themselves through a physically and mentally challenging experience. Without them, there would be no 2.0.

 

2.0 does not represent the next level of skill or merit. It represents the next level in human interaction and delivery of life enhancing information. I created this event in hopes of underlining togetherness, camaraderie, teamwork, community, in the name of philanthropy and good will.

Be on the lookout for 3.0!

A new view on the past, present, and future?

Dear Friends,

As the holiday season approached, I felt the urge and responsibility to write some thoughtful words. Being that I am in the industry of motivation, and an individual that tirelessly aims to spread positive, I typed up words of guidance to my students, one that nudged a 2013 year in REVIEW, instead of an all too common 2014 idealistic goal-setting preview. An edited version for you as follows:

“As we have snuggled into the thick of the cold, and embraced holiday hibernation, we also enter a time of reflection and contemplation. We approach a new upcoming year with hope, promise, and eagerness, but naivety too. We dream before we reflect. We want more than we have. We start new goals before we finish old goals.”

 

After this passage that questions our new year’s resolution process, I proceeded with the assignment prescription.

“Please cross-examine the success of 2013 with a ‘year in review’. Reflect upon your goals for this year and ask yourself if you’ve completed them. Target things that are habitual, financial, lifestyle-oriented, physical, mental, nutritional, career-oriented, spiritual, etc. Write a paragraph describing these goals, the path you’ve taken to achieve them, and comment on the journey. Aim not to judge, but simply report. The purpose of this activity is to bring awareness into 2014 so that you start your year rationally and realistically.
I wish you all a 2.0 holiday, taking your chance to rest to the next level.

Play hard, work hard, rest HARDER!

Sincerely,

Julian”

 

Now that the holiday is ending, I am writing a follow up to my pre-holiday words of guidance. I hope these thoughts will guide you not only through a few weeks, but perhaps throughout the rest of the year. These thoughts have risen to mind as a result of the unfolding of my new life chapter; a moving out of the nesting home of my parents’ and into my own brand new condominium.

A change of habitat is overwhelming and consuming. It is pushing me, pulling me, and stretching me more than any yoga I’ve ever tried. I am embracing the experience as much as it can be held with love (over force). My friend ‘time’, lagged on with many delays in the beginning during pre-construction and pre-occupancy, and now, post-construction and post move-in, ‘time’ is always fleeting! Don’t even get me started with ‘space’, before, there was too much space with too little things, now there is too little space with too many things! Time and space; the most mercurial of house guests. I digress.

As a host, home owner, butler, maid, caretaker, DJ, manager, interior designer, contractor, accountant, financial advisor, and chef, all in one, I never thought I’d say that I feel the shackles of independence; freedom truly does come at a cost. I am learning that these first world issues, as superficial as they can be, still do provide deep lessons to be learned. These “moving” growing pains have given me moments of growing gains.

The reorganization and purging of my life’s belongings has given me reasons to stop, breathe and smile, as I reminisce with old photos, journals and memorabilia. The financial planning challenges have forced me to call upon my skills in fitness in order to make it through: exercise diligence, nutritional consistency, fuel budgeting with marathon training, etc. The stress of uprooting from my only known home has forced me to create my own home dynamic and plant my own roots. This snow storm clashing of past, present and future is turning out to be a blessing in disguise. I am learning that it is in the moments of struggle and challenge where optimism and positivity shine brightest.

1. Reflecting upon the PAST,
2. Celebrating the PRESENT, and
3. Dreaming up the FUTURE…

…are three seemingly equal parts to the planning process of self-development. But in recent readings and life experiences, not quite so. We use these elements of the time continuum to base our actions and behaviors. Depending on our tasks, needs and wants, goals, or inclinations, we tap into our memories of the past, our actions of the present, or ideas of the future to get those things done. But do you use this planning process to your advantage? Do you think too much in the past? Are you a dreamer? Have you been accused of being reactive versus proactive? Is there a balance in your past/present/future thinking?

I believe a deliberate amount of effort needs to be dedicated towards developing awareness of our three elements of time before we commit to any plan of action. Once an awareness arises, we can then use these time elements effectively to create a holistic, well-balanced pathway towards achieving our desires.

As an example of imbalance, the new year bombards us with the typical preaching articles, tips, and advice on how to improve in 2014, the same old “New Years Resolution” chatter takes precedence. The focus of these articles are solely on the FUTURE, without much regard for the past and present.

As someone who actively ‘thinks different’, I advised to reflect upon the PAST with a ‘year in review’ assignment, because I felt it was under preached and under practiced. Why plan goals for the future when one hasn’t accomplished goals set from the past? The idea of doing more when not knowing what has been done has deterred our ability to be present.

An all too common imbalance is our society’s inability to live in the moment. The PRESENT is defined by the midpoint between the past and future. Our imbalance of this midpoint is a result of our insecure ‘needs’ of the past or our irresponsible ‘wants’ of the future. I believe the only way to correct this imbalance is to let go of the idea of filling every moment in time and every pocket of space.

Pause and breathe!

Don’t get caught up with planning meticulously for the future; it’ll leave you with baggage from the past. Don’t lose yourself in the past; you will miss the flight to the future. Allow yourself to get out of the past and future in order to live in the present.

If we were to personify the past, present, and future, we might see the past as a University Professor, the present as a Buddhist Monk, and the future as an Entrepreneur. The professor’s mind is filled with memories, stories, culture, and academia. The monk’s mind is filled with appreciation, awareness, open-mindedness, and mindfulness. The entrepreneur’s mind is filled with promise, hope, determination, and dreams. Our minds are filled with what fill theirs. Each and every one of us are made up of these personifications.

My use of these three elements of time is to provide a re-balancing of thinking. Do not to think only of the future, because that can be unrealistic, limitless, and unproductive. Do not think only in the present, because that can be consuming, obsessive-compulsive, and narrowing. And finally, do not think only of the past, because that can be biased, limiting and judgmental.

WE MUST USE THE PAST PRESENT AND FUTURE IN BALANCE AND BE AWARE OF THEIR INFLUENCE ON EACH OTHER.

We must honor these elements in varying, but all-inclusive degrees, relative to our purpose and meaning.

In question, ask yourself:

– Are your thoughts dominated by the past? 
(I remember when…., I used to…., I shoulda/woulda/coulda…)
- Are your thoughts dominated by the present? 
(I need to…, I want to…)
– Are your thoughts dominated by the future? 
(I wish…., I’m going to…., I will be….)

In suggestion, try to:

– Use your past as a reference, not as an evaluation
– Use your present as map, not as an agenda
– Use your future as a journey, not as a destination

In conclusion, a quote to ponder:

“Our lives are not our own. We are bound to others, past and present, and by each crime and every kindness, we birth our future.”
? David Mitchell, Cloud Atlas

All the best in 2014,

Sincerely,

Julian



Adding Before Subtracting

A not-so FAQ from my cousin (young skinny female): “I want to build strength and muscle, what should I do!?!?”

 

I smiled after reading this question from my cool open minded cuz from NYC.
Often we hear of weight loss questions, how to combat fat gain, reducing this and cutting out that; always subtracting! It is not often that we inquire about building, gaining, growing, increasing, and adding! In elementary school, I was curious about why we always learned addition before subtraction. I believe there is value in the order of things, not simply in the content of things. We must re-evaluate this concept in the world of functional fitness and health, and perhaps growth and development, longevity and sustainability.

I responded to my cousin with animal references for a more visual approach:
“Believe it or not, your results depend more on how eager and dedicated you are to diet, nutrition, and rest…the building, resting, growing, adding part of metabolism. You must eat like a CARNIVOROUS BUNNY. Lots of leafy greens, lean meat / seafood, and tons of water. Your intake is more important than your output at this early stage, so you must WORK LIKE A HORSE AND REST LIKE A BEAR.”

The “work hard, play hard” mandate needs updating. The one that I promote is “work hard, play hard, REST HARDER”.

I went on to prescribe her 4 primary exercises to focus on that are multi-joint, high load, low reps, multi-set, and maximal effort sets.

In 4-6 months, you should aim to:
1. Deadlift (Goal = 50% bodyweight)
2. Front Squat (Goal = 50% bodyweight)
3. Push Up (Goal = 10 perfect push ups on toes)
4. Pull up (Goal = 3 full underhand from hang position)

Before I recommended any specifics with diet, I explain this general rule of thumb on adding before subtracting:“drown out the bad with the good”.

I believe everyone in this overworking society has food vices and a foodie side to them. We use food to balance shortcomings, emotional imbalances, and pleasure versus pain issues. Admit it, we just don’t make beautiful mounds of kale and spinach, carrot and celery sticks for our holiday dinners, that wouldn’t be holiday, that would be festivus! Instead, continue with being the foodie that you are, someone that relishes in the world of culinary creativity, and add the extra goodness of health beforehand, like a garnish to a beautiful evening. “Before I devour that Confit de Canard on a bed of herb roasted hash frites and side of butter sauteed green beans, accompanied by my favorite bottle of Cab, and flourless chocolate cake to finish….. I’ll prepare myself a small kale and spinach green smoothie”.

If you can commit to adding that small bit of goodness into each holiday-like meal, overtime, your commitment will become a conditioned behavior and thus will lead to a lifestyle of more good than bad! The amount of good will start to tip in your favor as positive changes start to rise over the negatives, hence a drowning out of the bad with the good.

There’s no reason to subtract all the joys of life away. Elimination dieting is most often short lived and usually fights back with a vengeance. The ultimate is living with the joys of life as a bunny-horse-bear by adding before subtracting, and loving the way you look and feel for it all.

Cheers to a results bound holiday season,

Julian

Talk The Talk, Then Walk The Walk

Gain control with your words first, then take action!

As a super avid fitness and lifestyle coach, I too have my struggles. I promised to clean up my summer of “100% paleo, 80% of the time” foodie-dominant attitude by going strict Paleo for the month of September. Honestly, I have been struggling with eating a cleansing and detoxifying Paleolithic diet for the last two weeks (high quantity and quality vegetables and fruits, low quantity nuts, seeds, and meat/seafood). Relatively speaking, I know I can do better.

My consistent pursuit for cute and comfy, hipster-ish and super trendy café spots in Toronto seem like a treasure hunt I will play for the rest of my life. My hunger for that “je ne sais crois” small dessert treat beyond a bowl of fruit seems to haunt me each night out with great friends and fantastic food. My authentic Chinese family dinners aren’t paid justice without that one staple and integral bowl of infamous white rice. The denial of the joys in life seems like a never-ending struggle…. excuses, excuses right? Based on this difficult transitional phase from summer ‘lax attitude to fall “let’s get back to business” attitude, I’ve called upon my secret weapon… EDUCATION!

Taking 10 minutes of my rare spare time, I devoted all of my energy towards tip searching; scouring the internet for all there is to do about #habitbuilding, #temptationcures, #getridofcravings101, #top10willpowertips, etc. I landed upon two blog posts that I have been practicing and preaching in my classes and training sessions:

James Clear from the blog “Buffer” – (A blog about productivity, life hacks, writing, user experience, customer happiness and business.)
http://blog.bufferapp.com/a-scientific-guide-to-saying-no-how-to-avoid-temptation-and-distraction?utm_source=swissmiss&utm_campaign=281832f635-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_2660ad4d17-281832f635-393320153

James’ Tips:

  •  Use empowering “don’ts” versus willpower draining “can’ts”
  • Make your restrictive statements into accepted statements. Embrace the change you are working towards, don’t fight it.
  • Affirmative statements, if used strategically, can provide psychological feedback systems that result in successfully conditioned behaviors and actions.
  • Instead of saying, “I can’t eat ice cream”, say “I don’t eat ice cream”.
  • Instead of saying, “I can’t skip my workout today”, say “I don’t skip workouts”.
  • Choose to be the victim of your words or the architect of your words; you have choice, you have control.
  • Learn how to say no to unnecessary commitments, daily distractions, and pointless temptations so that you can live a more productive and healthier lifestyle.

The second blog that I highly endorse to those who need a Dexter “code” of conduct is a tip list by nerdfitness:http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2013/04/08/the-paleo-diet-debunked/

  • EAT REAL FOOD. The less ingredients; the less steps it took to process; the healthier it will most likely be for you.
  • Minimize consumption of grains and dairy if your goal is weight loss. Consider eliminating foods completely and then add them back in after a few weeks to see how your body responds.
  • Understand that you can’t outrun your fork. Your diet will account for 80% of your success or failure.
  • Eat more vegetables. No, corn doesn’t count.
  • Try to consume 1 gram of protein per pound of lean body weight each day.
  • Minimize liquid calories.
  • Don’t have cheat meals – instead, make conscious decisions when to eat ‘unhealthy foods’ and then get right back on track.
  • Focus on building permanent small changes rather than sweeping changes that only last for a few weeks.
  • Relax! Do the best you can with what you have, where you are.

 

Currently, my goals dictate my behaviors, my behaviors dictate my performance, my performance dictates my success, and my success dictates my satisfaction. This waterfall of cause and effect works to get things done but no where do I imply an outcome of happiness. Happiness to me is a form of enlightenment that only comes during the process. As we know, the reward is the journey, not the destination. Glimpses of happiness and enlightenment are rewarded when we experience things such as flow, enjoyment, mastery, and understanding. We all have high points and low points, but it is in the high points that we shine brightest and act as the superhero we strive to become.

Eating strict paleo doesn’t mean I am one bite closer to becoming Batman, but the moments I earn my personal bests, or teach a stellar class, or go through a day without feeling bloated or sluggish, or wake up feeling fully charged are tiny reminders that my diet rules are not limits or restrictions, but phrases and words that empower and enlighten.

In conclusion, you won’t walk the walk, if you don’t talk the talk.

Creative Outlets

We all have work, priorities, jobs, and daily ‘to-do’s’. We set aside space in our schedules and give up quality time for these activities. We work hard to complete these activities. Sometimes we work too hard to complete them. We lose sleep, we lose time, and we lose sight of why we do them. Like robots, we are unable to think, we just do. We become lost, we become desperate, and we become defined by this work.

Most times, we do these activities because they provide as a means to an end. But when and what is this “end”? Why is the end that we think of the true meaning of our happiness? Why do we continue to chase the carrot at the end of the stick? Why is the reward always one step ahead, one grasp too far? We are living in such a fast-paced, consumer-based, material world, that there is never enough means to supply the demand.  The demanding end is a quick sand cyclical trap to a lifestyle of work, priorities, jobs, and daily ‘to-do’s’.

Alas, realistically speaking, this description of a career and daily chores is somewhat on the dramatic side. We do because we have to survive. We do because we have to provide for our loved ones. We do more because we want more. We do these things because it gives us something to do versus nothing to do at all. But what if we could manage a to-do list that is comprised of things we have to do, and things we WANT to do. Let’s take the lead from some of our world’s most significant people; people who have done significant things, but also make time to do less significant things…things that still make them significant.

  • Albert Einstein – Violin  
  • Mahatma Gandhi – Charkha (Spinning wheel)
  • George Harrison – Gardening  
  • Steve Jobs – Graphic Design 
  • Oprah Winfrey – Acting / Drama
  • Sigmund Freud – Antique Sculpture Collecting  
  • Kanye West – Fashion
  • Steven Spielberg – Video Gaming 
  • Salvador Dali – Photography
  • Lance Armstrong – Running

Honing in on your hobbies, passions, interests, intrigues, is tapping into not only a different part of your brain, but MORE of your brain. These outlets of creativity allow the brain to create new connections, new transmissions, new pathways, and ultimately new ideas. This breath of fresh air for our brains helps rest, refresh, reset, regain, replenish, and reinvigorate our enthusiasm for everything that we do.

I have a fond interest and intrigue with fashion. My latest adventure is the creation (re-creation) of the ‘glasses safety chain’. I firmly believe that form must meet function, design and engineering can coexist, the inside should look just as good as the outside, and a piece should always aim to optimize your style of living.

Overcoming Obstacles Is Conquering Fear

A few months ago, I wrote openly about my life long battle with Eczema, an autoimmune condition from the disease, Atopic Dermatitis. I regarded my skin disorder as a fear of mine because it limited me to my weakest self, I was afraid of it because I always felt conquered by it.

From the start of 2013, I aimed to take a stand. Through a combination diet of The Paleolithic and The Anti-Inflammatory (must respect the food), re-introduction of topical skin medication (must respect the Doctors), and a much stronger focus on sleep and stress management (must respect the physical body), I was not able to conquer it after all. I realized one such disorder could not be fully cured. It is a realization I stubbornly ignored my whole life; an opponent I was not willing to submit to, a fight I was not willing to back down from.

I realized that I experienced so much pain and displeasure not from the disorder, but from my stubborn attitude. My disorder was, and is still sometimes, a mirror to my own bad behaviors, an excuse to blame for my personal vices, and disrespect for my body for having such a genetic flaw. Ultimately, my Eczema can spiral downwards if my attitude, behavior, and desires are not controlled.

What most defines my character growth up to this point in my life is my ability to let go of the battle, free myself of this never-ending cycle of stress, and come to the peace that is acceptance.  Understanding the intricacies of my fear and how it can be managed gives me the freedom my mind and spirit struggle for. Accepting my Eczema in its natural state within my body allows me to gain control and focus on what can be done. I no longer cloud my mind with what I cannot do and what I am limited by, I take action.

I am writing this small follow up because it transitions into another example of conquering fears. In my case, I have controlled fear through the steady route of acceptance and gaining control. I have taken my time, put in the time, and measurably progressed towards a pinnacle of success. This process has taken months of in-depth intervention. Conquer, control, overcome; these are heavy-duty words that can describe gigantic life-changing events like mine, but sometimes, there are anomalies. There are short and sweet moments in life that truly amount to gigantic feats but in a small David-like instant.

I wanted to contrast my vast fear conquering journey with a tiny moment; seconds in length, that I am so proud to be a part of. The link to the video below shows how the action of overcoming obstacles and conquering fears can come in all shapes and sizes, in all lengths of time, and through each and every one of us. We simply need the courage, the determination, the discipline, and the attitude to be our own life coach.

Special thank you goes out to THE DEVASTATOR for trailblazing the path to excellence; overcoming obstacles and conquering fears, one jump at a time.

“Hungry for Change” - My Cole’s Notes

I have seen “Hungry for Change” three times now and each time I see it, I hate it more but I love it more.

The documentary delivers a mini story line that is extremely cheesy. It tries to appeal to yuppy women in their 20s and 30s. Extreme FAIL. I dislike the storyline so much that it makes me cringe and laugh and cry at the same time.

BUT, and a big BUUUT! The experts, who are success stories themselves, put out great points and takeaways, enough to keep me watching each and every time.

Below are my quick “cole’s notes” that I’d like to share.

Intro themes

- We are no longer eating food, we are eating food like products

- Sugar is the cocaine of the free world

- People are overfed but starving to death

- It’s not just what you’re eating, it’s what’s eating you

Fat

- We are programmed to eat fat

- Holding fat is a survival mechanism

- Our most essential organs are made up of fat (e.g. the brain)

- MSG excites part of the brain that triggers fat uptake –> BAD

Hunter Gatherer Gardeners

- High nutrition, low calories

- We need to be more like them

Modern day “Gobblers”

- High calories, low nutrition

- In the past, we used to feast because there were many famines, nowadays, we feast but we do not experience famine

Mindset

- Everything is based on what you eat, what you drink, and what you think

- We eat products that make other people money

- People live in invisible prisons of addiction

- Cigarettes and foods have addictive qualities – these industries purposely make chemical concoctions addictive

Environment

- We live in an indoor lifestyle, a sitting lifestyle

- We have lost the will to maintain self-responsibility and put that reliance on therapists, doctors, and instructors

Diet Cola

- The worst thing for you – they are a nasty combination of highly processed, chemically altered, strategically composed, sugar and caffeine –> craving and addiction

- Pilots know not to drink Diet Colas because they can disrupt vision

- Diet colas cause carbohydrate cravings

- Diet cola manufacturers fund studies, and these studies are published. It is not a 3rd party producing these studies.

Sugar

- Fat is not the issue – fat free means all sugar or carbohydrates

- Low fat diets make you constantly hungry – there are no healthy fats to keep you satiated

- White products are refined pharmaceutical versions of the natural plant based version

(e.g. Cocaine from Coca leaves, white sugar from sugar cane/beetroot)

- Stay away from high fructose corn syrup, stay away from isolated forms of sugars

- Common breakfast foods are loaded with sugar

- Fat does not make you fat, sugar makes you fat (insulin response)

- Beta endorphin rush to relieve stress

- Sugar kills more people on this earth than any other drug on earth combined

Diets

- Diets are temporary

- Do you want to be healthy temporarily?

- Do you just want to look good temporarily?

- People are looking to just look good, changing themselves from the outside in…..approach needs to be from inside out

- People set themselves out for failure, variations of calorie manipulation, carb/protein/fat ratio manipulation

- Supermarket eating will force you to always be “dieting”

- Imagine we are living in a zoo, normally, our fellow chimps would be fed normal veggies and fruits they would find in the jungle, not captain crunch. We are not feeding ourselves food that we would be eating in our natural habitat, we are eating captain crunch.

Take away principles

- I can have it but I don’t want it

- Refrain from restricting

- Add in the good stuff and that will crowd out the bad stuff

- Add so much good that the bad won’t even be an option

- Drown out the bad with the good

TED Talks – “How To Use Experts and When Not To” by Noreena Hertz

Below is my summary of Noreena Hertz’s ode to “experts”, and a mission statement to those who “follow” semi-blindly. What Noreena had to say was something we all know but don’t hear enough. It is easy to tell people to stop acting like herds of sheep and mindless cattle. It is easy to tell people to ‘think for yourself’, ‘speak up’, and ‘use your gut feeling’. It is difficult to express why it is important to understand both sides of the story. She communicates the importance of empathizing with both the storyteller and the audience. She leaves you with the “why”, which will question your own roles you’ve adopted as an expert, and hopefully answer them at the same time.    

All too often we put all of our trust into experts. They have the information and knowledge we need. They have the experience and credentials to back it up. We rely on them to answer our questions. But many times, experts are wrong. Experts make mistakes.

Experts must prove themselves. If we hold them on pedestals, they must guarantee their place. We must challenge them. We must stir up controversy, argument, debate, and conflict to ensure our experts are truly leading us safely and responsibly. We must persist.

High quality answers require high quality questions. If we hope to get the most out of our experts, we must be armed with questions that shake up their methodologies, opinions, and actions.

On the other side, as experts, we need to value disagreement, discord, and difference.

Redefining the relationship with experts means to amplify the voice of democracy, rebellion, and doubt. We must all understand that the question is just as, if not, more important than the answer. And that the experts we all blindly follow can make mistakes, falter, and descend when critiqued with confident disagreement.

In order to create experts of the highest regard, we must create them ourselves. Sitting back ignorantly, passively taking in their every word puts everyone at a disadvantage.  We must actively partake and dispute, dare to confront and challenge, until we get the most out of our so called “experts”. This healthy back and forth prevents stagnation. It ensures a passion and desire to always be learning, sharing, and growing.

Client question: Smoothies?

Dear Julian,

A lot of these smoothie recipes nowadays are quite comprehensive and cover a wide variety of dietary needs and nutrients. At times, they seem like a meal onto themselves. 
Therefore, my question is, how should smoothies be taken? As a meal substitute? Meal supplement? Snack? Pre-workout snack? Post-workout snack? 

Signed,

Confused

Smoothies are meant to optimize.

If you are in a deprived state of nutrition, convenience, time, and resources, then smoothie.

Whole foods cannot be replaced. Mother nature did not invent smoothies, they are man made to cope with our stressful and demanding lifestyles.

For athletes, they help immensely with getting the body what it needs to recover, grow, and repair, but that speaks again to the high demands that we put on ourselves and the results we aim for. High level performance requires higher means of energy and fuel supply, and therefore a higher level method of delivery.

Do not meal replace with smoothies, only enhance with snack smoothies and post recovery smoothies. Drinking your food and eating your water is a luxury that we can afford. Do not take advantage of this ability, but make the best of it.

Do not just chug your smoothies, chew them. Allow for your saliva to mix and mesh with it. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbW3MmRWg_s) Paul Chek reinforces this act of chewing because it tells your brain that food is being consumed instead of liquid, and turns off satiety activity, allowing your hunger to be satisfied.

Experiment with different types of smoothies, not just sweet tasting smoothies, but green smoothies made up of all vegetables. This will give you creativity and freedom over the tool of smoothie making. Once you have achieved creativity and freedom, it no longer becomes a necessity, something to depend on. It transcends into that life optimizing category. It becomes your secret weapon.

For myself, my career that I have chosen forces me to go above and beyond, but If I was on vacation, I would most likely eat my foods rather than drink them. The act of eating food gives you a mindfulness that drinking cannot. When you respect your food by eating it slowly and savoring it, you will start to appreciate it to the utmost, and be grateful that you have it, and plenty of it.

Client question: How do I squat low?

First and foremost, squatting is the most important movement pattern to master. It can tell many things about a human being: flexibility, strength, body awareness, coordination, stability, balance, core control, and digestion too! People who cannot squat low end up squatting above or just to the knees while bending forward. As a kind gym Samaritan, please read this blog, then assist the struggling individual. You can literally change someone’s squat in a matter of seconds! How does a squat show poor digestion? Well, if someone is bloated because of poor dietary habits, or because they are allergic to foods and are not aware, the will bloat. Core muscles will suffer and weaken over time, and therefore, with weak core muscles, combined with many other issues, the squatting movement will be limited!

There are two things that come to mind when helping people squat low: form and flexibility.

Form

  • Imagine you are taking a #2 in the woods
  • Wide shoulder width stance
  • Knees and Toes turned out 45 degrees
  • Tall spine
  • Exercise – Ball Squat against wall with a targeted depth
    • Practice depth squatting with the support of a ball and wall on your mid to low back
    • Use Stepper Risers to gauge your depth and create targets for your desired depth
    • Feet should be under the shoulders, slightly behind the knees
    • Breathing – Breathe as if you were neck deep in water: exhale as you sink down and maintain the exhalation until you stand back up, then inhale. Your diaphragm needs to assist your core muscles in the squatting movement by releasing all of the air in trunk, thus creating a stable and solid unit for squatting functionally.

Flexibility

Breakfast?

So I’ve tasked my specialty class participants (Mind over Muscle 2.0) with sharing their “ideal breakfast”, one they’d serve their loved ones. I’ve received the good, the bad, and the misinformed. Here is a quick response blurb to their efforts:

Below are links that are worth looking through as they relate to breakfast – a meat and nut breakfast that some high performing athletes swear by, by a coach that people swear by (Charles Poliquin), and a youtube nutrition expert’s down to earth thoughts on that style of breakfast. The second last are suggestions for smoothies options, and the last is a blog feed from Meghan Telpner (vegan nutritionista), who I follow respectfully. The blog feed has lots of goodies mentioned from a very responsive crowd.

Please look into the first two and use the pair as an example of how to evaluate any advice/diet/review/nutritional information you come across. I never subscribe to anything and say it is the end all and be all unless I have tried it through and through, and even then, I am weary to advise it to others.

Main point: Achieving the best breakfast for you is exactly that… FOR YOU!

Experiment, try the options our 2.0 teammates have been offering up, and if it works for you (meaning you feel amazing after eating it), then you are one step closer to figuring what your body needs and benefits from. The ideal breakfast is individual to your needs and wants and must be meticulously balanced with the rest of your life, day to day.
Enjoy food as fuel and fuel as freedom.

  • http://www.charlespoliquin.com/ArticlesMultimedia/Articles/Article/270/The_Meat_and_Nut_Breakfast.aspx
  • http://ca.askmen.com/sports/foodcourt_700/719b_best-breakfast.html
  • http://www.optimalbodybalance.com/tag/breakfast/
  • http://meghantelpnerblog.com/2012/09/17/best-breakfasts-ill-show-you-mine-if-you-show-me-yours/

How to… 2013! Preventing resolution plateaus

Preventing resolution plateaus:

 

1.       Tortoise Mind = slow and steady wins the race

a.       A slow approach to achieving a goal makes things attainable and realistic

b.      A steady approach encourages consistency and commitment

 

2.       Game Change = Shock the system with new and exciting exercises. 

a.     Start with small changes to the F.I.T.T. (Frequency, Intensity, Time, Type) principle

i.      F = Increase or decrease the volume of exercise – change the number of reps

ii.      I = Increase or decrease the load during exercise – change the weights

iii.      T = Increase or decrease the length of exercise – keep it efficient and under an hour

iv.      T = Try a new class, take on a different style of exercise, play a different sport

 

3.       Eating over Exercise = Emphasize Nutrition as the primary successor

a.       Take control of your eating like you do your exercising

i.      Analyze it, research it, plan for it, and give it your all

 

4.       Working out your rest = 8 hours…period.

a.       In order to gain from the pain, you must rest your body so that it can repair

 

5.       Be Proactive, not Reactive = Don’t ever allow yourself to fall off the bandwagon

a.       There is no “off season”

b.      Make training and exercising a part of your lifestyle

 

6.       Education cures Laziness = If you don’t know, ask, or Google it.

a.       Take the initiative to educate yourself on factors that may cause you to plateau

b.      With a little bit of ammo, you’ll be loaded with confidence when tackling any challenge

What can FEAR can teach us? What my FEAR has taught me.

 

– Summary of Ted Talk by novelist Karen Thompson Walker

– An intimate confession of my own fear

 

Near death experiences, roller-coasters, horror movies, snakes, or disease, these are examples of traumatic experiences turned fears that we never forget. They haunt us. They are our scars. We are chained to our fears, we are victims, we dare not to confront, and we avoid what we cannot control.

But Walker suggests that we can control our fears. We can look at fear in the form of stories. With our highly imaginative minds, instead of avoiding our fears, we can read into our fears. Because fears can be seen as our stories, we have the power to be the authors and the readers. We can choose to be rational instead of emotional about our scary thoughts. Fear can be used as a tool. Walker introduces the phenomenon, “productive paranoia”, whereby fear is used as a motivator for preventing unfavorable outcomes. Studies show that A-type personalities often uphold this “productive paranoia” and use it to their advantage. The paranoia of being unsuccessful, losing, failing, feeling weak, fearing the worst of outcomes, motivate a surge of productivity towards succeeding, winning, gaining, feeling strong and fighting fears.

Fear can be an everyday clairvoyance.

Fear can be wisdom, insight, and truth.

I am sharing with you my thoughts on fear because I fight with an incurable disease. I was born with it, it is genetic, I have had it all my life, and most likely will have it for the rest of my life. It is not life-threatening and not contagious. It is called Atopic Dermatitis.

I am open to my disease, but not public about it. Until now…

I fear the feel of it. I fear how it weakens my morale and spirit. I fear the look of it. I fear the perception of others of it. I fear the hassle of it. I fear the never-ending struggle. I fear its incurability.

Walker talks about fear as something we struggle with, something we fight and try to overcome. I think a fear is also something you hide, something you are ashamed of, something you dismiss, something you don’t want anyone to know about. Either way, on the other positive hand, fear is something that brings out the natural optimist in all of us.

The continual battle with fear drains our will power and puts us in a state of stress. I am always in constant battle with my skin because it is largely affected by lifestyle. I live and breathe fitness. My body works for me; I sweat it, I strain it, I stress it, I put it through the worst conditions possible, I kick its ass. Furthermore, I am a food enthusiast, a wine connoisseur, and restauranteur, and I pay for my indulgences, not through my weight (like many), but through my skin disease. If I eat or drink poorly, my skin flares up, it itches, it reddens, it aches, it cracks, it rips, it dries, and it terrorizes.

But as a born optimist, I have learned to work with it, and I continually learn from it. My indulging habits force me to adopt and practice the healthiest of habits. My disease is my devil and angel, my offense and defense, but ultimately, it is my blessing in disguise. I am an A-type, so I use it to my advantage. I practice productive paranoia because I fear the feeling of a flare-up. Thus I am very clean and hygienic. I understand how much the benefits of exercise and nutrition truly benefit my skin, that I have made the study of exercise and nutrition my career and passion.

So there it is. My secret is out. My motivation to do well in this world stems from my fear of my skin disease. This concept of fear is something I have been working with lifelong. I have grown from it. I have learned from it. I am intimate with it. I am perceptive of it. I choose to see it as a tool. I choose to see it as a blessing. And I am choosing now to not disguise it. I am confronting it. I am unveiling it. I am sharing it.

Most people in this world do not discuss their fears because it is extremely difficult. Opening deep scars, exposing wounds, and shining light on dark experiences can be a fear in itself. I am not telling people to openly share their fears; it is a personal choice to be open about it. I am just trying to lead by example.

It is only when an individual recognizes their fear, takes the time to understand it and work with it that they can consistently manage it, and optimistically thinking, they can overcome it. I wish you the best on your journey of bravery and fearlessness.

Quotes:

“The only way to experience fearlessness is to know the nature of fear”

“Smile at fear”

 

Resources:

What fear can teach us by Karen Thompson Walker

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwgWkUIm9Gc

Fear & Fearlessness by Pema Chodron

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVRT-y2wTBY

Atopic Dermatitis

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atopic_dermatitis

Holiday Happiness or Helplessness?

I write to share, I write to vent, I write to provoke, and sometimes, to self sabotage, I write to confess…

I sit here in front of my computer, after a long hard holiday day of sleeping, watching movies, opening gifts, and eating to my heart’s content, I am writing in search for sympathy. I am confessing to my sins of laziness, sluggishness, and lethargy. Or should I be?

As always, it comes down to a matter of perspective. Are my “sins” actually good deeds to my well being? Am I adding years to my life by chill-axing? Am I actually catching up on all the sleep I’ve lost out on during the year? Is the holiday also referred to “the break” for a reason?

I believe that laziness, sluggishness, and lethargy can also be mistaken synonyms to rest, relaxation, and recreation. The body and mind need to be in these states of R&R&R in order to repair, restore, and rebuild. I believe this negative undertone to the holiday break is a result of my overly active lifestyle, highly conditioned career-mindedness, and obsessive compulsive work-life attitude. This mindset prevents me from fully indulging in this rewarding holiday lifestyle. But how do I prevent the feeling of holiday helplessness? How do I prevent this lazy lull feeling and only feel the benefits of restorative relaxation?

George Orwell says, “To see what is in front of one’s nose needs a constant struggle.” The answer is with me every time I engage in exercise!

Because I think in terms of exercising and training, the answer is as simple and best explained as the necessity of warming up and cooling down, before and after a workout. In order to reap the benefits of the exercise workout, we need to conduct a thorough warm up before starting. It must be progressively intensifying and just as mentally stimulating as physically. When we finish our workout, we need to conduct a thorough cool down before exiting the exercise state of mind. It must be a decrescendo of intensity whereby a restful heart rate must be stabilized.

From the days leading up to the holiday, we take on more work, we go above and beyond, and we overstress ourselves because we know the break is near. Then, when we finally finish, we enter the holiday high strung, anxiety ridden, and ready to binge. It’s like jumping into a super intense workout without any warm up; increasing our chances for injury, relapsing into injury, and creating more potential for consequence than benefit.

My introduction to my suggestions on how to avoid such a rollercoaster behavior starts with my inspiration. Movies affect my mood greatly. I experienced such a surge of motivation and energy after watching The Dark Knight Rises (a Xmas gift of course!) that I put myself through an upper body workout during the last quarter of the movie while simultaneously thinking up the foundation of this entry. The following quote from Bane underlines the epitome of this struggle I believe we all need to overcome.

“Peace has cost you your strength, victory has defeated you!” – Bane

During their first confrontation, Bane patronizes and mocks Batman for putting up a weak fighting effort from being out of the game for so long. Batman’s comeback is lackluster, without strategy, and rushed. Just like how we rush into the holiday break without any preconceived plan, Batman rushes into his comeback against Bane, and gets what he deserves. I am speaking to this lack of transition time from one mindset to another – the sense of acting without thinking.

Batman’s “peace” and “victory” time has made him lazy and has put him out of practice. He has fallen off the bandwagon of being the caped crusader, that his abilities have dulled and his tools have rusted. This behavior reflects our need to keep our positive habits consistent. We must not look at the off-season as a time to rejoice in self-sabotage, nor self-enlighten with extreme change, but aim to maintain so we do not lose on all that we have gained during the season.

We must not regard the holiday as a celebration tied to extrinsic rewards. Yes, we do give and receive gifts, eat and drink like kings and queens, but those celebratory actions should come secondary to the main purpose of the holiday season: spending time with loved ones. We get lost in the tangible traditions that we forget the intangibles; love, connection, unity, harmony, and happiness. It is the intangibles that give rationale to the tangibles.    

 “Deshi Basara!” (translates to “RISE!”) – Crowd of Prisoners 

As the crowd of prisoners motivate and cheer on the unmasked Batman to climb up and out of the underground prison, they chant “Deshi Basara!” The successful climb is the warm up to his return to Gotham city and the big battle ahead. We must engage in our own version of the Batman prison climb with the holidays, so that we are ready and fully warmed up for the events ahead. The chanting echoes his attitude and drives his momentum, as do the Christmas traditions and our spirits.

As we push through Christmas and into the future, we come full circle; we must face the beginning of the end. It is New Year’s Eve and we have plans for the New Year. The beginning IS the end and the end IS the beginning. There is unknown, there is change, there is a whole New Year ahead with different goals ahead. It is a contradictory time that brings nervousness, anxiety, and fear. The key is to not resist nor ignore these feelings.

Blind Prisoner: You do not fear death. You think this makes you strong. It makes you weak. 
Bruce Wayne: Why? 
Blind Prisoner: How can you move faster than possible, fight longer than possible without the most powerful impulse of the spirit: the fear of death. 
Bruce Wayne: I do fear death. I fear dying in here, while my city burns, and there’s no one there to save it. 
Blind Prisoner: Then make the climb. 
Bruce Wayne: How? 
Blind Prisoner: As the child did. Without the rope. Then fear will find you again. 

With a rope harness, Bruce Wayne aka Batman, is fearlessly set to climb out of the prison, after many failed attempts. Bruce’s previous failures are due to a contradiction in his mindset and efforts; Bruce says he does not fear death, yet he still attempts each climb with the rope harness. The Blind Prisoner explains to Bruce Wayne that this contradiction is what is holding him back from succeeding. He now understands that he needs fear as motivation.  Sometimes, we need to release ourselves from the comfort of the rope harness in order to experience something spectacular.

Lastly, an outside perspective, whether from a blind person or not, is what we need to realign our path. Ironically, the Blind Prisoner sees what is blinding Batman, he identifies Batman’s fear factor and forces him to rethink his strategy. This Blind Prisoner acts as a metaphor to the ‘cool down phase’.  The cool down should be a time to reflect and think. Once thoughts have been processed, plans must start to take shape, fear must continue to motivate, and thus leaps are no longer made from faith, but from strategy. Just as we finish one year and enter into a new one, our minds must be open to change. As one year ends, we experience a cool down phase which is integral to the mindset of the future.

The helplessness that some of us may experience during the holiday is untimely, but to our dismay, by our own doing. The recognition of this holiday helplessness may simply be the fear that we need to spark a change. Therefore, with a little more emphasis on warming up and cooling down, transition phase planning, fear as motivation, insight from an outside perspective, and some Batman in our back pocket, we may experience happiness over the holiday, without the helplessness.

The NO EXCUSES Workout: Yoga Poses Edition

What is most abundant and convenient force that can not be seen but only felt? It makes us stronger every day without you even lifting a finger. A gym accessible anywhere on earth? GRAVITY!

Here is a routine that fights gravity. Have fun fighting the force.

  • No equipment, just a mat
  • For Intermediates and Advanced
  • Hold all poses for 30 seconds, Repeat Circuit Twice
  1. 2 Point Forearm Plank (Right Arm Up, Left Leg Up) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BDgMHmm0Qk
  2. 2 Point Forearm Plank (Left Arm Up, Right Leg Up)
  3. Side Plank (Right Arm Up, Foot on Foot) -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EPKjJ8hANQ
  4. Side Plank (Left Arm Up, Foot on Foot)
  5. Reverse Plank – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STCe7-aZ-o8
  6. Warrior 3 (Right Leg Up, *Hands on wall for balance) -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6sBWwRNqlo
  7. Warrior 3 (Left Leg Up, *Hands on wall for balance)
  8. Extended Hand to Toe Pose (Right Leg Up) -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82TjGoh5L1Y
  9. Extended Hand to Toe Pose (Left Leg Up)
  10. Chair Pose – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kp7XJkG9ubc
  11. Boat Pose – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlTWDamdPS8
  12. Locust Pose – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQpHR5GvTgo
  13. Headstand Pose – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3uGV8Au75w

The NO EXCUSES Workout

A quick workout that I fired off to a client looking for something to do with limited space and equipment. Great for vacation, in-home, travel, time-crunched.

A “No Excuses” workout for anywhere, anytime
Intermediate Bodyweight Routine
Equipment: Mat
Complete 2 Rounds in under 30 minutes

  1. 20 Deep Squats – Butt below knee height with back vertical
  2. 20 Push Ups – Chin, Chest, Hips, Knees 2 inches from floor
  3. 20 Stationary Lunges each leg – 90 Degrees in both knees, forward knee always over shoelaces, not toes
  4. 20 Full Sit Ups – Hands pointing towards ceiling, knees bent at 90 degrees
  5. 20 Parachuter Lifts – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dv-V9itHTTk
  6. 2:00 minutes Plank – Take your breaks, 2:00 minutes total time (no need to be consecutive)
  7. 2:00 minutes Cardio split 30s Intervals – Jumping Jacks & Mountain Climbers
  8. 2:00 minute Downward Dog Pose - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbJaj0Aqw5k


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