Sunday, March 22, 2009

My Sunday Ramblings....



GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL!!!!!!!!!!!

David Beckham's awesome...

This is what my blog theme of the day will be...my thoughts on GOALS.

I set some high goals starting the year and I seriously think I've achieved most of them which I'm really proud about right now. Not to sound vain, but I know it...and I can see it (well at least I think I can! Hahaha!). Not a drastic transformation change from 2 years ago but definitely see some changes the start of this year to now. And it's not only at a physique standpoint here. My vertical jumps are higher, my swings are more powerful, I can last 2 hours on a volleyball court and not feel like I ran of gas anymore just 30-40 minutes of playing. And it's just that - I can move around the court. And again, people I'm surrounded by at work, my family, my friends notice it too. They're actually even encouraging me to stop but I wont let those outside influences stop me from what I want to do.

It may sound selfish here, but why stop? Keep setting true, attainable goals for yourself and that will never will be an option.

I dont ever think stopping to live a healthy lifestyle is even in my future plans at this point, because it is a lifestyle change I intend to keep. Even people I don't even know are complimenting. I was at a store the yesterday and was asked to show some ID. I kid you not: he couldn't believe I was 35 years of age. He honestly thought I was some minor...and this was just yesterday.

Read something over at the TT forums by good ol Craig Ballantyne (this guy has a great website - you will learn so much just visiting his site and his blog on a day to day basis) at his "Quick and Important Tips for Today" thread (great thread btw. I always visit that thread of his for that much needed motivation I always look for...this really gets me going.). Goals...long term or short term - you gotta have em, be serious enough to really want them - or any program just wont work. To make it work, you have to be consistent with it (from diet, exercise and rest) and it will work. I'm re-realizing it does take alot of work and a 100% commitment and I think it really paid off once again which I'm very proud about.

The only thing that I don't think I've achieved is getting my 20 reps on the wide grip pull ups. Those are very hard to do. I've lost alot of lean mass in this fat loss mode I've been on these past few weeks...but that's ok. That's definitely the goal. I did 20 full neutral grips that I got on video at the park the other day but that's a whole different move compared to the wide grip. My weight and my body fat is right where I want it right now. But back to the pull up challenge - I know I'll get there, just not in the next 2 weeks unfortunately. So we'll keep the personal record of 18 for now in my personal record books...

Looking into the next few weeks, I've been really working on looking into some new approaches with some training. I'm really interested in giving this one specific program a try soon. I like athletic type program approaches (Turbulence Training has an abundance of that which is good) and of course - conditioning workouts. Mirror muscle workouts are great but I want to really improve in areas like strength, power and endurance - things I can use my training approaches to improve on in sports like volleyball. My knees are healthy and I'm fortunate to be able to be flexible enough to still maneuver where many at my age have lost a step or two. I know I have somewhat (I wont compare myself to an 18 year old) but I don't think it's to a degree where it bothers me so much to where I can't remain active, play with my kids at the park or play recreational sports...it just gives me that great sense of well being.

No stopping here...

Onward, forward....GOAL! =)

Andy

3 comments:

Unknown said...

For this stuff to work, we must be selfish! This isn't about feeding the poor, helping the homeless, or neutering dogs and cats. This is the one thing we have to be selfish about. I do give to the poor and help a number of causes but my health and my giving live in two mutually exclusive universes (quote me!).

Andy said: "They're actually even encouraging me to stop but I wont let those outside influences stop me from what I want to do."

Smoke said: "What?"

Then Smoke said: "Andy if you ever cave into those outside influences, I will personally fly to San Diego, hit the beach and check out the hotties for a few days, catch a Padres vs Cubs game, then come kick your ass until you start working out again".


Later, Mikez

ps. that Bruce Lee ping/pong video was nuts.

Andy said...

Hey Mike...thanks for the visit. Yeah man, I read about you and your daughter's little play the Barber role for Cancer patients...that's really a great gesture there. Now that I can really see...

And you're right, fitness isn't a charity case and if we do "give in" to what people say - then we essentially have failed ourselves right there.

Being READY is alot better than trying to get ready all the time. Because it's so much easier with a mindset like that than it is to fret when things may not be acceptable to some and then you have to figure out ways on how to overcome them.

You can't please everybody and when you do try to do that - oops. You forget the "why's" again and then you go back to square one. I'm sure you agree Mike - it's not easy, Mike.

We do this for yourself. But you got to have the right mindset to begin with. Know what your true motivations are - and you can walk away happy regardless of outcome.

I've learned alot over the past 2 years and I think I've put my heart and soul in these last few months...incorporating every single thing I know as best I can. I'm definitely seeing "the change". But if people I associate with can obviously see this change as well -then I think it's safe validate that everything I've done to this point is in fact working to my favor.

Then you get the one's that try and pull you off the wagon or try to break you - but if you got that right mindset of being PREPARED enough to get through those trials and temptations - believe me, maybe last year or so - I could have been a victim and all my hard work sabotaged. It might have been so easy to say f*k it and just do what you're comfortable with. But I'm never comfortable when I do my workouts and that's me really. Nutbags as we are, Mike - I don't think anybody or anything can really put any stronger influence in anything we do in our lives but ourselves.

In fitness and health - BEND but NEVER BREAK. But listen to those that really know what they're talking about and that's the shining armor that will take us to places we've never been.

Great comments Mike....

Anonymous said...

Nice post, Andy...and very thought provoking. And now for a few words from your favorite "rabbit-basher"...

First of all, if you have ANY doubts about your success over the last 2 years, you really need to think about getting a good pair of glasses...When I look at your pics on your blog, from where you started up to today, I'm blown away at what you've accomplished. It's totally motivating to me...I may have 24 years on you (gulp), but when I look at where you've gotten I feel like I can do something similar, not the same, but similar. That's very powerful stuff, Andy. Powerful stuff. And it's because of your success.

Unfortunately, sometimes when someone is successful, whether in business, personal relationships or reaching a personal goal (such as fitness), the people around that person feel uncomfortable (on many levels) and attempt to put up "roadblocks" to sabotage their success. Why? Lots of reasons, none of them good and sometimes without realizing what they're doing.

YOU do this quest to be fitter (and in my case, wiser)for yourself. Some can look at that and say your're being "selfish". ("roadblock")
Please keep in mind that being in good health with good habits is GOOD for those you care about and who care about you. That's my take on it, at least.

I'll never have a ripped six-pack (trust me!), but being able to bang out a half a dozen chin-ups or go three rounds on a heavy bag translates into "I'll be around longer to have fun with my wife and watch my kids grow up." And to me, that's what it's all about.

Oh, by the way, if you DO give in to those outside influences as Smoke put it, I'll be flying out from DC, hanging out with "Coach Mikez" for a day or two at the beach and then coming with him to your house to watch him kick your butt until you start training again! (Or playing volleyball or the sport of your choice!)Ha!

Keep it rockin', Andy!

F.