Monthly Archives

January 2018

Mindset & Meditation: Be Perfectly Imperfect

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“Every next level of life will demand a new you”, “and sometimes it takes being broken in order to become that new version of you” – Leonardo Dicaprio & Sean Buranahiran

After being in the fitness industry for over 20 years I have seen many clients “chasing a ghost” of perfection. Maybe it is a version of themselves from 5, 10, 15 years ago, or perhaps seeking to look like the model on the cover of a magazine or their favorite Hollywood star. They seek this “perfect figure” and are constantly let down when they don’t achieve that goal, or they hop on the scale and it hasn’t budged or perhaps crept up a few pounds. When this happens they become aggravated and frustrated which leads to poor self-esteem, acting out towards others, crash dieting, and more. They are so obsessed with the perfect image or number on a scale that they completely overlook the accomplishments that they have attained.

Things I have heard from clients:

Me: Look how much faster and longer you can run now without getting tired

Client: But I’m not 105 pounds

Me: Look how many more squats you can do and/or how much stronger you have become

Client: But I’m not a size 2

Client: We did squats with our kids on our backs this weekend for fun and they had a blast! We could never do that before!… BUT we haven’t lost any weight this week

Me: Do you not realize what you just said and how big of an accomplishment this is?!

I have even had a client that was obsessed with the tiniest bit of skin on her belly that she absolutely had to get rid of, and would not except the fact that it was just a small bit of loose skin from having 3 children. This particular client was an incredible athlete, but could literally only see her imperfections and was never happy.

It is in your scars where your story begins, and it is in your imperfections where your perfection lies. To convey this message in the form that I need you to hear/receive it in, you need to listen to the audio above. After listening to the audio and hearing the story of Melissa, please watch the video below. She shared this video along with the story of the broken bowls, and that became her personal anchor. No longer did she strive for “perfection”. She realized her strength and beauty lay within her scars. The video explains everything I want you to get out of being “perfectly imperfect”.

Be Proud of Your Scars

https://youtu.be/wG2MUeVixao

 

Episode 142: Interview with 5x Ironman Champion & Spartan Pro Heather Gollnick

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In this episode Miles and I chat with one incredible woman! Not only was she a blast to talk to, Heather Gollnick has a wealth of endurance racing experience and knowledge. We get to know Heather a little and talk about:

  • Her start in endurance racing
  • Her first Ironman experience and drawing motivation from her daughter
  • The critical role of positive self talk and mindset plays in your racing success
  • Her transition to OCR
  • Her training philosophy for her clients
  • How/why at 48 years old she still has what it takes to compete with the top elite/pro females
  • and more!

CLICK HERE to listen or download from iTunes, Stitcher, or SoundCloud

Episode 141: WTM Champ Ryan Atkins talks about Rock Climbing, The Importance of a Strong Aerobic Base, Unicycling, Building Grip Strength, How to Plan Recovery, and Much More

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In this episode Ryan Atkins takes some time out of his busy ice climbing season, which is awesome, to talk with Miles and I.

We talk about:

  • Why he thinks you need a strong aerobic based vs. a ton of speed and HIIT training
  • How he is ready for any race at any distance
  • How he plans his recovery sessions/weeks
  • How he was once a champion unicyclist
  • Building grip endurance and power for beginners
  • How he stays in peak condition using only body weight training, rock climbing, & running
  • Why passion and love for sport need to be at the forefront of your motivation to race
  • And so much more!!

CLICK HERE to listen or download from iTunes, Stitcher, or SoundCloud

End of podcast music: “Limitless by Sam F. (feat. Sophie Rose)

Mindset & Meditation: Seek Failure

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Seek Failure

 

“It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all- in which case you fail by default” – J.K. Rowling

 

I used this quote last week and I use it again this week because I believe it is so important to let those words sync in to your brain and become part of your mantra when you are faced with failure. Listen to the audio for my thoughts on why you shouldn’t avoid failure. You should seek it and seek it often.

 

I will leave you with this. Whenever you get discouraged because you have tried something different/new a few times and haven’t “succeeded” or reached your goal remember this… It took Thomas Edison One THOUSAND attempts before that light bulb turned on… Seek failure my friends. That is where growths lies.

The Health Episodes #2: The Importance of Playing, Why You Need to Be Afraid, How to Make a Mind-Shift, & More Shenanigans

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The reason I used a photo of me skydiving is because that is literally the ONE thing I said I would never do. Why you ask? My answer has always been that if something goes wrong it’s REALLY gonna go wrong… I didn’t want to destroy my back or knees with a hard landing, I’ve had nightmares since childhood of falling from the sky (don’t know where that came from), and then there’s always that small death piece that could happen if the shoot doesn’t open.  I managed to go 42 years without jumping out of a plane until a client of mine set it as her goal.

During our time working together she had overcome such incomprehensible tragedy and faced fears on a daily basis.  This was her way of saying “I can do anything”, and she wanted me to do “anything”, skydiving, with her :-).  How the hell could I say no, and let me tell you I am glad I didn’t.  What I had been afraid of for so long was one of the coolest and most freeing experiences of my entire life.  I didn’t feel like I was falling, I felt like I was flying.  I didn’t hurt my knees or back, the landing was so smooth I barley felt it, and no… I’m not dead…  I faced my fear, and it opened my mind and allowed me to learn from the experience and grow.

In this episode Alix and I talk about:

  • Why you need to do something that scares you from time to time
  • Why you need to get out and play on a regular basis
  • How to make a permanent mind-shift regarding how you set your personal goals
  • And More!

CLICK HERE to listen or download from iTunes, Stitcher, or SoundCloud

 

Check out Darryl Edward’s Primal Play program HERE

Episode 140: Coach Mo Talks Overtraining & How to Build Strong Calve, Hips, & Core for a Muddy Race

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In this episode Coach Mo flies solo and talks about the signs of overtraining. The 2018 season is about to kick off, and training and racing will be the focus. Learn the signs of overtraining and how to avoid it. Also… It is inevitable in our sport that we will encounter at least one sloppy muddy race. Learn how to build strong, mobile ankles and calves to prevent injury as well as how to build strength in your core and hips to help you navigate the slop of a muddy race… and keep your shoes… 🙂

CLICK HERE to listen or download from iTunes, Stitcher or SoundCloud

Mindset & Meditation: Make a Mind Shift

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“What blocks us is clear. I am too short, too old, too scared, too poor, too stressed, no access, no backers, no confidence. How skilled we are at cataloging what holds us back” – The Obstacle is the Way

“It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all, in which case, you fail by default” – J.K. Rowling (taken from the book Tribe of Mentors by Tim Ferriss

When presented with a challenge be it physical, work related or personal, are the first thoughts that cross your mind “I can’t do that”, or “that’s impossible at my age”, or “I wish I could do XYZ”? Never undermine your success or ability in the gym, in sport, or in life. Most people I speak to about Ironman triathlon, ultra-marathon, or long-distance obstacle racing all have the same response. “I could NEVER do that”.. They have already defeated themselves mentally, however when they see someone their same age, weight, disability, etc complete one of these events, their mind begins to shift from “I could never” to “I think I could do this”. Regardless of how fast or slow your finish time may be at a race, or even if you had a “bad day” at the gym or in a race, someone out in the world watching, thinks you have just accomplished the impossible. Be proud of everything you do and learn from every day, race, adventure, and trial. Celebrate the small stuff.

In setting and achieving small goals you slowly begin to build your confidence. As you do this, begin to change your self-talk from, I wish, I want, If I could only, to I am, I can, I will. Once you make that mental shift what you thought was impossible becomes a challenge that you will stop at nothing to achieve. Set small goals, but at the same time don’t be afraid to reach for the stars and set a large goal for yourself. If it scares the hell out of you… GOOD! Everyone feels fear, from the most elite Extreme Sport Athlete to the baddest UFC fighters on the planet. They are all afraid. It’s what they do with that fear that makes them special and it can do the same for you. Fear will not kill you but it will contain you. Take your fear and shift your mind from letting it hold you back, to having it motivate you to conquer it and achieve the goal.

In creating a mind-shift think about it in one more way. What if you tried to accomplish a goal for the next 20 years. Something that you thought and maybe Dr’s or “experts” said was impossible for you to do. At the end of 20 years you don’t achieve that goal. It will be so much better for you to realize and say to yourelf “I gave it my all and tried every avenue to get there”, than to never have tried at all. You will NEVER say “what if” and I guarantee you will have learned a TON about yourself in the process. That, is a victory.

The Health Episodes #1: Alix and Mo Discuss Gratitude, Goal Setting, Mobility, Core Activation, and More

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Welcome to “The Health Episodes” version of the LINK Endurance Podcast. In this, and future episodes, Alix and Mo with discuss and give you tips on how to improve your mindset, nutrition, and movement/training.

In this episode we talk about:

 

  • Practicing gratitude
  • How failure could be the best thing to happen to you
  • How to build recovery into your new years resolution training plan
  • Setting S.M.A.R.T. goals
  • Stop comparing yourself
  • Why mobility and core engagement should be at the forefront of EVERY training session

And more!!

CLICK HERE to listen or download from iTunes, Stitcher, or SoundCloud

Episode 139: Interview with President of the Obstacle Sports Federation Ian Adamson

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In this episode Miles and I sit down with one of the Godfather’s of Ultra-Endurance Sports, 11 time World Adventure Racing Champion, Guinness World Record Paddler, and President of the Obstacle Sports Federation (OSF), Ian Adamson.

 

Before we dive into the OSF and the sport of Obstacle Racing, we give you a look into the sport of Adventure Racing and Ian’s time as a World Champion. He talks about:

  • His early days as a runner & paddler
  • Paddling over 200 miles in record setting times
  • Eco-Challenge and something he calls “Dynamic Leadership”
  • The best lesson he learned about himself during a 10-12 day Adventure Race

Then we get into the OSF and discuss:

  • What exactly IS the OSF
  • The doping issue, testing, and Ryan Woods
  • Standardizing OCR courses for an Olympic birth
  • The future of OCR
  • And more!!

CLICK HERE to listen or download from iTunes, Stitcher or SoundCloud

Check out Ian racing Eco-Challenge HERE

Mindset and Meditation: Gratitude

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Gratitude…

 

Have you ever heard the expression, “ A little kindness goes a long way”? Think about that. If I display kindness; a kind remark, gesture, or act towards you, you feel happy, and you may not realize it, but you feel gratitude/grateful for being treated kindly. That same feeling you get when you receive a kind act, gratitude, can be felt when you practice gratitude yourself. Practicing gratitude doesn’t have to be an outward display of kindness, rather, simply being grateful for people, opportunities, and experiences in your life. No one needs to know or hear what you are grateful for. You simply speak it to yourself while practicing relaxed diaphragmatic breathing and receive the benefits.

 

The act of practicing gratitude, has shown in multiple studies to alter the way our brains process information, handle stress, and more. In this article, practicing gratitude, along with compassion, was shown to slow heart rate, lower blood pressure, and reduce feelings of anxiety and depression. The physical and mental/emotional benefits of gratitude have been proven. Now it is time for you to implement this practice, along with relaxed diaphragmatic breathing, into your daily routine. Here is how I suggest you start your day with gratitude and how you can use it throughout the day to keep a calm mind and body during stressful situations, and as a reminder “check in” throughout the day.

 

  1. First thing in the morning while still lying in bed and practicing your relaxed diaphragmatic breathing, think of 1 thing that you are truly grateful for. Be very specific with your thought. Visualize it. Note if there is sound, color, smell, or taste associated with it. Become fully immersed in this item of gratitude. You can even smile slightly, physically displaying your gratitude as your breathe and visualize

 

  1. Take this with you throughout your day. Perhaps write it on a note card that you carry with you, or write it in the notes on your phone. Set an alarm to revisit this item of gratitude during the day, or, if you like you can visualize/reflect on another item/items of gratitude during the day. Your options are totally up to you J. If something happens during the day that you would normally see as bad, or a failure, or upsetting, instead try to be grateful that you experienced it, as it serves as an opportunity for you to learn and grow from the situation

 

  1. At the end of your day, as you’re lying in bed relaxing with diaphragmatic breathing, reflect back on your day and be grateful for the opportunities you had to learn and grown from. Single out 1, or more, items of gratitude and repeat the steps above. See it, feel it, be it. Be grateful, be relaxed, and fall into a restful, peaceful, grateful sleep