One of the interesting topics we talked about during the NMT(Neuromuscular Therapy) Seminar last month in Phoenix was that the body's primary goal is to move toward pleasure, ease and comfort. If you think this through you will find that what I'm saying is totally true. The body will do everything it can to avoid displeasure, pain and discomfort. What I'm talking about here are the autonomic functions of the body that we do not consciously control. You never have to tell you body to bring blood into an injured area or to remove lactic acid completely from you muscles within 45 minutes after a workout. Because of this we have to learn how to work with this principle and use it to our advantage. That is why trigger point therapy such as NMT, myofascial release, foam roller work, joint mobility and other modalities are so important. They assist your body in moving toward ease and pleasure which allows you to train and function at a higher level.
Let's look at the reverse thinking of that principle and apply it to attittude and character. Now when it comes to attitude and moral issues, staying in our "COMFORT ZONE" is a huge mistake. The only time you really stretch your moral fiber is when you put yourself in uncomfortable situations and grow. In fact, you can never really grow in a comfortable place. I have found that some of the biggest and most important lessons in my life have come from very difficult situations which at times seemed hopeless. As my client Bob says (who by the way is multi-millionare and unbelievably successful) "adversity is a tool that can be used to make you better." He even says that truly successful people will bring self-imposed adversity into their lives when things get to easy or the sailing is too smooth. If life is too comfortable you may be in a dangerous place.
That is how I look at strength and conditioning: SELF IMPOSED ADVERSITY.
You are intentionally putting load (adversity) on your muscles and structure so that it builds itself up and becomes stronger. If you never expose your muscles and structure to this adveristy, you never get stronger or fitter. You become less healthy, more fat and less prepared for the trials and potential tribulations of life that come your way.
Please share me what you think about ADVERSITY and how you have used it to overcome obstacles in your life....
Thursday Training
A-1 Barbell Front Squats
95lbs 5 x 5 (1 min rest on the GymBoss)
B-1 Dead Snatch
28kg 5 x 5/5 (1 min rest on the GymBoss)
C-1 Weighted Pull Ups
20kg 5,5,3,3,3 (1 min rest on the Gym Boss)
Wednesday:
Tempo Running at Track
Warm up
9 x 100 yards sprints @ 70% intensity (hamstring is feeling better!)
Monday Training:
A-1 Reverse Lunges
2x16kgs 4 x 6/6
A-2 Double Clean and Press
24kgs 4 x 5
B-1 Alternating Cleans
2x20kgs 1 x 10/10
8 comments:
self imposed adversity, I really like that franz. nice to see you back in training. take it easy.
Adversity, well this is my take. I grew up in a religously zealot-like house. Little House on the Prarie was banned at home because it wasn't "biblically accurate". We were dirt poor most of my childhood, and we moved from small town Texas to inner city Phoenix when I was 13. Later when I left the religion of my childhood I got caught up in heavy drug and alcohol abuse.
Now I'm older and I have a family. What I've learned is this. Children are just minature adults, they make decisions, those descisions need to recognized for what they are. Parents are guidence councelors not wardens.
I don't need a public service message to teach my children the pitfalls of chemical addictions.
Spirituality and religion are EXTREMELY personal things, having others beliefs forced on you or me is wrong.
Racial, religious, and socio-ecenomic diversity and harmony is beautiful.
A person can ALWAYS be stronger than they think they can.
Right on Franz..."self imposed adversity" that is exactly how I view my training/exercise/practice...
especially when I may not be "feelin" my best.
For me, the nervousness that come from abandoning my "comfort zone" I recognize immediately as personal growth. It gives one experience that transfers immediately to street cred.
I'm glad the hammie is gettin better. keep on truckin.
Right on Royce...I like your assessment of parenting as "Counselors v Wardens". That is exactly as I raised my 2 kids. It teaches responsibility & accountability.
Thanks Mark. I like the term too!
Royce, nice insights. I can sense alot of emotion and passion in your comments.
David, thanks brother. Hammie is better and still healing. Keep it rocking!!!!
Adversity: A necessary tool for self-reflection and evolution. Adversity too me is fun, I get great pleasure out of having to face situations of adversity whether self-imposed or not. I have and do experience adversity in both everyday life activities such as business, personal relationships, financial means, etc. and in the arena of sports and these days physical training.
I love and enjoy the pleasure of adversity because I truly beleive it defines ones character.
Excellent post as usual Franz. Always provoking thought. I do not usually use my blog like this but think I should be doing this more especially after reading yours
thanx brother, keep up the greatness and remember stop and enjoy the smell of the roses and the sights and sounds around you, especially those of your loved ones
Franz,
Nice training sessions man! I'm very happy too see that you are healthy and well.
Adversity is a funny thing for me, without it I am lost. I wander around aimlessly. With adversity comes my best, I thrive on the challenge. This is what some people refer to as The warrior's Mindset or whatever, but to me it is The Way that Makes the Warrior. Once we have overcome serious setbacks and challenges we develop an inner strength that gives us what we need to achieve greatness.
Thanks Joe. Adversity will be part of life whether we want it or not. So we might as well learn to embrace it and use it to our advantage. Be well!
Tom,
You wander aimlessly, that's funny :)
You are right! Adversity drives us to bigger and better things and without it we cannot grow!
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