The Weekly Word: December 18, 2022

New Years Sweepstakes!
Before getting to this weeks edition of the Weekly Word, I want to share with you all that this holiday season, I am bringing back the Sweepstakes! This year we will be raffling off SIX gift certificates for the gym totaling $1000! There will be ONE grand prize winner who receives a $300 prize, TWO second prizes will be given out at $200 each, and THREE third prize gift certificates each being for $100! 

If you would like to enter, click the following link to register: New Years Sweepstakes!

What I've Been Thinking About...
The Quakers. That is right, I am talking about those guys and gals who helped found the great state of Pennsylvania. A few years ago we decided to enroll our daughter in the United Friends School in Quakertown, Pa (great name for a town that has a Quaker school, right?). We chose this school for a few reasons but some of their basic tenants are all things we believe in: peace, integrity, community and the environment. These kids get to explore the outdoors, learn about the inner goodness that we all have within us, and work on projects that are really impact the local community. 

Around the time we made the decision to go there, I decided to buy a book titled Quaker Writings: An Anthology. Since the time of purchase, this book has done nothing but collect dust on my bookshelf! So, after skipping over this book for what seems like a thousand times, I decided to pick it up and start reading it. As I make my way through the introduction, a few things piqued my interest as the author sets the stage for the rest of the book. The author shared that after moments of depression, despair, or challenge, the Quakers viewed these times as a "baptism" or an opportunity for a rebirth. I like this idea. With every challenging moment, there is an opportunity for you to learn and become a new person. It is comparable to the idea of creation after destruction. If you can push through and get to the other side of whatever you are facing, you will become a new, better version of yourself. 

Fitness Tip of the Week
A long time ago I ran into an old friend at the local pool and he looked over surprised to see me swimming laps. We made some small talk and eventually he asked, "What are you training for?" I gave him a little smile and said wryly, "I am training for life, bro". 

In hindsight, I realize that the snarky comment turns out to be pretty accurate. Completing races, playing sports, or hitting personal records in the gym are all fine and dandy but eventually, these things come to an end and you have to find a purpose to train other than for external rewards. There is not always going to be a carrot dangled in front of your nose urging you to keep moving. Eventually, you are going to have to train for that person you see in the mirror. Below I outlined a few ideas that we should all keep in mind when trying to live a long, healthy life!

1. There will be times throughout the year where you work towards accomplishing a goal. Set aside 8-12 weeks and give 100% effort on completing the task. By doing this, you will learn a lot about yourself and your willingness to succeed. This success or failure will carry over into other areas of life so make sure you give it your all! 
2. Cardiovascular training is important if you want to live a long and healthy life. Don't skip it! You have some options here as you can train for long periods of time at a slow pace, perform intervals (2-4 minutes at a higher intensity, then a recovery), or perform sprints (4-10 second bursts). You can bike, swim, walk, jog or use any piece of cardio equipment you want. 
3. Variety is the spice of life. Just like the seasons change, so too should your exercise selection! Rotate through the cardio ideas listed above and do the same for strength exercises, sets and reps. Lift heavy for low reps, lift moderate weight for high reps, perform exercises for time, or work to failure for one set. Sky is the limit here so do a little research and find something that you will enjoy. 
4. Take time to practice and learn new skills. These new skills provide a fresh stimulus for your brain that will create growth in mind and body. This could be yoga, kettlebell training, rock climbing, hiking, swimming, or anything else you want to try!

If you would like more on the topic, check out podcast episode 174: Need Help with Creating a Fitness Plan?

What I've Been Watching...
Ancient Apocalypse on Netflix. 
The creator of this series is a very interesting man. He is an investigative reporter who believes that he has found evidence of advanced lost civilizations that pre-date our current understanding of human history. Like any good reporter, he has ruffled some feathers as his work exposes flaws in the current belief system. As a result of this, he has been ostracized and his work has been viewed as junk science. In this series, he visits and makes reference to over a dozen sites and ponders what could have been.

My understanding of ancient civilizations is beyond amateur but I will say this, Graham Hancock paints a convincing picture! One thing I really enjoy so far is the parallels between civilizations that existed on opposite ends of the world, and sometimes thousands of years apart. The physical structures are similar as are their beliefs systems in some instances. It seems most of these cultures had a flood story that helps explain their origins, snakes references show up all over the world, a crazy understanding of astrology, and more. These similarities in today's day and age are not that impressive, but considering these stories and structures are thousands of years old, Hancock really makes you wonder about their connectedness.  

Quote of the Week
"Sports is like a double-edged sword. Swung in the right direction, the sword can have tremendously positive effects, but swung in the wrong direction it can be devastating. The sword is held by adults who supervise children's sports" -- Rainer Martens

I hope you all have an awesome week!
Chris Fluck