The Weekly Word

What I Have Been Thinking About...
You cannot choose your parents. I am going to touch on this idea a little later in the newsletter but when it comes to life, some people draw the short straw and others draw the largest straw in the world. In both cases, the child has no say in any of it. This idea can be applied to genetic components like height and athleticism, or more behavioral qualities like having a loving and caring parent verse one that is manipulative, mean, or downright evil. 

In good news, the hand that you are dealt does not define who you will become. It is a factor but not the be-all and end-all. You still have an opportunity to play that hand in any way you wish. Some hands are tougher to play and it will take an extreme amount of courage or tactics to come out victorious but at the end of the day, if you are alive, you are still in the game. You still have time. You still have opportunities to win. 

Fitness Tip of the Week
I was talking with a member this week and he asked about my opinion on exercise frequency. After little thought I just said it has to become a non-negotiable and part of your daily routine in one form or another. This concept can sound overwhelming to many of us but I think there is a simple mantra that we can apply and it is little and often over the long haul.  We do not need to have an elaborate training program, the most high tech gear, or even access to a gym. We just have to get up and move!

Four Ideas to add more physical activity...

1. Walk & Talk. Reach out to a friend and catch up during a walk. The benefits of this are threefold: you get to see or talk to an old buddy; you get some physical activity; and you have a built in accountability partner! 
2. 10 Minute Walk Test: Here is how this one works. Put on sneakers, go outdoors, walk as far as you can in 10 minutes. Turn around and walk home. Remember how far you went and try to beat it next time. 
3. Hire a personal trainer to not only guide, but to force you to put an appointment in the books and hold you to it. People often times will cancel on themselves but not on an appointment or someone else. If you need a trainer, I just so happen to know one... (call 610-533-1187 for info)
4. Find joy in physical activity. Dance, play, laugh, have fun, do something active that puts a smile on your face!

On Coaching...
"The Man Who Chases Two Rabbits, Catches Neither" -- Confucius

I was listening to a few guys discuss MMA and they were talking about the approach one of the current champ takes. This guy at the moment is untouchable and his style is so well rounded that it begs the question, how does he do it? Well, as it turns out, he doesn't chase more than one rabbit at a time. He compartmentalizes his training, he boxes with pro boxers, he wrestles with the best wrestlers, and he works on jiu jitsu with the best jiu jitsu guys. As he develops those individual disciplines, he then makes it his own.  

Like MMA, there are a lot of qualities that need to be worked on in order to be successful in most sports. In my opinion, each session should have a point of emphasis. The field is for sport. The track is for speed or conditioning. The weight room is for strength. Once you maximize those qualities, you can then make a style of your own.

What I've Been Watching...
The Girl in the Picture (trailer here)

I have been treating documentaries like podcasts and listened to this one while cleaning up the house last week. This story is just heartbreaking with so many dark twists and turns that it leaves you speechless. My brain cannot conceptualize the dichotomy that is in each and every one of us humans. Some people go out and do bad things in the world, other people go out and do good. This story has a little bit of both and it makes me wonder about what leads people to do the things that they do. 

Quote of the Week
“A strong man cannot help a weaker unless the weaker is willing to be helped, and even then the weak man must become strong of himself; he must, by his own efforts, develop the strength which he admires in another. None but himself can alter his condition.” ― James Allen

I hope you all have an awesome week!Chris Fluck