I was perusing my social media page when a "memory" from a year ago popped up. A YEAR ago and it still holds true.
"While shopping at Costco this morning I was asked by a very nice couple if I was "natural". I do believe my answer took them by surprise when I responded, "No! I'm not natural. It isn't natural to get up at the time I do and train with weights 5 days per week and condition 6 days. It isn't natural to eat with discipline and get the proper rest. No Sir! People like me are not natural. Perhaps we are Supernatural in many ways." Then they asked what they should do? I reached into their cart and separated it in half. I told them to put everything on the left half of the cart back! "Who was that unmasked man?"
I am not a rude person, but I am very direct with most people. I think the people that adhere to me or become my friends, like this about me. I believe "yes" and "no" are great answers to those types of questions. I don't think they need explanations. Yet many people feel they are entitled to the reasoning behind such a laconic answer.
People have become too comfortable with their entitlement. They have become too comfortable and make excuses for that lack of improvement and staleness. People have become too comfortable that they find reasons to justify themselves.
Nike ran a commercial years ago with a fella dribbling a basketball in a gymnasium giving all the excuses those of us who are not lazy hear all the time...
"I'm too old"
"I'm too tired"
"I'm too fat"
"I'm too skinny"
"I'm hungover"
"I don't feel like it"
...and it continues until the final statement "yea, and my feet hurt!" He then slams both balls to the floor and the camera pans back and he turns around in his wheelchair and pushes away.
"What's YOUR Excuse?"
So now this is the first weekend of the summer and the temperature is going to be going up. Somewhere it will be 100 degrees and we will turn on the air conditioning when it gets to 85 and stay inside having something cool to drink and watch the internet or T.V. instead of going out and doing Prowler pushes.
Heck, I hate cold weather and when the thermometer dips into the 30's I could have easily said..."Not today, Zerg" and drive my car instead of riding my bike to the gym at 4:00 AM. But I did it anyway.
I purposely don't use hot water when I shower. I shower outside no matter what time of year with only the cold water from the hose. Why? Because the cold water is uncomfortable and I don't want to get too comfortable. Why? Comfortable leads to slothfulness. Comfort leads to complacency.
Complacency leads to softness and soft isn't DANGEROUS! And I for one want to remain DANGEROUS for as long as possible.
I look at what everyone else is doing that is "Natural" and I surely don't want to be like that. So I tend to do the opposite.
Staying uncomfortable and doing the things that others won't make for a hardened and uncompromised human being.
So go do those push-ups on the football field at 2:00 PM, or run in kudzu when it's July in Georgia. Grab a barbell and some weights in the middle of a blizzard and do sets of OHP in-between hand shoveling the driveway and sidewalk.
Coddling yourself and making excuses is the natural thing to do. STOP listening to your body. It tells you to stay on the couch and eat fat guy food. STOP being natural! Get uncomfortable!!!
And YES, I am a little stupid, but so far so good.
I know for me, my life is going to end with these two words..."FUCK IT" and then I go for it regardless.
Today's Training:
Cycle: 28 mins
Prowler: 10x80 yds
Suspended Good Mornings w/ SSB Yoke Bar: work up to a hard 6 reps then do two more sets at the heaviest weight
GHR: 4x10
Cycle: 30 mins
Thanks for being such a great mentor to me and so many.