Switch it Up

You should always be looking to expand on your current interests and routines. Although we are creatures of habit, and it is important to have a regular schedule; its also crucial to throw new aspects into your daily mix.

An example would be picking up a new hobby, with all the lifting I do I find it fun, beneficial, and relaxing to add restorative yoga once or twice into my weekly schedule. But it goes beyond that, read more books, watch more informative videos, learn more. Engage in activities you don't normally partake and develop a new respect for the practice. It doesn't have to be religious, it doesn't have to be super intense, and it doesn't have to be daily.

As you progress in life you should learn to continuously add new hobbies and interests into your life. My goals are to read and learn more about hypertrophy, gaining/leaning cycles, and tap further into the physchological portion of lifting and motivation towards goals. Another important area to look to make progress in are your relationships, start setting up weekly/monthly dates with close ones. Phone calls are always nice but spend quality time with the people near and dear to you, cherish the moments and let the bond grow stronger, have a genuinely good time with that individual/group. Furthermore it is important to look to create new relationships, grow your network, step out of your comfort zone and find new viewpoints and personalities.

Deep Breathing

People heavily underestimate the power of breathing. Something so obviously important that we don't even really think about it, and often our breaths become short, shallow, and improper. The power comes from the diaphragm and pretty much no one knows how to properly inhale and exhale, and if they do its often cut short and is rapid. This leads to a whole host of problems such as anxiety disorders, poor posture and muscular imbalances.

Once I learned and started practicing deep breathing my energy levels, motivation, and mental clarity/focus/organization made leaps and bounds. I feel better, am much more conscious and aware, and have a deeper level of intelligence and drive. I feel connected down to the most inner self I have. Its helped me develop more empathy towards others, and a need to carry myself and live life in a way that makes people want happiness for themselves. I want to inspire people to be happy through the way I live my life.

The key to deep breathing is understanding the function of the diaphragm, as you inhale your stomach should push out as the diaphragm contracts and moves down, as you exhale it relaxes and moves back up. My favorite way to train the proper functioning of this underutilized muscle is to lie on your back and put a 2.5 weight on your stomach, inhaling through your nose over a ten count the weight should slowly rise and lower upon a ten second exhale, the movement should be smooth. You'll notice as you practice your breath becomes deeper and stronger, and you'll feel a crazy surge of energy and focus.

Summer Bod Post

Folks you know what season is coming up. It's time to set goals, it is time to get focused; it's time to get serious. I am pumped for this summer and cannot wait to make new connections, foster improvement, and help others be inspired to follow their vision. The biggest thing here is staying and remaining motivated through the thick and the thin. External life will happen but you can always control the motivation from within. Hard work and being inspired to be the best no matter what is an intangible; but absolutely vital to your success in the long term. We have to change our basis of how we think, how we approach life, and subsequently how we live it. Be yourself, follow what interests you, and look to gain newfound likes and passions. Yes I will always love lifting, but it is time to expand that passion into other categories. I want all of us to be happy, that is the ultimate goal, and I want to help you guys create it. These intangibles are the key factor to your success, all the products and programs won't mean anything if you don't have the motivation and drive to take the action and put in the work. Why you ask?? Because its not easy!! It's extremely difficult and challenging. Most people will never achieve the level of happiness they want because they lost or never developed the motivation to be willing to sacrifice and work towards their dreams. We're gonna be different.