Motivation

Motivation

It’s tough sometimes.

Like, let’s say, to find motivation in the midst of a stressful week.  Motivation to go to work, to go to school, to do chores around the house, to plan a healthy meal… to get to the gym.

Or maybe it’s worse during the lazier times of life.  When the motivation isn’t there to get out of bed early to hit the gym and sweat… or after a long day when it’s easy and completely understandable to want to sit down on the couch instead of go for an evening workout.

And then again, maybe it’s finding the motivation to find time in our busy, daily schedules that takes the most effort.  I dunno.  But I do know that wherever you fit into this spectrum of the motivationally challenged, you’re there.  We all are.

You hear quotes thrown out there all the time… things like "Motivation comes from within,"  or "No one can motivate you but yourself."  True, I suppose.  But, yet, isn’t it nice to have that external motivation to go along with all the intrinsic stuff?  I mean, right now I’d like someone else to be writing this for me.  I know what I want to say, but, damn.. all the work it’s going to take putting this down on paper?  Can’t we just figure out a way for me to think these words onto the screen, and have the computer find odd yet somehow relevant pictures to hyperlink for me?  Sigh.

So, here friends, I give you some (of many) great motivational quotes for getting to the gym on, oh, say a lazy day in August when there’s no major event coming up besides life. Actually, these are just as good for life as anything in the gym.

A Quick Top Ten:

10. Just do it. (or even Find your greatness.) I know.  Kinda weird to start things off here.  But whether you like the company of Nike or not (understandable), these simple motivational statements telling us all to get-out-there-and-get-things-done has a certain rhyme to it.  You just need the reason.

9. "You must be the change you wish to see in the world." —Gandhi Now we’re getting somewhere. Literally.

8. "You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take." —Wayne Gretzky A "sports-to-life" quote, from none other than a guy who is known as The Great One. Need more?

7. "It’s not about time, it’s about choices. How are you spending your choices?" —Beverly Adamo So good in the face of the "I don’t have time!" complaints, which are usually the thoughts that creep into our own heads daily.

6. "I hated every minute of training, but I said, 'Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.'" —Muhammad Ali How can one compile a list of motivational quotes and leave this guy off? You can’t, that’s how.

5. "That some achieve great success, is proof to all that others can achieve it as well." —Abraham Lincoln This guy was full of quotes, and seemed to figure out a little about success in his time.

4. "Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm." —Ralph Waldo Emerson For when there’s no end in sight… or you have a bunch of Negative Nancies around.

3. "I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying."  —Michael Jordan He was okay.

2. "Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending." —Maria Robinson A nice one for you late bloomers, but mostly anyone who’s ever gone through adversity.

1. "Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do." —John Wooden Yet another historical sports figure, with such a simple and phenomenal concept.

Or perhaps you’re a visual person.  There are TONS of motivational videos out there to trudge through… more cheesy than anything.  But it’s the good ones that keep the search worthwhile.  Here are just a few worth sharing this week.

Powerful Beyond Measure

Derek Redmond

Lecture of a Lifetime, by Randy Pausch (you can watch his entire lecture here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo)

There are obviously many more great quotes, both famous and not.  Have some favorites to share?  I’d love to read them.  Have some lesser known videos?  Even better.  Post to comments!  Sharing is caring, and knowledge is welcome.

It’s when it becomes routine to lead a healthy lifestyle that includes hard work in the gym and recovery outside of it that motivation is implied.  And results are realized.

So make it happen, however you get it done.  Get to the gym (or make a deadline at work, or finish that project at home, or do that thing in life you’ve always wanted to do…).  Don’t need the motivation?  Then I don’t know why you read this far.  Do need a little help?  Find yours, and remember, “People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.” — Zig Ziglar

-Scott, 8.13.2012

Olympics

Olympics

Just like every four years, with the start of the 2012 Summer Olympics I'm pumped to watch the best athletes in the world do what they do.

In case you've ignored all social media lately, the Opening Ceremonies were on Friday the 27th, and events will run through August 12th.

The history of the Olympics is somewhat interesting... the first ancient Olympic Games can be traced back to 776 BC, and were actually closely linked to religious festivals and rites of passage for young people.  It also encouraged good relations between the cities of Greece. Traditions began, some of which we still see to this day: the torch ceremony to honor the Greek god Zeus; palm branches and olive tree wreaths for winning athletes; spectators throwing flowers to participants; and red ribbons tied on the head and hands as a mark of victory.

The ancient Games were simply a one day event and the events included running, long jump, shot put, javelin, boxing, equestrian, and pankration (martial art combining wrestling and boxing).

Crazy Old Footage from London 1908

The Olympic Games have obviously expanded  into summer and winter competitions, and looking at this from a spectator's point of view, I'm a fan.

It can be hard to look past the sporadic violence and political and religious upheaval that has occurred throughout the years, especially since inequity still exists where citizens of some nations do not have the freedom to train or compete at this top level.  But a generally peaceful worldwide competition is fun and inspiring.  Especially cool is to see the "post-battle" respect between athletes of competing countries (ie: soccer players exchanging jerseys after their match).

Best of the Olympic Games

The London 2012 Trailer

From a CrossFit and physical fitness standpoint, the athleticism we see is impressive-- I can pretty much watch anything and everything TV and internet coverage provides.  Maybe you're like me... some of the performances make my jaw drop.

In seeing the sports/exercises we use regularly in our own CrossFit training, these are the events that really catch my attention.  But we have to understand these athletes are specialists.  Many Olympians are overall great athletes, but it's their skill(s) in their specialty area that has allowed them to get to the elite level.  Perhaps a Decathlon/Heptathlon track athlete has the versatility we might strive for in functional fitness training, but even these athletes aren't put through weightlifting, gymnastics, swimming, or other events.  This is no knock on any Olympic athlete-- the contrary in fact.

This is what a base training  program focusing on overall strength and conditioning can allow-- high end, elite sports.

Because we've put ourselves through some of these movements (in some cases, not very well), it's easy to drool over the physical skill and the times/numbers posted by the elite.

Let's check some awesome performances in a few Olympic sports/exercises that we commonly use at Amplify...

Weightlifting:

Women's Gymnastics:

Men's Gymnastics:

Track & Field:

The 2012 schedule is here: http://www.london2012.com/schedule-and-results/

I know I'll be watching.

-Scott, 7.30.2012