Lessons from Dad

I apologize once again for the delay I have this post and another for you on Wednesday. I got an opportunity to sit down and write this while I was out at Pancake Campground recharging the batteries. (I know I shouldn't have brought technology but I have been slacking on my posts) I have been working at the new Catalyst/ SCMMA facility with Josh and a few other guys and it is really coming together. The three classes I have made have been fantastic and it is a great place to come out and train. It is both very welcoming and open.

This week we have been renovating the new facility and it really has been a team effort. I have borrowed about 15 different things from my Dad and made 4 calls a day for advice on how to do certain things. This week inspired me to write this post. Although we have always been close but neither of us is really emotional (because as a man you write your feelings on a piece of paper and swallow them) so he may pretend he didn't read this.

As a kid we all have hero's, I never really had one. Instead, I liked a bunch of different people for different reasons. Mostly, I just wanted to be a ninja turtle or something like that. As we get older and begin to develop different philosophies I think our hero's begin to really take shape and define us. Within the last few years my Dad has become my hero, I think it took so long because I never understood all the things he had done for me and thought that that was just what Dad's do. Below is the top three reasons why my Dad is my hero.

1. Give Generously
   My Dad has spent the majority of my childhood coaching me. He took time out of his schedule every week to teach me and my teammates the sport of hockey. Was my Dad the best coach in the world, no probably not. But he was willing to give us all the time we needed to teach us what he knew and often times that is more important. His love for coaching is a huge influence on my career choice as a strength coach. Outside of the sports world his attitude remains the same I have watched him put together many a deck, garage or dock just because someone had asked for help.

2. If you do Something, do it Right.
   My Dad now paints for a living and I have been recruited out to help a time or two. I have also seen him work late hours multiple days in a row. I asked him once why he didn't hire help and he said that he didn't want to have to worry about another employees work. If he does it himself he knows that it is done right, and he can take pride in the work that is done. This is one lesson that I have really taken to heart. Don't half ass your work if you care about it. No I do not always give 110 percent on everything I do but I try to.

3. Find something you Love then find a way to make a living at it
   This is something that my Dad has always said to me. You have to look forward to each day, going to work should never be a chore. Some days it is going to suck, but on the whole you better love what you do. When I was in my second year of university I wanted to change my majors but wasn't sure. I drove to my Dad's job site and watched him paint for an hour while he listened. In the end he told me to make my own judgement but to do something I would love. That afternoon was one of the most influential in my life although nothing special marked the day but a can of paint and a drop sheet.

Ps. On a side note I also love my mom.

25 Things I Learned In O-town

1.) I learned that I know very little
2.) George Foreman cannot operate his own grilling line as well as I can...seriously I challenge him to the death.
3.) Time Management really is the key to success. You cannot thrive if you cannot get everything accomplished that needs done.
4.) Those Lebanese make damn good shwarma's.
5.) Mike Patone has been an awesome mentor this summer...Thanks Mike hopefully you clicked on the link in the email and read this.
6.) Starbucks really does have a good product, however if it takes more than 4 words to order your drink you are having a dessert and really should be in a separate line.
7.) Filling up your gas tank sucks when you make free.99/ hour. But it would still suck if I made 60.99 so...ya no real point complaining.
8.) Foam Rollers are one of the best inventions ever.
9.) Ronin MMA was a great home away from home, Thank you guys for everything.
10.) My BJJ is much better than when I left..unfortunately I didn't get to train much Thai...one of my bigger regrets.
11.) My parents really do love me, they sent me a car to drive. Mercifully ending my Tour de France.
12.) Mucho Burito is not overrated...place is gold folks.
13.) If you skip workouts/don't try/ don't listen I don't have time for you.
14.) I can read a 400 page textbook without skipping a page, thank you Stuart Mcgill.
15.) I will follow CIS football this year...at least Queens and Waterloo.
16.) I cannot wait to buy a dog, living in a house with one for 4 months has convinced me.
17.) Sit Up Bad - Plank Good...save the spine flexions for tying shoes.
18.) Game of Thrones is sick...read the books you sellouts.
19.) Grocery shopping at 11am is a horrible time...Cannot match the "Mom Intensity" in and out of the aisles.
20.) Really excited to bring a lot of what I have learned back to the Sault
21.) Steel City MMA is going to be awesome...I've learned this from a variety of text messages and facebook posts. I sense the force is strong with this venture.
22.) "If you are going to lift weights you might as well lift heavy ones?"- Line from my buddy S. Dawson 
23.) How many confused people there are in regards to proper names...it is a Camp kids not a Cottage.
24.) If cats had thumbs they would rule the world...legit there would be no stopping them.
25.) I now am sure of what I want to do for a career.

But It Takes Too Long

I have been exceptionally fortunate in my athletic career from an injury standpoint. The few different injuries I have all been acute situations where there was nothing I could have done from a preparation standpoint that would have prevented them, a helmet to the Ulna was giving me a broken arm regardless of what I did prior to stepping on the field. However, often we see injuries that occur because people skip the warm up. Why? Because it takes to long. I want you to pause here and due some quick mental math. You train 5 days a week. The warm before each session is say 15 minutes. So we have now spent 75 minutes warming up that week, or 300 minutes a month. Wow, you are saying that is so much time I just spent 5 hours on warm up? That so long. Not really if we contrast it with the length of time an injury costs you because you forced your muscles through a full range of motion without a warm up. So instead of 300 minutes we now lose closer to 1800 minutes a month or 30 lost hours. The 300 minutes looks pretty short now.

View your muscles as silly putty, when we first start moving we have just spent the night in that little peanut shell carrying case and we are incapable of forming any cool shapes other than a glob. Then after a few minutes of kneading we are flexible and strong and able to move into pretty much any form. That 15  minutes elevates your core temp, increases blood flow, draws in more 02 and a variety of other factors that get our body ready to go. I really want to stress the importance of a good warm up, start with something aerobic for 5 minutes, then move through a more dynamic flexibility section (high knees, butt kicks, spider man lunges) then progress to more sport specific. If you are playing football start running routes or light coverage. If the sport for the day is weight lifting get under the bar and practice that movement pattern before you starting with your working weight. Do not just set up the weight and rip it without feeling the movement pattern first. Swinging the arms across the chest twice before max benching is not enough folks. Take the extra 15 minutes and take care of your body as the number of overuse injuries in sports (even in younger populations) grows it is even more important that your muscles are fully ready for the demands that will be placed on them, otherwise you may end up like the guy in the video. He didn't warm up. 

Tough Time Challenge

August is officially on us and the overused "where has summer gone" is on everyone's lips already. Although I do not have the actually statistics I would guess that this is one of the low times for gym attendance. Most programs get downsized or dropped in the summer months. In an effort to staunch the flow I am throwing out a challenge. Do one thing well this month that you typically struggle with. If you don't warm up regularly start. If you usually skip your conditioning session, make a conscious effort to be there and dominate it. If you have horrible ankle mobility (this guy) work on it everyday. Pick one thing, only one, and do it all August.

There is a secret to getting really good at something. Ready for it? Do it when it is the absolute last thing in the world that you want to be doing right now. When you have a dozen real and false excuses for skipping it.  This month do it. No excuses. Just find a way to fit it in and do it. If you can force yourself to do something during a time when you don't want to, imagine what is possible when we feel like doing it.

Also HUGE shout out to Ted Fryia on his weekend, he is excused from this challenge he gets to be awesome for the month of August.