Conquer Your Mornings – A 10-Minute Ritual That Will Make You A Morning Cowboy

Mornings are a cold-hearted-maniac, even if you’re among the mentally toughest.  “Experts” tell us to change our routine.  “Go to bed earlier,” they say.  “Cross your legs and meditate on your living room floor,” they suggest.  “Eat a hearty bowl of steal cut oats with goji berries and Persian walnuts,” they prescribe.

Who are these idiots?  We all know that when the clock strikes 6:30, and your phone alarm howls, not even a breakfast date with Kate Upton could pull you away from the warm arms of your bed.

“Hey wake up, you idiot!”
-Courtesy of celebpop.com

Realistically we all lead demanding lives and it’s impossible to master the game of sleep.  It’s just a reality.  Time and again we go to bed telling ourselves that we will jump right out of bed in the morning.  We think, “Nobody’s going to stop me tomorrow, the snooze button won’t get touched!”  Then that fickle jerk known as morning rolls around and turns us into a sleepy little princess.  Suddenly, we prolong our laziness.  We become late for work, school, or practice.  We get anxious, negative, and begin to rush through our routine.  Our day begins like we are running the Oregon Football team’s offense.  You’re become morning version of De’Anthony Thomas.  A blur.

We shouldn’t make our mornings more complex and difficult than they already are.  You don’t need a bunch of fru-fru meditation exercises and a Bobby Flay cookbook to make your mornings more inspiring.  If you want to start your day more positively, we suggest that you start the first ten minutes of the day with this ritual:

10 Minutes of Thought and a Glass of Water – 5 Easy Steps

Step 1- As soon as you put an end to that ACDC cell phone alarm, pour yourself a glass of water.

**Why Water?  Essentially, you dehydrate yourself for about 8 hours every night.  When you wake up, your body is begging for water.  Drinking water in the morning, before putting anything else into your system, will instantly change the way you feel.  Try it tomorrow, and I guarantee you will feel your body loosen up and feel more lively about ten minutes after you down a full glass of water.  Water speeds up all of your body’s processes to give you more energy.  One glass of water speeds up your metabolism by about 25%.  If you are working out, water will help your body produce new cells on top of the ones that you beat to a pulp the day before.  Also, water helps flush out your body’s nasty toxins that make you look like an old man.  A glass of water each morning will make your skin look glowing and clear (“Hey, ladies”).

Step 2- Find a quiet place.  Remove yourself from noise, your cellphone, Sportscenter, or any other distractions and just sit (even if it’s in your bathroom).

Step 3- Reflect.  Determine your attitude.

**Why Should I Reflect?  We are so prone to waking up and instantly hitting the gas pedal  We make our morning routine even more difficult when we hit our snooze button six times and scroll through 8 hours of our Twitter/Facebook pages before we even get up and moving.  We put our minds on anxiety-autopilot mode for our morning routine, and we blur through the first hour of the day, before we even really use our minds.  Stop doing that!  Take control of your day by first becoming aware of why the hell you woke up in the first place.  You don’t really have to organize your reflection, but at least ask yourself these three questions:

•                 How can I overcome what I don’t want to today?
•                 What do I have to look forward to?
•                 How can I be the person I want to be today?

Step 4– Take the deepest breath you possibly can and remember that you are still alive.

Step 5- Finish your glass of water.  Own the day.

I challenge you to give this ritual a try for 2 weeks.

Real Life Forrest Gump – The Most Inspiring Guy You’ve Never Heard Of

Looking for a little shot of inspiration this afternoon.  Look no further than David Goggins.  If you do anything today, spend some time getting to know his name.

10 Reasons Why David Goggins Is a Hero

1) He once ran around a 1-mile track for 48 straight hours.  He completed 203 miles.

2) He holds the World Pull-Up Record.  In 24 hours, David completed 4,030 pull-ups.  When he was done, his hands looked like this (those are third degree burns):

3) He completed the 135-Mile Badwater Ultra-Marathon (which takes place in the lower-level of Death Valley).

4) In his spare time, David Goggins is a U.S. Navy Seal.

5) Goggins often runs 15-20 miles before eating breakfast, and then bikes 25 miles to his “desk job” as a Navy Seal.

6) David isn’t a workout addict.  He isn’t crazy.  He competes to raise money for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation.  This foundation provides full college tuition to military children of Special Ops personnel that were killed in the line of fire.  He has raised nearly $500,000 for the organization.  Oh, and he also builds handicapped accessible homes for veterans.

7) He was once nearly 300 pounds, and had never run for more than 20 minutes in his life.  In fact, he still “hates” working out.  Funny, because he looks like Ray Lewis and runs like a damn Kenyan Marathoner.  His resting heart rate is in the neighborhood of 32 beats per minute (that’s 40 less bpm than normal).

8) He has had two operations on his heart.  A few years ago, David discovered a hole in his heart the size of a poker chip.  And yes, he was competing without ever knowing it existed.

9) In the near future, he plans to compete in cycling and extreme mountain climbing competitions.  Woah.

10) David found his competitive motivation after a brutal tour in Afghanistan.  He lost a lot of his closest friends in a “mission gone bad.”  He vowed to help the families that lost their husbands and fathers.  He isn’t much of a car wash or bake sale kind of guy, so he Googled the world’s ten hardest physical feats and decided to complete some of them as a charity for his fallen comrades and their families.

This guy deserves a lot of respect.  I’m pretty glad I get to live in the same country as him.  One of the best and brightest.  Take that, Kenyans.

8 Reasons Why Us Dudes Are Hooked On Pre-Workout Drinks

Selling fitness products to dudes is like taking candy from babies.  If you’re spending your rent money on pre-workout supplements you’re probably just like the rest of us muscle-driven, girl chasing, steak-pounding-idiots.  The stuff works, there’s absolutely no doubting it.  But at what cost?  I mean, besides the 50 bucks your spending every few weeks.  As a former college athlete, and self-proclaimed workout warrior (baha), I took this stuff for nearly 10 years.  I tried everything.  Most of them worked.  I loved it.  But what was the cost?  About a year ago I took a step back and re-evaluated my pre-workout use.  I swore it off, and it WRECKED my workouts.  I’ll be the first to admit I was addicted to that stuff, and it took about 8 weeks to feel “normal” again during my workouts.

Here are 8 reasons why us dudes have become pre-workout-holics, and why we should be more careful:

1) There’s always “That Guy”–  There’s always that hero at the gym that thinks he can telatpathically morph the ATP in your muscles to bump up your bench press by 50 pounds over night.  Like if you try the pre-workout he recommends, you’ll suddenly be shooting through walls with your forearm cannons.  Don’t let this guy trick you into thinking he’s blazing a Daniel Boone trail on the health and fitness world.  The guy’s probably yoked, but there’s also a good chance he’s trying to drag you into his circle of Supp-Stars to cover his cognitive dissonance associated with spending way too much on his nutrition.

2) We’re high– Many of the supplements we are taking are loaded with caffeine and beta-alanine.  While these drugs are a far cry from heroine, there’s a good chance they are giving you an unrealistic idea about how good your supplements are really working.  They produce euphoria when you put them into your bloodstream.  Essentially, they give you a guaranteed feeling that the supplement IS WORKING.  This is great for a while, but eventually your body will become immune to the caffeine.  To get that energy spike, you will need a little more with each workout.  Over time, this really messes with you, and you become tolerant (SAD FACE).  Suddenly, that awesome supplement doesn’t work.  So, just like any user, you need MORE AND MORE, until your suddenly wrecking your nervous system every time you workout.  We begin to use the pre-workout as a crutch.  The caffeine is essentially putting your body under stress.  You’ll eventually have to pay for later in the day.

3) It’s easy–  Scoop…shake, that’s all it takes.  It’s so much easier to put down a quick, tasty, pre-workout drink than it is to get a good night’s sleep the night before your workout.  Instead of taking 20 minutes to cook up that, pre-workout, “oatmeal-peanut butter-banana culinary masterpiece” you saw in Men’s Fitness, you simply scoop…shake.  It takes effort to prepare your body for a workout, just like it takes effort to get through one.  Again, we begin to rely on the pre-workout like an old friend.

4) The marketing is so dope-   A man’s nest is decorated by his supplements.  Buzzerk, Fast-Twitch, NO-EXPLODE, Rezzerect, Assault, Animal Pak, Muscle Milk.  Marketing fitness products must be the easiest job in the world!  There’s an induced level of badassery involved when a man has a fresh supplement tub sitting on top of the fridge for all his bros to see.  Just remember, those labels are NOT backed by the FDA.  They are completely unreliable, and are only based on how the product was mixed.  For instance, if your pre-workout claims 200mg of caffeine, there’s no one regulating whether or not there IS actually 200mg in your serving size.

5) We look at our arms too much-  Supplements work fast.  Unfortunately, we are prone to seeing gains in the wrong areas.  We get wrapped up in our arms.  It makes sense considering we have them hanging out all the time and girls really seem to like them.  The thing is, they are the easiest muscles to work.  We waste our pre-workout drinks on our arms, and ignore the rest of our bodies.  Of course your pre-workout will help your arms look yoked.  But if that’s your only motivation, do you really need it?  We judge our fitness by how our arms look, rather than how cut our calves appear.

6) They make us feel like experts-  Everyone has their secret fitness formula.  When we find a pre-workout that works it’s like we become the underground drug lords of the gym.  We become “that guy.”  Hell, I was “that guy” once.  We think we know everything about the product based on VERY BASIC knowledge of what’s in it.  We glaze over what we don’t know, and offer product expertise base on the two or three bodybuilding.com reviews we saw online.  It’s human nature to spread the word when we know something works, but it’s wrong to push someone into taking something before you truly know how it will change their body (uhHUM… some Fitness Store Employees).

7) We make it a ritual-  It’s hard to find a better feeling than slurping down a pre-workout and bumping some of your favorite jams.  If I hit a scoop of Assault and flip on some Kid Cudi, I feel like I could jump to the moon.  We develop a routine.  30 minutes before you work out, we swallow down 8 ounces of pre-workout and wait for that old familiar feeling to kick in.  Your nervous system becomes a Skrillex song, and the workout begins.

8) We don’t understand alternative options- Many of the most prominent ingredients found in all pre-workouts can also be found naturally in the foods we eat.  Beta-Alanine (the ingredient that gives you that warm tingly feeling), creatine, and glutamine can be found in beef, pork, chicken, and tuna.  What normal, carnivorous, dude doesn’t like eating these foods?  It’s a tired notion, but eating an apple before your workout can give you the same kick as one cup of coffee, without heart palpitations and inevitable crash.  You don’t have to get energy from just pre-workouts!

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Again, pre-workout isn’t heroine.  Used in cycles, when you need to be at peak athletic performance, it can really be useful.  But if you’re simply looking to maintain shape and live a health lifestyle I don’t think a pre-workout is neccessary.

And remember, no curls in the squat rack, man!

Stop KCCO — Develop “Scary” Composure Instead

8 Ways to Go from KCCO to “Scary” Composure

Man, how many of you are growing tired of this phrase?

“Keep Calm and Carry On” has been burned into every corner of our culture.  It’s almost like you can put a crown on top of a bunch of “Memmy memmy meme meme and memme memme” words and it makes a “funny.”  If there’s any reason why this phrase has been plastered from seas to shining sea, I think it’s because, bottom-line, we all just need to chill out a little more.  Underneath the surface, I like where this phrase is headed, BUT IT JUST SOUNDS SO SOFT!

Keeping composure during the storms that pass through our lives is extremely difficult.  It takes a lot of energy to maintain your cool during an argument with your girlfriend, your boss, or your coach.  For me, it’s nearly impossible to remain calm during a tough round of golf.  It takes the power of God to turn my face and walk away from that dude talking noise on the basketball court.

But here’s the good news.  You can control your composure.  It’s a trait that you can improve, just like you can improve your golf swing.  Most importantly, it’s also a trait that, if improved, people will begin to gravitate towards you.  You’ll waste less of your body’s energy, and you’ll begin to perform at a much higher level….in all the areas of your life.  Your unwillingness to give into the stress, and the noise, will SCARE your competitors.  Your resilience and level-headedness will show those around you that you refuse to back down.  There’s nothing “soft” about relentless composure.

1)  One Deep Breath–  So many times, we forget to do what our body wants most.  When we are under stress, our blood pressure increases, right along with our breathing and heart rate.  First, before all else, take one…deep…breath.  Deep breathing sends a message to our brains to slow down and relax.  You can kick the “fight or flight” response that your body is programmed with, by taking ONE deep breath.  This will bring your nervous system back to balance.  It’s the easiest thing you can do.  You can do it on the free throw line, on the bench press, or in your boss’s office.  Faith Hill said so, too.

2)  Speak Easy–  Our tone and delivery directly reflect our composure.  When you’re in a high pressure situation, and the bullets are flying, focus on your words.  Speak slowly.  Speak clearly.  Speak confidently.  Listen to Peyton Manning run through his cadence the next time he’s on TV.  You can clearly here everything (cities, colors, numbers, etc.).  The confidence he exudes in his huddle, and under-center, terrifies defenses.

3)  Understand the Cost of Giving in–  Watching Tiger Woods play golf right now is almost painful.  He’s always been an emotionally aggressive player, but recently I think he beats himself up over his poor play.  It’s his biggest roadblock right now, and it’s brutally obvious.  When I watch Phil Mickelson, I wonder, “how in the hell does this dork win major championships.”  Part of me can’t stand the guy, but his positive mental self-talk is unwavering.  Mentally, he WILL NOT give in to negative self-talk, even if he has to momentarily fake it.  This can be extremely exhausting for his competitors that want nothing more than to see him break.

4)  Walk Hard– Your physical appearance sets the tone for how others perceive you.  Keep your chin pointed upwards.  Put your shoulder blades back and stick your chest out.  Slow down your movements, and breathe deeply.  Be quick, but don’t hurry.  Turn your body away from anyone that’s trying to break you, and walk away from them.

Mike Trout walks like he’s going somewhere

5)  Sit on Your Social Media–  Sometimes I think good-willed people make complete asses out of themselves on social media.  Right now, So much of our image is tied to social media.  We’re constantly one click away from letting the whole world know that we’ve lost composure, that we are an opinionated prick, or that our professional life doesn’t match our personal life.  It doesn’t take much to show people that you’re weak.  We are all emotional beings.  Stay positive on your social networks, and quit complaining.  Let a tweet or status update sit in your drafts for five minutes before you post it.  Venting about how much you hate Mondays on Facebook might make you feel relieved for 5-10 seconds, but the truth is, nobody really cares.  If so much of your personal image is portrayed on social networks, use it to show others that you are strong.

6)  Temper your Success– Composure during times of success is equally important to your composure in times of struggle.  If you’re putting in maximum effort, success shouldn’t come as a surprise to you.  It should be expected.  This doesn’t mean you need to react to success with the stoicism of Nick Saban (by the way, this guy LOVES Oatmeal Cream Pies).  Remember the way it feels, thank those that helped you get there, and act like you’re used to it by now.

7)  Be Composed When No One is Around–  Be consistent with your composure.  Practice your ability to remain composed, even when no one is watching you.  This is extremely powerful.  Bring composure into your awareness.  Before you call it a day, reflect on how composed you were.  Ask yourself how your composure (something you can control) made your day more positive, or how your lack of composure got in the way of your success.

8)  Smile–  I know what you’re thinking.  Smiling is soft.  No it’s not!  Smiling is strong.  Smiling lets those around you know that you have a firm stranglehold on negativity.  It proves that you refuse to let a hostile environment break you.  When you can look a difficult circumstance square in the face, smile, and show others that you’re enjoying yourself…that’s scary.  Ken Griffey Jr would, and you should, too.