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Hi Friend!
Yesterday Vivi and I were running a little bit late for school (a lot bit late), so when we got outside I told her we're going to be late for school to set expectations. She, showing me how smart kids are, said, "let's play tag daddy!" as a way of running to the train vs. walking. So we played tag on each block until we reached the crosswalk and then started again. Just as my thoughts we might actually make it to school on time, started to grow, she got tired and wanted to walk. Little kids have short legs and short legs don't move very quick, so I remembered, from the book, "How to Talk So Kids Will Listen..." that kids love and respond well to fantasy |
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| so I said, "let's play the chicken game from soccer", which is a tag based game that works on agility, in which the person being chased hangs a pinnie (remember those), in the back of her shorts, puts her hands on her hips, swings her elbows, "brocks" like a chicken, while the other person chases them across the full soccer field, trying to grab the pinnie. Brilliant. Kids run the whole field. Bond with parents. Work on cutting, deceleration, starting and change of direction, while having a blast and not even knowing it.
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| Vivi was all in! She loved the idea, accepted the redirection and forgot she was tired. We alternated chasing and being chased, brocking like a chicken and growling like a wolf and of course stopping to eat from grass and drink from puddles all the way to the train and then all the way to school. We went from being up to 15min late to drop off to being 4 minutes early. That's some serious time made up and we also were lucky that the train arrived when we did and there were no delays.
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| | What does this have to do with you? Everyone needs to do self-care for baseline health (physiological and mental).
And if you like to look good, then you can't sit around waiting for the mirror to magically change or your clothes to suddenly fit differently, you've also got to put in the work.
And...if you want to move like a youth filled person or like the athlete, dancer, young person who takes for granted how fluidly they move, you've gotta practice it and put in the time.
You've gotta train.
Training is both serious and fun. It's serious because nobody wants to get hurt training because being hurt is no fun. And serious because if you have serious goals, then you've gotta take your training serious in the moment, in preparation of and during your recovery and you've gotta be consistent with it to build momentum and see progress.
Training is fun because you can get better, learn new skills, learn about yourself, face challenges and overcome challenges. You can get strong. Fast. And more athletic. Its very satisfying to work on yourself. Its meditative. You get lost in the concentration of the moment, the sweat dripping off your nose, the self-talk "you can do it".
It feels good to get better. To say hoo-rah, when you hit a goal or set a PR. And its fun to be there.
And if you train at a place with people, eventually your peers look forward to seeing you because of the shared experience of working on yourself to get better at the same time. You make friendships, which makes training even more fun. They get to know you as a person in between sets, at the water fountain and while setting up. Maybe you spot them or they spot you. Maybe you try what they're doing because it looks interesting or vice versa. You make each other laugh. You encourage each other. You hold each other accountable (see you next time?). You push each other (you can do it!).
If you choose to hire a coach it gets even more fun. Your coach will care whether you show up or not; how you're feeling that day; how your day was; how things have been and what' important to you and why. They'll tailor the workout as best they can (depending on if its group, semi private or private) to your goals, movement patterns, injury history and where you're starting from. If you train together long enough they become your friend, some say your therapist from all the listening, a fan and your cheerleader. They help build up your self-confidence and the words you say to yourself ("is that the best you can do?"). I don't know about you, but that reads pretty fun to me.
Last, the environment! It's hard to go to clubs & bars these days, with all the responsibilities a person accumulates as late nights don't really mix with early mornings, so any time you can listen to fun music, hang with your people and move, feels a lot like partying and partying for most people is fun! "Yo Soy Fiesta" is what Gronk's T-Shirt reads and what he'd say,
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| | | | Dance Music What better way to feel like your partying, hanging with your people and moving around than to do it all to fun, fast beat music like dance music or popular songs from the radio, the club, sporting events, concerts or from weddings. It can energize you, help you be in the moment and forget about life for a moment and set the pace for training. You'll leave feeling upbeat, tired, feeling good and de-stressed. That's fun.
How to Make It Fun! Use fantasy. Make it a game. Find fun people to do things with. Work on yourself. Learn new skills. Move. Get a coach. Go somewhere safe, you can be free of your roles for a moment. Listen to fast paced, fun music.
Ready to eat some Vivi chicken,
Coach Mike
p.s. if I can help make exercise and training fun for you or more fun, reply and let me know.
p.p.p.s. The first week of every phase is guest week. If you know someone who'd love what we do, please email introduce her/him. |
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