Gravitate towards all things that are sustainable…

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Sustainability has special powers. #bssbbooks #blueskystrongbox

A post shared by Blue Sky Strongbox (@blue_sky_strongbox) on Feb 25, 2019 at 8:26am PST

Students February 2019

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February 2019. Simple stuff repeated consistently adds up over time. Remember this when under (or over) confident about a goal. Most likely, there will be a lot of work involved. The key is to break down all the necessary components into bite-sized pieces and then consistently do those small things EVERY DAY until the job is done. None of us are perfect… it’s ok. Sh*t will happen sometimes. But with that said, I believe the current culture of entitlement that tricks some into believing they frequently “deserve” time off from any (or all) responsibilities is the easiest way I know to self-sabotage your entire life away. #bssbbooks #blueskystrongbox

A post shared by Blue Sky Strongbox (@blue_sky_strongbox) on Feb 27, 2019 at 10:26am PST

Temptation is everywhere. Fight the good fight!

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It is NOT by accident that things like this are the way they are. We could argue it’s all by design. We are surrounded by temptation. It’s up to each of us to fight the good fight. #healthandwellness #blueskystrongbox #healthyfood #nutrition

A post shared by Blue Sky Strongbox (@blue_sky_strongbox) on Feb 21, 2019 at 9:06am PST

Balance Tension & Relaxation!

 

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Our bodies need a healthy balance between Tension and Relaxation. Too often, many of us stay “tightly wound” from overworking our minds and bodies. I’m all for 100% effort (both physical & mental) but it needs to be balanced with some Calmness & Relaxation after. When it comes to exercise and being physical, there is nothing wrong with pushing hard if done safely but again this needs balancing. This balance I’m talking about can come from many different things (warm baths, adequate sleep/rest, taking a day off, massage, stretching, relaxing yoga flows, easy walks, etc) This same concept can also be applied WITHIN the actual workout between each set of any exercise. This works great when there is no time for stretching (or a warm shower). The great Russian fitness expert, Pavel coined these ideas as “fast & loose” exercises. Call them what you want. The idea is that in a very short amount of time we can greatly reduce tension inside our bodies by shaking certain areas of the body in a controlled yet relaxed manner. I believe by shaking the JAW, the SHOULDERS (via the arms) & the HIPS (via the legs & butt) we can achieve this “dumping of tension” in less than one minute. I typically shake each area 10-20 times between any exercise that feels intense or heavy. I normally first jump around to shake my arms & shoulders out, then shake both hips/legs while also moving my jawbones back and forth sideways. The more jiggle and floppiness the better. The idea is to “get loose” as fast as possible. It may look AND feel ridiculously silly but don’t knock it till you’ve tried it for a while. I’ve done this for years and can honestly say that it has helped me a lot. #bssbbooks #blueskystrongbox #healthandwellness #strengthtraining #strengthandconditioning #

A post shared by Blue Sky Strongbox (@blue_sky_strongbox) on Feb 18, 2019 at 7:37am PST

Simple Plans are always best!

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Have you clarified any and all Goal(s) yet for 2019? Try to. It’s the middle of February already. Devise a simple, doable plan. Build in confidence. Write stuff down so it’s very clear and manageable. Execute. I always like to write down my weekly exercise schedule (top left), among other things. I look at it every day for clarity before the workout. It really helps keep me focused. I’m confident because I created a plan and schedule that I know I can easily do AND understand. I love seeing/reading other folk’s “simple plans”. Top right & Bottom Left are 2-day strength plans from Mike Boyle & Zach Even-Esh respectively. Bottom right was my Resting Heart Rate last week. It had creeped up in the 5o’s for most of December, most likely due to a lack of quality sleep. Never underestimate the fundamentals or simplicity. My daily mantra: POSITIVITY + SIMPLICITY + CREATIVITY. Have a plan. Put it into action. #bssbbooks #blueskystrongbox #positivitysimplicitycreativity

A post shared by Blue Sky Strongbox (@blue_sky_strongbox) on Feb 14, 2019 at 7:01am PST

A sample of my own Workouts…

 

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I’ve had a few people ask about my own personal workouts lately. So today I filmed exactly what I did WHILE I was in the middle of it. I’m only showing this to illustrate an example of an effective, yet simple workout for an intermediate/advanced trainee. This entire workout took 30minutes and was completed during an hour break I had this morning, which gave me enough time to exercise+shower+eat. It’s nothing too fancy. I am only showing ONE rep examples of each exercise. Yes, I did more reps and sets. Yes, I did rest between most sets. I normally do only 2-3 sets for any exercise. I typically do 5-10 reps on most of my exercises, which is exactly what I did today. Some days I do more, some days I do less. I rest between sets long enough to feel like I’m in control before starting the next set or exercise (and not the other way around). Being too out of breath or to hurried begs for mistakes and injuries. Ain’t nobody got time for that. Today I supersetted Kettlebell Swings with Goblet Squats and Single Leg Deadlifts + Pull-ups w 1-arm holds and Upside Down Rows. On the next (last) round, I supersetted Dips + Handstand 1-arm Stability Holds. Yes, I even had some Cajun music 🎶 on for company. Do things YOU enjoy and understand. Have a reason for everything you do or don’t do. Don’t just do stuff because it’s popular or someone else is doing it. Nothing you to needs to be complicated. In fact, purposely keep things simple. Don’t do things you absolutely hate or dread either. Because how long do you think you’ll keep that up?! With that said, don’t skip the things you NEED to do to be better. Most importantly, whatever you do, just make sure it’s repeatable. #bssbbooks #blueskystrongbox #carltonsmixtapegumbo #carltonmusicatx

A post shared by Blue Sky Strongbox (@blue_sky_strongbox) on Feb 11, 2019 at 7:52am PST

Written simple plans = Great results

 

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Have you clarified any and all Goal(s) yet for 2019? Try to. It’s the middle of February already. Devise a simple, doable plan. Build in confidence. Write stuff down so it’s very clear and manageable. Execute. I always like to write down my weekly exercise schedule (top left), among other things. I look at it every day for clarity before the workout. It really helps keep me focused. I’m confident because I created a plan and schedule that I know I can easily do AND understand. I love seeing/reading other folk’s “simple plans”. Top right & Bottom Left are 2-day strength plans from Mike Boyle & Zach Even-Esh respectively. Bottom right was my Resting Heart Rate last week. It had creeped up in the 5o’s for most of December, most likely due to a lack of quality sleep. Never underestimate the fundamentals or simplicity. My daily mantra: POSITIVITY + SIMPLICITY + CREATIVITY. Have a plan. Put it into action. #bssbbooks #blueskystrongbox #positivitysimplicitycreativity

A post shared by Blue Sky Strongbox (@blue_sky_strongbox) on Feb 14, 2019 at 7:01am PST