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From the category archives:

The Mental Game

Election Day and Farmers.

March 3, 2009

Ever wonder why Election Day is in November?  It turns out that in 1845 (the year the official date was set) most Americans were farmers.  November happens to fall right in between the end of the harvest season and the start of winter.
And why it’s on a Tuesday?  Transportation in 1845 was not by train [...]

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Purpose, Revisited.

February 4, 2009

If you go to Rai Rai Ken, you’re there for the ramen.  If you’ve got a hankering for pork buns, Momofuku is the place to be.  If you’re in the mood for one particular standout dish, you don’t go to the local diner, where spaghetti and meatballs live on the menu alongside potato pierogi.
It’s ok [...]

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The Mind of a Winner.

February 2, 2009

If you’re like most people, you enjoyed a thrilling Superbowl game yesterday.  In the meantime, Federer lost to Nadal again. Of course, if you understand (sports) psychology, you could say it was a foregone conclusion.
Say what you will about Nadal’s ability to exploit Federer’s backhand; Federer’s biggest obstacle is himself.
For years, Federer was Top Dog; [...]

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Better Than Nothing.

January 23, 2009

Often, when asked why they don’t exercise, people will tell you, “Well, I walk everyday.  Hey, it’s better than nothing, right?”  Or to justify not eating as well as they should, you’ll hear, “Well, at least I don’t eat McDonald’s everyday.  It’s better than nothing.”
Better than nothing? I suppose in a semantic sense, they’re right.  [...]

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What You Can’t Teach.

January 22, 2009

I recently had a training consultation with an enthusiastic young fellow looking to gain 10-15 lbs of muscular weight.  He’s strong.  He works hard.  And he was already getting great results, although I’m sure he’ll be in for even greater gains this year.
Truth be told, he’d have been successful in his task regardless of whether [...]

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A Neat-O Jedi Mind Trick (Goalsetting).

January 6, 2009

(Thanks to Ankur for sharing this interesting Jedi Mind Trick with me).
Take 2 sheets of paper.  Label the first thusly:
My Top 5 Fitness Goals (July 2009)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Proceed to fill in the blanks.  Don’t worry if you don’t have 5; it’s okay to leave some blank.  What’s important is that you think about what you want to [...]

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A New Year Beckons!

January 4, 2009

Happy New Year to everyone!  It’s around this time that 2 types of articles/posts begin to spring up: articles gushing with misguided overenthusiasm about setting New Year’s goals; and overly cynical posts that say something to the effect of “New Year’s goals are so worthless/I don’t believe in New Year’s goals/You’ll just end up quitting [...]

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Flipping The Switch.

December 4, 2008

One thing that is intellectually easy for new clients to understand, yet difficult for them to execute:
At some point, you’ve got to flip the switch and go for it.
Some explanation is required here:
One of the concepts I hold near and dear is the idea that you should lift heavy things with the utmost control.  Lest [...]

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Do You Enjoy Exercise?

November 4, 2008

Do you enjoy exercise?  Are you one of those people who can’t stand the thought of jamming all of your workout clothes into a bag and shlepping over to the gym?  Do you balk at the mere thought of sweating?
Or, do you think exercise is supposed to be fun?
In their efforts to get more people [...]

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More on Focus.

October 20, 2008

Focus isn’t just for buckling down on those last, most difficult repetitions of a set.  Focus is necessary for achieving your fitness goals as well.
I’ll often get prospective clients who say, “I want to lose fat and gain muscle.”  And to this day, not one has failed to be taken aback when I respond, “Ok, [...]

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