If you can’t do Thrivestry, what sort of things should you be thinking about when selecting a program or if you are creating your own programming, what are some of the ‘big rocks’ you should be paying attention to? The importance of constant improvement. Why you need to repeat workouts? Why is programmed skill work so critical? Should you be doing ‘random’ workouts? Watch it on YouTube! https://youtu.be/eMNHb0UCaGU

Season 2 is here! We are changing the format a bit for this season. We are going to be talking more about workout programming and going over the prevailing 'myths' we see regularly in the fitness/exercise world. Today we talk about 'bad' workouts, how to spot them, what are the red flags for bad workouts, and what should you do when you visit a gym (or a friend recruits you) and you have to decide how to approach a bad workout. We also talk about the myth "lifting weights will make me bulky". What it takes to actually build muscle and why you shouldn't be worried about bulking up if that isn't your goal! Watch it on YouTube: https://youtu.be/nJJS6zSgQhY

Season 1 Finale! We talk about our favorite episodes and go through some of our favorite infographics. Then I talk about my upcoming article “I Did CrossFit For 15 Years and This Is What It Did To My Body” (with a sneak preview of my abs). Then we go on to talk about how season 2 will be different and what you can look forward to when we kick that off in a few week.  YouTube Link so you can see the infographics and abs: https://youtu.be/0pX7ykTy9WU

We continue the talk about Identity, Principles, and Decisions. What does the car you drive and how you drive it have to do with Identity and Principles. What are the positives and negatives of each category? How can we 'tack' toward our goals rather than fight the headwind? Is a 'strong gym community' an asset?  YouTube Link Here: https://youtu.be/k9qXn2bXYRI 

 Principles are rules that we set for life. What are the drawbacks to principles? What do they have to do with your identity? How can we use principles to combat decision fatigue? What can we do about negative identities or principles that are holding us back? How does this apply to gyms and gym ‘communities’. Then we go on to talk about this article: https://www.physio-network.com/many-orthopedic-surgeries-dont-work/ Why might this be? Does this mean that we should never get orthopedic surgery?  YouTube Link Here: https://youtu.be/r5E82Z9PlqQ 

 We switch things up and go over two separate studies that had interesting/obvious results. The first one was regarding how flowers and plants made patients in the hospital feel better and have better outcomes. Article here: https://hellogiggles.com/lifestyle/fresh-flowers-improve-physical-mental-health/  The second one is how people who are passionate about their jobs/businesses tend to be taken advantage of (and how society tends to think it is okay). We talk about what this means for gym owners and coaches in the mico gym industry. https://www.fuqua.duke.edu/duke-fuqua-insights/kay-passion-exploitation YouTube Here: https://youtu.be/uzFYXeP1Lp4 

How coaches and mentors help us improve (and what is wrong with the medical system). Doctors are good at fixing when you are broken, but they are not experts in keeping people healthy. The sickness, wellness, fitness curve. Working with an expert makes sure you are not wasting your time and energy as well as keeping you accountable. Then we go on to talk about how our bodies build new cartilage and this article:  https://m.medicalxpress.com/news/2019-03-cartilage-arthritis.html   YouTube Link here: https://youtu.be/jPJzTXkhCzM 

Observe, Orient, Decide, Act was a concept that Colonel Boyd created to help dissect the decision process for fighter pilots, but the OODA loop has been shown to have uses in many other situations and fields. You can use the OODA loop to help you change your own behavior, or if you are a coach, you can use it to help people change their own behaviors. Then we go on to talk about this article: http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20190520-how-your-friends-change-your-habits---for-better-and-worse What sort of subtle ways are we affected by the people around us? Us vs them? Do we eat more when we are eating with someone else? Do we work out harder when we are with others?   YouTube Video Link: https://youtu.be/EqkKixQmmno  

Research has shown that experiences make you happier (than buying 'stuff'), your 'general physical preparedness' program should enable you to do the most stuff and take advantage of opportunities and challenges as they come up. I have come up with a graphic that provides a visual of this concept. The 4 components are Strength, Cardio, Skill, and Play. Where do physical activities fall on this chart? How can you use this chart to make sure you have the right amount of balance?  Then we go on to talk about some "research" (using the term loosely) that points to the observation that going to live concerts may be better for longevity and well being than Yoga and dog walking.  https://www.wfmt.com/2018/07/23/study-claims-attending-live-concerts-increases-life-expectancy-improves-well-being-more-than-yoga-and-dog-walking/  Is this a real "study"? Why might this effect be real? Living in the moment vs watching the 'replay'.  YouTube Video here (with diagram): https://youtu.be/pLpNfU19C5k  EDC and Venn Diagram article here:  https://thrivestry.simplero.com/blog/26481-edc-gpp-marie-kondo-and-being-prepared 

We start with some video of me doing the jet boots on the water (and having an epic fall), then we go on to do a bit of a follow up with the ‘trigger’ conversation from last week. After that, we talk about how you should partner or team up with friends to help you establish new habits and routines. Then we go on to talk about this article:  https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/nature-health-1.5128482 which covers some of the more recent research about how being outside reduces stress levels and has been shown to be as effective as prescription medication for ADHD kids.