“First, say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.” – Epictetus By: Marshall Bowen We were in the middle of a workout, and I had walked up behind Terry doing goblet squats with a kettlebell, resting between sets. He was leaning forward, his hands holding him up against […]
What Would You Be? Read More »
It’s not this guy. If you put a bunch of strong people in a room, they’ll find a way to make each other stronger. You put a bunch of weak people together, and they’ll probably spend their time bitching about how life isn’t fair. I moved to Denver around six months ago, but still make
The Weakest Guy in the Gym Read More »
What are you doing today? If you read this site, you’re probably familiar with my Memento Mori graph; a piece of paper with a hand drawn chart 52 blocks wide and 80 blocks tall which I use to maintain awareness of the passing of time by filling in one block for each week that passes. It’s a
Live Your Dream – Karl Stanley Read More »
Why do you keep going? “The two most dangerous years of your life are the year you’re born and the year you retire.” – Dan Buettner At his 2009 TED talk, Dan Buettner talked about his work researching the world’s Blue Zones, areas in which people live inordinately long, healthy lives. The Blue Zone with
“It’s My Fault” – Focus on what you can control “Why does no one admit his failings? Because he’s still deep in them. It’s the person who’s awakened who recounts his dream, and acknowledging one’s failings is a sign of health.” Seneca – Letters from a Stoic The conditions of any interaction between oneself and another can
Honest Dogs – Are you honest? A number of professional fighters train at our facility in Denver. One of the fighters tends to bring his dog, an Alaskan Malamute named Cody, to the facility while they work out. I was coaching these guys through a conditioning workout recently. The men were pushing through sprints on
Our bodies function best on deep, clean cycles of highs and lows. When we engage fully and recover deeply we get more done and feel happier while doing it. Studies on elite performers like Olympic athletes and Navy SEALs show that their peak performance isn’t just from hard work or mental toughness. Top performance —
Sleep, Stress and Salmon Read More »
Is this what one used to dread? “Once you have rid yourself of the affliction there though, every change of scene will become a pleasure. You may be banished to the ends of the earth, and yet in whatever outlandish corner of the world you may find yourself stationed, you will find that place, whatever
Throughout most of my two and a half years going through Naval Special Warfare selection training, swimming was my Achilles heel. My intense dislike for it was equaled only by my monumental lack of talent at it. That was all part of the plan, really. A challenge was my goal and throwing myself into something
“I’m Bored.” – A matter of chance or of failure? “Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have and only you can determine how you spend it. Careful, lest others spend it for you.” – Carl Sandburg One of the greatest worries in anyone’s mind centers on money. We