When the odds are stacked...

Don't give up, just keep trying. Its not over til the fat lady sings, so there is no point in quitting until time is up.
Over the weekend following a food treat my old friend Gout raised its ugly head. Making walking painful, let alone jumping, lunges and fighting stances. But instead of deciding it wasn't possible to carry on, I saw a challenge ahead and decided that it was time to fight harder, not retreat and admit defeat.
Thankfully the training schedule allowed for me to take it easy on my feet. Saturday was Kenpo, on not easy on the feet but better than Plyo for sure, so I managed to navigate my way through that. Then training with the girlfriend and hitting back and legs also. Taking it easier on things that would hurt my foot.
So here I am Monday, ready to give it my all again, and of course the routine again allows me to take the strain away from my feet. Chest and Back today. Avoiding the dog walks, not wanting to aggravate my foot any more than I have to, and save myself for Plyometrics tomorrow instead.
So how was todays session. One word says it all really, amazing. Not for any other reason than digging so deep, for a moment I thought Tony was talking in an Aussie accent. Deeper than ever before, and finally returning to a training ethos I have missed for years. Train to failure. Regardless of the movement, keep going until the body physically screams out and CANNOT do another single rep at all. Collapsing with push-ups, arms giving way on pull ups, and so on.
Todays words of wisdom are simple.
Train to failure NOT failure to train. If you can only manage 5 of what everyone else is doing 20 of, DO IT... Just make them good, clean, and your best ever. Keep going til your BODY says stop, not your mind thinking you can't do any more. Challenge yourself, and defy your mind and negative beliefs.
YOU can do it, if YOU want to!
Right now I'm sitting on the train in the sunshine, reflecting positivity, thinking the best thoughts of my life, and embracing life. My body feels great and alive, my mind is looking for the next challenge.
Speaking of challenges, I have realised I am in sync with the guys of Jaces Warriors, and as they start their 90 day challenge today, I am on the same page of workouts as them. Determined to jump back in with them all on Week4, I find myself rushing towards the finish line on my own challenge, and racing towards the team challenge start line.
With Clare and Carly starting with the group this week I have even more fire inside of me. As more and more friends jump onboard the P90Xpress, I realise how positive and amazing it all is, and am inspired by their drive to take the challenge on like I did.
What's down the line, well, as well as joining the group challenge in a few weeks time, I kinda feel I could take my nutrition a little more seriously, and am interested to see what differences that can make to my results on the next round. Time will tell, and watch this space. In the meantime I have not forgotten my interest in Tai Chi, and am still finding a way to fund and start Tai Cheng at the end of my first round on P90X.
In 8 weeks or so I jet off to Florida, so what better motivation to be in the form of my life. I can do this, YOU can do this. So what are we waiting for, Bring It people X style!
Big things lay ahead, and I for one am stoked!
Sent using BlackBerry®

Fit 4 Forty

That's my new tag-line, motto and goal.
Let me start by saying in really not that bothered by age, its just a number and nothing more. A lot of stigma it attached to that said number, so such milestones beg attention. For me, 40 does.
Not because I believe it marks the beginning of the end, or even the beginning of the beginning lol, but because its considered by many a milestone that you should acknowledge by going a little wild, so indeed slowing things down a bit. For me, its the going wild that appeals to me.
I really really want to have done a parachute jumps, if not obtained my AFF license by my next birthday. Florida this summer would be the perfect time, but its a matter of getting the money to do it, but I'm sure gonna try anyway. Also I have already set the bar for my birthday.. I WILL be on a Canadian piste on my 40th birthday, hopefully with friends.
But more recently the Fit 4 Forty has come to the front of my mind, and I have decided that the one thing I want more than anything by the time I am 40 is my fitness. Now I know my cardio can be good, and I know my stamina levels are pretty high. I have a good frame to work with, and a history of being in good shape, albeit some time ago... So I am setting myself the goal of being in the best shape I can manage for my 40th.
The hardest part of this goal is to achieve muscle tone and get rid of the loose stuff from the corners of my body, WITHOUT causing myself anymore injuries. With my recent history with tendons etc, I can't afford to over do it, so any weight training will have to be considerate of my frail condition lol. The best option to me is to get something for home. Long has been the plan to have a treadmill and multigym at home, and in reality that still is the goal.
The other thing I really need is to tax my car. With the weather warming up I really could do with getting out at weekends on the mountain bike again and shredding up some easy trails for the time being. My body is craving the activity right now. After walking 14 odd miles the other day I know my body is ready for the next challenge, all I have to do is find and face that challenge.
I think this is something that has really taken a hold of me recently, the drive for Fit4Forty is pretty darn high right now, and I'm ready for the challenge.... BRING IT ON!
Sent using BlackBerry®

RIP Steve Jobs 1955-2011

I thought it only fair to say my peace on the passing of such a motivational and inspirational person.
Set in his ways, but determined for things to change, he had a vision for the future and followed it by any means necessary to achieve his goals and dreams. Often controversial, and always in the media for both good and bad, Steve Jobs is on the short list of the few people in the world who have set themselves a goal early on, and never deviated from their path. Occasionally adding more to his ideas, and raising the bar, Steve Jobs proved determination, and a whole bunch of money earned by previous success could make things happen.

Sadly as all families of cancer victims know, money cannot solve everything, and whilst being one of the wealthiest self made men around, none of his rich gains could cure the cancer which would finally take his life.

He has truly created a legacy that will live on for a long long time, and that's just his reputation. Then there is Apple, the company that has taken the world by storm, and motivated others to up their game, and move in the direction of the demands of the consumer market. Causing frenzy each time they launch a new product (ok maybe not the last one so much), and having the true definition of a loyal fan base. Almost a fanatical fan base in fact, but I guess in business that's not such a bad thing. Moving product is the name of the game here after all.

There is a huge gap in opinion between Apple users and users of other products, a void filled with arguments, and point proving, ego battles and some weird people who are FAR too involved in the companies and products for a mere consumer. But the sane ones in those groups will all agree that Steve Jobs was a key part in Apple, and Apple has at some point been a key part in moving the mobile phone market forwards in directions no one saw coming for a while yet.
That's not to say that others have not taken the ball and moved on with it, but there was definitely a line in the sand drawn by Apple at some point, there is no denying that.

So without taking sides, and without casting a shadow over an already dark day, I will end with R.I.P Steve Jobs.... Millions will miss you for a long time to come.