Every 2 years we get a glimpse into something uniquely Human, Sport and Competition. The Olympic Games are undoubtedly the greatest sports event on the planet. Athletes and Nations emerge from the secret training centers and obscure competitive environments, thrust into the worlds living rooms. For a brief while we get to engross ourselves with the struggle and triumph of the human experience, coming away with a deeper understanding of ourselves and our neighbors.
Sport is historically analogous to the perseverance and skills needed to be the most impressive human specimen. Beyond this we all get to learn other valuable lessons of excellence, camaraderie, and peace; its hard to deny the power these Games have over our collective sentiment. Humanity continues to evolve and transition and the Olympic Games seems to keep us grounded, grounded grateful and connected. Here are three lessons we can learn from the Olympics.
Pursuit of Excellence.
To be the best in the world at a given job or sport is truly an accomplishment. For every Shaun White in Snowboarding there are 20 athletes from sports you have never heard of that work just as hard to be the best. The Olympic Games brings those athletes, along with the notable ones, into the collective consciousness and allows us access to their stories. Remembering that no matter the prowess that these athletes may have in their sports, they are still human, and in being human we can all relate to their struggles and triumphs . No matter the sport, be it Ice hockey or Curling, the stakes are very high in training and pursuing greatness. What we see 100% of the time is Sacrifices must be made on the part of the Athletes. By listening to or seeing their stories, we get to relate and sympathize because Sacrifice happens to us all. The parent who has to travel far from their kids, the athlete who lives out of his Van because money is tight, the pain the athlete feels during training because of a nagging injury; These are just some of the examples that athletes who sacrifice have to endure in the PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE.
Additionally, it is hard to not be affected by the spirit of the athletes who pursue excellence. Their single minded focus is many times a quality not seen in most of your friends. This drive to be the greatest is something to be admired. The spirit of the Olympic athletes teaches Humanity to strive, to dig in, and to push hard. As we become so addicted to instant gratification, their spirits remind us that LIFE DEMANDS STRUGGLE IN PURSUIT OF GREATNESS.
Camaraderie .
As Americans we are hard wired to win at the Olympic Games. Not one day passes before the graphic pops up on the screen about who is leading in the medal count. The unfortunate thing about this is that it detracts from the true sprit of the games, Camaraderie. The Olympic Games brings nations together, barring differences from entering the arena, and letting the sport thrive. As I have noted, many of these athletes emerge from the obscure, the unknown, and all of a sudden are thrust upon our collective consciousness. We have little idea that the athletes of a certain sport exist let alone understand that there is a global community of athletes who compete with each other. As an athlete myself, I know that those who live and breathe my sport, are connected no matter the Country boundary or oceans that separate us. The Olympic Games allows us a view into the life of an athlete pool, those that bleed together in competition with a collective love for sport.
Displays of camaraderie at the Olympic Games are amazing. You will have countries that are bitterly divided through politics and/or religion EMBRACING at the finish line. You will certainly see Team members from the USA who regularly compete against each other, working together and supporting each other as they strive for the podium. Togetherness is on display in many forms at the Games. Humanity needs Camaraderie, WE NEED UNDERSTANDING. We need to know that no matter the preconceived boundaries that may live between us, HUMANITY UNITES US.
Hope.
Im leaving my Objective review of the Olympics for a more idealistic critique of our Humanity in my last point. I touched on it a bit in my last Point but Americans are fracturing from the rest of the world in our politics and our world view. The Olympic Games provides insight into a HOPE that we will utilize the technology and spirit of the broadcast to remember that the world outside our borders is something to behold and more importantly, RESPECT. When I refer to technology and spirit I mean our broadcasting capabilities and our passion for sitting on our asses in front of Television. NBC has a unique opportunity to show the MILLIONS OF AMERICANS WHO DONT EVEN HAVE A PASSPORT, a world very different yet very similar to their own. I am hopeful every Olympic Games that the population of our country recognizes that the broader world should not be simplified in some political tagline but rather understand that the population in these far off places is living and feeling the same way we do here; they get up every day, work hard, provide the best possible life for their families, and enjoy the same spirit of Sport that we do!
I am also Hopeful for the future of my kids and Sport. Ill be honest, when I was a kid the Olympic Games used to get me so FRICKIN FIRED UP that for months afterward I would be practicing and training harder than ever. I see the same wonder and amazement in my own kids. The Olympic Games provides a very clear glimpse into a world where hard work pays off, where goals can be fulfilled, and far away places can be explored.
The Olympic Games are said to be scaling back in the coming years. Because of our increasingly unstable world, the cost of hosting the Olympic Games is skyrocketing. Increased security, infrastructure, political climate and other reasons; some countries are pulling their bids for hosting. What will save the Olympics and keep our Humanity together is the Sports themselves. I encourage everyone to be involved in sport, get your kids stoked on it, understand the greater good that the Olympic Games brings to our world and our Humanity.
Now sit back and enjoy the spectacle of SPORT and HUMAN POTENTIAL. Let every time you hear the Olympic Theme played before the broadcast be a spark that ignites your humanity. Let the Olympic Games open your eyes wider to the world, let these athletes teach us something about togetherness and excellence. Let these Olympic Games inspire your own training, pushing you to be the very best you possibly can be!
GO HUMANITY!!!, Love, Eric.
Programming Notes 2/12-2/16
2/12
baseline:
4X
15 Cal Bike
10 Squat Therapy
5 InchWorm + Tuck Jump
Lunge Flow:
-Ankle Circles
-Hamstring Pulses
-Elbow To Instep+ Reach
-Samson Stretch
-Pigeon Stretch
*Spend 5-8 Minutes working on Barbell cycling from the hang
- chest position tall
-powerful hip extension plus shrug
-Regripping the hook
-elbows coming through and tall
Partner WOD:
8X 3 Min AMRAP -Alternating Rounds
21 Air Squats
15 Hang Power Clean 115/75
9 Hand Release Push Ups
-Max Cals on Bike in Remaining Time
Cool Down-
1;00Handstand Hold
1:00 Plank Hold
-Banded Hip Flexor Stretch
2/13
Baseline:
400m Run
3X
20m Bear Crawl
20m Crab Walk
10 Barbell Good Morning
10 Barbell Single Leg RDL (each Leg)
Primer:
3X8
-Bent Over Row 135/95
-Deficit Deadlift
WOD:
3 Rounds For Time
20 Deadlift 185/125
20 Wall Ball Shots
20 Cals on Erg
20 Push Ups
Cool Down:
3X :20 Hang on Rings
:15 L Sit Hold
-Seated Hamstring Stretch
2/14
Baseline:
4X
20 Medicine Ball Toe Touches
15 medicine Ball Squats
10 Med Ball Single Leg Up and Overs
5 Med Ball Clusters
Squat Flow: Kang Squat, Internal Rotation, Hip Bridge, Ankle Roll Outs, Boot Straps, PNF, Squat W/ T Spine Rotation
Primer:
Front Rack Barbell Step Ups
3X 12 Reps (6 per leg)
-Superset each with 20 Lateral Hops over bar
*scale up to 10 Lateral Box Jumps, but must be plyometric
*purpose of this is to engage and isolate. Unilateral stability and power.
WOD:
For Time
100 Double Unders/ 20 Front Squat @ 135/95
75 Double UNders/ 15 Front Squat @ 165/115
50 Double Unders/ 10 Front Squats @ 185/125
25 Double Unders/ 5 Front Squat @ 205/135
2/15
Baseline:
2X:30
Squat Jacks
Piked Handstand Push Ups
Elbow To Instep Lunges
Single Arm Ring Rows
Trunk Rotations
Rotator Cuff Priming: W/ 2.5/5#
- Scarecrow +External Rotations
-Bent over flys
-Front Raises
-Lateral Raises
-Corkscrew
-Y Presses
-Crossover Narrow Presses
Muscle Up Breakdown:
*biasing the Pull
-False Grip High Ring Hang 2X :20
-False Grip Ring Row 2X 15
-Supine Ring Pull Up 2X 10
-Muscle Up Transitions on Bar and Ring 2X 5-8
WOD:
12 Min AMRAP
12 Alternating Dumbbell Snatches 50/35
12 Overhead Walking Lunges
12 Chest To Bar Pull Up
2/16
Baseline:
Agility Warm Up @ 10m Each
High Knee Pull
Quad Pull
Squat 180 **stepping the leg high over hip, swing opposite leg to 180, squat
High Knees
Butt kickers
Marching High Kicks
Groiners
Straight leg shuffles
Fig 4 Drill
Lateral Shuffle
Carioca
Lateral Bounding
Sprint W/ Change of Direction
Banded :
-Pass Thru
-Trunk Twist
-Single Arm Presses
-Press and Rip
WOD:
For Time
1 Mile Run
50 Ring Dips
800m Run
50 Shoulder to Overhead 115/75
400m Run
50 Deficit Push Ups (plate or Paralette)
Cool Down:
Couch Stretch
Childs Pose
1:00 Hollow Hold
