Twice per year I do a check in. It is not to be confused with a Check up in the sense that I would check my blood pressure or my back squat, the Check In is more profound and re-connects me with what I have called my "3 P's for Success" . Principles, Purpose and Persistence. There is no exact date for this intraspection but simply a feeling or natural wave of sentiment that draws me back to it. Today I want to brush you all up on the 3 P's and give you the simple answer to the problem that vexes all humans... How to live Peacefully.
A wave of familiar clarity came over me when I read the Buddhas words, "Suppose there is rebirth as a result of skillful or unskillful actions. Then it is possible that after death someone who acts skillfully will arise in a heavenly realm with a peaceful mind. But suppose there is no rebirth, there are no future lives that result from skillful or unskillful actions. Still, in this lifetime, one will live free from hatred, ill will, feeling secure and at peace." Broken Down, the message is simply that through Thought and Action you can transcend both this world and whatever may lie beyond.
Principles.
The First P that helps define the course of thought and action. Establishing Principles means taking a look at how you live your life, what you value, and many times what you EXPECT from others. Now expectations of others can be a quick pathway towards suffering but if you are aware of it, at least you can use it as a compass to help set your course.
Integrity, Honesty, Faithfulness, Empathy, Healthy Living ... These Principles are what I hold dear in my own life and I use them to ground my thoughts and actions. The Buddha was talking about 'skillful action' and you can think of your Principles as skills that you possess which will help you live a live of transcendence.
Purpose.
If your Principles are the roadway beneath your existence, then Your Purpose is the Vehicle you are driving on that road. The Purpose which defines you can be tangible but is often the metaphysical actions that your DO in your daily life. Your Purpose is simply your principles put into practice. The world, (no matter how much the Buddha wants us to live apart from it), is where we need to spend some time .... actually a lot of time. Your life is an expression of your purpose, your purpose sends you like a pinball around the globe interacting with humans and Nature. The way to transcendence is to live our purpose with dedication and devotion to our principles.
Persistence.
When it comes to Training, Mental Toughness and Focus are always going to be the hardest part of the equation. The world is a tricky thing to navigate, we are pulled many different directions and our attention suffers. Persistence is the both 'skillful' and unskillful' in that conscious effort towards a goal is a concerted effort and you need to be aware of it from time to time to stay the course. Unskillfully, Persistence is the stubborn focus that most of us have where we barrel through tough times because we KNOW it just has to be done. The struggles that define you are also your ticket to transcendence.
Now to Live and Speak in Peace. The gravity of what I have just written about is occurring in everyones lives.... all the time! Just like you would like a calm place for you to focus during a study session, yoga practice, cool down stretches, or for the kids to stop fighting for a second,, so does everyone else. If we can flow calmly through our lives, speaking kindness, and living peaceful, then we are more apt to both find our own transcendence as well as enable others to find theirs.
This is the work my friends. Own it, because no-one else will. This life is yours and yours a lone. You decide the outcome. Live the 3 P's and you will get there, I Promise.... and so does Buddha!
Love,
Eric
Programming Notes 7/30-8/3 ***Note that this is week 10 of the Speed/Endurance Cycle. This week ramping up the running volume in both the warm ups and the workouts. We are only a couple exposures away from testing our Backsquat. Next week will be a de load week for those. Ive got a Benchmark this week as well as a Snatch Repeat on Thursday. Train hard this week and enjoy the unique timing aspects, and NOTE YOUR RECOVERY TIME ON THE INTERVAL WORK!!!!
7/30
Baseline:
500m Row
3X
10 Wall Press
10 Piked Push Ups
10 Arm Haulers (superman Position on the ground, arms swing in swimming motions)
10 Banded Good Mornings
10 Side Lunges
Hamstring Primer:
3X
8 Barbell Romanian Deadlift
8 Pendlay Row
*nothing over 135/95
“Diane”
21-15-9
Deadlift 225/135
Handstand Push Up
7/31
Baseline:
Baseline:
Banded Hip stretches before class.
-lateral distraction
-hip flexor stretch
-banded hamstring
800m Run
2X
25 Walking Lunge Steps
20 Med Ball Squats
15 Med ball Toe Touches
10 Lateral Med Ball Hops
Squat Flow: Kang Squat, Internal Rotation, Hip Bridge, Ankle Roll Outs, Boot Straps, PNF, Squat W/ T Spine Rotation
Tempo BackSquat Exposure #6
3X6
(2/1/1)
*this should be at or around what you used for the 5X5 last week
WOD:
3X
400m Run
18 Dumbbell Overhead Lunges 50/35
9 Dumbbell Alternating Snatch
8/1
Baseline:
A)5:00 Easy Bike
B)Roll Out Sub Scapula and upper back for 3 minutes.
C) 2X 50’ Bear Crawl/ 5 Elbow To Instep +Reach/ 5 Divebomber Push Ups
Gymnastic Strength:
3 X Max Effort
-Chin Ups
WOD:
Every 2 Minutes Until You are unable to Complete the work,
15 hang Power Cleans 135/95
10 Ring Dips
8/2
Baseline:
200m Run
3X W// light Dumbbells 10/5#
10 Cuban Press (scarecrow high pull/external rotation/ press/ return)
10 Front Raises
10 Bent over reverse flys
10 Push Ups
Banded Mobility:
-lat band stretch
-bully stretch
-scapula distraction
Snatch Skill Progression:
7 sets building;
3 Snatch Grip Push Press
1 Snatch Balance
3 Overhead Squat
*the weight should be limited by the amount you can successful snatch balance, don’t bite off more than you can chew on the first couple sets. Ensure that you can build all the way until the 7th set.
WOD;
For Time
15-12-9
Snatch 15’s @ 135/95
12’s @ 165/115
9’s @ 195/135
>>>>Run 400m After each set>>>>>
8/3
Baseline:
*Roll Out Calves for 5 minutes prior to class
3X
1:00 Single Under Jumps
12 Kip Swings
8 Strict Toes To bar
6 Trunk Rotations
WOD:
4X
30 Box Jumps
20 Pull Ups
10 Diamond Push Ups
Cool Down:
-Cobra Stretch
-Pigeon Stretch
-Scorpion Stretch
-Half Moon Pose
