I just want to take a moment to thank Sensei Stan Leach, head instructor of Orland Shorin-ryu karate dojo, and all his attentive students, for a successful FIRST seminar by Wicked Iron Underground. We were kindly invited to Sensei Leach's beautiful NEW dojo (school) to teach what we know about strength and how it can apply to karate and every day life, and we thoroughly enjoyed taking the time to relay some of our knowledge about strength and it's related topics to his students, and seemed as though the students had some fun as well...hard-style!
I'm sure some of you out there can attest to functional strength and how it has transformed at least your body, if not a large part of your outlook on fitness as a whole. The learning part of fitness is a battle, because to accomplish a higher level of strength, flexibility, agility, etc., one has to push through a somewhat painful experience to get to a certain point of technicality and knowledge of one's self, therefore being able to tap into one's potential...and ATTAIN IT!
Even though learning these methods is a great experience in itself, TEACHING them is a whole different ballgame (or bellgame for all you iron-lovin' comrades), and opens up a lot of new things for the practitioner when it's flowing OUT of you, instead of learning, when knowledge is flowing into you. Most people with enough life-experience know that teaching is the best way to learn, and it's certainly the best way to "know your stuff."
To make a long story short, we had a great experience letting the knowledge flow out to others, and we learned a lot about the iron, about ourselves, and about others through teaching the things for which we have such a passion.
If you haven't dived already into the world of functional strength, find someone who knows their stuff, give it a try, then us know what you think. There are MANY professionals out there who are more than willing to pass on some of their knowledge about what they do, given you are determined to make something more of yourself, or to just find a NEW way to throw around the weights.
Keep on keepin' on!
Dan C
Wicked Iron Underground
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Can you see what i see?
I am near a loss of words for what I've witnessed during the past several weeks, and NOT in a good way. I confess, I've been to the big town gym a lot lately, but it's not what you think, i swear!! I've been going to _____ ___ for my protein shakes lately, and MAN are they good! But, what i see while I'm there seriously disgusts me, no joke. First of all, before i go to _____ ___, i have a KILLER workout...obviously, what else would someone do before a shake?? So i get to the gym, take a seat, and I'm beat from the workout i just pulled through in my DRIVEWAY. I obviously have time to look around and see what's happening at the big Ole' gym. What do i see? I look to my left, and i see several men and women SITTING...yes...SITTING on these little cycle peddler thingies (how should I know??) going about two mph, reading the latest Newsweek or whatever is good these days. I look to my right, and there are a few people on the treadmills, watching t.v. while they think they are doing themselves a favor by being there. GIVE ME A BREAK!! I'm sitting there thinking to myself..."do people actually go to the gym to RELAX??" Well, socializing is one thing most can't avoid in a place like that, but when you're interrupting your workout, you might as well leave and never come back. That's what i did!
I actually sat there listening to some girl saying...and i quote..."I'll workout a little bit, but talking to people is the only real reason why i come here." It's great to be honest, but then mutter on about how "these workouts just aren't doing anything!" I'll say it again...GIVE ME A BREAK!!
Don't get me wrong, people are completely free to waste their time walking around in a gym talking to people in hopes of avoiding doing actual work, but don't ever think you'll workout with me or anyone that I workout with. You're not worth my, or frankly...YOUR time, if you have an attitude like that. Not to mention the fact that you are not getting better at anything if you don't make the effort and push through to make a change. Here's a universal rule for ya... If you have a weight in your hand, you want to make a change in your life, simple as that. YOU have to decide if YOU want to change for the better, or do you want to be your old self a little longer!?
It's all about improvement. Making your life a workout of art. Yes, this includes your body, mind, and spirit. Be independent with your workouts. Don't just sign up at your local gym because you ASSUME "that's what people do to lose weight or get stronger, etc." Please, think for your self for once, and get with someone who knows what they are doing and can help you improve yourself. If you don't know how to make improvements on yourself (that you'll actually notice), you CAN'T do it without knowledge of HOW to change. Take it from someone who'd already tried to go to the gym four times a week, thinking that he'll improve, just 'cause he's at the gym. I was there, and now i'm working out in my driveway with tires, stones, and kettlebells. You don't need the big gym, and it doesn't need you. If you can improve yourself in that gym, by all means, go for it. But honestly, get it together and look at the big picture. What is worth your time?
I won't be an idiot and say "stay away from those gyms!" But i will say "stay smart about what and how you change yourself." And for goodness sake, if i ever find you at the "gym" sitting down on a cycle-sorus-rex, i just don't know you anymore...sorry!
Your friendly neighborhood strength coach,
Dan C
I actually sat there listening to some girl saying...and i quote..."I'll workout a little bit, but talking to people is the only real reason why i come here." It's great to be honest, but then mutter on about how "these workouts just aren't doing anything!" I'll say it again...GIVE ME A BREAK!!
Don't get me wrong, people are completely free to waste their time walking around in a gym talking to people in hopes of avoiding doing actual work, but don't ever think you'll workout with me or anyone that I workout with. You're not worth my, or frankly...YOUR time, if you have an attitude like that. Not to mention the fact that you are not getting better at anything if you don't make the effort and push through to make a change. Here's a universal rule for ya... If you have a weight in your hand, you want to make a change in your life, simple as that. YOU have to decide if YOU want to change for the better, or do you want to be your old self a little longer!?
It's all about improvement. Making your life a workout of art. Yes, this includes your body, mind, and spirit. Be independent with your workouts. Don't just sign up at your local gym because you ASSUME "that's what people do to lose weight or get stronger, etc." Please, think for your self for once, and get with someone who knows what they are doing and can help you improve yourself. If you don't know how to make improvements on yourself (that you'll actually notice), you CAN'T do it without knowledge of HOW to change. Take it from someone who'd already tried to go to the gym four times a week, thinking that he'll improve, just 'cause he's at the gym. I was there, and now i'm working out in my driveway with tires, stones, and kettlebells. You don't need the big gym, and it doesn't need you. If you can improve yourself in that gym, by all means, go for it. But honestly, get it together and look at the big picture. What is worth your time?
I won't be an idiot and say "stay away from those gyms!" But i will say "stay smart about what and how you change yourself." And for goodness sake, if i ever find you at the "gym" sitting down on a cycle-sorus-rex, i just don't know you anymore...sorry!
Your friendly neighborhood strength coach,
Dan C
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