How to be cool, train hard and be your most excellent self…
A few years back I was inspired to write this post, so I thought it needed a rework and a 2.0 version. The funny thing is that a lot of the things haven’t changed much.
Being excellent is awesome. Training hard is awesome. Being cool is awesome. Do that….
- Lift weights
- Lift heavy weights that kinda scare you (with good form of course)
- Laugh every day
- Be able to laugh at yourself
- Relax
- Remember that nutrition makes up for about 80% of your success. You can’t out-train a bad diet
- Learn how to do push ups and do them often
- Work on your hip mobility several times throughout the day, especially if you sit at a desk or drive a lot
- Sleep 8 hours a night
- Watch The Hangover and enjoy it
- Crank up some bad-ass music during your workout. It’s amazing how much it helps
- Get up and stretch your shoulders for 30 seconds several times a day if you work at the computer
- Sprint in bare feet in the grass
- Drink lots of water
- Push the Prowler sled at least once in your life
- Listen to the Girl Talk station on Pandora
- Get your cardio done in 30 minutes or less
- Skip the gym machines and move your body with the basics- squats, push ups, rows, lunges and sprints
- Stop hiding behind emails and texts, talk to people face to face if you need to say something
- Take 1-2 rest days per week and let your body heal
- Tell the important people in your life how much they mean to you. Don’t assume they know
- Pop your hips when swinging a Kettlebell. Don’t muscle it up like a tough guy
- Get good at body weight exercises
- Eat something green with every meal
- Make someone smile every day
- Practice your breathing for 5 minutes every day
- Don’t deprive yourself with a “diet”- eat for life
- Realize all the good stuff you have in your life
- Do hill sprints once a week
- Sit back in your hips when you squat (your knees will thank you)
- Use a foam roller, lacrosse ball or softball to improve your mobility for at least 5 minutes every day
- Surround yourself with people who are smarter and more successful than you
- When you’re the smartest person in the room, it’s time to find a new room
- Watch Modern Family
- Be cool. Did I already say that? Some people are so uncool
- Slow down and enjoy life
- Be humble
- Learn to to Chin Ups with assistance and then gradually reduce the assistance until you can perform 3-5 solid repetitions. This is the coolest thing ever when you can finally do them!
- Don’t text and drive
- Check email as little as possible
- Make a list the night before of what you want to accomplish the next day
- List out 5 things you are grateful for or completed that day (do this every night)
- Read more fiction
- Do Front Squats (KB, DB or BB)
- Do one thing every day that brings you closer to your goals, no matter how small it is
- Get a great pair of old school Chucks, best sneakers ever made
- Be polite, always
- Train your core with plank variations, wheel roll-outs and TRX movements
- Eat your veggies
- Don’t obsess about calories
- Don’t be ashamed to watch reality TV, sometimes it’s hilarious
- Call your parents
- Don’t let other people’s negativity bring you down
- Stay consistent with your training. Real results come from consistent work, not quick fixes
- Ladies, don’t be afraid to lift weights. You won’t get bulky, you will get awesome and confident
- Go to Vegas at least once
- Don’t complain
- Don’t look down on others, you never know their story
- Compliment someone, just because
- Be that person that brings positive energy and is fun to be around
- Meditate