Hope your weekend was good, I had a first at the weekend in Weymouth!
One of my friends, in fact ushers at my wedding this year did a charity white collar boxing match, there were actually 12 different bouts.
Now, I don’t really mind too much at this stage whether you agree with boxing, we all have our own views, but I took quite a lot out the night.
If you haven’t ever been to one, it is a great night out. I would definitely go again, I might even have a go myself. In fact, I will tell you …..I have already booked my first coaching session with a boxing coach. I need to get uncomfortable again it has been 4 weeks!
Back to Saturday night……what impressed me most was the sportsmanship, it reminds me of when I used to play rugby, go 100% at it and then share a hug and a drink after wards.
Fair play to my mate, he hadn’t even boxed until 4 weeks ago, he’s never even played a proper (well he’s played football) contact sport, so he was entering the unknown, in a big way!
He has been an inspiration to me before; it was his fault I took up triathlon, always willing to step up and have a go!
Always trying to be a little bit different, be better each day and ultimately put his body on the line.
This is where I want to mention this notion of excellence and relate it back to how you can improve your life, in line with your OWN values.
Don’t worry this isn’t any “hippy” stuff, just the way I interpret what goes on with people trying to get healthy, fit and improve their bodies.
I have my own philosophy on what is healthy and what is not. Sure it is shaped by the experiences I have had and I have been fortunate enough to learn and study with some of the worlds best coaches, but I have my own way of doing things.
I have never been afraid to be a bit different; you can’t when you “tan” like I do!
Oh and by the way I could have written this email with proper sentence structuring like I have to for my masters but that isn’t me!
I could have also written about how to align your pelvis for better core engagement…….but none of that will help you if the three things below aren’t squared away first!
Here are a few things for you to watch out for:
1. Be careful what you think, and remember that your thoughts are not facts.
So when you think about starting a new exercise programme, taking on a new challenge, or getting into the ‘uncomfort zone’ as I like to call it…….just because you have told your self you can’t do it, or that’s not achievable, or it will be too hard, doesn’t mean that it is fact! Are you just thinking what your family, friends and the media are telling you.
My family told me that I couldn’t start a fitness business in a recession in a rural area! I also told myself that a full ironman wasn’t something I could do about a year ago! It is precisely why I have chosen to host my first Health and Fitness Retreat in Namibia, it would have been easy to just do one in the UK. Anything is possible!
You must not become a prisoner of your own thoughts and likewise they should be your own and not what other people tell you. I
“Ah that fitness programme you want to do is too hard for you”,
“ that nutrition plan you follow is too strict for me, I don’t know how you do it”
“Ah I couldn’t get up that early to train, I think you are mad”
All REAL examples of the 5H1T that people come up with to try and make themselves feel better about the lies they are telling themselves, to help them hide from the reality of the situation they are in and keep talking themselves deeper into!
2. Pay attention, don’t just be aware. There is a HUGE difference between listening and hearing, between seeing and absorbing and touching and feeling.
You don’t need me to list all the possible options here, but ignorance is not an excuse any more, the information is out there, its just how we choose to absorb it, and if we are just aware that we shouldn’t be drinking sugary drinks, eating processed foods and eating sweets in front of the TV then perhaps we need to raise the bar a little and stop being so “comfy” and pay ‘attention’ to what is actually happening!
3. Just BE YOU. I actually have a young lad I am working with, he is an exceptional talent in the athletics arena. In fact he is only 17, he is national standard and there is a fair bit of internal pressure on his part, he said something that made 100% sense to me the other day.
He has been offered athletics scholarships next year in America and is having to do courses at college that he doesn’t have time for, and frankly aren’t in line with who he wants to be.
He said when we were chatting, “Matt, I just want to be Dan”……….
That is the nail on the head…… when it comes to who you want to become, sure it is ok to have others influence you, but it should be on your terms, it should all be about helping you to become a better version of you, not a sidekick to someone else’s ideals. This is a massive problem in the fitness fraternity and the media as they portray what is supposedly desirable.
Think of the people you know of….and think of the amount of times that they have bought things they don’t even want, to impress people they don’t even like, with money they haven’t got!
Decide what you want to achieve, when you want to achieve it by and make sure you believe in the route you will take to get there and then watch this space!
If you want to take action before Christmas (there are still 7.5 weeks) with your health, please let me know.
We have a few spaces available for our semi private coaching to book a call in to find out more about the bespoke coaching we run from our studio in Lifton please let me know via email (info@fa-fitness.co.uk) with the subject line “ coaching for me ” and I will arrange a strategy call with you to work out the best plan of action for you, or just click this LINK and send a private message.
Have a good day,
Matt 🙂
