ASHTON KUTCHER IS MY NEW GURU

MAN! It's weird getting back to the keyboard after such a long hiatus, but it needed to happen! I saw a quick video that got me super fired up about working hard and the possibilities that open up when someone is willing to push harder. So while I was knocking out some of the chores around the gym this afternoon, I was attempting to script this post out in some form or fashion so that it would come across as a worthy topic that brings y'all some value.

The logical place to start would be to share with y'all the video that has inspired this post. Boom!

I know what you're probably thinking.....WTF?!? Ashton Kutcher?!?! It's OK, I thought the same thing. Nothing against him, as I really don't know anything about him, but this tiny glimpse shows some pretty impressive qualities that I respect immensely.

All of the points that he hits on are GOLDEN. I don't think there's anyone out there that can deny that the message he's sending has some serious value - especially when you consider who he speaking to in this case. Everyone needs to hear this shit, but young people need it more now than ever, as widespread entitlement has seemingly swept over our population, which, in my opinion, is incredibly dangerous.

What really hit me was his first point of OPPORTUNITY. He states that, "opportunity looks a lot like hard work." 

WHOA! Take that in for a second.

It is way too easy to forget this. No one owes you shit. You are NOT entitled to all the shiny things in this world. You must WORK for everything. That hard work then opens new doors and new opportunities for success and fulfillment. 

Another Kutcher-ism that I really, really like is when he proudly states, "I'VE NEVER HAD A JOB THAT I WAS BETTER THAN." 

That shit is awesome. Period. 

If you think you are "too good" for this or that, you will most likely find yourself waiting for hand-outs wondering why you're in the situation your in. Respect is earned and dues must be paid. These are simple laws of life. Choose to ignore these and life will chew your ass up and leave you wondering WTF happened.

WHAT'S YOUR WHY? - Carrey

Carrey Bull has been a mainstay at TCS since day one. Her positivity and ridiculous work ethic influence everyone that has the privilege of training with her. To put it simply, Carrey makes TCS a far better place. 

What I really love about Carrey's story is that she truly finds value in the work that we do in the gym because it serves her outside of the gym. The last thing I want is for our athletes to be great worker-outters and then flop when it comes to real life shit. We do this stuff so that you can do the things you do better!

Here's Carrey's WHY:

---

WHAT'S YOUR WHY? - Tyler

Your WHY doesn't have to be bigger muscles, less fat, more weight lifted. In fact, I would say that, although there's nothing wrong with those goals, I hope that people dig a little deeper. 

In this edition of "What's Your Why?", Tyler says with us what he's discovered while training at TCS. 

Ps. This one gave me chills so I won't waste any more time.

That That Must Not Be Named

Workout Credit goes to Pat Sherwood of CF Linchpin.

The past couple of weeks have been a practice of doing shit that I don't enjoy, and doing so consistently. Things like 40min Airdyne sessions and the sexy beast you see above have not only proven to be physically challenging, but more importantly, they have forced me to get out of my own head and just put in the work.

It would be pretty damn hilarious if I could somehow include y'all in on the mental conversations I have before and during these types of sessions. It's pure gold. Regardless of what goes through my head, the key is that the work gets done and it gets done to the highest quality I can muster. 

At times, I have to be my own coach and remind myself that the work can't always be fun and enjoyable. Yes, in the long run your program needs to something you enjoy(in a sick,twisted way) - otherwise you will not stick with it. But on the flipside, if you're not hitting that stuff that makes you turn in to a whiny 5 year old (at least mentally) you're really not creating a solid level of strength & conditioning that is well-rounded. 

Whether it be burpees, running, lifting heavy, sandbag getups, or enjoying a pleasant cruise on the airdyne - put in the work and you'll find that it no longer sits outside of your wheelhouse.

ADAPT and OVERCOME!

Two Roads Diverged In A Yellow Wood

I know, I know. Shit is about to get cliche`.  I promise it won't last long - hang in there with me.

There are always at least two choices a person can make in any situation they're faced with. The difficulty comes in actually seeing all of the options rather than feeling trapped. Again I repeat - There are always choices. 

What's really cool is that people that dose themselves with a bit of adversity on a regular basis are then better able to handle shitty situations when they pop up. They've been training for those times that the shit hits the fan - and they are ready.

It may not always be a physically demanding challenge. Sometimes, it is purely psychological. For example, having to make a difficult decision and being able to keep a cool head while searching out all of the available options might come in handy in life, right? Thought so.

As a coach driven to build physically and mentally strong people, it's my job to dish out dosages of suck. If I don't, I am doing my athletes a disservice and not helping the prepare for adversity. And I don't want that on my conscience. 

This week, our primary dosage of suck was an abbreviated version of "Airdyne to Hell". Some of you out there know what I'm talking about, others haven't had the pleasure.

"Airdyne to Hell"(abbreviated)

• 40 calories AFAP
• 30 calories AFAP
• 20 calories AFAP
• 10 calories AFAP
• Rest = 1:1 

This may not sound like much on paper, but if done correctly, shit gets spiritual. 

Why did we do this? Because it's really, really hard. It's also something that we've never done before. Suffice it to say, it created a ton of adversity for each individual to deal with - both physically and mentally.

When it was all said and done, I was proud of how each individual handled themselves. It was one of those moments that confirmed that these people are tough and can manage themselves better than most. It was a good day!

Be sure to add a little adversity in your life every once in a while. A muscle does not get bigger or stronger if it is not worked. The same is true of your ability to taken on challenging situations. Choose the difficult path. Take the one less traveled by - It will make all the difference.

Tell It Like It Is

Apparently, by deciding to not watch the Super Bowl game I forfeited my right to be one of the first billion people to see this amazing commercial. But while watching the 40th Anniversary of SNL I was able to catch back up.

The point of this post is not the TV shows or what was watched and what wasn't. Rather it's about a great commercial delivering a powerful message(s) that everyone should receive. So, really, I'm just doing my part by sharing this so that maybe a couple others may take this in.

Enjoy and Apply.

A Whole Lotta Givin'

Monday, December 2nd marked the first official day of operations at Travis County Strength.  It's been a whirlwind of building, creating, lifting, organizing, and more lifting...and it's been absolutely outstanding! But, before the first group of athletes entered the space that Monday morning, we had been running donation-based workouts for the week prior.

The Thanksgiving Day crew.  Just one of many groups of athletes that came and gave.

To be honest, we didn't expect too much - with it being a brand new spot and the timing of Thanksgiving also falling on that same week.  In fact, in preparation for the week we had printed out 60 waivers - thinking that that would cover us for the donation week.  To our surprise (and delight) we burned through those 60 waivers in a day and one morning!  Hahaha! YES!

When the dust settled and the damage was done, the newly-formed TCS community banded together to raise a staggering amount of money!

$3565.00
AMAZING!!!

Now, when we were promoting this week of donation-based workouts, we made it very clear that the proceeds would be split between the start-up costs of Travis County Strength and a charity near and dear to Jen's heart - Autism Speaks.  That being the case, Autism Speaks will be receiving a very generous $1188.34 from the TCS community.  As for the other $2376.66, that money will be used entirely for the purchase of more equipment so that our athletes have access to all the best forms and methods of torture.....I mean....training.  Yeah, training.

I know that I speak for all of us here at Travis County Strength when I say, Thank You!  Your willingness to give us, your coaches, your best effort day in and day out is by itself incredible.  But to then also be so generous with your money has left us feeling incredibly grateful.  So, again, Thank You!

You will soon see some new, shiny, HEAVY toys to play with.  Just remember that you had a hand in the building and creation of this place.