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The more I train and the older I get the more I leave out any excuses for people who don't want to train like an athlete. Unless you are specializing in ONE thing, there isn't much of an excuse to stray from all the movements and endless possibilities of working out.
I am constantly inspired.....
I received a killer t shirt from a man they call "The Firebreather", in english, Greg Amundson. Just wearing his shirt makes me wanna step up my game and not allow myself to go easy.
I just hung up a pair of rings in my garage and now I am inspired to crank muscle ups and flexibility work.
Training my athletes inspires me. Wrestling will never leave my blood, it's always in me. I always want to rest less and push the intensity up a notch. It's an inner battle where I'm NEVER satisfied with the status quo.
Simply talking about Navy SEALs inspires me to train harder and become more fit rather than simply get stronger and stronger.
Bring to mind the training of a Navy SEAL. They swim, run, bike, lift heavy, train long, train short - they use CrossFit.
When I remember my 100 + rep push up workouts at 3 or 4 AM in the middle of the night, back when I was a bartender with the local wrestling coach, I get inspired. I get inspired by this Coach's "Man Strength" as he would do the old school Jack LaLanne finger tip push ups with arms extended or when we wrestled my neck was sore for 3 days from his deadly front head lock!
I am more and more challenging myself to do what I suck at. I suck at longer workouts and running. Doing more and more of them. Getting better and better, pants are looser on the waist as well. That always make the wife happy, ha ha!
Yesterday, The Sic Fit crew came to my home and my gym for photos and video footage. Web Smith trained with a few Rutgers Wrestlers and felt sick after the workout. He was pissed off and we agreed it was a GOOD thing. He trained in a way he isn't used to, he got outside his comfort zone.
Not saying his workouts are comfortable, they are anything but. But, we become creatures of habit. I began training exclusively with short bursts of strength and power for far too long. When high reps came around or conditioning for moderate intensity and longer duration I got an ass whoopin'. Pisses me off and makes me work that much harder AND work differently.
Here's some footage of our wrestlers. It's cut up but you'll see a wide array of methods: animal movements, kettlebell training, sprints mixed in through the workout and at random times, arm work with grip strength emphasis, bodyweight training, battling ropes, conditioning, sandbag training and more.
Here's My Question For You: How do you get inspired? Does a certain movie or music inspire you? Does talking with a specific group of people or seeing specific photos inspire you? Does getting your ass kicked inspire you? Looking forward to your answers!
In Strength,
--Z--
Recommended Resources:
Combat Rings
16 Responses
I scream.
Really, really loud. At my fists; and I slowly bring them closer and closer to my face until my knuckles are touching my lips. And then I try to eat my fists. Both of them. I always fail but by the end of this I’m super pumped, hungry and ready to kick some ass.
I’m inspired by Ray-Jazz. The kid has unlimited energy and he makes me feel old and out of shape every time I step into the gym.
Hmm inspire me, well there’s always one dude I have to beat…me 🙂 if you mean what motivates me, well ridiculously enough sometimes these are comic book images like the hulk, I guess my inner beast relates to that…
but more importantly ask yourself WHY, why do you do what you do? I asked myself that a few times in one long sentence and the answer turned out to be FREEDOM.
I can’t do things, even light activity things like dancing and enjoy them if I have some flab on my belly, like if I’m jumping and the flab is jumping I freakin hate the feeling. I can’t run on walls if I’m not in shape and running on walls is fun, playing streetball is fun, kettlebells are fun, rings are fun, freerunning is fun, but I can’t do this and be happy and free if I’m not in shape, being in shape gives me FREEDOM to have fun and f*ck anything if it’s not fun 🙂
First off i would like to thank you for all your awesome posts and for always being consistent. Now what motivates me as a Gr.9 in highschool i was on the football team at only a 130 lbs playing linebacker i started but got worked every play and i always remember the feeling of just letting my team down and that i cudnt do anything but i knew it was my fault and then i vowed never to let that happen or anyone be better than me ever again now 2 years later im 195 lbs starting a dominating on the senior team but i know i can get so much better. I can barely wait for this off season i finally have all my training and diet intact im going ot become a freak and be so mentally tough not one player will be able to keep my pace thanx so much ILL NEVER STOP!
Damn Jesse, Ray Jaz IS an inspiration, wait till we see them boys wrestle, the matches are siiiiic!!!
and Bro, YOU inspire! Your transformation is unreal brutha, REALLY inspiring because you transformed into a straight Up BEAST!!
Lucky, dude, sounds like you found your childhood again. You are RIGHT brutha, training AND life has to be FUN! I am feelin it bro!
Connor – hells yea dude, keep me posted on your football work, and, the season ain’t over yet so keep attacking my man!!
Keep getting stronger and faster, at this time of year many football players get injured, mentally fatigued and slow down.
You gotta step up your game bro and dominate!!!!
I get inspired by guys like you, Pavel, Dan John, and Gray Cook. Always pushing the limits, redefining true strength, and never settling for good enough, as well as challenging us to do the same.
Telling me “You can’t do that” inspires me.
Watching the determination of those young men in the videos you posted inspires me.
Waking up every morning and providing for my family inspires me.
I see other people train around here. Most of us train in basements, front porches or back yards. A lot of people my age can’t do what I do with my weights, and can’t crank push ups and pull ups the way that I can. Then there are those that blow me away with their training. I can’t handle that. Those that are not too my level, I have to keep it that way. Those that are better than me, I have to do all I can to pass their level. That’s my inspiration lately.
I get inspired by people who defy the odds. People who could give up and no one would blame them but the continue on. When I see that I say damn. I know they have built in excuses but don’t give up. Then I get my ass in gear cause I have no excuse not to. Your posts and links to other trainers also inspire me. Thanks for leading from the front Zach.
Im a correctional officer and seeing some of the beasts i have to watch over helps get out into the shed every morning.
Andrew – damn bro, linking in the same sentence as guys like Pavel and Dan John is NUTS!! Thank you bro & how have you been?
Greg – Dude, wus the haps!!!?? Thanks for stoppin’ by!!!
Will – competing is critical, you are right bro. Compete against yourself AND others!
Daryl – my pleasure!
Acie – your job is rough dude, no doubt my man, BIG respect to you for keeping at it and staying in BEAST mode at all times!!
“Men of Honor” is a movie that has always inspired me to push myself and to go for all of the goals I want to achieve in life. The two key scenes are where Carl Brashear (Cuba Gooding, Jr.) stays underwater for nine hours trying to assemble a flange…even though the water is colder than winter weather in Great Lakes. He keeps telling himself that he is a Navy Diver and he ultimately receives the title of Navy Diver. The second and final one is after his leg has been amputated after a shipboard accident and he is required to walk twelve steps unassisted in a diving suit made of pounds of spun copper at a hearing. This scene not only brings me to tears–happy tears, that is–but it has inspired me to never give up, especially not during a workout. The key to all this is to have the mental strength of some of world history’s most greatest warriors (and not just the males, either. 😉 )
Lately I was fighting in MMA formula. I get armbar locked on me. Hurt like hell, but I still didn’t wanted to tap out. After some time (felt like years to me) I tapped. I was fuckin angry on myself. Next day I train like crazy. And I still do – that’s an inspiration!
My 16 month old son inspires me! He watches and mimics me. He even tried to pull an old sled loaded with cement I was working out with. He inspires me to be a better man in every aspect of life. I ask myself daily “am I being the man I want him to grow up to be?”
My wife inspires me. She has NO athletic background and started working out with me when we got together. She is often the one pushing the pace of our workouts and if I become 1/2 the athlete she percieves me to be, I will be a true BEAST!
Sorry Zach, but you and Elliott tie for third. The videos and info you guys put out there not only educate me and validate my beliefs and approaches but really get me motivated!