A New Beginning

Christmas is almost here and then there will be New Years. My life is changing. Change is life. Saturday I will complete one of my lifetime goals: Black Belt. This is a milestone for me. Now that I am reaching this goal I need to set a new one. What will it be?! Of course I will continue to train in martial arts. First degree black belt is just the beginning. As I get older my training, both in martial arts and other areas, has changed. When I started out lifting, I wanted to get as big and muscular as I could. In reality I just got fat. Diet is THE most important element if I ever want to see my abs. I know I am rambling...Consistency of effort in both training and diet is the only way I can get what I want. Kinda like life in general, huh?

Emulate Success

A wise person once said :"Success is a planned event." When we combine our dreams with plans of action they become goals. Dreams are imaginary;Goals actually happen. Therefore, find a successful person in your field and follow their example. What did they study? What actions did they take? What books did they read? What people did they know?

Copy success. Have a plan.

Yard Work: If your yard is big enough, you don't need a gym...

Six acres of trees, pond, creek, and land + remnant storm of Hurricane Ida = Lots of work! Seriously, I was very fortunate that the huge tree which broke in half did not hit my house or vehicles.
Last Wednesday night the tailend of Ida blew apart a tree in my front yard. My wonderful cousins T., M., and J (and others) have been coming over and helping with my place recently. Well, on Saturday T/M/J came over and M. used the chainsaw to cut up logs. J and myself hauled limbs, raked sticks, and split the oak into firewood.
We started around 9 or 10am and worked until 2:30pm I think. Wow! A few hours of physical labor is a great workout! And I got something accomplished.

Sandbag Training and Homemade Bulgarian Training Bag

Lately I have been investigating "general physical preparedness" (GPP). Specifically sandbag training and Bulgarian Training bags. I looked around on the net and found a few tutorials on how to make your own implements.

Last night I made my first sandbag from an old canvas laundry bag. Actually I used pea gravel. It ended up being about 80 pounds.

Let the training begin!

[edit 11/11/2009]
The training tire/bag is 30lbs. The smaller sandbag is 65lbs. The heavier sandbag is 100lbs. I also got some chain and rope attached to old fence posts (to drag/pull). Finally, I have an old tire (free from an auto shop) and bought a 10lb. sledgehammer. I need to find a larger tractor tire to flip and I will almost be set...for now!

Meditations on Violence--book by Rory Miller

I have been involved with martial arts for over 25 years. I have military experience and retail loss prevention experience. I say this because I want you to know from where I am coming.

I just finished an excellent book last night by Rory Miller. "Meditations on Violence" is refreshing because of what it is NOT. It is not a book filled with techniques:"If the attacker does THIS, then you do THAT." There is a place for that kind of text, and there are hundreds (thousands?!) of that type.

Instead, "Meditations On Violence" delves into both the intellectual and practical aspects of violence, use of force, and implications for training.

I highly recommend it!

Heroes come in many forms...

(According to KDVR.com of Denver, Colorado):

Cameron Aulner (an employee of Comcast who is in a wheelchair) tackled a suspected child molester inside a Wal-Mart, preventing his escape with the child.

Read the whole story here:
http://www.kdvr.com/news/kdvr-wheelchair-wal-mart-arrest-092909,0,4371546.story

Thank You, Mr. Aulner!

Chicago Tragedy

Regarding the incident in Chicago where an innocent 16-year-old was beaten to death: My prayers and thoughts are with his family.

I have taught my students to always be aware of their surroundings. Trouble will sometimes find you despite all of your efforts to avoid it. Better to not help it (Trouble) by frequenting areas with people who behave stupidly. Let me be clear: I am NOT blaming the victim in this case. Sometimes bad things happen through no fault of our own. Many of us have been careless at one time or other with respect to our situational awareness.

Mobs are by definition chaotic. Bar brawls = same thing. Even if you were not involved in what "started it" a bar fight spill-over effect can happen. Some idiot chooses to use the chaos of the situation to take a shot at someone, anyone, and for any reason or no reason. Do not attempt to apply logical to the illogical.

Mr. Myagi said, "Best defense--no be there."

Oh, and be prepared.

Dalton said, "Those looking for trouble are not much of a problem to someone ready for them."

Fitness!

I love to exercise. I admit it. Whether it is simply walking, biking, swimming or lifting weights. I love it all.

I am doing some work on stationary bike interval training these days. I read recently that a research study was done where participants did 20 minutes of intervals 3x per week for 13 weeks. They lost about 10% of their bodyfat. The control group did steady state cardio (read that "slow"). Control group lost less bodyfat. Let's see what happens for me!

I am also considering getting some kettlebells. A good friend of mine got some and is loving the workout. I have several pairs of dumbbells at home: enough to get me back in shape. Wait a minute, isn't ROUND a shape?!

Also, I am walking as much as possible through the day (teaching requires this, haha). And I am looking forward to cooler weather to get back into my running.

Tomorrow... Tune in to find out!

Read, or people will lie to you and you won't know the difference!

I had a graduate professor say that in class one day. Even though I have loved reading since I was a child, this statement has stuck with me. I tell it to MY students.

I read all kinds of things. It depends upon my mood, really. Here are some authors I like.

Ayn Rand (Objectivism) -- Thank you, Neal Boortz! Atlas Shrugged is what our country is going through right this minute!
Dean Koontz
John Ringo (Baen Books)
Travis S. Taylor (Baen Books)
Tom Kratman (Baen Books)
Malcolm Gladwell (nonfiction)
Ted Dekker
Frank Peretti
Harry Turtledove
Robert Buettner

I could talk for DAYS about all the authors I like and why. These are just a few who I return to again and again and look for anything they write...ANYTHING.

A little about me...I believe in individual responsibility and no excuses. I am a Conservative, but the Republicans are making my stomach hurt as much as the Democrats. Socialized medicine will hurt this country. Call your Congressmen and women and tell them so.

Tomorrow...Exercise and Fitness!

A Changed Life

There are pivotal moments in a person's life when things change. Sometimes for the better. Sometimes not. One of these moments happened to me in college.

I was talking to a buddy of mine about all the things I was Going To Do. He challenged me by saying, "You always say that, but you never DO ANYTHING that you say." I started to object. I probably did at the time. Don't remember now. But he was right.

That moment changed me. I started a goal list. Sort of like that movie, "The Bucket List." I have kept that list (in various forms) for all the years since. I began working through that list and Doing The Things.

What's on Your list?!

TOMORROW: Reading!