Dedication
You Get What You Work For
12/11/12 14:45 Filed in: Other | My experiences | Martial Arts | Fitness | TRX / Cross Training | Strength & Conditioning
When I was a kid, my parents taught me early on how to take responsibility seriously and work hard. I started drying dishes, vacuuming the floors and dusting real early on in my life. When I was 8 years old, my parents did a kitchen remodel (extension) and my sister and I brought in all the broken bricks by hand for the foundation, as well as all the bricks to build the extension.
As a teenager, I had vacation jobs from picking out fish in the factory, drying dishes in a restaurant, metal work to planting corn by hand. No matter if I knew how to do something or not, I was eager to learn and willing to make up for my lack of knowledge by hard work and motivation.
Up until this day, that lesson has stuck with me and as a business owner or athlete, if I have a goal I will not be outworked.
That doesn’t mean I’ve been successful with everything in my life, absolutely not. As a competitive biker I had a good run but didn’t have what it took (mentally) to turn pro. I have lost tournaments, failed on personal goals and have disappointed people. For these things I take full responsibility and am sorry. However I do not blame others for my shortcomings.
It is the exact way with training. If you want to reach a goal but don’t make a change, nothing will happen. If you have a 1,000 excuses all the time, nothing will happen. If you seem comfortable with how things are and don’t show motivation, nothing will happen. And if you feel sorry for yourself, it’ll be damn hard to reach that goal. This might seem blunt but it is the truth. If you want to be successful in reaching your goal and see a change, you have to look at yourself first. Keep yourself accountable for the changes you have or haven’t made, see what you can do better and don’t be satisfied with how you do things right now. If you are successful and see results in your training, there wouldn’t be a need to make changes because you are already doing a great job.
Now this doesn’t work for everyone, some individuals have other situations and should be more confident in themselves to reach a goal. However, for many this does apply. My job as a trainer is to know how to motivate someone, know who to make them reach their goal and make them feel good doing it. I highly believe in positive reinforcement and challenging a client while giving them a successful feeling when accomplishing their goals. It could be a small as an exercise or as big as a weight loss goal in 4 months from now. I don’t find it necessary to be overly strict with my clients as they are doing a great job and are intrinsically motivated. But there are also many others who need more accountability. If you want your physical goals to happen, you have to be mentally prepared. It is a huge factor in sports and training. Set little goals and go for them. Obviously things happen and your results might be off but don’t use too many excuses. If you reach a lot of little goals, you will eventually reach your final big goal.
By Sander Vanacker, owner, head instructor and personal trainer .
Define Defense in Boulder, CO
- Mixed Martial Arts
- Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
- Self Defense Classes & Workshops
- Personal Training
- TRX / Cross Training Classes
- Kettle Bell
1805 11th Street Suite B
Boulder, CO 80302
(720) 340 6254
Info@DefineDefense.com
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Define Defense at Tough Mudder Colorado 2012
I had a great time since I've been looking forward to it for a long time and was fortunate enough not to have any injuries or limitations. It's great to find new challenges and this particular one would challenge my endurance, balance, coordination, problem solving skills and especially: mental toughness.
Some of the obstacles were especially mentally challenging, such as the ice bath (water with 1.5 feet of ice and you had to dive under a wooden board before exiting), and the electroshocks. There were not one, two but three obstacles with live wires this year! The first we had to crawl in water, second on an ice sheet and the third is the well known one running through live wires. Of course, not all wires are charged but that makes it even more nerve wrecking. I was shocked a total of 7 times. During the last obstacle, right before the finish line, I got shocked twice on the head and it dazed me pretty well. However, I was fortunate enough not to drop (we have seen other people go unconscious for a few seconds). Even though the shocks aren't fun, it's part of the game and it added to the experience. Obviously, if you have medical issues you shouldn't go through the electroshocks.
I did all the obstacles of the course and they were all great for different reasons. A few objections I have with the challenge though are:
- Some of the obstacles that require physical skills, such as climbing, ducking etc. were too short. They should have been longer in length.
- The course was reasonably tough and despite the fact that Tough Mudder needs to accommodate the general population of may different levels, I thought it would be harder. The hardest part of the course was absolutely the altitude changes. You had to run uphill, downhill, hike etc. which was GREAT! That makes it a lot harder but I would like to see harder physically challenging obstacles. Perhaps they should do the course as it is and do some extra things for an 'Elite Tough Mudder'?
P.S. A big thank you to the team and the people who came out to support!
By Sander Vanacker, owner, head instructor and personal trainer of Define Defense Martial Arts & Personal Training.
Define Defense in Boulder, CO
- Modern Martial Arts
- Brazilian Jiu Jitsu & MMA
- Self Defense Classes & Workshops
- Personal Training
- Cross Training / TRX Classes
1805 11th Street Suite B
Boulder, CO 80302
(720) 340 6254
Info@DefineDefense.com
Extreme Diets: Why Do People Do Them?
A few days ago, I was watching a 20/20 episode we recorded a while ago. It discussed a number of diets out there that are controversial, yet a lot of people follow them.
First, the episode showed more about the feeding tube or K-E Diet. This in particular was extremely concerning. Basically, a doctor puts a tube in your stomach through your nose and a pump provides you with a blend of nutrients throughout the day, for a total of 800 calories a day.
This amount of calories is shockingly low as it is not even enough to support your body’s basal metabolism (the amount of energy your body needs to keep vital functions going without any extra activity). Therefore, you end up losing a lot of important tissue in your body which is not fat, plus it is not enough to support your organs to function properly.
Surprisingly, many brides do this diet since it gives quick results for their special day. However, it is not without danger for your health. It also makes your body retain more after the diet and I can imagine many people splurge and gain more weight back later.
The statistics show that 80% of people on diets regain their weight. Now why is that? One reason for it is that most diets are so extreme that people can’t stay on them. They get some results (often not as much as they are hoping for) and they get back in their old habits. Other diets revolve around pills, of which many are nonsense. Some that do have active ingredients may have some effect. However there is no such thing as a magic pill. Instead, you need to change your habits, eat well, work out responsibly and adjust your lifestyle.
Also please be wary of ‘before and after’ pictures. Just check out this video.
We all know obesity rates are extremely high and it is a huge problem. Even though we live longer than we did hundreds of years ago, we can do much better. Many companies and individuals take advantage of people feeling desperate and helpless and promise them amazing results. Unfortunately it doesn’t work that way and even more sad is that so many people believe these ads or claims.
Please do not let someone talk you into spending tremendous amounts of money for something that doesn’t really work or may be hazardous for your health. Instead, find an honest professional who will tell you the truth. And you may not really like it but at least you will do the right thing and get your body healthier. Instead of losing 30 lbs. in 30 days, it may take you 90 days but at least you can rely on this information and your body will become healthier without any exaggerated stress, chemicals or deprivation. Plus you will not have to spend an extraordinary amount of money.
With hard work, dedication and good support, you can change your lifestyle and become a healthier you. However, be cautious and critical when looking for ‘magical’ solutions.
By Sander Vanacker, owner, head instructor and personal trainer of Define Defense Martial Arts & Personal Training.
Define Defense in Boulder, CO
- Modern Martial Arts
- Brazilian Jiu Jitsu & MMA
- Self Defense Classes & Workshops
- Personal Training
- Cross Training / TRX Classes
1805 11th Street Suite B
Boulder, CO 80302
(720) 340 6254
Info@DefineDefense.com