Category Archives: Spirit

The fit Warrior has an awakened spirit, remains determined, and actualizes a healthy lifestyle through their ability to stay positive, motivated, and to Keep Going!

Time to Reorganize Priorities

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I spent all morning today running around with my 4 year old doing a bunch of errands.  We went to Story Time at Barnes & Noble (she loves that!), then to the bank, to the post office (where I shipped out one of the last paperback copies of Warrior Fitness: Conditioning for Martial Arts!), then off to go food shopping.  Finally we made it back home where I got lunch ready, chicken nuggets for her and a protein shake for me (recipe here!).

Now, aside from telling you about my morning, you may be wondering what my point is here.  At each one of the stops we made I did some people watching and listening.  At B&N, while listening to the story teller read Good Night Moon, I overheard 2 moms having a conversation about Weight Watchers and how they both needed to lose weight.  There was some talk about eating healthier, but the main focus seemed to be on how they could cheat – and they hadn’t even started yet!!  All this while both were sucking down some serious calories from their Starbucks mocha-whatevers with chocolate syrup and whipped cream.  Since I was curious, I engaged them in conversation and asked if they were going to add exercise in to help them with their goals.  They both agreed that it would be a great idea, if only they had time.  They seemed very convinced that they were way too busy with everything going on in their lives and would just have to “do the best they could”.  I wanted to pursue the conversation more, but the story was over and Juliana was ready to go play with the legos and trains, so we walked away.

Stephen Covey Quote

This got me thinking – why do people TALK about being healthy so MUCH, yet put so little actual value on their health and fitness that they can’t make it a priority in their lives?  We all KNOW so much about how to be healthy, but knowing is not enough.  We all want so much to be healthy, fit and strong, but willing it is not enough.  There is simply ONLY ONE WAY to become fit, healthy, and stong, and that is DOING IT!

 

“People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.”  – Zig Ziglar

Make your fitness a priority in your life.  Sooner or later if you don’t make time for being healthy you will be forced to make time for being sick.  Take charge of your own fitness today.  Make it part of your weekly schedule.  Get it done.

Remember – what gets scheduled gets done.  What does NOT get scheduled falls by the wayside.  Don’t just talk about it.  Become it!

 

Why Should YOU Train Like A Warrior?

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Upon hearing the name of my gym, Warrior Fitness Gym, and my 30 year martial arts background, many people become hesitant and ask me, “Do I need to be a martial artist to train with you?  Do I have to be a warrior?”  The answer to the first question is no and the answer to the second question is yes.

You do not have to train martial arts to join my gym, in fact the majority of the clients who train with me at the gym are not, but yes, you DO have to be a warrior!  The definition of warrior that I am using here is –  “One who is engaged aggressively or energetically in an activity, cause, or conflict.”

Your activity is fitness training.

Your cause is to be the strongest, healthiest, best version of yourself you can possibly be.

Your conflict is fighting against mediocrity, laziness, and the pull of simply going along with the herd.

Good enough is NOT good enough, good is the enemy of GREAT!

If you are not a warrior, don’t worry.  I’ll make you one.

Why should you train this way?

Quite simple.  You are dissatisfied with the status quo.  You want something different, better, more effective, and quite frankly much cooler and more kick ass than traditional boring fitness workouts.  You want to walk tall and stand out from the crowd, not be lost in the masses as another wall flower.  You want to become the most powerful version of yourself possible and you will fight hard to do it.

Warrior training is the essence of fitness.  Remember that sports were created as a way for warriors to practice and hone thier skills in times of peace.  Almost all physical training that has stood the test of time was once warrior training.  In essence, training like this will bring you back to the root of what fitness training really is – training for battle.  Yes, even if you never engage in combat, this type of training will prepare you to face any challenges life may throw at you.

My recommendation?  Train with me.  Train like a warrior.

Jon Shizen

 

Why Eating Bitter is so Sweet

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The Chinese martial arts have an expression, chi ku, which means to “eat bitter” or “eating bitterness”.  It is frequently used by the master to express to the students training under him the fact that if they want to become masters of  the art in their own right, they must suffer first.  The training is often very rigorous, both physically and mentally demanding.  It can also be extremely boring and repetitive sometimes as the trainees must perform the same movement patterns and work though the same solo exercises over and over again in order to burn it into their nervous systems so it becomes part of them.  This is the only way to do it.

Certainly this type of training is not for everyone.  Yet for those with the physical and mental fortitude to endure the long years of training and hardship, the harsh realities of becoming great, the rewards are vast.  The students develop formidable body skills and enourmous amounts of mental toughness.  For those that make it, they realize the training was intense, but they made it through.  They are now the masters.

As Jim Rohn famously said – There are only 2 pains in life.  The pain of discipline or the pain of regret.

It’s your choice.  Suffer a little now, endure the training, endure the hardships, endure the life adversity, and then look back knowing that you have walked through it and achieved your goal on the other side.

Or, be afraid of the hardship and pain and decide to back off and stay where you are.  The pain of discipline is avoided, yes, but what you don’t realize is that the pain of regret weighs much, much heavier and is in fact the greater of the 2 pains.

Eat bitter now and be able to endure physical and mental hardships in training.  Endure hardship and succeed.  The rewards are so sweet!

muhammad-ali

 

I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit.  Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.’
– Muhammad Ali

Stay The Course

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Stay-the-CourseOver the past few early January 2013 evenings I’ve been thinking deeply about my mission in life.  Some of my thoughts formed themselves into the lines below as I sat writing in front of my computer.

My goal here is to reach out to all those people who never quite manage to keep their resolutions and to help them.  They begin an exercise program, a diet, a martial arts class with the best of intentions, but somehow lack the ability to Stay the Course.  This is my advice to them, and to you too.

I haven’t really written any poetry since college when I took a few poetry courses, so bear with me!

 

Stay the Course

The road is hard and fraught with pitfalls,

Stay the course.

Intense effort, concentration, and focus are sometimes required,

Stay the course.

You will fall, get distracted, wander off the path every once in a while,

Stay the course.

The greatest part of it all is the journey, not the destination, revel in it and

Stay the course.

Redouble your efforts, push hard, live like a champion and,

Stay the course.

Do not allow your will, momentum, or motivation to falter,

Stay the course.

Seek guidance from others farther along the path than you.  They will assist in helping you to

Stay the course.

Do the work, reap the rewards.  Consistency is the key,

Stay the course.

Know that difficulties and doubts will arise along the path, keep moving, they will evaporate as you

Stay the course.

Understand the rhythm of your own body – some sessions breaking limits, some days moving lightly,

Stay the course.

Open the body. Breathe deep.  Stretch.  Feel your life force pulsing inside.

Stay the course.

Results come from constant effort, you must

Stay the course.

Nothing comes from quitting.  All that effort is wasted.  All steps in vain.  Therefore always

Stay the course.

 

I don’t think this poem is quite finished yet, there’s still more percolating around in my mind on this subject.  I have a feeling that I will be adding lines to this over the next few weeks as the thoughts crystallize.  But for now, it is an unfinished work in progress that I want to share with you.

Let me know what you think – drop a comment below or hit me up on the Warrior Fitness Facebook page!

Don’t quit.  Keep going!

If you need help, ask.  Whether you are local to Hainesport, NJ and want to train at Warrior Fitness Gym or you are far away and need online coaching.  Ask.  That’s what I’m here for.

 

 

7.5 Steps to NOT Achieving Your Fitness Goals in 2013

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How to NOT Meet Your Fitness Goals for 2013….

I hope you all brought your sense of humor with you into the New Year.  Here are my 7.5, obviously tongue in cheek, suggestions for NOT meeting your fitness goals in 2013.  If you read carefully you may find hints as to how to properly go about it… :o)

missed-targetStep 1 – Move from workout program to workout program like a sugar addled child in a candy store.  This will insure you do not do one thing long enough to see an actual result.

Step 2 – Spend inordinate amounts of time boring yourself to death on cardio machines while tranquilizing your mind by watching TV while doing it

Step 3 – Make sure you do not change your diet to match your new found training regimen.  Eat all the carbs and processed foods you like.  Nutrition makes NO difference if you are exercising.

Step 4 – Do it yourself!  With no discipline, accountability, and support structure in place you are guaranteed to fail.

Step 5 – Hire the cheapest trainer you can find cause they have the LEAST amount of experience

Step 6 – Whatever you do, do NOT lift heavy weights!  You might accidentally challenge your body and engender a metabolic response.  Careful!

Step 7 – Do NOT initiate proper warm-up and cool down protocols in your training, they are for sissies!

Step 7.5 – Make sure you go as hard as possible at EVERY session.  Do not give your body a chance to recover.  C’mon, it’s not like growth happens during the recovery process or anything!

Happy New Year from Warrior Fitness!!

Resolutions Are Bogus

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I’ve had it with the whole New Year Resolutions thing.  I’m done.  I’m getting off the bandwagon and actively choosing to NOT participate.  The whole concept is bogus nonsense anyway when you think about it. Continue reading →

Improve Yourself Every Day

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“Be not afraid of greatness. Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them.”
― William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night

The potential for greatness lies within us all.  We just need to cultivate it.  But cultivation requires 2 things: effort and consistency.  If you want to pursue your own innate greatness you must DO something every day to bring it closer.  Daily effort sharpens the focus, polishes the shine, bringing you one step closer ever day. Continue reading →

Rage Against the Dying of the Light

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Sometimes it seems so easy to just give in, give up, and go along with the status quo.  Such a relief to just let go and allow yourself to become that proverbial  fat, dumb, and happy person.

Carving your own path can be too challenging and fraught with many risks and dangers.

Going with the flow, following the pack, doing what normal people do (whatever that is these days!), is so much less trying.  Traveling the well worn path with the masses rather than the road less traveled makes so much more sense to most and  requires so little thought and effort.  It’s safe.  The risks are minimal, the rewards are known.  It’s a sure thing.  Continue reading →

No More Excuses

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Most days I love training.  No secret there.  But every once in a while, when I’m not quite feeling it, I catch myself looking for an excuse.  At these times the flimsiest, lamest excuse will do.  You know what I mean, right?  The funny thing about excuses is that to someone outside looking in, they seem to be the most ridiculous and inane things, yet to we who are making them they seem to be perfectly logical and iron clad.  Fact is, once we set our minds on an excuse, it takes a huge, overwhelming effort to push it aside and get done what we need to do.  Continue reading →

This is Dangerous to YOUR Training

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Alright.  Strap in, kids because this is gonna be a bumpy one.

There is a huge problem that affects many people training in martial arts today that needs to be addressed because it is severely inhibiting their progress and skill.  It applies to fitness training as well, so if you don’t train martial art read this with whatever type of training you do in mind. Continue reading →