Faith and Fitness - Let’s Grow!

The day of the swim test in our military unit had arrived.  Everyone was confident (or at least made it look that way).  Each of us started at a different station, and the pool was quickly filled with Soldiers.  Some were swimming with rifles.  Others were entering the water with all their gear then ditching it underwater.  Personal flotation devices were being constructed with worn uniforms.  Blindfolded Soldiers were entering the water from the diving platform.

I will never forget one Soldier who briefly confessed he wasn’t a great swimmer before leaving the diving platform.  He entered the water and quickly came back to the surface.  Immediately, he was a frenzy of activity—arms flailing and water splashing.  When a lifeguard would approach him to help him out he sent them away.  He was determined to swim to the side on his own.  He gave it every ounce of effort he had.  He was motivated to succeed.  Then he was gone under the water.  The lifeguard calmly swam over and fished him out.  To our surprise this Soldier went back and repeated this whole process over again!  He had a lot of determination, motivation, and sincerity, but in the end he did a lot of work without any results to show for it.  He needed someone to focus his efforts in the most effective way to learn how to swim.  He needed someone to show him what works.

Have you ever felt this way?  Have you invested a lot of effort without the results to show for it?  I sure have.  I’ve dedicated countless hours to a weight lifting, running, and calisthenics program.  This required me to work out twice a day for an hour or two.  What was the end result?  A lot of work without the results I was looking for.  With that amount of effort I wanted huge results.  I wasn’t getting them.  I was just spinning my wheels.  I needed someone to focus my efforts in order to be more effective in my workouts.  I needed someone to show me what works.

I then ran into a mindset that focused on functional strength through functional (natural) movements.  This is when I totally revamped my fitness plan into an attainable program that enables life-long fitness.  A fitness plan focused on functional strength produces a toned body with a strong core.  That is what I was looking for.  I was also looking for simplicity with a reasonable time commitment.  I have achieved and continue to progress towards goals I’ve chased for years, and it’s exciting!

It’s equally exciting seeing others progress towards their personal goals.  I received this from one of my clients a couple of days ago:
“Working with you has been such a positive experience for me.  I’ve started and stopped fitness routines tons of times.  But what I like about your approach is that it’s condensed into something that feels so attainable right from the start.  It’s simple, and it makes sense.  You showed me how to eat right so I can get just the right kind of fuel for my body.  And I feel great!  And what I love about the exercise routines you walked me through is that they easily fit into my schedule.  I don’t have to carve three hours out of my day to be serious about getting in shape.  And that’s what makes this work!  The only kind of fitness plan that’s going to give you long-term results is something that’s doable.  It fits into your life and becomes part of who you are.  This is life change.”
- Total Life Change Club Member in Portland, OR

Faith and Fitness – Let’s Grow!