Fitness for Everyone!

Your kids will likely follow your example no matter what it is that you do. Why not lead them toward a life of good health and fitness?

If anything, one of the biggest motivators to getting in shape should be to increase your families quality of life. Here are some of the things that we did to help our kids, and ourselves stay healthy:

After dinner walks:

In Germany, one of our favorite things to do was to take our daily walks right after dinner. This would not only help digestion, but it would also facilitate conversation. I got to know my kids more, and more each time we walked to the park. We would often play tag, make up an obstacle course, and race each other. This type of interaction was important since I had to make up for the 12 or 15 months I would spend in Afghanistan every other year.

Start a club:

When we moved to Fort Benning, GA, I had to start my time as a Drill Sergeant. This meant little to no interaction with my kids or wife, which meant no more amazing after dinner walks. So, one thing my wife did was volunteer as a coach for the schools run club (which was run by another member of The Warrior Family team). This meant the boys, and my wife, would get together with 20-30 elementary school kids, and do sprints, play games, or even run around the neighborhood. The club was so effective that the children would compete at local races, and often win medals! This had an extraordinary effect on their confidence, and their overall fitness level.

Be The Example

I have been a paratrooper in the Army for seven years now. I loved competing in Army functions, and would often do races where my wife would also participate, and my kids would watch. Since 2009, I have been really big into Crossfit, and continually watch instructional videos, or technique ones as well. Recently, my boys asked if I would train them on the Olympic lifts (I have been certified since 2009). I must say, that was one of the most awesome things I have ever felt - to know that my boys want to go beyond the ordinary, and compete at an elite level like they see on the videos I watch. So, we started training: 

     First, before every time they wanted to play any video game, they owed me two minutes of movement: 5 push ups/5 sit ups/ and five jumps for as many rounds as possible (commonly referred to as an AMRAP). Then, we began developing form, and precise movement patterns. This, my friends, will continue since their motor patterns will change as they grow.

Here is a photo after our handstand push-up competition:

The boys and I had so much fun!

I would never think that a six, and nine year old would be capable of doing something so complex - they sure did impress me.

Mateo: 5 w/kips

Caleb: 5 w/kips

Dad: 6 stict form

I'll be honest, if it wasn't for how interested my wife and kids are in fitness, I probably would have lost my motivation a long time ago. However, since they show so much interest, I will continue to teach, and mentor them to become as strong physically, and intellectually as possible.

Until next time, friends!

Make the effort, do your part, fight to make your family better. This is what we're all about.

Fight on friends! - The Warrior Family

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Tips to improve Focus pt.2

So you all know, I have to give credit where it is due. The inspiration for these posts on focus came from a man I recently began looking up to named Mike Bledsoe. He is one of the creators of the podcast Barbell Shrugged, and his side project is Bledsopia - where he talks about everything you could possibly think of.

Ok, where was I? Focus...

Like I said on the last post, whatever it is that was distracting you before, can probably wait. Today's helpful hint is made possible by our friends who created the iPhone. 

When you really need to get things done, the best thing to do is turn that thing off, right? Not so much.

If you find yourself having a hard time doing that, learn to employ the "Do not Disturb" function in the iPhone. When activated, the phone gives off no indication of incoming phone calls, or messages, but gives you the convenience of being able to get to it later...WHEN IT MATTERS!

You can even program this function to allow certain phone calls to come through normally. All that person has to do is call you back within a three minute window, and your phone will ring. History shows that if something is important, you will probably get a phone call, and not a text message. I currently have my wife, and some colleagues from work set under my favorites, so when the call me twice in a row, the phone will ring as normal. 

So, when at the gym, doing homework, or having a conversation with your loved ones, give them the attention they deserve. You'll be surprised, once you get used to using this, those things that used to make you lose your train of thought wont matter so much anymore.
                                                                                             

Tips to Improve Focus...ok, what?

Focusing and maximizing time is a hard thing to do when we are as distracted as we are. We live in a time where many peoples attention span is limited to how fast they slide their finger across the screen of their telephone. This causes several problems.

First, the people we should be paying attention to aren't getting enough of it. When I moved back to the United States after living in Germany, one of the biggest things I had to get used to was how people didn't really have conversations anymore. I remember very clearly sitting in a circle with friends, trying to talk about the past, and noticing that all of their heads were down staring at their smart phones. After living here for a few months, I found myself caught up in the same issue, and began trying to force myself to leave the phone in my pocket, on silent, while I visit with people. The need to see what the rest of the world was doing was eating at my productivity. I remember sneaking in occasional peeks at my social profiles while in the middle of homework for my college courses, what's the big deal? Could this stuff not wait?

So, I'm going to post a few things that we can do to somewhat minimize the distractions we get from our smart phones/social media profiles.

Manage your time:

If we allow ourselves too much time to accomplish a list of tasks, there will not be enough pressure to actually ensure they get done. One method that could make you more productive is giving yourself time blocks to complete certain tasks. For example, when I get home, I know I have to eat, help with the dishes, talk to the wife, hang with the boys, and get my equipment ready for the next day (uniform, tactical gear, etc.). If I get home at 1930 (7:30PM), that gives me two and a half hours to get all of that done. Without setting time-hacks for myself, there is no pressure, and I have found that usually something doesn't get done. Here's what a more effective schedule would look like:

Eat dinner-15 min.
Hang out with the boys (before shower)-15 min.
Help with dishes (and send boys to shower)-30 min.
Talk to wife - done while washing dishes
Finish hanging with boys (and send to bed)-30 min.
Talk with the wife (or watch an episode of Supernatural) - 30 min.
Get equipment ready - 15 min.
Check social media - 15 min.

This may seem extensive, and a little crazy, but something strange happens when you add a timer to the equation. The same reason a timer is effective in things like Crossfit, time limits motivate you to get things done while focusing on one task at a time. Also, I have found that I usually finish my small tasks well before the time is up (probably because of my competitive side).

There is an article published in the Crossfit Journal that talks about this. Here is the link:

http://library.crossfit.com/free/pdf/39_05_Tabata_My_Job.pdf

Give it a try, and let me know what you all think. I will post other tips throughout the week. MTF
                                                                                                                                                         

Make the effort, do your part, fight to make your family better. This is what we're all about.

Fight on Friends! - The Warrior Family

Being Unafraid

Every journey in life, no matter how great the distance, will always begin with one step. Recently, I have found myself energized, and inspired by men who have courageously made the decision to dedicate their lives to the pursuit of helping others. I wonder, what am I waiting for?

For the past two years I have spent countless hours making an impact on the lives of young recruits going through Basic Combat Training here in Fort Benning, GA. I have always had a passion for leading others, but the opportunity to serve as a Drill Sergeant meant doing so on a much larger scale. I went from being responsible for 8-12 Soldiers, to indoctrinating, transforming, and empowering around 60 Civilians turned Soldier over the course of nine weeks. There were times when I was overly stressed, and my family would get to see me about once a week. However, as time passed, I grew more effective in my mentorship, but more importantly, my time, stress, and focus management.

By my second year “on the trail” (how we refer to the time spent as a Drill Sergeant), I was a full time student taking online courses, I had adjusted my goals to better serve my family, and had strengthened my relationship with my wife and two sons; particularly my youngest son, Mateo.

So I ask myself, what’s the next step? Recently my hobby has been learning how the human body is supposed to function so I can optimize my performance. One of the men I look up to in this Genetic Potential movement is Brian Mackenzie, the author of Power Speed Endurance. When he speaks of running, he mentions that running is falling forward, shifting supports, and keeping your forward momentum, letting gravity do most of the work. He talks about being unafraid of falling, and how that has guided him on the path toward writing his book. Well, it’s time that I be unafraid.

  

This project that I am starting, The Warrior Family, will be a network of people who, first of all, are awesome, and have taken a no excuses attitude toward giving their families their own identity, while empowering them to become the best that they could be. I often hear people complain about the generation that social media and technology is producing...last I checked, there are no robots changing diapers in my house! I plan to develop a common place where families that I know are successful, have a passion for progress, and promote fitness, can visit to provide support for families of "our" generation, or even younger. Why shouldn't your kids be smart, fit, and freaking awesome? Maybe, if we can share lessons learned, exchange ideas of what worked and what didn’t, we can help other get strong, smart, so that they too can help others!