Building a STRONGER Middle Class! Endure the Suck.
March 3, 2009 – 8:03 amI work with many elite athletes and celebrities, and yet my greatest joy comes from working with the average Joe and Jane. Honestly, it can be a bit of a humorous irony working with a professional athlete considering that I came from the “shallow end of the gene pool” overcoming physical and learning disabilities as a child. And yet, they still call me in for my opinion.
It makes sense, though, when you consider it. I mean, if it can work for me, and bring me from “experts” claiming that I wouldn’t amount to anything much to becoming a hall of fame award winning producer, author and athlete, it will work on anyone. But that’s really the point isn’t it? You shouldn’t follow a program used by a professional athlete as the chances are it was intended for the top 2% genetically designed for the sport. That’s like filling your stomach with supplements without eating proper meals.
Now, what you’ll see in this video is an example of the amazing students that I get to play with. They are not paid professional athletes, but they sure kick ass like them. They are each incredible athletes having lifted themselves above their challenges without genetic advantages or social privilege. They just go through the daily grind of practice, practice, practice.
This inspires me more than the pros that whine about eeking out another tiny bit of performance out of their punch, swing or throw; who don’t want to do what I tell them because they believe they know better; who bring me in not to challenge them but to reaffirm that they’re already doing everything perfectly. Certainly not all pros act like prima donnas, but enough of them do that I make them promise me on the front end that if they don’t follow my instructions, I’m no longer obligated to train them.
Some professionals and celebrities I’ve trained, however, are those who lifted themselves out of difficult situations and rose to the top in spite of their circumstances. And I feel honored beyond words to work with them. They’re the ones who keep me trying… and accepting new contracts in the hope of someone serious about their personal transcendence.
But the “Everyday Athlete” gives me all of the personal gratification that I could ever desire as a coach. Seeing them tuck their chin knowing that what they’re about to do is going to suck and doing it anyway… makes me feel ALIVE! I mean, that’s what it’s really all about isn’t it? Getting you to the point where you’re able to motivate yourself to do “the suck” so that I can focus on safely patrolling the boundaries to ensure that you’re safe, that you’ve been given sufficient adaptive stress, and that you’ve been taking adequate recovery time and methods.
Too often now, we’ve focused on convenience and comfort. We’ve allowed the technology tail to wag the self-effort dog. Now, it’s time to get back to the basics of honest, hard work… of kicking ass every day, especially when no one is looking, when we’re not with our friends and family, of when the only reason to work harder and smarter is because we feel personally responsible to just… Be Better. Choosing to do less when you could do more isn’t quitting on yourself, it’s quitting on your community, your country, your culture and the world.
These Circular Strength Training Athletes - Donna Eddy and Aaron Moon from Australia, Michael Addison and Genella Doble of England, and Slade Billew from America - tuck their chins and focus on “enduring the Suck” along with me in my personal training. And also know that they did this after 3 days of 26 hours of grueling physical exercise at one of my CST Instructor Certification Seminar. They are in my heart… champions.
Special thanks to the mastermind behind this program, CST Head Coach Mike Locke - Fitness Director and Sports Performance Specialist at the Bellingham Athletic Club. Mike, thanks for helping all of us kick ass!
flow thyself,
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11 Responses to “Building a STRONGER Middle Class! Endure the Suck.”
Hi Scot,
I am thinking about starting with clubbels. I found a company that sells them in my country (the Netherlands). I would like your advice on the following, I want to buy one clubbel to get me started.
Since these things are quite pricey I don’t want (or can ) buy a whole set.
What weight would be challenging enough to do most exercises that I see the people perform in the video?
I am 34 years old. I do some bodyweight exercises. I train powerlifting style, low reps high weight and I do a little kettlebell on the side. I have a 16 kg and a 24 kg kettlebell. The 16 is o.k and I can do pretty much every exercise with it. The 24 kg is actually at this moment too heavy. I can do swings and about five or six snatches and that’s it.
Knowing this would a 20 kg clubbel be to heavy?
thanks in advance,
Pim
By Pim on Mar 3, 2009
Great post Scott.
Ultimately we are all athletes “competing” in the great sport called life. I guess we sometimes focus too much on the accomplishments of those special few in the sports arena that can do extraordinary things with their bodies and minds which causes us to forget just how amazing it is to survive a day at the office. For a true example of functional strength please take a look at my friend Howie Brewer’s blog. You can find it here: http://howztraining.blogspot.com/2009/03/real-world-strength.html
By Johan Roelofse on Mar 3, 2009
Great work, folks! Made me hurt just to watch you all. But isn’t it about time we had a vid of the evil Coach Locke suffering through some of this great stuff he imposes on others? :)
By Jeanne Gostnell on Mar 3, 2009
Love those slider/glider things… what are they called?
By Simon on Mar 3, 2009
Simon, most likely those slider/glider things are called Glider Discs and can be found here: http://www.glidingdiscs.com/store.asp
By Kevin Lee Dougherty on Mar 3, 2009
a frisbee works pretty well too :)
By John Sifferman on Mar 4, 2009
Thanks guys,
Paper plates work well on carpet!
I also found this: http://www.valslide.com
By Simon on Mar 4, 2009
Thanks Coach for reminding us of why we love to do our own training, It’s just an excuse to play. I had forgotten how to just enjoy exercise until I found CST. It has resparked the fun in life.
Loved the video,You guys are dynamite. Go Aussie Go. Can’t believe you did that after a 3 day CST seminar with “trial by fire”.
Great tip about the frisbees John, those sliding exercises will be going on my training list.
Donna I also watched the ‘Aussie Slide-thru Prasara Body-Flow’ you tube. Very impressive, of course. You are such an inspiration. Loved the group gathering at the end. Looks like you and Aaron had a great time in USA. Hopefully see you back in OZ oneday soon.
By Jamie Louise on Mar 6, 2009
You make it look easy, life is too short not to enjoy the struggle!
Nice program Mike!
Inspiring article (as usual)
well done
By Jodie on Mar 6, 2009
Hi Scott,
You did not respond to my question on getting started with clubbels. So I figured the answer would probably be on the site. I looked a little further and found in the clubbel buyers guide. Sometimes it can be satisfying to find out something for yourself.
Keep up the good work,
Pim
By Pim on Mar 11, 2009