training is my sandbox for life

Do you check-in with yourself?

Coasting and doingWith a lot going on, it is easy to get distracted by "doing". As a chronic overthinker, it is difficult to know if I am caught up in the midst of overthinking. Or if I am coasting. Spending time writing is an

framework

Understand and replenish your energy

Understanding my energy levels, paying attention it, and then setting my "best" for the day has made a big difference. It has led to the larger goal of self-kindness be more effective.

framework

Consistently Intense is your path to burning out

Sprinting with inadequate recovery leads to reduced performance. And if you do not rest enough before your next sprint session, you will eventually injure yourself. You think a cheetah can sprint 10 kilometres?!

habits

There's a cost to everything, including passion. Especially passion.

There is a cost to everything we do. Knowing the cost is important. Knowing our values and our end game, equally so. And then, we can start working on ensuring that we aren't fucking ourselves up while narrowmindedly going towards a goal that does NOT encompass all of us.

challenge

Keep doing more of this with the goal of stopping

And so, we are all stuck in a fucktarded trap. Where we all think we will find salvation by doing more of this and we'll get out of here where we can start doing less of this, once we get there.

discussion

To stand still against the current

Recently, I had the chance to do something interesting - to eat by myself. I thought I could do this anytime. But that's because I did it while reading a book, which for some reason I didn't think was the same as a distraction like watching TV. It is, as much of a book snob, as I might be.

framework

Do First, Understand Later.

The lesser room one gives for their ego, the easier things are. Do first. Understand later. Asking questions is mandatory. But do first. Until you know better questions to ask.

coaching

The Particle and the Wave

The world around us wants to divide us. And because we need to be here or there, we pick an extreme. Or worse, we choose inaction. Because deep down, we don’t agree with the extremes. That’s great. But we need to use the complementary theory here to dig deeper into our perspective.

life

A wake-up call

I think we are all being pulled down a bad path. It is on each of us to reject it and fight the current. Swimming upstream is awfully hard. Or get out of this river and find another one.

training is my sandbox for life

Are You Stuck Being Busy All the Time?!?!

I am not saying we stop working out or we stop having days where it is all Urgent + Important. But we need to shift the balance.

training is my sandbox for life

First Things First aka wiggle your big toe.

Every time I have the guts to listen to my learning - one rep at a time - it fucking works. Across the board.

training is my sandbox for life

Just do your best

Your best is NOT about quantity. Your best is not about output. In fact, your best on a not-so-great day might not even be high on quality.

training is my sandbox for life

The point of the ride

The point of the ride is the ride. You get joy from the anticipation, and from the ride itself. If you let it, it will leave you changed.

coaching

Above the line

Coz does it matter what you squat? Not at all. There are a zillion people who can squat more and squat better. Or you go to a small enough pond, you are the best squatter. Completely irrelevant - what one squats.

ArvTraining

barefoot running in winter

Most of my initial learnings were from watching my body, and occasionally from doing idiotic things. But just by listening to my body, and shutting my brain (which knew nothing about fitness) I was able to navigate.

dont quit

Calluses and bicycle seats

When you start something new, it is difficult. It chafes. It hurts. It is mighty uncomfortable. But as long as you persist sensibly i.e. finding the challenging point where your skill meets its sticking point, you will get rather good at it. You will adapt to it.

ArvTraining

the critic and the other guy

is he being objective and precise about his observation? No. It is his judgment on how he thinks you did. Not impartial. Depends on what side of the bed he woke up on today.

training is my sandbox for life

a great training session

My brain stayed out of it. I did not struggle to focus, nor did I try to stay in the present moment. I just did. Producing movement quality and grace and precision that was way above my normal.

discussion

break the rules

"You cannot have ice cream for breakfast", for example. What kinda stupid rule is that?!?!

coaching

chit chat during surgery

I couldn't believe it. Here I am, in this serious surgery and YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT LUNCH!?!!?!?! We need some serious people in here with complete focus.

coaching

the ever-expanding universe

You realise that some things were scarier in your head than in the real. But now, with more years under the belt, you see better. And when you were bored, you were just not challenged enough.

framework

solving it yourself vs using an expert

Meeting a tax consultant meant paying more money. And interacting with people. And answering questions that I didn't want to answer - about savings, about financial planning, and about questions, I didn't know existed.

coaching

separating the coach from the trainee

But in the early stages of my career, I made one huge mistake. I didn't separate out my lifting from my coaching. I didn't realise how much I squat has little to do with how well I can guide someone on their journey.

framework

lift more next week than you did this week

In one year, you will be squatting 270 kilos. In two years, you will have the world record in your sights. In three years...

life

on crazy commutes and efficiency

To the couple that trains with me who also happen to be startup founders, the commute is when they get to de-stress and talk about their dayThe hour they train with me is the only part of their day that is solely about them.