training is my sandbox for life - Arv' Musings (Page 2)

on skill work and exponential progress

Skill work is fun. You immerse yourself in the process, constantly trying to improve. But without being super critical or an ass to yourself. You try to figure things out, you ask for outside perspective, you assess and see if you are moving in the right direction.

coaching

on zero-sum thinking

Most sports are zero-sum games. If you win, I lose. That thinking does not bode well for folks who are looking to improve their health and fitness, especially in group settings.

ArvTraining

on impatience and trying to create efficiency

This was the time when I felt like a kid in a candy store. Suddenly, an entire universe was accessible to me.

coaching

on the shape that will actually make you happy

Do you look at an old photo - from 2-3 years back and not old college/school photos - and wish you were in that shape today? Well, here's a question for you - were you happy with that shape, at that time and place?

Getting Started

on a rite of passage

In almost all cultures, we see a traditional ritual or a rite of passage where "boy becomes a man". Whether it is going on a hunt once you turn a certain age, or getting circumcised, or land diving, it signals a huge transitional moment in life.

ArvTraining

find the thing you are avoiding doing

It is easy to do more of the same. Instead, the biggest changes come from doing those small things we are avoiding or constantly pushing away. What's yours? Here's mine.

coaching

what we can learn about instant gratification from plants

A lot of us fail on our journey towards better health and fitness because of poor mental models and mindset. Just like a plant takes love and care and time to yield results, you need to do the same in your journey.

ArvTraining

don't think, feeeeel!

Finally, one day, Adrian just smiled when I asked my inevitable question after he explained the workout. And told me some of the most important words I needed to hear - "Arv, turn that brain of yours off".

habits

on swimming in the winter in Calcutta

Until then, it never struck me. In my hometown of Madras, much further to the south, the concept of winter is, well, just a concept. While I've lived in places with severe winters, it was just that I did not think about it when I decided to wake up and go swimming.

coaching

on a day when something clicked

It was exhilarating and I felt like I was dreaming. I wanted to pinch myself because this was night and day! It just felt magical.

origin stories

on 9 years of The Quad

Raj and I ran our first-ever class at The Quad on Sep 19, 2011. The 9 years since have been a period of personal growth, of figuring things out, of trying to stick to our guns and doing things our way, of making silly mistakes.

coaching

on knowing what you are capable of

A difficult situation is not fun. It makes us rather uncomfortable and queasy. The severity of the situation compounds this effect. The situation asks a question of us. Can you handle it?

habits

practicing being in the moment

I am still unsure but it is easier to learn by action, than by reading other people's experiences and asking 100s of questions. I am still unpacking what a seemingly simple statement one of my students made about washing the dishes.

training is my sandbox for life

on cheat codes

It was not until I found the iron game that things really changed in my head. When I put in the requisite effort, I got better. When I tried shortcuts, I got bit in the ass sooner or later. When I behaved stupidly and chased too many rabbits, my performance went down.

training is my sandbox for life

on one rep at a time

There are many lessons that I did not learn, or completely missed the point on. Either they were too abstract for me, or I was not ready for it, or I did not have enough wisdom and/or context to understand them. Viewing them though the lens of strength training clarifies much larger lessons.