Everyone Has A Story

If you don’t like what you see, change it. If you like what you see, improve it.

I have always been the person to believe in something better than what I am currently doing, not to be a pessimist but rather than an optimist in a non-complacent life. Am I happy with what I currently have? Of course. Am I happy with what I have currently have done with my life? I am ecstatic! But I know that I have the drive in order to accomplish more than I have currently done and currently have. I do not believe in materialistic items (except my mini, because I love it haha) and I do not believe that these items in your life define who you are rather than what you are doing with you life defines exactly the person that you have become.

I am a bodybuilder, my goals are to reach the stage, when the time is right I will do just that. My path leads all the way to doing so. Mentally I am ready to take every step to achieve this, physically I am pushing myself past every barrier that I thought I had reached before in order to be better than any other competition I have entered before. I am supported, by my family, friends, mentors and the circle that I hold close to me. The biggest question I am asked is why? Is it to fight against the weak kid who was picked on his entire life? To accomplish something that the odds are against? No, its because of the fact that I believe I can do it, I will not let anything in life get the better of me, I will not let the downfalls of certain peoples attitudes towards themselves determine my own success in life, I will not let what people view what they CAN’T do determine what rightfully I CAN do.

I am sick and tired of hearing what other people think define what you are and what you can do with you life.

With every certification that I take I always study categories, to tell you the truth I never listen nor put a client in a certain category based upon certain ailments or a physical standpoint that determines themselves as a category to where they will NOT achieve based upon a certain amount of factors.

  • I have helped cancer patients live longer based upon what a doctor determines their lifeline.
  • I have helped people walk when they believed they can not.
  • I have helped stroke victims gain use of their bodies as a whole through exercise, patience and determination.
  • I have helped clients lose body fat, weight and get in physical shape BETTER than they were in their teens.
  • I have helped people through competitions, races, tough mudders, marathons, sports and triathlons.

ALL BECAUSE I DIDN’T STOP BELIEVING THEY COULD DO IT!

So I challenge people’s thinking, their knowledge, their certain outcomes that I always prove to be incorrect, I challenge it because I know better, it is the belief in the person not the statistic, all because of the fact that while I hear their negative opinions on someone that they themselves can achieve something that they never thought possible. With every cry of negative there is a truth to their saying, they too want to do what you do, they too want to achieve what you are doing, they too want to do exactly what you are doing to achieve what YOU want in your own life. Do not lose sight of the fact that the most important person is yourself, never lose sight of the fact that you are supported, never ignore the fact that with everyone not wanting YOU to do what you are destined to do, these same people want it in their own lives, they are just afraid to take the steps.

The achievers are always mentors, help those who want the change in their own lives, the rewards will be productive to your own success. Be the person who was inspired and now who inspires others to do better things in their lives, through fitness, to accomplishment, it’s all up to you.

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Searching The External Versus The Internal

Heart;

-The center of the total personality, especially with reference to intuition, feeling, or emotion:
-The center of emotion, especially ascontrasted to the head as the center of the intellect:
-Spirit, courage or enthusiasm.

Physique;

-Physical or bodily structure, appearance, or development.

Lately I have been doing quite a bit of research when it comes to people’s fitness journey, from face-to-face interaction with clients to Facebook, Instagram, blogs and articles the information that I have been receiving is incredible. I’ve recently been motivated by an incredibly humble man named Jay Leone who took a staggering 5th place in his first competition, who at 47 years old he said that he didn’t want to be old, fat and bald and one of my wonderful clients named Elsie who at 91 years old, trains to walk without the assistance of a walker.

Motivation surrounds us if we take the time to look for it.

I have always been the type of person to believe in improvement rather than perfection, that’s why at The Force by Luke I really push my trainers to pass on this message, if we don’t the client has a large potential to feel these unwanted emotions (old, fat, lazy, not good enough, doomed) and not believing in themselves will shut the door on their own success before they have reached the first step of achievement.

The truth is the workouts are always going to be challenging, it’s designed that way, to build your body stronger, faster and more adaptable to the larger goals that you have. If you are not challenged anymore, find a better trainer or a different style best suited to making those challenges more of a motivation to improve rather than get beaten by it.

The other truth is nutrition is not going to be easy! Again, it’s not designed to overwhelm the sense of taste. I teach my clients to find their satisfactory, from splitting meals to those who have appetite issues to finding alternatives for those who prefer taste the important factor to think about is how I feel physically over tastefully.

Believe in oneself and your body will follow.

self-discipline
So with your workouts in check, your nutrition in check how do you feel about YOUR journey this far? If we are all improving are you? If not then why? It is very easy as a trainer to say “dust yourself off and get back on the ball” and feel confident that I have sent the right message as we all fail but is it as easy to receive the message as it was to portray?

Stress, life changes, events and time are something’s that can put a halt in the path, they do from time to time, but the difference between a short cut back to a prolonged stop in the road can the difference between how you feel now and knowing that you have what it takes inside you to accomplish a goal.

If you are not in a temporary bump in the road lets get a bit of a challenge going, why not make an extended goal? One that goes all the way to December this year, when you know the weather is cold, you’re wearing those thick sweaters and pants and know that you’re covered up. Let’s make a goal of being the best this year rather than the other years, knowing that you don’t have to show off your improvement but rather the satisfaction of knowing that all of your hard effort and commitment has paid itself to the one person who truly matters, yourself.

Cheers to improvement you guys, from the one who always believes in the can rather than the can’t.

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No Regrets

re·gret

rəˈɡret/
verb

1.
feel sad, repentant, or disappointed over (something that has happened or been done, especially a loss or missed opportunity).
noun
1.
a feeling of sadness, repentance, or disappointment over something that has happened or been done.

There are times in your life where you have to admit that you need help, it’s not about failure or not being able to succeed at certain things but asking for assistance to achieve something much greater than you can accomplish on your own.

In October I decided to reach out for help, and I went to the one person I knew could bring the best out of me, Michael Wright.

Our relationship started over nutrition and evolved into him training me, although I have been a personal trainer for over 12 years I had and still have the same mental approach, let him teach me from the beginning, listen to everything that he has to say, apply each method and teaching and give everything that I have, every single time.

So far he has taught me more than I ever would have imagined, he has offered support and encouragement and will never slow down as he trains me, it is this dedication that makes him the best at what he does, I look up to him as a mentor and friend.

2 weeks ago I had a leg session with Michael which brought the idea of this blog, to say that the workout was intense is definitely an understatement…..I can say that within 10 minutes I was fried but he helped me push past my comfort zone, Mike even had some of the members of his gym, Quads in Keller TX, to come help me and encourage me to get through it, which is not only why Mike is the best, but he has the best gym around. Towards the end of the session I could barely stand and I noticed that he was talking with my wife, not knowing what they were saying I pushed past the pain and finished the workout.

What did he say that brought everything back to perspective?

20150504_163628-1He was talking about the fact that when it comes my time to get back on the stage I won’t be thinking about this particular workout, I won’t be thinking of the pain, the loss of breath, the struggle and the strain that it puts on me, but rather the opposite, he said how I will have “NO REGRETS” when I am on stage, how I know that I have put everything that I have into the journey, how I pushed myself beyond what I thought capable and did what was necessary to get the job done. When I heard this it hit me like a brick to the side of the head, this guy believes in ME!

Funny how I never would have thought he would. Funny how while thinking this it was the opposite, I didn’t believe in myself. Funny how I teach, preach, and stand by my own word of believing in each client’s struggle while giving my undeniable support to them I was going through the same struggle that they go through…

So with this teaching that I learned, I ask each of you something, do you believe in yourself? Take a good look at what you have accomplished so far, take a look in the mirror and as yourself if you have regrets, ask yourself if you have reached your limit or are you just starting to accomplish something that you never thought possible? I can tell you from experience that you have so much more to accomplish, you can do so much more than what you currently are doing, just believe in yourself, trust your trainer and go out there and do the work! I believe in each of you, just like I believe in myself now.

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Defining the cause versus the issue

Issue:

A point the decision of which determines a matter:

The real issue in the strike was the right tobargain collectively.

Cause:

The reason or motive for some human action:

The good news was a cause for rejoicing.

Upon talking with a good friend about different issues I’ve been having with my motorcycle and the absurd cost to fix a battery he brought up a few good points when it came to why the dealership charged as much as they did, of course I always bring everything back to personal training. 
I was informed that the dealership ran a series of tests in order to diagnose exactly why I have been having so many issues with the bikes battery, the cause of why it has been running low or even flat and how to eventually fix the problem. Here I thought that the dealership was after my money and up charged me in order for them to be more profitable but at the end of our experience together, thankfully I have not had any more problems. The problem was not in the battery but in the wiring and if I wouldn’t have gone to the more detailed place then I would have paid more in the long run, had more issues and even more stress as a result of less attention to detail. 
This always makes me think of how I treat my clients, these fine details and attention to the customers concerns and needs made me think of issues versus the cause. 
Issues with clients: Weight loss, body fat loss, specific areas of improvement, strength, lack of energy, poor eating and the list goes on.
Most importantly, the cause of these issues. 
Why did you gain weight?
What’s causing the body fat gain?
How can we improve on those areas that are bothering you?
How do we take your strength goals and make them a reality?
Where are we making mistakes that cause a lack of energy and increase your energy? Is it nutrition? Is it lifestyle?
How do we increase your good habits when eating and eliminate the bad?
The best trainers always work with you on these causes, identifying them and finding ways to help you bring out the best in you. It’s not only the job that they do but the reason they chose the profession they are in, isn’t that why you hired them in the first place? I have yet to step beyond a common goal with a client who hasn’t truly opened up to themselves as well as me in order to improve. 
It’s not always easy to admit your faults and be open with someone about wanting to change, I understand this most of all, it all comes down to trust. Do you completely trust your trainer? If you don’t, find someone new, there are many in the profession suitable to whichever goals you want to accomplish. Don’t patch an issue, find that root cause and rid yourself of these small issues in your life, where you are in your life you can always change and improve, it just takes that small step outside of your comfort zone in order to accomplish it. 
As always, you need to be supported whole heartedly by your trainer, they need to be passionate about your journey and want it just as much, if not more than you do! Change is coming in your life, are you willing to take those steps? 
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Drive-What motivates you?

I often sit back and wonder about what motivates other people, and the story they have in their lives that led them to start the path of improvement.  I know what motivates me, but I will get into that a little later.
I see a lot and take a lot in when I am working out, I pay attention to myself as well as the other people in my surroundings.  Inspiration is everywhere! I can safely say that I very non-judgmental even when some slip through the cracks, but that is not what this is all about.
I see the bodybuilders, cranking out endless sets with heavy weights, the grunting and the constant struggle of pushing beyond their physical abilities in order to achieve a goal set for them.  I have seen high carbed bodybuilders, full of energy and strength, full of determination, having a great time and I have seen the depleted, the struggle to just stand up straight and stay awake and the struggle to keep their mindset when it comes to their competition.  I admire the physical strength and wish I had it in me.
I see the members at the chain of gyms, the members who are high in their weight and body fat.  I see them knowing they HAVE to do this in order for them to survive, I see them pushing themselves to exhaustion, pushing themselves past the point of pain because the pain they feel is inside themselves, in their heart not their bodies, the pain is losing their lives and leaving behind their loved ones.  I admire their heart and wish I had it in me.
I see the people on the street, running, though the run is no faster than a pace, I know they are running becuse their body language is screaming it! The expression on their face is pure agony, they want to be a runner because not only is it their dream, they are making it a reality! I admire the inner strength and wish I had it in me.
I see the lonely worker at the table in the break room, all by themselves, eating their own prepared meals, knowing that person prepared that meal based upon their goals.  I know that they would rather be eating the cafateria food but their goals are much greater than temporary taste.  I admire their will power and wish I had it in me.
My motivation comes from being the best person that I can be and I know I can only do that by improving every single day with everything that I do.  I have physical strength and will push myself to be stronger.  I have heart and will push myself to fill it.  I have inner strength and will surround it positively to increase it.  I have will power and will make sure I keep my head up.
I am also very motivated by each and every one of you, I know that you will do great things and I know that it is important to surround yourself with positive like minded people.  We will ALL motivate each other and become the best we can be, as long as we are together.
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