A Philosophy Of Sorts, In Two Parts - Part One

I'm often told, "Oh, Joe, you've been through so much. How do you do these workouts?" "Where do you find the energy?" "I'm too old, I could never do that." and so on and so on.

If you've read the side over there (-->) you'll see what I'm talking about. Some say I'm an inspiration, a term I'm unconfortable with, but it is what it is. So after hearing those comments, and getting some questions, I'm going to tell you two axioms that I've adopted that serve me pretty well in dealing with a bunch of stuff.

Part One, because, to my mind, this is the more important:

To be young, do young things.

It sounds simple enough, but at 53, I see the cards stacked against me. Not with how I feel, but with society...especially the media, at the forefront! I'll give you an example: I was watching American Ninja Warrior and of course most of the competetors are in their 20's-early 30's. They had a few guys who were 41, 47, and 54. To hear the announcers you'd think these guys were at death's door! "How brave they were to even be out there!"

Screw you, buddy!

I haven't gone through the Ninja Warrior course but I walked through fire at an Anthony Robbins seminar. In Germany a while ago, in the Bavarian Black Forest Park, they have a structure called The Egg that you climb up and at the top you can see for miles. Did that. They have zip lines you can take down but we had a toddler with us so...next time. At recent Beachbody Coach Summits I'm among the oldest in my team and of the attendees. Went to the workouts, ass was kicked, had a good time at the afterparty. And don't tell anyone, but I still have a pull at my local comic book store!

I guess what I'm trying to say, in my usual long-winded fashion, is age is a number. It doesn't control you. I often say I'm 53, feel 23, act 13. I.m not saying to go out and be ridiculous but be young. Young at heart at the very least! Because 1) you'll be amazed at what you can really do and 2) it'll make you feel good!

The Program: Don't Reinvent the Wheel

If you've been doing P90X or Insanity or any of the Beachbody programs you'll know they come with an exercise schedule - what DVD to do on what day in what order. These are in the order they're in because the research that went into the program found that to make the greatest strides and achieve the greatest success, this is how it needed to be done. So, I'm here to tell you:

Don't reinvent the wheel!

What I mean by that is simply follow the program as best you can. I know from experience that sometimes a workout comes along that you just can't do for some kind of physical reason. I, personally, cannot do the yoga workouts. I have one bad foot that makes some of the workout insanely painful...and not in a good way - in a "I literally can't walk" way. So I do the other stretching DVD in the program.

If you're doing a workout and decide "I don't like this workout," "I'll skip this DVD," "I'm do this one later and switch this one," and then complain that you didn't get any results...well...this is kind of harsh...but that's on you! So, keep pushing play, follow the workouts as best you can, follow the schedule as best you can, use your coach (that's me!) and you'll be rockin' swimsuit season!

I know it!

As I Remember

I was with her for a very long time, many years, in fact. We were so different she would often remark how odd it was that we were together. But we fit. We were like a comfortable pair of thick fluffly slippers. I can't explain it any better than that, we just fit. We never married but I'd be lying if the thought never crossed my mind. As I say...we fit.

Then a few years ago, she got sick. Very, very sick. Oh, at the beginning she tried. Tried to keep on doing the things she liked but soon things just became a litany of "Why me's", time took its toll and she passed out of my life. A blink, you're here then gone, there then simply not there.

I remember her. How she would curse like a drunken sailor on shore leave and I would always say, "Such a lady!" until she would let loose with some depraved profanity and say "Such a lady" before I could. Or how she would get this look on her face and I would know that, momentarily, some part of my anatomy would meet with the otherworldly cold of her hands or feet. Or how she would ask some inane question just to see if I would answer. Of course I would, launching off into some detailed explanation and look over to find her shaking with laughter.

She was not a picture person, never wanting to have her photo taken and that is one regret I have (among many I've collected.) The only picture I have of her is on an old inactive cellphone. She was sitting with her little dog on her lap, scratching it behind the ears. The dog had a little doggy smile, the light was behind them and she looked so beautiful. I remember taking it. It exists only in my minds eye now.

As I remember her. No matter the time that passes she will always be beautiful. Always have long wild curly dark hair, always be straight and tall, never age and never go.

I don't really know what I'm trying to say to whoever is reading this. I suppose it could be when you see that someone you have in your life to tell them what they mean, to fix them in your memory, to hug them just a little more.

I suppose I could be telling you women who run from the camera to stop. Take the picture, no matter how good or bad you think you look. Truthfully, its not for you but for us.

I suppose I could just be saying I'm a little bit lonely, especially around this time of year. Or maybe I'm hearing a voice with a Staten Island accent in my head and feeling an otherworldly cold hand on my back, giving me a little push.

I've almost deleted this about five times now, its a little raw for me to see. But maybe it'll have some value to others and maybe it was just a bit cathartic for me.

The Bravest Person In History - Revealed!

Through painstaking research which required spanning the globe, flying in coach class, and hours of combing through musty parchment, records, and paintings, I have at last determined the bravest person in history.

It is, of course, the first person to ever drink milk.

Come with me now to those days of yesteryear and imagine, if you will, two cavemen gazing across the velt, or tundra, or whatever it was cavemen gazed across. Listen, as one says to the other:

"Hey! You see that weird looking animal over there?"
"Yeah?"
"No,no...the other one."
"Right?"
"You see that freaky looking thing underneath it?"
"Uh huh, yeah?"
"Well...whatever comes outta there, I'm gonna drink it!"

I rest my case. You're welcome.

The Sweat That Makes The Sexy

I like to sweat. I'm not talking about the Florida "go outside and have your shirt stick to your body humidity" sweat. Nor am I speaking of the Las Vegas "standing at the pool and fearing that your calves may burst into flame" sweat.

I'm talking about the sweat you get when you push yourself to do that last rep. When you run 5 miles when you thought you could only run 3. When you're doing some new workout and you reach that "quit" point and say, "Oh, hell no!" and keep going. And then you're out of breath, maybe you're shaking a little, and the sweat is just rolling off you. Dripping from your nose, dripping from your fingers cause it's picked up speed as it rolled from your elbows, down your forearms, and now its pooling on the floor beneath you. That's the sweat that makes the sexy. When you've given it everything and then just a bit more.

I know I'll write this and people will think its odd. Perhaps it is. But I'm betting there's a few of you who read this and are nodding your heads. We're the same people who get excited over buying a new pair of workout shoes...and post pictures of them! We get excited over a new workout program coming out. We post pictures of ourselves in varying levels of sweaty pain.

And think it's fun. We never used to think that way, at least I didn't. Now I'll watch a video of a Spartan Race and see the finishers getting pummeled by guys dressed up as spartan soldiers and think, "That looks like fun!" Or see people getting muddy and climbing over logs or jumping over fire and say, "That looks like fun!" It didn't happen overnight.

But I just suppose it's another by-product of the sweat. That...and the sexy.

Time Marches On

I'm 52 years old. I feel 25. I act like I'm 12.

I seem now to be making more "urrumph" sounds when I sit down, or stand up, or have to bend over to pick something up. If I'm on the ground for a while, doing some kind of exercise or putting something together, it takes me a bit longer these days to get to my feet. It's a bitter pill to swallow, but I realize now...I'm getting older. I just have to accept the fact that time is catching up to me.

Unfortunately for time, I'm going to put it in a headlock and beat the crap out of it! I...Feel...Great! I do, truly. I'm doing things now that I never thought I could. And the best part is I see other people my age, or younger, who look like they're 10 years older than me!

Secret? I work out..hard. I eat right. And, I think most important...I do young things! Age is number. Mr.P90X, Tony Horton, is 54! A woman at the most recent Beachbody Coach Summit, won his impromptu pushup challenge - she's 58! Geez...read my story - I've had my insides removed and reconstructed and I'm still trying to crush it!

Have I slowed down? I have to admit, yes, a little bit. Am I leaps and bounds ahead of others my age? Absolutely! Why? I keep trying.

I'm 52 years old. I feel like I'm 25. I act like I'm 12.

In other words - I feel young!

Time for a Vacation!



The family plot!

I've been in Germany for the last two weeks, more specifically Bavaria. My dad comes from there, way down south in the Black Forrest region. I always say when you're driving, you're in the forrest, in the forrest, in the forrest, then it opens up and its like a post card. Then you're back in the forrest.

I saw my relatives, saw some new babies, ate a lot of food and drank a lot of beer. And managed to gain 5.8 pounds in the process! It could have been worse, but I at least made sure I got out and walked just about every day...uphill...both ways! (Well, that's how it seemed to me...sidewalks on a 30% grade. Good times!)

The thing is, I'm not really too upset about the weight gain. I know a lot of other people would be completely freaking out but, after all this time as a Beachbody coach, helping others reach their health and fitness goals, I've learned enough to help me reach my health and fitness goals. I'm not worried about it, so much so that I'm confident I'll have that weight gone within a week, two at the most!

I suppose what I'm trying to say is if you go on vacation, or a trip, or travel, don't beat yourself up if you gain a couple of pounds, or eat a few pieces of chocolate cake, or have a few liters of beer (not at one sitting, please!). Enjoy yourself! You're out of your routine for a few days and that's a good thing.

Recharge and then get back in and hit it hard! Often times, that rest is what your body is craving and when you reset, recharge and hit it again, the gains you'll see will be astounding.