I Went to TSAC 2012

Thursday, 4.12.12, 14:45 PM
Las Vegas Airport, Pre-Flight Purgatory

This week I attended the NSCA-TSAC conference in Las Vegas.   TSAC is the division of the National Strength and Conditioning Association developed to address Tactical Strength and Conditioning, specifically the fitness needs of the military, law enforcement professionals and fire fighters.  It was an incredible experience and I would like to attend this conference annually.

The lectures on schedule were presented by leaders in each field and the content was relevant and insightful.  I was impressed with the presenters' willingness to note where they felt their research was limited, and how they felt the testing, training and priorities might be adjusted going forward to better serve their demographics.

There were a few recurring themes that made the content of this conference markedly different from a general fitness or strictly athletic conference. Several times it was presented that the success measure for athletic performance vs tactical performance distills down to win or lose vs alive or dead.  The injury reporting rate for service professionals is far lower (they tough it out and don't tend to request treatment) than that of the athletic or general public populations.  The tactical training priority is to complete physical conditioning safely and effectively rather than over-focus on mastery of formal lift technique.


I have a deep appreciation for many traditions of physical training.  The commitment required to reach any physical milestone is noteworthy.  Practice that involves self-mastery is some of the most courageous work we can do.

I also note that when a physical training needs analysis is focused on preserving life in extreme physical circumstances - in battle, in a fire, in a violent altercation or in any other circumstance of physical danger - the emphasis on survival comes first.  Preserving life is the immediate goal of the exercise program.

Being part of a culture that is recovering from some ailments of a prevalent sedentary life-style, sometimes the immediate life-preserving aspects of fitness slip off the radar.  The idea that eating well now and exercising now for health later doesn't carry the same urgency as eat well and exercise now to stay alive now.  This conference woke me up to my own sense of time-lapse lethargy and inspired me to pay more attention to the immediate factors in my own life, even as a civilian with comparatively low risk.

This conference was great for my own growth because historically I have had some insecurity about moving in military-oriented or perceived conservative communities based on some fears of not-belonging.  The presenters were clearly motivated by genuine care and compassion for the demographics they serve and there was an impressive level of attention and respect amongst the participants.  I met a couple new friends over an epic coffee incident the first morning, which made the whole experience so much more fun than I could have anticipated.  I look forward to seeing how this conference will evolve in years to come.

Break.Through. (originally written for Juno Fitness)

What is an athletic breakthrough?  Is it completing more reps, winning a match, lifting heavier weight, losing weight, gaining muscle, running faster, passing the CPAT?  Or is it tapping into the mind-body connection and working intelligently within the physical system to strategically create a breakthrough performance? 

Culturally there is a huge push toward working hard in the gym, burning tons of calories, manning up to ass-whooping workouts that leave participants lying on the floor in pools of sweat unable to remember their own names.  Everyone gets a reward for this type of behavior, be it in the form of an ego pump, a reprieve from feeling lazy or the relief that bodies can actually go that hard when driven.  Of course, there is a fitness level that comes from this too, which is *generally* pretty good. 

The effort in the extreme workout is laudable.  Participants have learned how to face physical exertion and endure discomfort - the opposite of remaining sedentary.  Culturally, that is a leap which deserves positive recognition.  The challenge is in preventing those workouts from becoming leaping points to physical disconnect at which point they cease to advance athletic development.

Athleticism implies a mind-body connection.  One of the compelling factors in consistent physical practice is the flow state or the zone.  In the flow state there is an interplay between challenge level and immediate feedback which provides a deep sense of satisfaction.  As we improve our athletic development, aiming for the flow state keeps us in a healthy range.  If we move out of flow, we move into something more like force or strain and there is a split between our mental/emotional engagement and our physical exertion.

John Douillard, author of Mind, Body and Sport recommends breathing through the nose during physical exertion (when possible - some sport specific technique doesn't support this).   Breathing more slowly allows more oxygen to enter the blood stream and keeps the pace of our movements consistent with what we can be present with.  As technique improves and physical adaptation develops, we move more quickly with this breath style.  

Developing athleticism does involve hard work.  There are points of significant physical discomfort.  The difference between strategically crafting a breakthrough performance and going balls out without a plan is implementing intentional mind/body connection and sport science.  

Next time you hit the gym ask yourself:

What is my big picture goal? 

What is my goal for this workout?

Where does this workout fit within my big picture goal?

Ask us to help you pinpoint where exactly you are in relation to your breakthroughs.  How can we help guide you toward improved mind-body connection in the midst of your badass workouts?  We want the whole package, and we want that for you too.  

written by Carey Rockland for Juno Fitness

Lemming Rebels

What goes on for you when rejecting a fitness or nutrition plan?  What uncomfortable feelings come up when you consider following one?

Is there some idea that following a plan is an admission of defeat, like your way didn't work? Will you lose your edge? Is it finally time to grow up and do the responsible thing? Is it an admission of aging?Will you become a boring spokesperson for a boring life?  Are you afraid it will be uncomfortable?  Is there an aesthetic component that is either compelling or frightening?

Those are some thoughts I brought up at our Athletistry meeting yesterday. I asked myself why I sometimes step away from the Ayurvedic nutrition and supplementation I have available.  It was an exercise in understanding mindset.  We went deep into why we sometimes encounter aversion to our own practices to better understand what our clients might sometimes feel.

At one point I mentioned that if I did everything right I would no longer feel like a rebel.  Then TJ said that during her time with Noah Levine he said or conveyed that: "The strongest form of rebellion is to control your own mind and body."  She said that many lemming-rebels historically have thought they were rebelling when in fact they were succumbing to mass marketing.  For example, marketers sold rebels-past on the image that smoking is cool.  People smoked, funded tobacco companies and died from it.  That was not well thought-out rebelliousness.

When we weed out the false concepts that block us from taking action on what we actually want, we make progress.  Accessing personal power can require blowing through some tricky BS, but more often than not, it evaporates upon analysis.

What blocks do you put between you and your health?  How can they be unraveled?  What is waiting on the other side?

Women's Self Preservation

Sharon Sanghera (of Vincit Magazine) and I just launched the Women's Self Preservation Program.  Last weekend we presented a seminar called, Venus Tactical Training, which covers incident prevention, de-escalization and self-defense.  It's cool to work with a room full of women on movement and mental strategy to become more aware of safety and surroundings.  The Women's Self Preservation  Program also offers courses and material on exercise, nutrition, mindfulness, empowerment and leadership.

I never thought much about doing single sex programming before even though I went to a women's college.  One thing that got my attention was an interview I did with the Sweaty Betties and Leticia Ribeiro for Vincit Magazine.  The Sweaty Betties are a women's only grappling group affiliated with the Gracie Humaita fight team.  They brought 6 x World Champion Leticia Ribeiro to South San Francisco for a women's only grappling camp back in December.  The experience of 60+ female grapplers learning from a female world champion was unforgettable.  The Betties conveyed what it was like to train almost exclusively with men and the breakthroughs that suddenly occurred when they made a point to train with other women.  

I have been grappling/practicing BJJ for about seven years now, and for much of my instruction I have been one of very few women on the mat (this is changing).  My process around grappling began with getting used to full contact and spacial awareness.  My childhood socialization did not cover it and one season of recreational rugby barely scratched the surface.  I remember my first boxing experience around the same time - I was learning to spar and every time I threw a punch I would laugh and apologize.  It was automatic.  I remember noticing that the guys were not having that problem.  It took a few months to feel as though I had reached neutral ground in my relationship to the contact that occurs in combat sports.  More girls are being raised with the option to explore these sports, but it will still be a long time before this becomes common.  Sport participation or not, girls and women should have a sense of the space around them, know how to "hold base" (maintain balance) and space, and be reasonably prepared to handle physical contact if necessary. 

Creating a space for women to learn to defend themselves is powerful.  It creates a safe container to develop physical awareness with others doing exactly the same thing.  This is not martial arts, per se, but it is human movement, mindset and emotion.  We do have men in the class assisting, and we will open some programs in the future.  Right now, the specificity is compelling and effective.

We look forward to evolving this project, and we are excited about what is possible.  Info on upcoming seminars may be found on our website, our FaceBook page, and Twitter: @WSPreservation.

Yo Juno! (origninally written for Juno Fitness)

 What's up Juno!  Happy 2012!

Are your resolutions still hot?  Are you seeing results yet? 

Here are a few questions to keep you on your toes:

Have you made SMART Goals? Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely 

This is a very smart way to measure your progress.

Are you stretching (dynamic or static) or moving through a mobility sequence daily?

Are you doing cardio 3-4 x week?

Are you strength training 2-4 x week?

Who are you accountable to?

Are you taking a few minutes to focus on your breath every day?  Slow down that exhale!

Are you doing one activity that feels like play every day (seriously, this keeps you young).

Are you sleeping enough? Get 8 hours, go on, get it.

Are you taking salt baths?  You can do it, really, you can.

Are you taking a rest day once a week?

Are you eating well?  We are all different and no one plan works for everyone.  

Here's a sample day plan I like:

Start the day with 8 -16 oz warm water with lemon

Breakfast - protein shake (2 scoops whey protein, 1 banana, 1 tbs almond butter) 

or .5 sweet potato and 2 eggs

Mid-morning - 1 rice cake w/ 2 tbs avocado and 2 oz organic jerky

Lunch - .5 - 1 cup brown rice, 4 oz chicken breast, 1 cup  broccoli

Mid-afternoon -  1 rice cake w/ 2 tbs avocado and 2 oz organic jerky

Dinner - vegetable stir fry, 4 oz lean organic meat (or tofu), green salad

1 oz dark chocolate

Let us know what we can do to keep you moving toward your goals! 

Be Cool

When my parents came to visit my Mom wanted to sing karaoke in a private room at a Japanese restaurant in San Francisco.  She made my Dad sing, and then she tried to make my partner and me sing.  My Dad indicated that Mom wouldn't let us out of the room if we didn't sing, so we choked through one song, and will never listen to Little Lion Man again.  Honestly though, what was so hard about that?  I should have just belted it out.

Often awkwardness is caused by the threat of total ego melt-down and a frantic attempt to prevent it (aka an inner block).  The thing that might happen if awkwardness doesn't scramble it is usually something we want and fear, or something that will shamefully expose.  Looping inner dialogue, stiffness, constricted breath, reduced accuracy and lack of charm are the regrettable ways we try to hold things together.  If that social survival system worked, it wouldn't be called awkward.

What can be done to stop this uncool nightmare?

1. Slow down your breath, especially the exhale.  Slow down in general.

2. Ask yourself, what is literally true and compare that to what your mind and emotions are telling you.  Act accordingly.

3. Do not try to be cool.  Try to be grounded instead.

4. Do not push or force.  Back off and lighten up (especially mentally).

5. Develop your ability to be in flow - find a fun activity that requires your full engagement and remember how it feels - replicate that feeling next time you are tempted to be awkward.

6. Find humor.  If you can laugh about awkwardness, you are less likely to be awkward.

7. Find out what you really want, why you fear it or why you are ashamed (or whatever the underlying survival issue is).

8. Shake it out - inhale and squeeze all your muscles, then exhale and shake out the tension.

9. Make a plan - what system can you put in place for yourself to be more comfortable when you are awkward?  Is there a personal mantra you can use to shift your perspective?

10. Let it go.  You are only as awkward as what you hold onto.  Practice letting it go, put it down, have some fun.

Good luck out there.

Grit

Grit: firmness of mind or spirit : unyielding courage in the face of hardship or danger.

Is it born or made?

If you weren't born with it you aren't totally screwed.

10 Ways to Cultivate Grit in Your Training (and your life):

1. Grow your humility.
Grit should come from a good place. Forcing your way may work for a while, but to access the best of yourself, let it be ok to learn from others.

2. Stand up.
Accept the challenge. Get off the wall. Push those around you to go further, to work harder. If you gas out, at least you worked hard enough to gas out.  

3. Try.
Actually try. Don't just pretend you are trying by going through the motions. Dig deeper and mean it.  

4. Focus on your goal.
Put a target on the thing you are working toward and do not take your eyes off it. Laser sharp focus. Take it seriously.  

5. Use your team.
Growing grit alone is ok, but you'll be more successful with your team. If you don't have one, get one. You will all go further by setting your sights on the next level and moving forward together.  

6. Lighten up.
You have to. Being too serious leads to frustration and blow-ups. Grit is not insanity. If you don't take breaks to laugh or chill out, you will go insane.  

7. Train no matter what.
Get yourself to the mat like your life depends on it. If you can't get to the mat (due to extreme travel or crisis) stay close to your practice via video, notes, and mental repetition.

8. Don't listen to the maniacal voices in your head.
Have you figured out which ones are crazy and which ones are helpful? If you haven't, take a minute to do it now. Or, wait until you are sparring and tell the one that says you're going to lose to shut the f*%k up.  

9. Find a reason bigger than you.
Exactly that. How far will you go just for you? Compare that to how far you are willing to go for someone or something, or your coaches or your team. If the bigger than you reason is more effective, keep reminding yourself of what it is and why it matters.  

10. Keep going.
Today's hard stuff gets easier and new hard stuff shows up. Whatever is kicking your ass today will lose impact, and larger things will rise up to kick your ass tomorrow. If you keep going, in spite of all the ass-kicking, you will grow, you will improve and you will have grit.

This post was originally written for OTM Fight Shop San Francisco.