Ugh, why can’t it just be a simple answer, just tell me if I should work out three times a week or seven!
Sorry friend, those are the types of answers you’ll find in the checkout-line magazine covers. The real answer deserves a little more investment.
The same chef that skillfully seared, reduced and created is now getting thrown out of the kitchen for serving raw chicken for the second time in a row! Here in lies the magic of this program and a lesson that we can all learn from without having to sit through the yelling. The tug of war and interplay of our reaction to challenge vs threat and the ability to build resilience.
But let’s first shatter the notion of what a health and fitness regimen is. It is not eliminating fun, saying bye-bye to bread, and lunging from your car to the super-food store. It is simply finding a plan that matches your goals and lifestyle, building it into your routine, and sticking to it. So, once you find a plan, there’s a few things to look forward to.
Find a coach (Hi), find a program, find a system, find something that you’re interested in and will actually look forward to starting once the endless trays of cookies calm down. Set your exit strategy and mark it on the calendar . Make a plan instead of hoping to make the right guess when positive changes are your goal.
4th Shift Fitness is very proud and excited to be used as a contributor for the article by Jada Hudson in this months Fire Engineering Magazine. The effects of stress and the body’s reaction to it are things that directly impact the health and longevity of first responders.
The same chef that skillfully seared, reduced and created is now getting thrown out of the kitchen for serving raw chicken for the second time in a row! Here in lies the magic of this program and a lesson that we can all learn from without having to sit through the yelling. The tug of war and interplay of our reaction to challenge vs threat and the ability to build resilience.
Find a coach (Hi), find a program, find a system, find something that you’re interested in and will actually look forward to starting once the endless trays of cookies calm down. Set your exit strategy and mark it on the calendar . Make a plan instead of hoping to make the right guess when positive changes are your goal.
On the seventh round of the course, the firefighter was returning to the starting position to begin lap eight when she was about to put one tool down and pick up another, a firefighter standing by yelled out “Nice job, keep going!” The combination of her dropping the tool, the noise of breathing and most notably her fatigue combined and produced confusion.
About six months before the start of 4th Shift Fitness, I was asked to do an interview with a company called Tactical Athlete Radio. The founder of the company had just retired from the Marines after a full career and had transitioned in to discussing the tactical athlete community including police, fire, and his bread and butter military. The purpose of my appearance was to outline my feelings on firefighters who perform workouts while wearing their full protective gear. We also hit on Raph Ruiz and his methods in the HERO Initiative and how it all came together with Curt at LGN. Overall, there were only a couple cringe worthy moments but it was a great time and I learned a lot for next time, hopefully.
If you enjoy working out in gear have an open mind, please check it out. If it's your way or the highway, please save yourself the trouble and me the fun of receiving hate mail.
The podcast is available on iTunes and Stitcher. Episode 25.
Be prepared,
Chris
