Wednesday 26 August 2009

jPT Tip: Tea Time!

jPT Tip: Green Tea High in anti-oxidants, aids in Fat loss, can boost energy, promotes well being and just generally helps you kick butt! Great after meals. Not all green teas are created equal though, ask for more info

Tuesday 25 August 2009

jPT Tip: Need a better brekky

jPT Tip: Need a better brekky but can't quite give up your usual tasty cereal, get a 30g each of cereal, oats, bran in your bowl. save$, lowers sugar, keeps you fuller, higher fibre & keeps taste. I like to add goji berries 2 for a real nutrition kick!

Knock off a whole piece of fruit along with brekky for a real 'fuzzies' blasting start!

Monday 3 November 2008

Do you have a coach to elevate your performance? Profile Part 2 - Coach Joe Wilson

Do you have a coach to elevate your performance? Profile Part 2 - Coach Joe Wilson

I got my first opportunity to train with Joe this year, and I have to tell you the impact he creates when first contact is made is memorable & instantly worthy of a story.


He runs on a natural booster that is infectious to those around him and keeps him on an orbit of energy which seems limitless, but he definitely ain't no space cadet. I found him to be an extremely intelligent man of integrity, and although always smiling you cannot doubt his serious dedication to his craft and his passion for helping others reach their potential.

A part of Coach Sonnons Rmax Faculty and a long time friend of Scotts' Joe also acts as a verbal, physical and mental sparring partner for Scott much to both of their delights.

Working with Coach Sonnon he helped elevate my physical performance and the expectations of where I can take my movement, professional and personal development not by any miracle but by setting an example, guidance, encouragement and allowing me to see my own intuitive capability, exactly what a good coach should do.

Profile on 'Smiling' Joe Wilson

Born with a torsional deformity in his hip and his feet that meant he had to wear leg braces and corrective shoes until he was 12.


















Even at 13 he was told by doctors that he would never be able to run or participate in normal athletics.

As a child these challenges caused Joseph to feel different from others. Absorbing all the negative information from doctors and medical professionals led him to feel as though he could not keep up with other kids which ensured it became a self-fulfilling prophecy.

He endured years of being the slowest and the last, not to mention being the last kid to get picked. At 13, Joseph’s life and perspective changed when problems at home led him to spend most days and nights in solitude.

This led him to visualize what he could actually do almost constantly. With no one around to remind him of what he couldn't do, he began to overcome the challenges bit by bit.

The physical challenges he faced forced him to work harder than most and look for ways to improve in places where most kids his age hadn't or wouldn't even consider.

He would literally train day and night, reading and studying everything in fitness, martial arts & self development he could get his hands on .





Joe in Action with Clubbell

His martial arts training began at 4 years of age and has been active ever since, now holding black belts in several disciplines, his dedication to the Martial Arts also took him to China, where he was accepted as a student and trained by the Shaolin monks. He shares that experience with others, and operates a successful martial arts school (open for over 15 years).

Wanting to face old fears & new challenges he set his sights on a career in Law Enforcement. Growing up in Memphis, he faced being a target of violence, and being surrounded by crime. Joseph always romanticized the idea of being a police officer and being one who could protect and help others.

He has always believed that being a Police officer is one of the noblest professions. So at 21, he scaled down his business, dropped out of college (for a period) and applied and was accepted to the academy. For over 10 years, Joe has been a full time law enforcement officer, and is considered a "Use of Force Expert" in many States and Countries.

Despite physical challenges and advice from “experts” to never exercise he was able to become a Multi-discipline International Martial Arts champion,teacher, accomplished author,speaker and a highly sought after law enforcement and protective services trainer.
Joe Wilson teahing Monks at the Shaolin Temple

Joe credits the Circular Strength Training System and Scott Sonnon with his full recovery and helping him overcome perceived limits that were forced upon him by others, which have earned him entrance into the National Fitness Hall of Fame Museum and Personal Trainer Hall of Fame.

Upon meeting Joe you can sense that his greatest joy comes from teaching and helping others. He continues to appear and speak on topics such as Personal Safety and Self Protection, Health and Fitness, Cultural Diversity, Goal Setting, Anger management and martial arts.

Joseph feels a deep moral obligation to give others the opportunities he has found and made; and has dedicated his life to teaching others to reach their full potential mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally and socially.

If you are at all able take the opportunity to train with Coaches Joe & Scott on their next trip to Australia but even if you never do, be inspired by their stories, find your inner strength & desires, a guide to help you get there and reach for your dreams, aspirations and true capability.

Be Unstoppable!

Gary

Note: Additional Australian photos provided by Damo talented photographer & fellow CST student see his story at monkwhy.com

Do you have a coach to elevate your performance?

Part 1 - Coach Scott Sonnon - The Grappler :)

"Only those who can see the invisible can accomplish the impossible" - Patrick Snow

At time of writing this post I have been back in Melbourne a week from my last coaching trip. I travelled up to Sydney to complete another round of training with 2 of my Coaches, both of whom are outstanding, inspiring and humble individuals.

I have had to split this post on my Coaches into 2 parts so I can give each of them the space they deserve.

I will then follow on with my experiences with Circular Strength Training, my training with Coaches Sonnon and Wilson and how you can increase your expectations of your fitness program results, change the way you look at fitness, health and transform your body, your life.

Note: Although they touch the lives of Countless others around the world, I can only express my personal view and experieces from Coaches Sonnon & Wilson

Why Do I need a Coach?

A great coach is something that everyone needs in their life to facilitate progression of skills & knowledge towards your personal goals. Whether it be a Coach in your sports team, a Mentor in Business or your Personal Trainer or Health Professional. They will offer you guidance and advice yes but more than that they will help you rise your faith in your potential, show you how to take steps to get there quicker benefiting from the experiences of someone who has done it before, but most importantly they will help you see the reflection of your True potential which may just be far beyond what you currently see for yourself.

These are just some of the many benefits I get from the Coaching I receive, and in turn mesh with my current knowledge, experiences to elevate my performance and pass on to others who I live, train and work with.

Coach Profile - Scott Sonnon



So who do I seek out to "Train the Trainer", when juggernautPT seeks to be the "best there is at what we do" we get the very best in the business.

My Original Coach is the man of 'Flow' Scott Sonnon, if Aussies truly love an Underdog overcoming odds this man embodies it, & would be the picture next to the definition

Legally blind from an early age Scott was quickly written off by many as unlikely to succeed at anything. He spent his youth crippled in pain with Osteochondrosis disease, which shredded the connective tissue throughout his joints and weakened the development of his growth plates.

Also suffering an array of learning disabilities including dyslexia he was labeled as "retarded" by undereducated teachers.

But Scott chose to see, these "defects" as a blessing which allowed him to see, feel and think about the world in a wonderfully unique way.

His love for helping others improve their quality of movement, health and life was born out of his personal need to learn each remedial step, of never being able to take for granted what came naturally to everyone else

This quest to learn alternative methods of health improvement led him to study under the top 'Coaches' in the World in a wide array of fields. Tapping into his true capability he eventually became an American Martial Arts Champion & Coach (Sambo) as well as earning the former USSR's highest athletic distinction: "Honourable Master of Sport.".

He became subject matter expert for members of the UFC®, the NHL®, NFL® and MLB®. Despite mental obstacles, he currently serves on Graduate Faculty at Virginia Commonwealth University and has earned his membership into Mensa® - the International High IQ Society.

Now due to poor nutrition, conditioning and aging, children, adults and seniors alike suffer pain similar to what Scott encountered and overcame. His programs were originally designed to prevent accelerating aging of joint and connective tissues, and to give people of even Scott's genetic challenges, access to the physical and psychological mastery which can only be described as "flow."

He has achieved much since then and has become an inspiration to thousands of people by his incredible story of triumph and his passionate dedication to helping others.

But to para phrase Scotts own words his greatest achievement is his inspiring faith in himself. Just like for each one of us our greatest achievement is ..... us. Each as individuals aiming to be better than the day before.

Our personal power to face any and all hardships. Even against tumultuously overwhelming odds, we are the brave ones for taking one more breath and doing the hard, right thing rather than the easy, wrong thing.

Individuals who have stared and continue to peer daily into the mirrors of their own current conditions, facing the icy blast of reality, and open the door to delimiting their potential anyway, despite having the courage to do so only after they’ve done so.

We may be alone in this internal molting process of personal evolution, but we’re alone together. Any belief in some external thing, any illusion that divinity is “out there somewhere” and not within us, robs us of our power.





All my life, I knew greatness lay within me. You must constantly remind yourself of that every day… and make one little act of heroism daily no matter how miniscule. And you will pool your bank of courage into an ocean.



Next Post - The Striker - Coach Joe Wilson



Note: Additional Australian photos provided by Damo talented photographer & fellow CST student see his story at monkwhy.com

Friday 31 October 2008

a superb meteor every atom in magnificent glow

a superb meteor every atom in magnificent glow

So I had this discussion today with a student (from my small but awesome band of Self Defense Students) about this weekends upcoming indoor rock climbing outing. The topic came up about how lately she was on bit of a mission to do more activities to take herself out of her comfort zone.

It was great to hear! Regularly pushing yourself out of your comfort zone is something I've been a strong believer in for my entire adult life (and I'm not just talking about exercise here). Doing so helps you gain a strong sense of empowerment that will positively affect all other aspects of your life.

It doesn't matter if you are outperformed by others. It doesn't even matter that you don't complete it. What does matter, is that you fully commit yourself at the time of trying and you keep trying until you are satisfied with the outcome.

"Try Again, Fail Better" - Sam Beckett

The simple fact that you are constantly working, completing and finding new mini-challenges will fill you with a sense of pride, achievemnt and renewed purpose. You will continue to progress in unstoppable forward motion in life rather than lying stagnant and constantly wishing for something better to happen to you.

The thing about always staying within your comfort zones is that the rest of the world still builds around you. Your comfort zone gets slowly deeper, turnng into a ditch, then eventually a valley, then a seemingly sheer cliff face surrounded by a raging sea.

Fear is a tool, it can be used to spur you on or it can break the reins and hold you back. Personally "I would rather be ashes than dust. I would rather that my spark would burn out in a brilliant blaze than be stifled by dry-rot. I would rather be a superb meteor every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet. The function of man is to live! Not to exist. I shall not waste my days to try prolong them. I shall use my time."

Final thought above is one of my all time favourite quotes, what it means to me put simply, I would rather go out & grab life by the proverbials than sit back and watch it pass me by. I would rather do my best to be the best than not try at all for fear of public failure.

I need to thrive not just survive, at the end of the day, yes I could take care of myself, exercise and live life as an adventure & have an untimely demise but I would much rather that than slowly decomposing at the pub, on the couch or on the sidelines. What hell of a ride!

Wednesday 29 October 2008

Modern Incarnation of an Ancient Tool

Modern Incarnation of an Ancient Tool

I took delivery today of my new I-phone!
http://images.apple.com/iphone/home/images/promo_newads_image20081012.png
i-phone, ooohh baby!

My new and stylish piece of bling blong kit replaces my very sturdy and very old orange & white candy bar shaped phone and once I wrap my head around it's many functions, will allow me to join the modern world of emails, internet and somewhat replace my handwritten diary. It is a modern tool to maximise work efficiency, allow flexibility in my every day tasks and add a bit more fun to my mobile life. Great Stuff!

My other favourite piece of equipment is a modern day version of the Club, (the Clubbell), unlike the iphone the club has been around for thousands of years in countless cultures and still remains in society today, serving very effectively both as a weapon and in the form of the Clubbell a superior physical conditioning tool.

Like the i-phone the clubbell also maximises work efficiency, it allows flexibility (in my strength & conditioning sessions) and it seriously does add a bit more fun (and more than a few stares as I use it).
Clubbell® - 15lb (pair):
https://rmaxinternational.3dcartstores.com/assets/images/stories/clubbells/15pairretouched132x176_thumbnail.jpg
Looking and weighted like a baseball bat on roids the clubbell maximises work efficiency with it's displaced weight and dynamic compound techniques that ensure your whole body works overtime to move them around in short but powerful workouts.

Clubbell® - 15lb (pair)

It provides me with flexibility by adding a valuable tool to utilise in my workouts on top of bodyweight, dumbbell, machines and kettlebells, it also adds a whole new range of exercises that just aren't possible with any of the others and is it fun? Damn straight it is! With moves that require focus and skill and that tap into your inner barbarian or amazon with it's massively powerful swings it is a hell of a lot fun to play with.

However before you go around swinging clubs in an effort to tap into its superior fat burning, muscle building & fitness conditioning benefits you need to get proper instruction as needless to say if you aren't properly instructed swinging 15pounds of steel around could easily lead you into a misadventure (it is a club after all) this is where the health first fitness professionals that are the Circular Strength Training Cadre come in, trained to the highest standard by the founder of the modern Clubbell Dr Scott Sonnon they will ensure you can maximise your training with the clubbell and do so safely.

There are CST Coaches in an increasing number of Australian Cities, want to give the clubbell a swing and reap the health & fitness benefits, Contact me in Melbourne for a Free Training SessionThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or alternatively go to the Flow Academy for further info.



Swingin for Strength, Ringin on my new phone

Gary

1st Gen Australian - CST Coach

jPT Lead Trainer

* Blog for Monday 28th Oct*