Today I am writing this post to celebrate the life of an everyday superman, climber and good friend of ours called Josh Jansen.
Josh was one of the most heroic people that I have ever had the pleasure of knowing.
I know that there are many people who knew him for 10, 20 or 30 years longer than I did but today I would like to draw your attention to some of the courageous acts that I believe defined him in the short time that I knew him.
I’ve always felt strongly that you can tell a lot about a person by what they don’t do. What they don’t say, what they will not invest time in: where they will not end up. I got a chance to meditate at Angkor Wat, do you know the most interesting thing about this ancient ruin? It was built on sand…
For a very long time I did not have a personal operating system for making decisions but now I certainly do, I always start with what I DO NOT want.
For the last 3 years I have been writing a relatively short overview of my year, my successes and more importantly my failures. This year saw more travel, writing, training, and failure than I had anticipated.
The first principle is that you must not fool yourself – and you are the easiest person to fool. Richard Phillips Feynman (May 11, 1918 – February 15, 1988)
By all accounts I’ve invested more time this year than ever before learning about failure in any form I can. 2016 was a year for letting go, taking chances, and watching things fall apart only to realise the anticipation of the failure was worse than the experience itself.
Greece is incredibly beautiful. Just taking a drive out of Athens and into the countryside shows me why this country has such a mythological heritage. Everything is just bursting with creative energy.
As a kid I grew up on a farm and for a few hours each day I got a chance to investigate just how complex the world around us can be. I made friends with other children from neighbouring townships, spent time just enjoying life and stealing beer from my brother 😉
I’ve always loved adventure travel. What could be better than seeing new places, experiencing new things and enjoying life? I still can’t believe the above photo was taken with just an Iphone!
History is a wonderous muse when contemplated with strong espresso!
It turns out that as I sit here, the face of the Sphinx looks peculiar to me, I am looking at something that has been seen by thousands of travelers, conquerors and the common man alike. (more…)
I’m sitting on the beach in Bali admiring the pitch black sand and a shoreline where there are tourists enjoying the luke warm Indonesian water. I’m pretty sore from my first surfing lesson yesterday and I wanted to share some insights with you.
It’s really easy to get caught up in life. I know almost all of you appreciate how turbulent day to day life can be.
The nature of the beast is such that even after a holiday, it’s so easy to get sucked back into a life that is not doing your health or intrinsic priorities any favors.
I started my year with some specific intentions regarding training, nutrition and reading but got side tracked by a number of obstacles. There’s nothing quiet like setting outrageous goals to start the year and then watching life rear it’s responsible head 😉
Basically the year was off to a bad start. I’d not planned my training cycles properly, business was slow for the first quarter and I had to contend with the usual petty frustrations of writing, reading, training and rendering a high quality service to so many people. (more…)
“If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them.”
― Bruce Lee
There is a moment is every persons life that defines them forever. A moment which transcends time, space, risk and adversity.
As a teenager I had a glimpse of this when I used to rollerblade. Some days were crisper than others and these were the days I could push myself a little more than most. (more…)
This weekend I went to Church Haven with some friends to relax. We only stayed one night and ended up boating for the whole day, the header image does the scenery no justice (Church Haven is a lagoon) and has to be one of the most amazing places on the planet.
In ‘New Years Resolutions, Optimization & Travel‘ I wrote a bit about my desire to take more holidays in 2015 and plan my year better. 2015 has been a good year for me so far and aside from being a little slow with my reading list I know I will catchup soon.
When you focus on doing less better and investing not only in yourself, but in professionals with a proven track record… You cannot go wrong.
I meet a lot of people and a lot of them are ‘personal trainers’ that supposedly benefit the lives of the people they train… But something is missing. Their clients have not dropped bodyfat in weeks, they are tired, bloated, frustrated and uncertain of what to do next… They don’t even know what a PR (personal record) is…
Do you want to row to the shore with an oar or a fork? (more…)
I sit here each morning and write, read and meditate. I have been doing so for just over 7 days and I am already loathing my return to civilization. The air here is so clean, each moment so intricate and clear. What a blessing.
As you can clearly see, my mind and heart are clearer than they have been for a few years and I really cannot emphasize how important a little time off can completely change your frame of reference on the world. (more…)
“The challenge combines trail running with an adventure style obstacle course. Impi is the biggest social, fun but challenging event on the calendar.” More Info. For those of you who dont know, you do not need to prepare for endurance/endurance based events with atypical approaches that leave you injured and ignoring pain.
This article is simply used to showcase one method that I have used to improve my RDL. I do not or have never suggested that somebody undertake this style of exercise related progression without the oversight of an experienced coach.
If I was to hire a trainer I would want to know that they could illicit the journey they are selling me if they too had a history such as mine. I have suffered a number of injuries over the years including broken clavicles , dislocated knees, plastic surgery to my right hand and a variety of highly preventable sprains. If I want to get a PR in a new lift I want to do it as progressively as possible and with as little risk as needed. Enter…
I have undergone two psychometric tests in my life. The first was a career evaluation I completed at the age of 15 with an educational psychologist & the other was when I was 18 prior to my travels to the UK. The first was the Senior South African Individual Scale.
The purpose of the CPP is to measure thinking processes and styles and to link these to everyday cognitive functioning. It can be administered to individuals 18 years and older with a reading / educational level of Grade 9.
The second test I underwent was the South African Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale. As you can see there is a marked difference in the information presented in the two tests below. (more…)
In the same way that you can often find work draining, determining the cause of your fatigue can be just as exhausting.
I wrote this article to show you the tools that helped me see a tremendous improvement in training ability & performance that has taken the better part of 12 years.
There was a period where I really just didn’t ‘get’ exercise. Don’t get me wrong, I have spent countless amounts of time reading Strength or nutrition related material but just like you I often find my stumbling block is simply staying motivated. Get your training right the first time around and you will get better results!
Joeline completed her first weight loss challenge in Jan 2013. I am not going to sugar coat the process like so many others do. Where Josh had the Insulin Sensitivity of a new born baby, Joeline and I did not. Fatloss for girls is 1000 times harder than it is for men.
Ladies have so much more to account from a hormonal & lifestyle adjustment standpoint.
Josh came to see me in the Fall of 2009. His reason for initiating this journey that he was looking for a balanced variation of between training & performance that could help improve his neck and lower back pain.
Josh had also recently lost his sister Ari to Cancer and he was also seeking a renewed approach to nutrition & wellness.
Here is his success story & a brief look at his training & nutrition.
I have been training for close to 14 years. In that period I have learned a thing or two about performance, cognition and wellness…
What I can tell you is there is a massive difference between talking the talk and walking the walk. My industry is saturated with people who have not a single transformation behind them. It’s pretty scary.