Check Your Ego At The Door/Give Yourself A Base

Check Your Ego At The Door/Give Yourself A Base

 

     During Wednesdays DDP Radio Broadcast, I mentioned that I was going to write a Blog about Ego and how it can get in the way. 

     I was going to make this a light piece on how we can’t rush into things, taking things at the right pace, knowing when you are pushing too hard & when you need to modify.

     Over the past few days, however… this has evolved into something more than that.

     In my opinion, Ego is all about the lack of the right perspective.   This can really be a grey area for a lot of people, depending on where you are at personally.  You can get be so wrapped up in something that you forget to be aware of where you are at.   When that happens, you lose sight of your Goals and what you can actually control. 

     For example, I could say “My goal is to win the Lottery.”  I can go out, read all the books I want on the best ways to choose your numbers, when & where to buy my  tickets, and how many Lucky Items I need to place in the right place in your home.  At the same time, I’m thinking to yourself “This is my time!  I know I’m going to win because I really need to win this right now!  I’ve worked hard and done everything right.  I deserve to win!”  

(Full Disclosure: Yes, I play the Lottery.  Yes, I dream how nice it would be to win the Jackpot and all the people I could help with that money.)

     The problem is that as much effort as I would put into it, I can’t control the numbers that are drawn.  No matter how many times I hop on one foot under a full moon in nothing a feather boa and sparkly tights (which I don’t, just to make that clear!), I can’t affect what numbers are going to come up!

     On the other hand, I can say (and have, by the way) “My goal is to get below 190lbs within a year.”  I can read up on what I need to do, find the best program that works for me (in my case DDP Yoga), change the way I eat, communicate with people that have a similar goal, and challenge myself to make use of this day to get closer to that goal.   If Life takes a turn somewhere along the way, I make the adjustment I need to keep working towards my goal. 

     Some things may come up that I want, but if it doesn’t help accomplish my goal, it’s not high on the my Priority List.   It’s the Goal and what I learn on that journey to get to that goal that’s the most important thing.  That journey may even include times that it looks like I’m competing with other people.  The key word here is “looks like”… because at the end of the day, the only person that I’m really competing with…. is myself.    It’s the same thing as Randori (Free Sparring for Judo & Jujutsu people like me).   When I get on the mat with someone and we start to go at it, I go with the intent to come out on top in the short-term.  However, what I’m really doing is seeing what works and what doesn’t work.  This is not a One Match Fits All sort of thing.  Every situation is going to be different.  Whether I “win” or “lose”  the match, what I gain is the tools to make what I do better.  I can only learn those lessons when you Check My Ego at the Door.  If I get hung up on whether I beat my training partner (notice I didn’t say opponent), I miss my opportunity to learn & grow.

       The other thing to know is that Ego is Bi-Polar.  That is to say, you are either so wrapped up in one detail or lose sight of what your actual goal is, or when you recognize that you mess up, you get so down on yourself that you throw your hands up and walk away.  I see this from people a lot.  Heck, I've been guilty of it myself in lots of things (weight loss, finances, household chores, etc.)  

     The Bottom Line is this:  We are all human.  As such, we are going to fall somewhere along the way.  This goes back to that Emotional Gravity I wrote about earlier.  

    There's another phrase we use in the Dojo: "Stand in Base".  That means when you fall, you lift yourself up, kick your leg out and bring it back to a good strong stance so you don't get knocked down again.  When this happens, there could be many different angles that you have to step to in order to bring yourself back up.  The point here is to get back up so you have good posture & not get knocked back down.    If you already do DDP Yoga, you will recognize the phrase "Give yourself a base" when you're doing Broken Table.  Without having that base, you can't get the posture correct.  

     So... when you fall (and you will), get back up again.  As Dallas has said "I don't care if you fall down 2 or 3 times, 4 or 5 times..... get back up again!"  It is getting back up that is going to make you better, because you are learning how to take control and strengthening the tools you are using to do it!

     This all comes back around to “making it your own”.  No one ever said that this was the Quick Fix or Magic Bullet.  DDP Yoga is not a 30-60-90 program.   As the man himself says “It’s a Lifestyle”.   Page wouldn’t be saying it if he wasn’t living it every day.  I would not be where I am right now if I wasn’t finding something I could do to make myself better.   And guess what… just because I hit my goal weight, doesn’t mean I’m done!  I can still get better.. stronger… more flexible... and more in control.  There’s always someplace to go!  

     If you can Check Your Ego At The Door and Give Yourself A Base (and I know you can!), then you will....

Own This Day!

Trav

101 BANG Salute Observations

101 BANG Salute Observations

                 For the September Warrior in Training Challenge (found in the Groups Section of www.teamddpyoga.com), we had a goal to do 100 BANG Salutes.  For those you that are scratching your head on where to find that on the DDP Yoga DVDs, the short answer is… you won’t.  The BANG Salutes uses a basic set of positions that you know from doing the Diamond Dozen & Energy.  For all of you Traditional Yoga, think of this as a Sun Salutation – DDP Yoga-style!

To break it down, BANG Salutes look something like this:

1.       Ignition

2.       Diamond Cutter

3.       Forward Fold

4.       Down Dog

5.       Plank (or 3-Second Push-Up for the Warrior Modification)

6.       Down Dog

7.       Forward Fold

8.       Diamond Cutter

9.       Repeat at Step 1.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Sounds fairly basic.”  Maybe even too easy, right? 

Well,  you may be right, if it weren’t for a few factors to consider:

1.       Dynamic Resistance:  Everything that we do in DDP Yoga has Dynamic Resistance – making sure that every muscle is engaged.  The longer that you can engage a majority of your muscles, the more your heart rate goes up.  This also means that you are moving deliberately, or as Dallas calls it “like moving through clay”.  With “basic” moves like this, this is an easy thing to do.  The not-so-easy thing is timing the Dynamic Resistance so your heart rate doesn’t go too high. 

2.       Breathing:  Along with Dynamic Resistance and moving deliberately, there is coordinating your breath with each move.  If you’re not taking time to breathe with each movement, you’re not going to get far!

3.       Flow:  Even if you’ve gone through the Basic Workouts, you’ve heard “Keep the Flow going”.  “Flow” means moving from one position to the other.  What you are really looking for here is to have one position set you up for the next one.  If you are not using that Dynamic Resistance to move deliberately and breathing into that position, its tougher to keep the flow going.  (See a pattern here?)

Now… put all of that together, then do 100 of them in a row.  Easy, right?

Sure it is!

The beauty about this series of positions is that they are all easy enough to do, plus they allow to you focus on using these principals and keeping them sustained for a longer period of time.  Overall, they help you make the rest of your DDP Yoga better!

All that being said, here’s how I made this one my own:

1.       This took me 3 attempts to complete.  On the first couple of attempts, I added two positions keep things flowing better.  I added Touchdown in between Ignition and the fist Diamond Cutter.  I also added Up Dog after doing the 3-Second Push-Up.  Both of these, I felt added to the Flow of moving between Positions and maximized their effectiveness.  However, I dropped doing Up Dog on the 3^rd Attempt to make it easier on my arms and to cut down the time.  

2.       I really took advantage of Owning each movement, using as much Dynamic Resistance as I could and focusing on my breath.  Getting my heart rate up to my Fat Burning Zone was easy.  Keeping it from going through the roof was a bit more of a challenge.  My Average Heart Rate for the 2 times I did the BANG Salutes was 142 and 146.  However, according to my Polar Heart Monitor, my Maximum Heart Rate got up to 220.  I don’t know if this was a Monitor issue or my heart was speeding that fast.  None the less, I let my heart rate get back to where it was supposed to before continuing on my merry way. 

3.  According to Sparky (one of the main Moderators in the Warrior in Training group), this whole thing should take around 45 - 50 minutes.  The video that you see above was a little over halfway into it.  The whole thing took 1 Hour 40 Minutes. Now, in case you think my math is off (as the title says 101 BANG Salute), its not.  I did 100, then I did 1 more, but with a 10-Second Push-Up.  I think a lot of that was making sure that (a) everything was in good form & (b) making sure to breathe into and own each position.   The 2nd time I did this (yes, I did 101 BANG Salutes twice) was with Liz Collins over Google Hangout.  That was 1 Hour 49 Minutes (with slight pauses for Tech Adjustments). 

4.  This is not a 1 Towel Workout!  This isn't even a 2 Towel Workout!  Just expect by the time you're done to have 3-4 towels to soak up the pool of sweat around you and to throw your workout clothes in the wash. This workout, as simple as it is, teaches you to leave it all on the mat... which is really the way you should  approach each workout!

The October Challenge is DIY DDP Yoga, where we're "expanding our  library" of workouts  with our own spin.  I would say that this is going to be Black Belt level stuff....

But that's going to be for another Blog!

OWN THIS DAY!

Trav

Emotional Gravity

Emotional Gravity

     We are all human.  As such, we are all going to, at one point or another, going to fall down.  It is inevitable.  That is what being human is all about. The key here is this: no matter how many times or how many ways you fall down, GET BACK UP!

     I realize that this is not as easy as it sounds.   It's something I know that I struggle with at some point every day. I also know that sometimes, the answer isn't just to "pick yourself up by your bootstraps" and drive on.  There are going to be times that you need help.  I've dealt with Depression in the past to the point that I needed to see a doctor to get myself in the right direction.  Yes, that mean that I was on medications for Depression & Anxiety.  For some people, this means always needing to be on "meds".  My wife is one of those people.

     The point is that you take action to get back up, even if you can't do it on your own!  All of the medications that can be prescribed cannot make you better if you don't take an active part in healing yourself.  Whether that means DDP Yoga, walking, talking with friends, family or a therapist.... the point is that you are taking positive steps towards getting into a better place.

     This also means controlling the negative in your life.   You can't avoid having to cross the street.  You can, however, take steps to move  across the street safely and get where you need to be.  In the same way, you can't avoid seeing Negative in the world today.  You can, however, control the way you react to it!  This is what "Living Life at 90%" is all about.  Some days are going to be harder than others.  That's why you have to Own This Day, everyday.  There is no magical "I do this once and I never have to worry about it again" sort of trick.  Just like DDP Yoga, this is not a 30-60-90 program, but a way to carry yourself every day.  If you work at it, it may get easier... but did doesn't mean you stop doing it.

     Take heart, True Believers!  Know that there are a lot of people out there that share your struggle.  You are not alone.  Together, we can take the right steps to...

OWN THIS DAY!

Trav

   

Keeping It Positive

  Keeping It Positive

    Negativity is all over our society.  From Politics & the News Media to Facebook & Twitter, even Traffic & the local Supermarket checkout, the world is full of negative people & things.  As a result, we get angry, stressed out, worked up and worn out!

     In fact, according to a report from the U.S Department of Health, "70-80% of all visits to the doctor are for stress-related and stress-induced illnesses".  The American Psychological Association reports "Forty-four percent of workers have gained weight in their current job and nearly one-third (32%) say that work related stress contributed to their weight gain".  If you Google "Stress Related Weight Gain" you'll find over 20,000,000 results! 

     Regardless, there are too many people that go out of their way to perpetuate the Negative in everything.  Go to Facebook right now and look at your News Feed. 

(Don't worry, I'll be here when you get back!)  

     I will bet you, on average, you will find at least 5 Posts that contain nothing but drama.  And the ones that you do find that are positive, you'll invariably find one or two Trolls being contradictory just for the sake of doing it.  Others go out of their way to find something, cast it in the most negative light possible, then do everything possible to throw it in the face of anyone unfortunate enough to cross their path. This is without even leaving your house. This crosses all lines of gender, race, belief or status. 

      When we get Negative, our willpower and motivation grind to a halt! 

     So, what's the answer?  Put simply... Be Positive!  Now, for the vast majority of people, this is not just a "flip a switch and magically turn your life into Rainbows, Unicorns and Magic Pots of Gold" sort of answer.  Just like any goal you set, it takes a daily effort.  It takes being aware of what triggers the Negative in your day-to-day dealings. When you purposely look to be positive, seek out positive influences and surround yourself with people that not only are positive, but will lift you up when you fall, you tap into a powerful way to give you the strength to make things happen!  It also takes walking away from those negative influences, blocking those Trolls, or... when seeing a Negative is unavoidable, recognize it for what it is and turn it into a Positive.  Its these Footfalls that we can turn into Stepping Stones to get where we want to go.

     There was a Facebook Comment from someone that said that they didn't think DDP Yoga could help, then went on to list all of the reasons why. They were Motivated enough to buy the program, but then there are all these reasons why they Hesitate.

     What if they could take all of those reasons why they can't take control, then turn them into ways that they can take control?  Again, this is not just something that people just do.  That's where not just surrounding yourself with good people, but reaching your hand out to those who need help up, gives you the strength to do what needs to be done.

    This is just one more way you can...

Own This Day!

Travis

Goals (Old & New)

Goals (Old & New)

    Just to give you some perspective, here is where I was at back on November 26th. 2012:

The goal at that point was two-fold:

     1. To get down to 185lbs

     2. To loose the Gut and the Saddlebags (in other words, The Keg) and see how close I could get to       a "six-pack", henceforth "Project Keg-to-a-6-Pack or KTA6P. 

I gave myself a year to accomplish this goal.  I thought at the time that a year would give me more than plenty of time and allowed for stumbling blocks along the way.

 

So last night I stepped on the scale, just to see where I was at:

That's when I put on the same shirt and sleep pants I wore 9 months ago:

 

As DDP has said in recent DDPRadio Podcasts "You can't gimmick results like this!"

     As you can see, I've come a long way in 9 months!  I still have 3 months to go.  "The Keg" is definitely not there anymore.  As far as "the 6-Pack" goes... well, its a lot closer than I've ever been, even back when I was in my 20's and working out on a regular basis!  I have a lot of people come up to me after not seeing me for awhile wondering what happened.  I give them all the same answer: "DDP Yoga & Gluten-Free/Dairy Free Eating".

     Now, I'm only calling Project KTA6P half-completed because I still have a little bit of padding around the stomach (although I realize a lot of that is loose skin) and saddlebags in the back.  I want to see the year out to see just how far I can get.

     The danger here is at that its at this point most people would say "Well, I got a long way!  This is good enough", then go back to doing what they were doing before... and roll back down the mountain (almost literally)!  That's why its important to keep setting goals for yourself, to keep moving forward.  As DDP would say "There's always someplace you can go."

    Now that I've lost the weight and in better overall shape, now its time to see how far my strong I can get.  So, here are some new goals I want to accomplish by this time  next year (September 1st, 2014):

1. Be able to do a Psycho Push-Up.  What's the difference between a Regular Push-Up & a Psycho Push-Up?  Check out the above clip.
2. Be able to do Full-Extension Pull-Ups (palms out) & Chin-ups (palms in).  This is one that I have always had problems with , even back in my gym-rat days.
3. Be able to hold my foot up above my head with the leg locked-out for for time.  I can get my foot up close to my head, but the leg is not at complete lock-out.  Up to this point, I've been doing this the same way shown in the Stand-Up Work Out.
4. Be able to do a Handstand Push-Up (which, if I'm able to do Psycho Push-Ups, I should be able go get close to this).

     As far as the Work-Outs go, I'm going to keep hitting them as much as possible (6-7 days a week, if possible).  The only DVDs in the DDP Yoga Series I don't have is the Extreme Set (which may be a few months away depending on finances). 

      Bottom Line is, anything can be accomplished!  I could have never imagined being as in good of shape as I'm in at this time last year!  Now, I'm ready to conquer new ones and be the best I can be!  It is all about setting your goals, stay Motivated, being Positive, allowing yourself the room to Modify and Live Life at 90%, and having a great Support Group to help you through your Lows and cheer your Highs.  

See you at the next mountain!

Own This Day!

Travis

Modify: The Way to Make it Your Own

Modify: The Way to Make it Your Own

     When starting anything (a new fitness program, a new project, etc.), a lot of  people have a hard time starting or being consistent because they feel like they have to do everything all at once and get it right the first time.  Heck, I'm guilty of that, even with doing this blog!

     When it comes to DDP Yoga, I hear this quite a bit from other people "Well, I can't do this (position, nutrition program) because I've got this special.... (insert excuse here)."  Some of these things are legitimate, while others are made up (consciously or unconsciously).

      This is not to knock those people that truly have something going on.  Several people have legitimate situations that make things difficult, even in the best of circumstances.  This is what Dallas refers to as the 10%, or the things that happen to us.  When the 10% happens, we can either throw up our hands and be defeated, or we can find a way over, around or through to get where we want to be.  This is what Dallas calls "Living Life at 90%".

     The act of finding a way over' around or through is to Modify. Another DDP quote you'll hear is "Check your ego at the door and Modify, wherever you need to." When I started doing DDP Yoga, I did the Beginners Level, meaning doing the Diamond Dozen 3 times a week.  As far as the Nutrition Plan goes, since there are 3 Phases that you can go to, I started on Phase One and knocking removing a few items from my meals every few days (sugar, fried foods, white flour, etc) and replacing them with the things I needed (real fruit & vegetables, healthy protein & fats, complex carbs).  Mind you, this was all happening right during the Holidays, the time where sweets & baked goods abound!

     When I felt that I had Phase I nailed down,  I stepped up to Phase 2 and attacked it the same way.  Eventually, I've gotten to the point that the only thing Sugar-wise I have is in the morning and only as a once every few weeks sort of deal.  I do Phase 3 in spurts, sans the Juicing (as I do not have a Juicer as of yet... that's a goal I need to will set).  I do a DDP Yoga routine once or twice a day (depending on what we do in the Dojo that day).

    The point is.... this all started with one modified step at a time.  So long as you are putting forth the effort, you will....

Own This Day and OWN YOUR LIFE!

 Travis 

Quick Sunday Update/Plan for the Week

Quick Update/Plan of Attack for the Week

     Hey Everyone!  I just got do doing Diamond Cutter to end the day right!  I'm taking a moment to work on a couple of Blog Posts, eat something, then hit the sack!

     The Plan of Attack  for the week, to end August strong, is to do Mixed Tape in the morning, and them either Diamond Cuter or Double Black Diamond in the evening, capping it off with a Bust-A-Move Position for time.  I will post the results at the end of that day.

There's going to be a lot going on this week!  So now, more than ever, is going to be time to put Own This Day into actoin!

Live Life at 90%!

Travis

    

Project KTA6P: 8 Month Update

Project KTA6P: 8 Month Update

     This is a short update on where I am right now (August 24, 2013).  

     A quick recap:

      When I started this whole DDP Yoga Journey back on November 26th, 2013, I decided to post Video Blogs up on YouTube under the heading "Project Keg To a Six-Pack (KTA6P)".  I was at 48 inches around the waist and 46 inches around the hips and at 245lbs.

As you can see by the video, I've come a long way since then.  I still have a little ways to go, but the goal is definitely in sight!  

The biggest thing to remember to see this home is to ...

Own This Day.... EVERY SINGLE DAY!

Motivate vs. Hesitate

     Now, to be clear here, I had had the DDP Yoga Max Pack in October 2012.   Before getting the program, I was working out with Morgan at the Dojo a couple of time a week and attending the occasional Adults Judo/JuJutsu class.  Food-wise,  I was averaging 2 pizzas a week and a lot of late night snacking and cheese, ice cream and dairy throughout the day.  There was no mindful eating here whatsoever, other than “Can I put more cheese on that?” or “What’s for dessert?”.  And guess what?  My nearly 255lb body showed it, both in how I looked and how my knees & back felt.

    When I got it, I worked on the Diamond Dozen (which, for those of you that don’t have the DVDs yet) is the basic positions that you’re encouraged to nail down.  For a little over a month, all I did was worked in the Diamond Dozen and the first Workout in the series, Energy, averaging 2 to 3 times a week along with working out with Morgan at the Dojo.   I also had started to clean up my way I was eating by trying to cut back on breads & wheat products and eating more vegetables.  But, in my mind, I was still hesitant on stepping up and doing what needed to be done.  The thoughts in my head were a combination of Procrastination and Doubt.

Things like:

“Well, I’ll get working on this tomorrow”

“Would I realistically see results with this?  I’ve tried programs like this before, but they don’t really last.” 

“The Holidays are coming up.  There are just too many things I would not get to do with my family and at work. It will be too hard to resist having all of those extra Christmas Treats.”

     Therein lies the reason why a lot of people’s quest to get thinner fail.  People have a well of excuses and convoluted logic as to why they can’t do something that has been shown to work for others.  Combine this with a lingering fear of failing or looking bad, and the result is another gimmick that collects dust in the corner or shelf.

     What it boils down to is looking for reasons why you can’t instead of ways that you can.  DDP loves to refer back to a quote from Henry Ford “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t… you’re right!” 

     So, on November 26, 2012, I decided to find a way to make this work!  Since one of the constant things I heard in the Diamond Dozen & Energy was to Modify wherever I needed to, I applied that to entire beginning of the journey.  Instead of tackling everything at once, I made one small change every few days with a goal on where I wanted to be by Christmas.  I also worked the Program Guide that came with the DDP Yoga DVDs, working with the Intermediate Schedule of workouts, which made sure that I was doing something at least 3 times a week for the first month and ramping up from there.  I also did Wake-Up, a good non-engaged short workout, in the morning to get me thinking about it right away.  I also set a Long-Term Goal of getting down to 185lbs.  I also start doing a Vlog on my YouTube Channel (ZenTwister) and sending out Tweets through my Twitter Account (@ZenTwister… see a theme here?).

     By the time December 26^th came, I had lost 14lbs and was Wheat/Gluten-Free and Diary-Free.   My knees, hips & back were all feeling a lot better than they were, which got me to start going to more of the Adult Classes with Morgan training with me instead of just doing the Kids Classes.

     Fast-Forward to today:  I’m down to 190lbs.  I’m doing DDP Yoga every day, in some form or another.  Some days are just Wake-Up and Red Hot Core (the DDP Yoga Ab Work-Out), while others see Mixed Tape & Double Black Diamond (which hits a little bit of everything in varying degrees).  I’m still Gluten/Wheat/Dairy-Free.  There have been a few times that I have had something out of that group, but it has definitely been the exception and not the rule!  I’m also in the Dojo for almost everything they do (Judo, JuJutsu & Karate).  I’m in the better shape than I have been in 15 years! I’m not at my goal yet, but I can definitely see top of the mountain from here!

     Don’t get me wrong, there are days that are still a struggle.  Even though, logically, I know I’m doing the right things, Procrastination & Doubt still rear their ugly head and I fall down.  The difference is, I get back up stronger than before!  The old Judo Sayings goes “Fall down 7 times, get up 8!”  We learn to fall in Judo & JuJutsu so that we can get back up and fight on, without hesitation.  It’s all a matter of taking it one day at a time.  Another DDP Adage is “Own Your Life”.  Well, in order to do that, you need to Own This Day to Motivate, not Hesitate!

The only question now is…. can you Own This Day?

First Step

First Step

Every Journey Begins with One

My name is Travis Roberts.  On November 26th, 2012. I took the first step of my journey with DDP Yoga.

Its a step that I'll never regret!

Last year, I was weighing around 260lbs.  I had decided it was time for my son, Morgan, to start Martial Arts, since he had been asking about the stuff I used to do in Karate & JuJutsu.  I wanted Morgan to start doing Martial Arts a lot sooner than did, as I didn't start doing anything until after High School. 

After looking around, visiting some dojos and doing some research, I found a small dojo called Dakota Budokan.  It had both JuJutsu and Shotokan Karate, plus the Sensei said that we could both train together.  That's something that is very important to me.  I wasn't going to be a parent that just watched on the sidelines.  I wanted to make sure that I had a hand in training  Morgan on what a good Martial Artist is.  It was also nice that I was able to get back into it, as well.

The problem, however, was that I really hadn't done much of anything for 3 years. The only thing I did Martial Arts-wise was go to my hometown of Aberdeen once for a JuJutsu/Pheasant Hunting Clinic.  Other than that, I was definitely not in prime condition for much of anything.  After the first couple of weeks of training, that became very apparent!  My knees & back were killing me!  I wore knee braces to try to keep me stable, but it was clear that I had to do something different if I was going  to keep up with the training!

After listening to the Roddy Roddy Piper's podcast with special guest Diamond Dallas Page and seeing the inspiring video from Arthur Boorman (see above).  I asked the natural question; "If he can do it, why can't I?" 

So, this is what my Day 1 looked like: