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21.9.2014 Blog Yuri Marmerstein

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Bellingham Sunset

First I want to talk a little bit about Kit, then share some thoughts on workshops in general.

I met Kit at a Gymnastic Bodies seminar in Arizona a couple years ago, where he attended the seminar as

well as taught a flexibility module as part of it. I was interested in his work because of how genuine he

was when he talked about it. Anytime someone sounds like a salesman or businessman it is a massive

turn-off for me. Kit comes across as someone who legitimately enjoys what he does. The other reason

why I recommend Kit's work so highly is that he doesn't regard it as complete. I have worked with many

teachers, and many of them think they know something. Once they release a body of work, that's it. The

fact is that your work, whatever it may be, should be an organic being capable of changing and evolving

as new information becomes present.

Since our first meeting, I attended a six day workshop with Kit in Charlottesville, VA and he hosted me

for a handstand workshop in his home of Canberra, the Australian capital.

Superficially, Kit appears to be a teacher of flexibility and movement. The true nature of his work(and

mine as well) goes way deeper than that. Our bodies are the only true home we ever live in, and for the

majority of the population it goes largely unexplored. It's surprising how much of a disconnect people

have with their own bodies.

In fact, an analogy I use for people's treatment of their own bodies is similar to that of a rental car. It gets

you from one place to another for the amount of time you have it, but ultimately you are not responsible

for it. I prefer to think of my body as the ship I am captain of. If something goes wrong, it is my own

responsibility.

Well flexibility among other things, is an excellent tool for developing a deep awareness of yourself, as

well as the mind-body connection.

Here are a few concepts I learned or was reminded of while taking Kit's workshop:

-It's not the muscle being stretched. Muscle behaves like any elastic material, when it is lengthened it

goes back to its resting position in a shorter time than it took to elongate. Limits to flexibility originate in

the brain. People who are anesthetized are completely flexible and can be put into any position. As soon

as they regain consciousness they revert back to their original state.

-"Your body is smarter than you are". This a concept I work with in my teachings as well. We are all a

series of compensations created by our weaknesses and shortcomings. Your body is an expert at making

compensations to avoid movements that cause any stress to the system. It is also an expert at resisting


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change; if left to its own devices it will run purely on habit. However, to grow as individuals we must be

able to get past the discomfort or making change in ourselves.

-Lowest energy state. So many of us hold unnecessary tension within our bodies, and it happens for a

number of reasons. By default, we should be completely soft and relaxed until action is required.

Control of tension and relaxation is a massively important concept for athletics, movement, and life in

general.

I definitely learned a lot more at Kit's event my second time around, which brings me to my next point

today.

Why attend a workshop or seminar in the first place? Here are some of the less obvious reasons:

-To get a different perspective on something you already know. There are a lot of teachers who teach

the same thing, but all of them have a different viewpoint. Learning different perspectives can only

benefit you more as a student or teacher. Just remember to keep an open mind.

-As my friend Samantha Star mentioned to me, going to a workshop can be a great way to validate what

you already do. Seeing someone else use the same methods as you is a good way to legitimize your

system.

-Repeating the same workshop can really help you understand the subject matter. You can focus much

more on the subtleties once you know what the foundation will be. Both Kit and myself give discounts

for repeating a workshop(I plan on making mine more substantial once the business is a bit more

situated). Maybe there is that one piece of advice that you just weren't ready for the first time around,

and all of a sudden it clicks. Either way, it's impossible to learn all the ins and outs of a system fromgoing to just one workshop.

-Meeting a community of like minded people can have quite an invigorating effect.

As a student, you should aim to get at least one concept you can take away from any workshop or class

you take. If you learn even one thing, consider it a success.

To learn more about Kit's work, check outwww.kitlaughlin.comfor more information.
http://www.kitlaughlin.com/


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My Past Experience in Grappling and Humility

Today I want to write a little bit about a mentality I used to have, and a lesson I learned from having it.

We are all guilty of having an ego from time to time, and it is important to appreciate the reasons to stay

humble.

During my college years early on in my movement journey, I trained with the MMA club. It wasn't

anything too hardcore, mostly just some basic Muay Thai and BJJ. Occasionally we did some weapons

work like Escrima or Kali.The club was run and frequented by average college students, so my having above average strength,

flexibility, pain tolerance, and work ethic came as an advantage. I was able to progress pretty quickly,

though it may have been attributed to my preferring training over partying.

I felt especially confident during the grappling portion, but I would soon find out that my confidence was

very misplaced.

I had played around with some wresting as well but never had any formal training. I found if someone

was close to my size, I was able to overpower them. However, someone who had actually trained in

wresting was usually able to pin me.

Fast forward a year or so, I am visiting a friend's college during my long winter break. They have an

open BJJ training where visitors can sign a waiver and roll. At this point I had already been
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training(many bad habits, though I didn't know it then) capoeira, MMA, tricking, basic tumbling, and

some gymnastics strength so I had a pretty high self opinion. Prior to rolling with who I believe was the

teacher for the BJJ club, I thought I would have at least been able to hold my own against him due to the

stuff I had been doing. I could not have been more wrong.

I did several rounds with the BJJ teacher, and every time he would literally have me in a lock within

seconds. It didn't matter how much stronger than him I may have been or thought I was, superior

technique and experience beat me every time.

So this is what it's like to actually be good at grappling, I thought to myself. Turns out I was a big fish in a

small pond. I had never previously experienced BJJ at a higher level, and that caused an ego to form.

I have gone through similar experiences with other forms of movement, but none as profound as this. I

had completely gotten my ass handed to me.

Here are several lessons I learned from the experience(I didn't grasp a lot of these until many years later):

There is always someone better than you

If there is nobody in your circle better than you, seek someone out on occasion to be inspired and/or

humbled

As soon as you think you'e "good", you automatically lower your guard

As soon as you think you know something, it impedes your learning capabilities and closes off your mind

Stay humble, continue through life as a beginner and a student. I have found that the further I go, the

further I see there is to go. Every step I take forward gives me a better view of the world, and I see how

vast and overwhelming it really is. It's not discouraging by any means; I would rather be aware of the

possibilities. You could be the biggest fish in your aquarium, but there is a whole ocean out there.

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A Metaphor for the Process of Skill Learning

Understanding how skills are learned is a vital thing to know for both a student and a teacher. However,

it seems to me that many people are unaware of the intricacies of this process.

I want to offer an analogy that may shed some light on the matter.

You can think of achieving "mastery" of a skill similar to accelerating to highway speed from a dead stopin a car with manual transmission. Some of us may start with an uphill or downhill grade. There will be

people who can naturally learn a skill without putting conscious effort into it. As a counter to that, others

will have restrictions, either mental or physical that hinder them from the skill at hand. Their current
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lifestyle or mindset is not conductive, therefore lack of effort will actually bring them further from the

goal in hand.

First things first, you have to put the car in gear. This means you have to want to learn the skill in

question. Unless you are a wizard or mutant, it won't happen on its own.

In first gear you will be able to accelerate the fastest, thus you will make the most gains as a beginner in

anything. However, first gear will only take you so far. Eventually you will have to switch to second

gear.

In the case of skill learning, second gear would be modifying your training approach after building a

solid foundation. Note that it is important to have a bit of momentum prior to shifting gears.

As the gears get higher it gets easier to maintain speed, but it becomes more difficult to accelerate. The

higher skill level you are the more work it takes to reach the next level, but the skills become more

ingrained.

With every new gear, you can pick up speed to a certain point after which slamming the accelerator will

no longer propel you. Then you must shift again. A shift could be trying a new method, consulting a

different teacher, doing some cross training, etc.

If you don't regularly maintain your vehicle, acceleration will be rough. If you have issues with the

engine, you may need to fix them prior to taking your car to higher speeds.

If you shift to a high gear without the necessary speed, your engine can stall out.

Sometimes it is necessary to downshift to allow faster acceleration(going back to basics).

Familiarity with your car will result in smoother acceleration.

Riding each gear to its appropriate speed prior to shifting will result in smoother acceleration.

It always takes more energy to accelerate than to maintain speed.

If you put the car in neutral, you will lose speed. The faster you were going, the slower you will lose

speed.

Every model car accelerates a bit differently.

It is easy here to draw lines and make connections. The point here is that the learning process is not

linear. Any approach will continue to work to a certain point after which you will plateau your gains.

There is not necessarily any one approach that will lead to mastery, rather understanding many different

ones.

Lastly, everyone will take a slightly different path toward their goal and will require different guidance

along the way.

Hopefully this is helpful in understanding where you stand in your own learning curve, as well as where

your students are.


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Soldier Mentality


I want to address a mindset I see quite a bit in many realms of physical training. It is something that I domy best to avoid in my own training and teaching.

The soldier mentality refers to blindly following orders without any thought or hesitation. This

approach definitely has its place in the world and certain hierarchies, but I think that over the long term

it is detrimental to our personal and mental health.

Because we have access to so much information it is vital to learn to think for ourselves.

Ask someone why they do a technique a certain way. "Because coach told me to" should never be the

correct answer. This shows that they do not have a fundamental understanding of the movement they

are practicing. Now what happens when they go out and teach the same thing? We have a case of the

blind leading the blind.

My preference is for students and teachers alike to always stay informed, which is not as difficult as it

seems. If you have a teacher, there is a reason for that. There is no need to question their every motive;

you should place sufficient trust in them to know what they are doing to a certain degree.

Every once in a while, ask "WHY?" Ask both your teacher and yourself. If you do not get a satisfactory

explanation, that should raise a red flag.

I had no consistent teachers for years, so in my process of exploration I had to constantly ask myself

why. This attitude helped me learn a lot and greatly heightened my ability to analyze and break down

movement. However, as a student it made me a bit rebellious and resistant to tutelage. This would be a

massive juxtaposition to the many athletes who only do what they're told.

Here is my point in all this: everything we do is for a reason. It is important to understand why.

What it comes down to is that everything we learn should not be duplicated but interpreted as to how it

works for us individually.

If you want to increase your understanding and awareness, do not forget to ask "Why?".

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The Difference Between Adults and Children

In my time I have had the chance to work extensively with both adults and children. It has led to many

interesting experiences and observations on different learning styles and how to teach them.
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The main difference I noticed in adults versus children? Resistance to learning.

Children are literally learning machines. They are hardwired for it. This means that a child can learn and

improve simply from exposure regardless of any desire to learn or understanding of the process. Let me

repeat that:

"A child can learn something without wanting to learn it or understand it".

An unfair advantage maybe? Not necessarily. Being able to absorb the environment around oneself

comes with both benefits and pitfalls. Bad habits and behaviors can easily be acquired. Once acquired,

they stay for good.

Setting the example...

After a child goes through a certain amount of development and experience, this is where the mindset

changes and the line is drawn. Rather than learn and process new information as something novel, an

adult is more likely to draw on past experience and knowledge for comparison. This creates a certain

close-mindedness, but even more so a measure of limits.

Of course none of this is universal. There are some childish adults out there as well as some mature

children.


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The stare of judgement...

I think one of the most important qualities to instill in children you are teaching is to have them

acknowledge who they are ultimately working for: themselves. Often children are taught with the

soldier mentality, not sure why or what they are really training for. Self-motivation is what we are

looking to build, otherwise they are just as likely to quit.

As a teacher of adults it is vital to know the "hacks" that overcome learning resistance. This can take a bit

of problem-solving as every student is unique. The method of having everyone do the same cookie-

cutter program is not enough to break through most peoples' individual barriers. Ultimately what I try to

teach is self-reliance. Learn a principle and how to apply it to yourself.

Remember that regardless of who you teach, you must set the example.

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Beginner Mind

Those of you who have been following me should already know my view on beginners taking my

workshops. Honesty, nothing but positive things can be gained from it regardless of how novice

someone is.

This is because beginners have no preconceived notions on what they are learning is supposed to be.

Though teaching novices presents its own unique challenges, the payoff will be noticeable on both ends.

It's the concept of "shoshin", or the beginner mind I am bringing into play. A beginner always has the

most to gain due to their lack of bias. The goal is to be able to apply the beginner mind to any new thing

we learn, but is this actually possible? Can we truly keep an open mind to new experiences?

All of us see the world through some sort of lens. Everything we see is interpreted and molded by

everything we have previously seen and experienced. There will always be some sort of bias within us

no matter how big or small. Everything we do, say and think is guided by this and I believe to truly takeon a beginner mind is nearly impossible just as a side effect of being who we are.

As a teacher, this presents a unique challenge to me when faced with experienced trainees. I try to be as
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impartial as I can when it comes to skill and technique development to account for individuality. I

believe in many paths toward the same goal.

Chances are that any experienced student has learned some bad habits someplace or another that are

holding them back to reaching a higher level. Do we go back and start from scratch using "the universal

method"? Or can we work to modify what they have to mold it into what they want it to be. Of course it

all depends on the end goal, but what is technique if not the best method for the individual?

I do not believe in any universal method of teaching and learning, and thus I want to present the

mentality of the modified beginner mind to the experienced trainees working with a new teacher or

method.

The most important thing here is to know yourself and how your mind and body function together. It's

unlikely you can completely open your mind for a new method when you already have your own,

likewise starting a new program from scratch may result in more losses than gains if you are already at a

decent level. Remember that you as an individual have the final word. Try to visualize the modifications

you have make to your current status. Maybe you have to go back to fix some weaknesses; maybe it's

about attaining a level of refinement you were not previously aware of. Take what is useful and apply it

rather than copy it.

The point is to modify and adapt any new lessons to your current ability. This way you can continue to

learn all the while maintaining individuality. Let what you have work with you rather than against you;

every attribute has its own positive and negative consequences.

This is the difficulty for me as a teacher working with experienced trainees. Since it is already too late to

create something new, I try my best to modify and add on to what is already there. Of course, this takes

time and more importantly the participant's willingness to change.


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So final thoughts are this:

Keep an open mind, but be aware of your own strengths, weaknesses, and limitations. Interpret and

apply rather than digest and regurgitate. Lastly, don't be afraid to make change.

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Psychologically Approaching Handstand Training

Today's topic is something that does not get discussed often enough. Look around and there is a plethora

of of coaches and teachers who can give a logical progression for physical training of a skill(like the

handstand). The formula is simple enough without too much deviation from progression to progression.

What if I told you that the hindrances that stop people from learning how to handstand mostly do not

come from the physical body? Sure, adults come with lots of mobility and strength issues, but all the

stretching and strengthening in the world will still not get them a handstand.

Why? The mind acts as the barrier and limiter for the body. If the psychological situation is not

addressed first, it will constantly limit your physical abilities. This is why I can take people afraid to do a

handstand and have them balancing on their own in a short time. This is why I can take people who

claim to not be able to open their shoulders and put them in an open shoulder handstand within seconds.

This is why my friend and flexibility expert Kit Laughlin can get people into ranges of movement they

thought they didn't even have.

In my experience it is rarely an actual physical limitation that actually holds people back.

So how do we approach training for hand balancing in this fashion? Firstly, there are a couple concepts

to remember. Your subconscious will always resist change, discomfort, and difficulty. Any time you put

your body in a situation it has never been in, panic sets in and your body will attempt to get itself out of

danger as fast as possible. This concept applies in a lot more realms than simply handstands, but I will try

to stay on topic.

The goal for a handstand is to never feel like your body is in danger. There are a couple ideas that are

essential for this

1. Have an exit strategy. One of the first things I teach is how to fall, and for most people it takes only a

few repetitions to recognize how to safely bail. If you don't understand how to fall safely, you will

constantly be afraid of going over too far which will result in the compensation of never going far

enough. As an adult, you need to specifically feel what it's like to be off balance past the point of control,

and what it's like to react to it to get your feet back on the floor safely. The important element is to go

from a point of control to a loss of control; some people like to anticipate falling and start to bail out

before ever feeling the control.

2. Get comfortable. Scale the skill down as much as needed, but until a level of comfort is achieved it is
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useless to move on. Being comfortable in a handstand means you make it look easy. It means you can

breathe easily, hold it as long as you want and come down intentionally. Remember that the handstand

is a RESTING POSITION. I have worked with many who view it as a strength movement. They bent at

their elbows, go into power breathing, etc. Typically these folk do not hold the position very long, nor do

they exit with grace.

I literally give lectures in a handstand during my classes and workshops. It's just standing; having aconversation in handstand should not be a problem.

This is one concept people have a hard time learning. You think the basic handstand is the final goal?

Trust me, it's only the gateway. It opens up doors to movement you didn't previously have as now your

hands and feel become interchangeable.

Unfortunately, hand balancing only gets more complex after the base has been achieved. This is why it's

so important to have that resting position to return to.


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The last issue I want to address is in the case of free balance. Most people never feel what it is to be

directly over their hands. The reaction to this is either blindly kicking up and missing or a fear based

reaction where the body pushes the weight back to where it came from long before there is a chance of

catching the balance.

To be on balance is a very fine point, but how do you expect to be able to hold a handstand without ever

feeling what it's like for your body to be aligned? Handstands don't magically balance themselves, you

have to feel in your body what is happening. In many cases, to be on balance is to be further forward

onto the hands than what most people allow themselves to experience. Keep this in mind; the control is

all within your own body.

Happy Balancing!

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A few notes on Hand balance and Performance

This weekend I had a hand balancing gig at the Las Vegas Science Festival. Nothing crazy spectacular, I

just did a few sets where I performed a short demo and followed up with an explanation of the sciencebehind hand balancing.

Now I don't get to perform hand balancing very often(I practice mostly for other reasons) and during

these performances I was made aware of several reminders in the difficulty of the art of hand balancing.

Hopefully this will shed some light on the practice for the aspiring performers.
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1. It is really easy to fall. Literally a split second loss of focus is enough to make you fall out of a

handstand. This is all fine and can be a bit frustrating during a practice, but in a performance you must

keep razor sharp focus. Anyone who has taken my workshops knows how much stress I place on

intentionally coming out of a handstand and developing the reaction to not fall.

2. Being able to perform without a "proper" warmup. Normally I take quite a lengthy warmup if it is my

first time moving that day. Just as well, I try to maintain a certain pace in my training so that I do not cool

down. Remember that performance is unpredictable and you may not have a lot of time, means, or

equipment to be in the best possible state prior to performing. You have to have all the more confidence

in your own abilities.

3. Performance anxiety. Performing in front of people always brings some nerves with it. This can be a

useful thing, as the extra adrenaline will make you stronger. Unfortunately it also makes you shaky

which is not a good thing for balancing. Controlling this is not easy.

4. Imperfect conditions. It is a good idea to get used to practicing on different surfaces, apparatus, etc.

Chances are the conditions you have when performing will not be ideal; better to be prepared for

anything.

5. Consistency. Be able to nail your tricks 100% of the time.

6. Lastly, learn how to make it look easy. I think this is one of the most difficult concepts for people to

understand. It's all in the body language, which can be hard to convey when upside down. It's that

confidence we are looking for. Of course, this is all on top of the regular standards we look for in

performance.

The point here is not to scare anyone off, quite the opposite. Work hard on your skills and refine them to

no end.

I just want people to be made aware of the difficulty of performing hand balance. It is very easy to watch


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a routine and critique it(I am often guilty of this myself) but it is quite another thing to perform it.

Hand balance is one of the most difficult arts to perform, make sure to give respect where it is due.

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Do your own research

Today I wanted to write a little bit about Bruce Lee. Sure, he has been the subject of many praises

criticisms in regards to his martial arts prowess. Just as well, his work was a large inspiration to me

during my days of backyard martial arts training.

However, this is not today's subject. I wanted to highlight some of Bruce Lee's other philosophies and

approaches that I think we can all learn from.

See we live in a world of information. Anything we want to learn, we can do it with the click of a button.

Tons of studies, papers, notes, firsthand accounts on literally every subject exist now. There are

advantages and disadvantages to having this kind of information access. This allows us the potential to

learn and know more, which is huge. Knowing that something is possible can increase the realm of

further possibilities. The downside is that we become reliant on our information and it keeps us from

doing our own research.

Rather than trying something ourselves, the first order is now to see if someone else already did it and
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how they did. Though it is a painstaking process, there is a large merit to figuring things out for yourself.

The appreciation and understanding you develop from it is priceless.

This is where Bruce Lee comes in. He did some pretty crazy stuff and was way ahead of his time for it.

Before you could look at studies on how a group of sedentary individuals behaved a certain way you

had to try things for yourself. Bruce did just that; he tried things himself. He did his own research by

attempting all the possibilities and then taking what was useful from all of it.

I feel like this concept is lost on a lot of people today. I know from person experience, one of the things

that helped develop my eye as a teacher was the lack of information I had available. I had to try

something, try it differently and see the effect, or try to watch and analyze someone else do it at the times

I had that option. Because I had no information to bias my judgement, I was able to keep a very open

mind and learn all kinds of different techniques from various disciplines. The knowledge gained from

this was immensely helpful in seeing how different people with different bodies and different movement

backgrounds react to learning something new.

The fact is that knowing too much, or thinking you do can cloud your thoughts and actions to a largedegree. This is why it is important to maintain beginner's mind.

This concept is especially important in training the physical arts since there is no universal technique that

can predict how a body will behave. The concept of right and wrong is not so clearly defined. Every

process must be individualized to see the reactions to different stimulus.

The lesson for today? Next time you see, read, or hear something do not take it as gospel regardless of

where it came from. Try it for yourself to develop the correct knowledge, understanding, and frame of

reference.

-Yuri

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"Order of Operations" in Press Handstand

Those of you who know me are aware off my math and science background prior to my life as an

acrobat. Sometimes old habits die hard.

I want to take a basic concept out of algebra and apply it to a complex movement like the press to

handstand.

The press is a very technical movement that requires a combination of strength, flexibility, coordinationand body awareness. To make it even harder, this is all done while maintaining balance.

While I do not believe in set right and wrong ways to perform a skill there are ways to make it more

mechanically efficient.
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To conceptually explain this movement, it is important to know that in balance and alignment there are

certain priorities. The first priority here will always be shoulders. Shoulders are a crucial link between

your body and the floor or apparatus.

What we are looking for is that the arms are vertical. This means that the shoulder should be directly

over the hand. If it is not, chances are the position is more difficult to hold than it needs to be. Ideally we

want to spend as little time as possible in a position where the arms are not perpendicular to the floor.

How does this apply to the press? Take a look at the starting position:

Can you stack your hips directly above the hands without learning forward? Probably not unless you

have amazing flexibility and the right proportions of length of arms, legs, and torso. This means that we

must be in a mechanically inefficient position for some time.

Shoulder lean can be minimized by maintaining a strong base and demonstrating maximum compression

in the body. The smaller you are, the less you have to compensate for a counterbalance. In contrast, the

more extended your body is in the start position the more shoulder lean it will take to lift off.

In the start position you want to apply force downwards with your hands while simultaneously curling

your back and actively pulling your legs closer into your body.

Now here is where the order of operations comes in: the actual lift. The goal is to extend and prioritize

one part of the body at a time until we go from fully compressed to fully extended.

Here is the order: shoulders, upper back, mid/low back, hips, legs. If anything is extended early, it

prematurely lengthens the lever and increases the force required to complete the movement. In addition

once a mistake in the order has been made, it is very difficult to correct until the movement is complete.

Also keep in mind when I say "extend" I mean to stack the joint vertically along with the rest of the body.

Check the order:


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On the way down we reverse the movement again prioritizing the arms vertical. This time the arms

begin vertical(hopefully) so the goal is to maintain that as long as possible by moving the rest of the body

around this lever. It is common for many people to begin the negative press by loading the shoulders

first. This can build some strength but is not the best way to do it to learn proper technique. In a

negative press, the shoulder angle should be the absolute last thing to break. Go as far as you can witheverything else until you have to break your shoulder angle.

The concept of priority actually applies to a lot more than just the press. Please keep it in mind when

working the more advanced skills.

I hope this is helpful, happy balancing!

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There's no School like the Old School

Looking back to my very early days of interest in the physical arts, the old time strongmen were a

massive inspiration to me. There were many interesting physical culturists in that time, but the one that I

most identified with was Maxick.
http://www.yuri-mar.com/blog/2014/1/20/theres-no-school-like-the-old-school


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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Sickis a basic bio of him. Like many people who became successful

at what they do, he was not born with a natural talent but rather developed his skill through

temperament and hard work. Likewise, the process he used to achieve his particular skill was his own.

That's not what really got to me though, it was the way Maxick taught muscle control that won me over.

The concept of being aware and in control of your own body was one that really stuck with me.

Maintaining the mind-body connection is something that will stay with us throughout every endeavor

we try to make in our lives. It goes well beyond athletics; the fact is that so many people these days are

disembodied. They lose that connection with one of the only things that is a constant in their lives.

To be present and mindfully in control of your own body is really the main lesson I am trying to teach

through hand balancing and other topics I cover. Connect with your own body in order to discover what

you are really capable of. It will drastically improve the quality of your life for the remainder of your

years.

Take a look at this article http://www.maxalding.co.uk/maxick/youcan/youcan.htm

If it is too long of a read, here are a couple useful quotes you can take away:

"Strength is in its essence a condition of consciousness and all exercises are mere means"

"The strength of a locomotive is found in the steam and not the wheels"

The takeaway? Be present! Have your intent and desire perpetually in the back of your mind so that

every act or decision you make brings you closer. Do the work, but keep in mind why it is being done.

Enjoy the process you took to get to where you are at, and look ahead to how much farther you need to

go. Never stop learning.

It has probably been close to ten years since I came across that article. It's interesting how things come

full circle; back then I never in my wildest dreams thought I could make a career out of doing what I love.

Even after all this time, I stay true to my roots. I have the same intent in my training as I always had. No

expectations, never stop learning, everything is a work in progress.

I love what I do and I plan on continuing for a very long time. Wishing the same for all of my readers.

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http://www.maxalding.co.uk/maxick/youcan/youcan.htmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Sickhttp://www.yuri-mar.com/blog/2014/1/20/theres-no-school-like-the-old-school


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