Fitness Challenge: 300 Baby!!

Ok, so you know how I wrote in the first blog posting that I was very into working out and pushing myself to the limit  Well, here's my first attempt at this.  I'm calling it the "Ultimate Fitness Challenges."  

My first challenge will be to tackle the workout outlined in the book Spartan Warrior Workout, which was loosely based off of the workout routine that the actors from the movie 300 did to get into such fantastic shape.

Dang he's ripped!

Here’s the deal: every day for the next 30 days I have to do strength training which is designed to prepare you for The 300 Workout, an optional session for the actors and crew.  It was a brutal workout, meant to be done as fast as possible for time. 

Here’s the breakdown of the Workout that I will do on day 14 and day 30:

25 pull ups

50 deadlifts at 135 pounds

50 Pushups

50 box jumps on a 24-inch box

50 floor wipers at 135 pounds

50 clean and presses with a 35 pound kettlebell (25 reps on each side)

25 pull ups

If you did the math correctly, you counted 300 total repetitions.  Again, this is a really brutal and advanced workout.  Only about half of the people who trained took the test.  Andrew Pleavin, who played Daxos, completed the workout in 18 minutes, 11 seconds, and was the only actor who participated in the test.

My goal?  To beat that time.

Here’s how this is going to work:

-Each day I will post the workout from the book that I will be doing, as well as the weight I used (if applicable).  I will also post my feelings on how the workout went. 

-Each Monday I will also post my measurements, my weight and body fat percentage as well as a photo of my body and how it may (or may not) change. 

-Each Sunday I will post a short video about how the week went, my thoughts on it, and what was the easiest and the most difficult.

-I am also going to ask someone to take photos of me during various workouts to give you an idea of what I’m working with.

But that’s not all I’m going to do for this workout.  I'm gonna do extra stuff!

-For some exercises, I will modify them based on the equipment I have available as well as taking a classic exercise (such as a pushup) and making it harder.  Those exercises will be marked with a triple star and italicized.

-I am also going to be doing additional work based on what I feel I need, such as bodyweight exercises, core work, running, and yoga/recovery techniques.  

-I will also being doing a daily Reiki session on myself as well to help speed up recovery as well as prevent injury and help build muscle and burn fat. 

I have never attempted something like this before; this workout is going to bring me to a whole new level of pain and rewards.  It will be tough and I am nervous, but if you want to improve yourself, you have to be willing to look fear in the eye, confront it, and then make it step aside.

If you have any comments, questions about the exercise program, or just want to send words of encouragement, feel free to email me at jordanmitchelllove@gmail.com  I welcome any and all who are interested. 

Wish me luck.  

***Note: I will also be posting a very similar blog on my business blog, Ultimate Human Experiment.  Here's the link to that: Ultimate Human Experiment Blog

Jacking off Rainbows

This is a special blog posting for a very close friend of mine named Liam.

Now this is a man who I draw a lot of personal inspiration from.  He is a break dancer and an amazing tumbler; here is a demo video of him to give you an idea of how good he really is.  He wanted to learn how to do flips; so one day, he just decided to teach himself on the grass.  No trampolines, no mats; just guts and a lot of trial and error.  He's one of those dudes that, if you were to say "that can't be done," he would turn to you and say "yeah it can, watch this."

He and I were talking yesterday while eating a very healthy dinner (wine and tater tots) when he brought up my blog.  He considers himself an optimistic person, but that my blog...well I'll quote him.
 " [Your blog] is so inspirational and happy it made me want to vomit.  It's like you jack off rainbows and sunshine."

Well Liam, you're right...so for your rainbow and sunshine pleasure, I present a list of the 7 Most Inspiring videos on the web. just for you.

For everyone else who isn't Liam: be sure to check out his video (I'll post the link below) and the Most Inspiring Videos link.

Liam aka Bboy Display: Bboy Display
Most Inspirational Videos: This will inspire you something fierce

And who says I don't have a sense of humor?

Motivational Monday: Pride

Another M and M coming at ya!  Let's get rolling!

I would like to start off today's blog posting with a talk about yesterday, which marked the 10th anniversary of 9/11, the single most tragic event that the United States had ever experienced.  Nearly 3,000 people died in the Twin Towers in New York City; the Pentagon in Washington D.C.; and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
Having thought about this tragedy, I realized that for my generation, 9/11 is to us as The Kennedy Assassination is to our parents; we all remember exactly where we were on that day, and it will never leave us.  For me, I had just started my freshman year in high school.  I had just gotten out of my first period class and was heading down to the lounge for my free period when I passed a group of seniors.  One of them I knew was John, and he ran up to his friends and said that a plane had crashed into one of the twin towers.  I remember my first thought was "what, he's pulling a joke; who would ever do something that stupid?"  Sure enough, I went down to the lounge, and about 20 kids were glued to the television, watching as one of the towers burned.  We didn't move for over 2 hours, and watched as all of the tragedy unfolded.  I remember consoling a friend of mine who's mother worked in one of the towers (thankfully she was delayed for work that day, so she wasn't in the building).
Afterwards, our headmaster called us to an all-school meeting, where we discussed about what had happened, and about banding together and supporting each other.
Being an international boarding school, our headmaster did not address us as "Americans," but as "Human Beings."  He talked about the human spirit and how, despite the atrocity of these attacks, our spirit and hope will endure.
The best part was: he was right.
We do our best to honor the memories of those whose lives were taken away by living each day to the fullest.  So hold your head up high, and live life as you want to.  I know that, despite all of the shortcomings or issues that the United States has, I'm proud to have been born and grown up in this country because it makes me who I am.  And I don't know about y'all, but I think I'm pretty darn spiffy, so there.
Until the next time.

Workout Wednesday: Parkour at its Finest

Hey there guys!  Workout Wednesday time!

Anyone ever heard of Parkour?  Or Free Running?  Basically, it's a philosophy; trying to get from point A to point B as quickly and efficiently as possible.  Because of that, any obstacles in the way you don't go around; you go over them, whatever they are.  

The art was founded by a man named David Belle.  He is one of the originals; he makes this stuff look so easy it's mindless.  Part strongman, part gymnast, part monkey, he epitomizes pushing the human body to its limits.  This is a man who just refused to say no.

Training with him is on my bucket list.  

To get an idea of how good this guy is, watch this video.  It's from a French movie called District B13.  While the dubbing is awful, that's not why I love it.  It's for the moves.  Trust me, you'll enjoy it.

Until the next time!

Inspirational Tuesday: The Pursuit of Happyness

Inspirational Tuesday everyone!  What is "Inspirational Tuesday" you might be asking yourself, or your roommate, or your cat?

I'm so glad you asked.  Sometimes people (like myself) are really fired up on Monday to go out there and do something, and they do it on Monday.  Then Tuesday rolls around...and they don't do it anymore.  This is where Inspirational Tuesday comes into play.

Enter one of the better movies that I've seen in the past several years: The Pursuit of Happyness.  It's based off of a true story (which means EVERYONE will see it) about a young father (played by Will Smith) who enters this very competitive internship while trying to take care of his son (played by Will Smith's real life son Jayden Smith) and being homeless.  As is what happens with true stories told via Hollywood, he gets the internship, and they live happily ever after.

That's not why I like this movie.  I like this move because Will Smith's character overcomes immense obstacles.  After working at this internship everyday for 6 months, he and his son have to race to get into a homeless shelter so that they can have a warm bed and a hot meal.  If they don't (as they sometimes do), they have to live on the street.  There's a great scene where the father and son are holed up in a public toilet for the night because they have nowhere else to sleep.  During that time, someone tries to break in.  Will Smith blocks the door while cradling his sleeping young son, afraid that he'll wake him.  It's a pretty intense scene.

The moral of the story: never give up, even in the face of adversity.  Never, ever give up on your dreams.  And if miracles don't come to you, then just steal one of my mottos of life:

Make your own miracles.

Let me know if you want me to make "Inspirational Tuesday" a weekly event!

Motivational Monday: Labor Day

Well, here it is, about 7:30 am on Labor Day weekend...and I'm up.  First off, what the hell, why am I up?  Secondly, let's talk a bit about this holiday, because it's actually a pretty cool one, because other than getting an extra day to drink and party.  This is a day dedicated to the everyman, the worker, the average joe, what have you.
This day was dedicated to those people who work their butts off every day in whatever field they do, whether it is being a bank teller, a gas station attendant, a sewer technician...seriously, this is a day to celebrate everyone who works for a living (which is pretty much everyone, unless you're a trust fund baby, in which case you're really lucky).
As for me, I thank everyone who works all of those jobs that I don't want to do; you know, working as a plumber, an electrician...the people who make living better for the rest of us, to quote Mike Rowe of Dirty Jobs.
I salute all of you.  Keep doing what you're doing.
Until then, enjoy this awesome clip of 40 inspirational speeches in 2 minutes.  Yupp, you read right.  40 speeches.  In 2 minutes.  It's magic.

Damage of Hurricane Irene

As many of you know, this past weekend, much of the east coast was hit by Hurricane/Tropical Storm Irene.  There have been many different videos and photos showing the destruction that Irene had left behind.  This is no exception.  I am simply showing what has happened in and around my little area of Saxtons River, Vermont.

Here are a few videos of what happened to Irene:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

I'm just in shock.  It's very surreal when you see this happen to places you've driven past a thousand times. It just goes to show that when Mother Nature gets mad, anything can happen.

Take care all, and shine brightly.