Routine to Ritual

My father once taught me to turn a routine into a ritual. When times change as they always do a change in routine can be a major disruption. I've been is sales for over twenty years, change jobs, change route. New school? New sports team, new club, new season? 

My Dad once said, "A good routine will carry the day, but your rituals determine your future. Know your route and within it build some rituals that satisfy your soul."

As usual I had no idea what he was talking about.

But now,

Routine and Ritual

I wrote this July 3, 2013 

Last week I was under 220 for the first time since I was 20! I never thought I would be this thin or this strong again, ever. I was shocked to see I weighed 218 pounds! I try not to pay too much attention to my weight, especially when I weighed 269. Actually at 269 is when I would stop weighing myself at all, but two years ago when I couldn't stand up straight because of my back and I used all the pain I was experiencing in my knee, hip, back and wrists as an excuse to be old I decided to make what was routine into a ritual. My workouts and physical therapy were routine and ineffective. I drudged through them with zero enthusiasm and my work outs became a reflection of my life.

I was on the treadmill in the cardio cinema at Gold's limping through a warm-up mile and the worst movie ever to work out to was on, "27 Dresses" I know right, and I was really angry and feeling sorry for myself and pissed that such a chick flick was on and then all of the sudden all these wedding scenes start playing and some pretty monumental revelations come to me when I see my dad at my sister's wedding, and at my brother's wedding, and at my wedding and I remember how he had to fight, and claw himself back into shape against all odds from heart attacks and strokes just to be at those most special events. At my wedding he made an incredible toast about sipping the sweet nectar of life and that moments like this are what make all the hard work and disappointment we face worth it.

Maximum Fatigue is Back

MF is not dead. It was just sleeping. Actually I am going through a time where I find it most important turn deep inside myself to tap heart and soul. Publishing these experiences is truly a painfully outwardly exercise.

So last night at Gold's I did my current Maximum Fatigue workout in about 45 minutes. One lift in particular, Tri's with a full stack and two on top. I banged out twenty and then locked in a pose with bar at belly button height, elbows at 90*, leaned back a little on my heals and and let it burn. I started to really hear the music in my headphones. Eminem, Lose Yourself. Maybe a minute of actual time but for me time for a flood of an epiphany. I thought about my Dad. I thought about my wife and girls. I heard Mary say, "just onemoretime." I pushed down hard with nothing left and bamm I drop one more rep. Letting the stack drop gently I turn to the mirrors and see this guy I haven't seen in a long, long time. My first thought was, "Damn Dude!" Second was, "Best Maximum Fatigue moment in years!"

So look out world. Maximum Fatigue is back!

First assignment. Have Kayla film a little and post video of a MF set like the affor mentioned!

Second. Elaborate on "Routine into Ritual"

Third. Get in the best shape of your life.