Out of my mind…
If you had told me 6 years ago, heck even 1 year ago I’d be applying for American Ninja Warrior I would have told you, “you are out of your mind!” But events HAVE lead us to this point. The video is done (looking forward to sharing the video soon) and the application submitted! Now it’s in the hands of Jesus.
For the record, if God wants us to be on the show to use as a platform to share how amazing HE is then we WILL be on the show, but if He does not have it designed in our journey then we DO NOT want to be there!
Balanced Training Strategy
I have and am learning a lot through this opportunity. It has encouraged me to take a look at my overall training strategy and nutrition to see if I am balanced with the potential competition in mind.
First, as I examine the way I have approached and implemented my personal workouts these past few years I can see I was creating muscle imbalances by doing pull-ups and push-ups everyday. I got on a roll and didn’t stop the momentum until injury brought it to a screeching halt and thats a good thing!
100 Reps – 1 at a Time
Since January 1st, 2016, I have changed my daily, yes still daily, workout routine. I have been doing a 100 rep workout since January 3rd. 100 reps of a push, pull, core, and lower body exercise. It may sound extreme but I knock it out 1 rep at a time rotating body parts to create muscle balance and recovery days in-between. I train whether I “feel” like it or not, and I often do not “feel” like doing it but push through anyways and find that I am not only training my body but my mind and my will as well. I am alternating opposing muscle groups that will help with holding my body weight up if the opportunity does come our way. But if it does not I will have better overall strength and endurance so either way it’s a win win!
Fueling Strategy
Second, Fueling! If you know anything about the American Ninja Warrior competition you know it takes a lot of upper body strength and endurance to navigate the course. For the most part, the heavier the person the earlier their exit from the show. This is mostly due to the “grip to weight ratio”. The heavier you are the harder it is to hold yourself up from one obstacle to another.
With that in mind I have turned to my old buddy, that I always recommend to my clients, myfitnesspal! Per God’s design of our anatomy, if I create a small calorie deficit each day, the body is forced to use the extra fuel or body fat I am carrying around so I will not be carrying it up a warped wall or a salmon ladder. It’s plain physics and who designed the physics? God!
With that mindset, I have been forced to budget my 1820 calorie fuel intake per day. To make choices on what food/fuel I choose to put into my body based on my goal to become leaner so I’m lighter. I am being intentional to choose higher quality foods to create energy for training, build and sustain and recover muscles but also lose fat. Intentional Fueling and hydrating to train and to perform, to be ready for the competition.
What’s the Point?
But wait, what’s the point if I do all this and don’t make it on the show? Am I a failure? Am I just wasting my time? After all, they have thousands and thousands of entries each season and only pick about 100 per region. Many people even campout for days attempting to tryout and “walk on” to the show (about 20 walk-ons are chosen). So what’s the point in doing all this?
The answer to that question is, that I can use training for this “goal” simply as a catalyst to “be ready.” Be ready for the show, yes, but more importantly to “be ready” for WHATEVER God has for me. So I can have my “YES” on the table and I can be as physically and mentally ready as possible!
“So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.” 1 Corinthians 9:26-27
Be Ready for Whatever…
For example, it’s true that if we get a call for the competition, I will BE READY (mentally and physically). But the other day we got a text about a baby that may need a family who is due in a month or so, and would we consider adopting the baby? And both Steph and I immediately thought “absolutely, let’s do it!” (we didn’t need to think about it, we didn’t need to pray about it, we both had the same reaction separately). We both felt a steady “holding” by God to trust and BE READY. Because we both have a HUGE heart for adoption, because God has CALLED us to reach out to the fatherless, those who need a family, and as we walk with Him, we are READY. If He calls us we will step up, He will provide the steps to take, and we will take those steps, and if not it’s ok, His will be done. In that situation it’s looking like it’s going to workout with another family, but we are ready and willing and that is an amazingly powerful and exciting place to thrive. And maybe it’s His way of waking us up for the next thing, only God knows.
Here is another, more practical example. A client of mine, whose mother fell on the ground the other day, was able to, in the moment, deadlift her mother off the ground to help her up. Now, she was able to do this because she has been consistenly “training” in fitness classes. She has been practicing deadlifts, and squats, and lunges and has been lifting weights for almost a year now. She was ready through intentional training. How ridiculous would it have been for her to say to her mother… “hold on mom, let me go train to get stronger so I can help you up… I’ll be back when I’m ready!“ She was READY and ABLE when the time came, there was no time to “get ready.”
Efficient, Effective and Equipped
As a followers of Christ, God has commissioned us to LIVE OUT LOUD, to be a living example, living letter of His great love, of His great power, His great hope. To encourage one another of the potential we all have in Christ, in His gift of reconciliation and grace for all who would receive it. So, what do we do in the mean time when we don’t have any specific glorious “mission”?
We choose to BE STILL and set out to KNOW HIM more each day. We train, we dive deep in His Word, we pray without ceasing, we let God reveal our weaknesses so He can strengthen them, we practice self-control of our mind (renewing our mind / what we think, how we think) and self-control of the body (what we do, how we spend our time, what we eat, how we use our resources). If God has given us the ability to strengthen our bodies, to be balanced, to be lean, to be fast, to be able to go the distance, then why would we not set goals and train to BE READY for WHATEVER He brings? We are called to be efficient, effective and equipped disciples of Christ TODAY!
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!“ Isaiah 6:8
Are you ready?
#IAMfortified
