Month: January 2017

The defeat of Mega Man

conorkel2 Comments

In 1995, a future World’s Strongest Man winner, Sweden’s Magnus Samuelsson, made his debut in the contest.

The event was arm-wrestling, and the athletes were going head to head.

Magnus’ opponent was the largest man in the lineup, the six foot ten Australian, Nathan Jones.

They called him Mega Man.

(If you remember the opening scene of Troy, he played Boagrius, the giant who steps out to challenge Brad Pitt’s Achilles.)

Mega Man was a bit like the character he played in the movie.  He was mean.  Often angry.  And had clear intentions to steamroll anyone in his way.  At six foot five with a thin build, the Swede was considerably smaller.  But Magnus was no slouch.  He was a former arm-wrestling champion.

They clasp hands.  The referee signals start.  You can see the look of determination on Mega Man’s face as he throws his might into flattening Magnus’ hand against the table.  But Magnus is stronger than expected – and a much more experienced arm-wrestler.  He holds steady as Mega Man grunts and puffs.

Soon, Magnus has him in what arm-wrestlers call the *arm-break position*.

When the moment is right, he pounces.

Shifting his weight, he allows the full force of his well-practiced arm to plow through his adversary.

In a final, all-out effort to resist, Mega Man uses his own strength to induce a spiral fracture in his arm, snapping his oversized humerus like a twig.  The bone is dust.  He reels backward, aghast, and screams in shock as his arm hangs at an impossible angle.

Needless to say, that was the end of his campaign.

And it was the beginning of Magnus’ legend.

(I should point out that everyone was horrified by the terrible injury – Magnus most of all.  It was also the last time arm-wrestling was contested in World’s Strongest Man.)

Why do I share this story?

Think of it as a cautionary tale.

A common mistake – one with fitpocalyptic consequences – is trying to do too much, too soon.

I see it all the time.  January rolls around and weary holiday over-eaters attempt a one-eighty by cutting out their favorite foods, and pounding the treadmill with gusto, four or five days a week.  By February, 90% are injured, burned out, or discouraged because life ain’t fun no mo’, and they’ve managed to lose a grand total of three pounds.

Just look around your gym Feb 1, and behold the wasteland that once was a thriving fitocracy.

Most people are allowing themselves to get caught in a deadly arm-break pose.

They’re leveraging their own enthusiasm to destroy their efforts.

So don’t be the giant…

Be the giant-killer.

Acknowledge that results take time, conserve your energy, and your path to victory will soon become clear.

For help with how to do this in stages, call (416) 826-4844 for your personal training consultation.

Until then, stretch yourself…but not too thin.

Heed my words, young Skywalker, lest you suffer the same fate as Mega Man.

Happy Patience,

Conor Kelly
conorkelly.com

…
…

The TRUTH about commitment

conorkelLeave a comment

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.” – Marianne Williamson

With REAL commitment, there’s no debate.

There’s no longer equal opportunity for DO or DO NOT.

The decision’s been made.

(The root of the word “decide” is the latin decidere.  It literally means to kill any alternatives.)

All that remains is the steady forward march of implementation.

That’s why commitment is the ultimate ZEN.  It silences the chorus of opposition, and clears the path for unobstructed and pointed action.  It’s like water running downhill; it effortlessly curves to the configuration of the terrain.

I’ve experienced real commitment only a few times.

Not because it’s hard.

Because it’s so easy it scares me.

There’s so much power in it, so much real-ness to our potential that I deign to use it only sparingly.

But I wonder sometimes where my life would be if I wasn’t afraid.

What if every decision was a FINAL decision?

Sure, you could re-evaluate long-term commitments to determine if they still serve…or make short-term commitments, and periodically re-commit…but what if, for the most part, that was that?  What if, in the Viking warrior tradition, you could burn the ships as soon as you land in new and unconquered territory? Could you gaze up the beach and know that beyond it are only two possibilities – victory, or death?

All great *gut check* questions I’ve been asking myself as I hang up my calendar for another year.

As human beings, we’re capable of so much, yet we squander our powers.

For what?

Security?

It’s an illusion…a mere shadow of Mother Nature’s attempt to protect her children from an unpredictable ecosystem.  Safeguards placed into our brains by DNA.

We are no longer children.  We are the part of nature that is coming to know itself, and we stand face to face with the unboundedness of our existence.

We are free…

2017 will be a year of massive reinvention.  Anything is game.  There is NO certainty.  Trust me; you don’t need it anyway.  NOW is the time to find your center and live from that place.  Not fear, but opportunity.  Not what anyone says (much less what the media says), but what inspires you…

The future belongs to those who create it.

Let’s make it good.

Happy Committing,

Conor Kelly
conorkelly.com

Get fit in 2017, start here

conorkel2 Comments

Few things in life are more certain than the holiday *hangover* (for some, a literal term) that compels people to clean up their diets and start exercising.

Sure enough, getting in shape tops the list of New Year’s resolutions.

Job numero uno, in my opinion (which makes it fact) is to pick apart roadblocks to success.

One example is detoxing.

Why, you ask?

Most of us have at least some fat loss resistance due to toxicity.

Toxins take up residence in our bodies and cause inflammation – a screw driver in the cogs of an otherwise healthy metabolism.  Fat cells, in particular, become storage ports for these buggers.  This increases the stickiness factor of any stubborn fat.  Adding to the mix, if your liver is laden with toxins, it’s got fewer resources to devote to fat-burning.

Yup, detoxing es mucho importante.

There are a ton of programs out there for you to choose from, ranging from the somewhat palatable, to the downright horrific.

I’d recommend you start with the Wild Rose Herbal D-Tox, based on the following clever considerations (not to toot my own horn or anything):

One, it’s 12 days.  Even the most discipline-impaired person can navigate the relative short-term-ness of this protocol.

Two, you eat regular food (with a few significant changes…no sugar, nothing processed, no dairy, no alcohol, no yeast).

No fasting or juicing required.

The handy nutrition guide shows you how.

Three, it’s gentle – perfect for newbies.

The herbal concoction mostly helps you go the washroom more often.

Empty colon = happy colon.

But most of all, it’s a short-term commitment to cut out trigger foods that spur cravings.

When you make it through the 12 days…and you will…it’s not that you won’t want your favorite foods any more, but the need is gone.  Your *new normal* will be a big improvement on your pre-detox habits.

And that’s a victory you can build on.

Here’s the link again:

The Conz’ Herbal Protocol That Drives Out Evil Toxins

Get it from any health food store.

By the way, I get absolutely nothing for recommending this.

I just think it’s the perfect kick start to your 2017 fitness ambitions.

Happy Detoxing,

Conor Kelly
conorkelly.com

P.S.  Hire me to speak to your group or meeting in 2017!  For a list of speaking topics, head over yonder:

Click here for a list of speaking topics.