Some of the results we see in our preschool class are pretty amazing, here’s a little video of some of the fitness training exercises we do and why we do them:

Until May 1954 the 4 minute mile was largely considered a impossible barrier. Once it was beat the record holder only held it for 2 months before 2 more had beat it.

So much of what our bodies can and can’t do is all in our heads, if we don’t believe we can do it, we aren’t going to be able to. As soon as beating the 4 minute barrier became something achievable, people started achieving it. What was once considered impossible is now the standard for high level racers.

Can you get that one last rep in? or hold that plank another 30 seconds? Probably, but you got to refuse to not be able to.

One fundamental concept when working with just about any sort of processor is that input controls output.  The numbers you put into a calculator lead to the numbers you get out of it.  The ingredients you put into a recipe control the finished product.

We aren’t much different, our inputs control our outputs as well.

This covers diet, if you eat low quality food you’re going to have low quality energy and feel poorly.  If you eat high quality food you’ll have more energy and be healthier.

It covers our fitness, if you exercise right you’ll end up strong and in good shape, if you don’t exercise you won’t.

And it also covers our mindset, which is going to lead to all those other things.  A person that grows up surrounded by people that are out of shape and complain about those “health nuts” that eat vegetables and exercise is most likely going to end up in a similar situation.

“Garbage in, Garbage out” is a common concept in software.

A person that is surrounded by people that don’t value education is most likely going to end up not getting one.

A person that surrounds themselves by people that love to learn is going to likely end up doing the same.

A person that is surrounded by people that take care of themselves through diet and exercise is likely going to end up healthy.

If you don’t have the right inputs in your life it is going to be very hard, if not near impossible to get the results you want.  The people we surround ourselves with make a huge impact on the way we see the world.  As does the media we consume, the books we read and the activities we do.

Perhaps the worst offenders are the complainers… complainers are the people that always have something to complain about.  Complaining is a terrible input to have because it shifts responsibility away from the things we can actually change.

Now I’m not talking about legitimate complaints.  Things like “I bought this tv and it doesn’t work”, things like that are a different sort of complaint that has a resolution.

“I have bad genes, I can’t lose weight.”

“Rich people got lucky, and exploit the poor.”

“I can’t afford to eat healthy”

“I have no time to exercise”

Now in some cases there may be some level of validity to the complaint.  But focusing on the complaint shifts your mindset to “It’s not my fault, I can’t do anything” away from finding a solution, which is where it should be.

Consider the things that matter to you in life.  Health, finance, family, work, relationships, etc.  What are the inputs are you surrounded with in those regards?

Do all your friends and co-workers creed going to work and spend the whole week avoiding doing as much as possible while complaining about not earning enough?  Probably won’t like your job either.

Do your friends spend much of their time complaining about their significant other… chances are you’ll end up unhappy in your relationship too.

Do you eat lunch with people that eat junk food and make fun of the health nuts that eat salad?  Chances are you’ll have a hard time with your diet.

Garbage in, Garbage out.

Choose who you surround yourself with wisely, and choose who you listen too.

Battle Ropes are great fun, and killer cardio.