Recently I was sitting in a volunteer training at Judi's House, where I do some volunteer work, and we discussed emotional triggers. The discussion reminded me of an important one for me (completely self inflicted) in relation to athletics and injuries.
You remember that scene from Kill Bill where Uma Thurman is in the back of the truck, paralyzed and trying to will herself to move? She keeps repeating over and over again "Wiggle Your Big Toe" until her toe finally budges a fraction of an inch, thus rendering her free to move, kick, punch and slice her way to victory?
I can totally relate...and not because I've been paralyzed in the back of some dude's pickup truck. (5th Amendment)
In 2004 (I was 24 at the time), I slipped the L4-L5 and L5-S1 discs during a weightlifting workout. A smarter man would've taken time off, rehabbed and lived to fight another day. Being that I am, in fact, NOT a smarter man, I played through a season of rugby while training 4 days a week for powerlifting. Playing in the front row for rugby while also pulling/squatting for a max every Monday night is not conducive to lower back rehab and I developed some serious sciatica in my right leg.
At this time, I was also finishing my undergrad in sports medicine at Colorado State University and interning in the weight room. This entailed being on my feet coaching from around 11am until 4-5pm, at which time I would either head to Denver for rugby training or train with one of the other coaches. I've never felt pain like I did in those days of being on my feet; I actually chipped a tooth from grinding my teeth. That is not a badge of honor and pride; it's a badge of stupidity and ego.
Fast forward 9 months: I get an MRI after the rugby season ends and take it to one of the orthopedic surgeons at CSU. He has me take off my shoes, looks at the MRI, palpates my spine and puts me through some balance tests, which I fail spectacularly (go big or go home). He then asks me to stand on both feet and raise the big toe on my right foot.
Nothing. Not even a twitch of life.
I flexed my foot with every fiber of my being. The other four toes moved off of the ground easily, but the big toe mind as well have been glued to the ground. The resulting conversation was award-winning movie dialogue:
"I can't move my toe"
-Nope
"That is not good."
-Nope
From that day up until the day I went in for microdiscectomy (day before Thanksgiving in 2005), I would constantly test my big toe. From the time I awoke to the time I went to sleep, I would test it and try to make it move. It's the very first thing I did once I woke up post-op in the recovery room and I still do it from time to time because it sets off that cacade of memories in my mind. That surgery is a story unto itself (including my first and only experience with a catheder), but that experience of not being able to move something simple like a toe has stuck with me. The phrase "Lift Your Toe" is something that goes through my mind at key points in my life, both in and out of the gym.
Athletically speaking (both physically and mentally), recovering from surgery is one of the toughest things I've done. I went from limping and not able to stand upright pain free to getting back to playing high level rugby, going to camp with USA Bobsled, competing in athletics and just living a (semi) pain free life. When I'm dragging and hurting and I don't want to train, I always remember the times when I couldn't lift my big toe. It's an emotional trigger for me and it conjures up images of the pre-op days lying on my girlfriend's kitchen floor and the post-op days when I needed a grabber arm to get dressed and when my only activity came from pacing laps in my 600 sq ft apartment. Vasily Alexeyev (one of the greatest weightlifters of all time) said this (from Elitefts.com):
"It seems to me that some of the talented athletes lack one thing-- they
haven't had an injury. That's right! An injury that will put them out of
commission for a year during which time they'll have a chance to weigh every-
thing. I, too, would not be where I am if I had not injured my back. I
suffered for a year and a half thinking everything over ... After a
misfortune, people pull through and become, if possible, great people -- and
sportsmen, in particular. Those who are stronger find their way out and to
the top.
The past can be a very powerful tool in your arsenal, if used appropriately. Athletes tend to focus on the "glory days" while forgetting the dark days and time spent rehabilitating from injury. Rehab and recovery from an injury is one of the toughest things that an athlete will do; it forces you to weigh everything in your life when you make the "Do I or Don't I" decision. Don't forget about those days when you're laid up on crutches or in a sling; those are the times when you really had to weigh everything. Those are the turning points, the times when you decided to really go to work.
Just Lift Your Toe.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
I am Jack's Unique Definition of Fun
I've been doing some purging of my laptop and my flash drives and thought I'd post up some stuff from the past few years of training and competing. No Oly Weightlifting pics and vids but those should be coming along this summer/fall. Some of the videos may contain filthy language or men with their shirts off so tread lightly and at your own risk.
This might have been the longest minute of 2009. This is a frame carry/stone carry medley (50 ft in each direction) with the frame weighing about 500lbs and the stone weighs 250lbs.
How I didn't kill myself doing this I'll never know; 60 kg (132lb) one armed snatch
(Insert "Got Wood" joke here)
In my younger days (during and right after business school), I fancied myself one of those guys who pushes a sled down a sheet of ice at a (hopefully) high rate of speed. This is from the pushtrack at the Olympic Park in Park City UT. If you ever get the chance to go to Park City or Lake Placid, I highly recommend that you take advantage of the bobsled rides.
This is from my second ever contest in Salina KS in which I finished second in the under 200lbs class. I typically competed at 220-230 but I feel really good at 200-210 and that's where I plan to stay going forward. Extra weight doesn't necessarily equal stronger (as the guys at California Strength say "Fat Doesn't Contract") and being generally healthy is important to me. No one ever got weaker by being healthier.
This is from the 2010 Southern California's Strongest Man contest in Huntington Beach. This is after an event appropriately titled the "Death Medley". It consisted of a 100ft farmers walk with 240lbs in each hand followed by a 50 ft tire flip with a 600lb tire and then a heavy sled drag for 50 feet. I finished 2nd in this event (3rd in the contest) and this mantastic pic ended up on the cover of the OC Register a few days later; truly my 15 nanoseconds of fame.
Despite this example, I spend the majority of my time not wearing spandex, a kilt or attempting to put myself in a wheelchair at age 30. But where's the fun in that?
This might have been the longest minute of 2009. This is a frame carry/stone carry medley (50 ft in each direction) with the frame weighing about 500lbs and the stone weighs 250lbs.
(Insert "Got Wood" joke here)
This is from my second ever contest in Salina KS in which I finished second in the under 200lbs class. I typically competed at 220-230 but I feel really good at 200-210 and that's where I plan to stay going forward. Extra weight doesn't necessarily equal stronger (as the guys at California Strength say "Fat Doesn't Contract") and being generally healthy is important to me. No one ever got weaker by being healthier.
Despite this example, I spend the majority of my time not wearing spandex, a kilt or attempting to put myself in a wheelchair at age 30. But where's the fun in that?
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Roll the Dice
(H/T @fitcornpop)
Roll the Dice
by Charles Bukowski
if you’re going to try, go all the way.
otherwise, don’t even start.if you’re going to try, go all the
way. this could mean losing girlfriends,
wives, relatives, jobs and
maybe your mind.go all the way.
it could mean not eating for 3 or 4 days.
it could mean freezing on a park bench.
it could mean jail,
it could mean derision,
mockery,
isolation.
isolation is the gift,
all the others are a test of your
endurance, of
how much you really want to
do it.
and you’ll do it
despite rejection and the
worst odds
and it will be better than
anything else
you can imagine.if you’re going to try,
go all the way.
there is no other feeling like that.
you will be alone with the gods
and the nights will flame with fire.do it, do it, do it.
do it.all the way
all the way.
you will ride life straight to perfect laughter,
it’s the only good fight there is.This is Here
I had the opportunity to see Henry Rollins speak this past weekend (which I highly recommend to anyone and everyone I meet; poignant and hilarious shows) and blatantly stole the title of this entry from that performance. Henry told a story about traveling to Tibet and the woman who served as his guide. When she would arrive at a place of high importance, she would start her explanation with the phrase "This is Here". This has been stuck in my head ever since I heard it. It's an incredibly meaningful and profound way to describe a place and an even better way to describe a moment in time.
Whether you're at work, at home, the gym (bike/mountain/track/wherever), out on the town, etc; that's your moment. You can choose to actively disengage from wherever your physical self might take you...and in 2011 you have a plethora of ways to bail out on your present situation! In an increasingly interconnected world, the line between engagement and distraction becomes a little blurry; it becomes a question of physical engagement vs. conscious engagement i.e. where I am isn't exactly where I "am". Due to this fragmentation of our attention, the biggest statement we can make to someone (and to ourselves) is by being present, engaged and owning your moments. Consistent focus and legit engagement is becoming rarer than a Cubs World Series ring.
This splitting of our attention isn't inherently a bad thing, but it can detract from the statement that you make to those around you by being there in the first place. You can also completely derail yourself from the current moment. One of the most powerful things I do to non-verbally communicate with people (as well as to myself) that "I'm HERE" is to make a point of turning off my phone. Conversely, there is no easier way to get someone to consciously "check out" than to check your phone when they're saying something or expressing themselves. And it isn't just me: 14% of men have taken a call while on a first date; of that group, 61% didn't get a second date (per Men's Health magazine). I'm willing to concede that there may be some unaccounted variables but that's still not a good sign for all parties involved.
Don't get me wrong: this isn't a diatribe against the smartphone, the digital age and the interconnected world by any means. Social media (in all its forms) has given me the opportunity to interact with people and places that I wouldn't have even known existed 10-20 years ago; plus the irony of blogging about disconnecting is like screwing over virginity. Just a quick reminder to be mindful of your moments as well as the impact that your engagement (or lack thereof) has on yourself and those around you.
Wherever you are, this is here.
Whether you're at work, at home, the gym (bike/mountain/track/wherever), out on the town, etc; that's your moment. You can choose to actively disengage from wherever your physical self might take you...and in 2011 you have a plethora of ways to bail out on your present situation! In an increasingly interconnected world, the line between engagement and distraction becomes a little blurry; it becomes a question of physical engagement vs. conscious engagement i.e. where I am isn't exactly where I "am". Due to this fragmentation of our attention, the biggest statement we can make to someone (and to ourselves) is by being present, engaged and owning your moments. Consistent focus and legit engagement is becoming rarer than a Cubs World Series ring.
This splitting of our attention isn't inherently a bad thing, but it can detract from the statement that you make to those around you by being there in the first place. You can also completely derail yourself from the current moment. One of the most powerful things I do to non-verbally communicate with people (as well as to myself) that "I'm HERE" is to make a point of turning off my phone. Conversely, there is no easier way to get someone to consciously "check out" than to check your phone when they're saying something or expressing themselves. And it isn't just me: 14% of men have taken a call while on a first date; of that group, 61% didn't get a second date (per Men's Health magazine). I'm willing to concede that there may be some unaccounted variables but that's still not a good sign for all parties involved.
Don't get me wrong: this isn't a diatribe against the smartphone, the digital age and the interconnected world by any means. Social media (in all its forms) has given me the opportunity to interact with people and places that I wouldn't have even known existed 10-20 years ago; plus the irony of blogging about disconnecting is like screwing over virginity. Just a quick reminder to be mindful of your moments as well as the impact that your engagement (or lack thereof) has on yourself and those around you.
Wherever you are, this is here.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Fasting? Really?
I'm trying a new approach based on intermittent fasting and an underfeeding/overfeeding cycle (books I'd recommend include The Warrior Diet and Eat Stop Eat). The switch to a plant-based diet caused some problems with fueling and recovering from training; I did a bad job initially of replacing the calories lost from removing the majority of meat from my diet. Also my new(ish) job doesn't work all that well with eating meals throughout the day as I'm busy straight through the day. My answer has been to fast/eat lightly during the day, snack pre/during/post-workout and then gorge at night. I'm attracted to the simplicity and not having to concern myself with packing meals for work and checking out the clock for timing meals. This feels much more intuitive and natural; much like it felt to switch to a plant-based diet.
It goes against basically every bit of data I was taught in school but there are some very interesting studies that have emerged in the past few years regarding intermittent fasting (overview article in LA Times here). There have been a number of endurance athletes that have successfully used this practice but I'm unaware of very many strength athletes that use this approach (admittedly I got the idea from Michael Keck at Elitefts so that's one). I'll detail my workouts and eating once I get it a little more fleshed out.
I'm thoroughly surprised by how much I'm enjoying not having to write my own programming. I've discussed here that I'm currently following a Russian weightlifting plan for the majority of my training. I do make some alterations here and there (additional upper body work//Highland games and strongman-specific events/less bar work on GPP days/band work) but I'd say 80-90% of my work is specifically from the manual. Part of this is time management (not a lot of free time to program) and part of it is a lack of expertise (or laziness depending on whom you ask). My background in physical prep is for rugby, football and track; I would call my knowledge of specific training for Olympic weightlifting mediocre at best. In looking at what I've been doing, it's clear that I never would've thought to do this much lower body work and certainly not squat 3-5 days/week! It's been a struggle to keep my upper body "caught up" with my lower body but it's coming around.
Link of the Week
Mobility WOD
-I got this one from Dr Lisa at Lifesport Chiropractic in Boulder. If you have any kind of issues with mobility, flexibility or any other kind of sport-related "ility" issues then I encourage you to check out the Mobility WOD blog. I'm working through these in an effort to help with some general mobility issues as well as improving specific mobility at the thoracic spine/ankles/hips for Olympic weightlifting.
It goes against basically every bit of data I was taught in school but there are some very interesting studies that have emerged in the past few years regarding intermittent fasting (overview article in LA Times here). There have been a number of endurance athletes that have successfully used this practice but I'm unaware of very many strength athletes that use this approach (admittedly I got the idea from Michael Keck at Elitefts so that's one). I'll detail my workouts and eating once I get it a little more fleshed out.
I'm thoroughly surprised by how much I'm enjoying not having to write my own programming. I've discussed here that I'm currently following a Russian weightlifting plan for the majority of my training. I do make some alterations here and there (additional upper body work//Highland games and strongman-specific events/less bar work on GPP days/band work) but I'd say 80-90% of my work is specifically from the manual. Part of this is time management (not a lot of free time to program) and part of it is a lack of expertise (or laziness depending on whom you ask). My background in physical prep is for rugby, football and track; I would call my knowledge of specific training for Olympic weightlifting mediocre at best. In looking at what I've been doing, it's clear that I never would've thought to do this much lower body work and certainly not squat 3-5 days/week! It's been a struggle to keep my upper body "caught up" with my lower body but it's coming around.
Link of the Week
Mobility WOD
-I got this one from Dr Lisa at Lifesport Chiropractic in Boulder. If you have any kind of issues with mobility, flexibility or any other kind of sport-related "ility" issues then I encourage you to check out the Mobility WOD blog. I'm working through these in an effort to help with some general mobility issues as well as improving specific mobility at the thoracic spine/ankles/hips for Olympic weightlifting.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Know Your Audience
Gym story of the day:
Scene: Group of guys chatting around a platform after we finish up training for the day. A twentysomething woman walks by and says hi to the group; to protect the innocent she will be "C".
C is a former collegiate wrestler, currently coaches HS wrestling and is getting into Olympic weightlifting a bit; she gets after things in the gym. She also wears the smallest spandex shorts in the world every time she trains. So some comments are made (as a group of guys in a gym will do on occasion) about C, her shorts and various other aspects of her anatomy. One particularly "vigorous" commenter is a fiftysomething guy who trains and coaches with us. I'm tearing up and trying to keep from laughing as I'm looking over at my friend Dave, who is becoming a little red in the face. This keep going for just long enough (and is getting fairly disturbing by this point) and then I turn to Dave and say "Isn't that your girlfriend?".
"Yup; we started dating about 3 months ago"
There is no comeback from saying something totally X-Rated about a girl who is young enough to be your daughter to her boyfriend.
End Scene
Scene: Group of guys chatting around a platform after we finish up training for the day. A twentysomething woman walks by and says hi to the group; to protect the innocent she will be "C".
C is a former collegiate wrestler, currently coaches HS wrestling and is getting into Olympic weightlifting a bit; she gets after things in the gym. She also wears the smallest spandex shorts in the world every time she trains. So some comments are made (as a group of guys in a gym will do on occasion) about C, her shorts and various other aspects of her anatomy. One particularly "vigorous" commenter is a fiftysomething guy who trains and coaches with us. I'm tearing up and trying to keep from laughing as I'm looking over at my friend Dave, who is becoming a little red in the face. This keep going for just long enough (and is getting fairly disturbing by this point) and then I turn to Dave and say "Isn't that your girlfriend?".
"Yup; we started dating about 3 months ago"
There is no comeback from saying something totally X-Rated about a girl who is young enough to be your daughter to her boyfriend.
End Scene
Monday, January 17, 2011
Traders As Athletes: Recovery and Relaxation
Let's look at the typical day in the life on a trading desk. Whether you're a pure execution trader at an institution, trading for your own accounts or something in between, you're probably in the office around 5-6am (this can be time zone dependent and varies greatly) and out somewhere between 10-14 hours later (also time zone dependent and variable). You spend the bulk of your day on the phone and/or staring at screens (sedentary) BUT you're most likely operating with elevated stress hormone (cortisol) levels, elevated heart rate and tension and probably constantly assimilating information, calculating risk and making decisions. This is nothing new to anyone who has worked around the markets for any appreciable amount of time.
This isn't all that different from training for elite-level sport. Olympic-level weightlifters typically train 2-3 times a day for 1-3 hours per session, 6 days a week. Obviously there is a physical component here that isn't applicable to most traders (pit traders excluded!) but the mental aspects of trading can be much more stress-inducing than lifting a barbell or running a sprint. Olympians also have an army of professionals (massage therapy/chiropractic/nutritionists/coaches) keeping their bodies in working order, whereas traders are typically famous for abusing their bodies with bad food, not enough sleep and a wee bit of "occasional" alcohol. Some traders succeed in spite of how they care for their bodies rather than because of it.
My goal here is to get you to think of yourselves as athletes. You're probably not picking up 400lb barbells, but Olympians aren't shorting 50,000 shares of AAPL with a wife/husband and kids at home, either. The common theme is that both occupations involve maximal performance (mentally and physically) in extremely high-stress situations. Phil Pearlman (@ppearlman on Twitter and Stocktwits; philpearlman.com) addresses the psychological aspects of trading on his shows on Stocktwits TV. He does an amazing job on his show and I recommend him for anyone (trader or not) looking for insights into behavior and why we do what we do. Here I would like to address some of the physical aspects of maximal performance.
In this article, I'm going to focus on recovery as it pertains both to athletes and to traders. In future articles, I'll address training and nutrition ideas. If there is one thing that we all could probably use it's more recovery, whether it be more downtime or more potent use of the time that your already have. I get that some of these might be difficult as we all have commitments: significant other, kids, volunteering, social life, etc. My goal here is to give some actionable ideas you can incorporate into your day to help you recover from your time in your turret. There's nothing here that is overly complicated to implement but the benefits will be tangible. In the finance world it's a badge of honor to avoid sleep and work to exhaustion. I'd argue that you can perform better and at a higher level in ALL aspects of your world with a little more attention to recovery and relaxation.
(NOTE: I'm recommending some supplements and nutrition products in here. I don't get anything for free or reduced or anything for recommending these; I pay full price to use them because I see a tangible benefit and I like them. That's it)
-Sneak a nap in right after your leave the office; 15-30mins and ideally in silence or with light background noise. This helps to stabilize your stress hormones and clear your mind. Watching TV does not count here as the mind is still active. -Turn the TV/Wii/computer/iPad/anything with a screen off 1-2 hrs before you wish to be asleep.
-Have a pre-sleep routine to tell your body it's time to call it a day
-Reading in bed works wonders (iPad/laptop/smartphone EXCLUDED)
-Supplement-wise I would avoid any of the prescription sleep-pills (except as a last LAST resort) and try things like herbal teas (Celestial Seasonings and others make excellent sleep-specific teas) or supplementing with things like melatonin or ZMA (zinc/magnesium/vitamin B6). I like a product called Mineral Support from Biotest; entirely minerals that the body needs anyways.
-Take it easy on the coffee/caffeine/stimulants especially after noon. Stimulants can play hell with your stress hormones as they artificially generate a fight/fight response.
-Buy an awesome mattress and sheets
-USE that mattress and sheets often, if you get my drift (wink wink, nudge nudge); great stress reliever
-Get massages; does wonders for circulation and reduced tension throughout the body
-Get outside and get some sunlight for 20 mins a day. This stimulates Vitamin D production within the body and helps with Seasonal Affective Disorder; which makes you sad-faced when there is less sun. Traders can have this issue year round because of our hours; We've all gone multiple days without seeing the sun when on daylight savings and it definitely affects your mind's function.
-Take fish oil; 5-10 grams or so per day. Your brain is overwhelmingly composed of omega-3 fats and fish oil is essentially pure Omega-3's. This promotes dopamine and serotonin release in the body which calms and relaxes
-Eat plenty of Vitamin C via citrus fruits. At the very least gulp down an EmergenC with a meal.
-Work out (more on this later) and be physically active
-Don't eat industrial waste (also more on this later)
-Be Awesome.
This isn't all that different from training for elite-level sport. Olympic-level weightlifters typically train 2-3 times a day for 1-3 hours per session, 6 days a week. Obviously there is a physical component here that isn't applicable to most traders (pit traders excluded!) but the mental aspects of trading can be much more stress-inducing than lifting a barbell or running a sprint. Olympians also have an army of professionals (massage therapy/chiropractic/nutritionists/coaches) keeping their bodies in working order, whereas traders are typically famous for abusing their bodies with bad food, not enough sleep and a wee bit of "occasional" alcohol. Some traders succeed in spite of how they care for their bodies rather than because of it.
 |
| Flashing gang signs in downtown Chicago is very stressful |
In this article, I'm going to focus on recovery as it pertains both to athletes and to traders. In future articles, I'll address training and nutrition ideas. If there is one thing that we all could probably use it's more recovery, whether it be more downtime or more potent use of the time that your already have. I get that some of these might be difficult as we all have commitments: significant other, kids, volunteering, social life, etc. My goal here is to give some actionable ideas you can incorporate into your day to help you recover from your time in your turret. There's nothing here that is overly complicated to implement but the benefits will be tangible. In the finance world it's a badge of honor to avoid sleep and work to exhaustion. I'd argue that you can perform better and at a higher level in ALL aspects of your world with a little more attention to recovery and relaxation.
 |
| VERY relaxing image in the dead of winter |
-Sneak a nap in right after your leave the office; 15-30mins and ideally in silence or with light background noise. This helps to stabilize your stress hormones and clear your mind. Watching TV does not count here as the mind is still active. -Turn the TV/Wii/computer/iPad/anything with a screen off 1-2 hrs before you wish to be asleep.
-Have a pre-sleep routine to tell your body it's time to call it a day
-Reading in bed works wonders (iPad/laptop/smartphone EXCLUDED)
-Supplement-wise I would avoid any of the prescription sleep-pills (except as a last LAST resort) and try things like herbal teas (Celestial Seasonings and others make excellent sleep-specific teas) or supplementing with things like melatonin or ZMA (zinc/magnesium/vitamin B6). I like a product called Mineral Support from Biotest; entirely minerals that the body needs anyways.
-Take it easy on the coffee/caffeine/stimulants especially after noon. Stimulants can play hell with your stress hormones as they artificially generate a fight/fight response.
-Buy an awesome mattress and sheets
-USE that mattress and sheets often, if you get my drift (wink wink, nudge nudge); great stress reliever
-Get massages; does wonders for circulation and reduced tension throughout the body
-Get outside and get some sunlight for 20 mins a day. This stimulates Vitamin D production within the body and helps with Seasonal Affective Disorder; which makes you sad-faced when there is less sun. Traders can have this issue year round because of our hours; We've all gone multiple days without seeing the sun when on daylight savings and it definitely affects your mind's function.
-Take fish oil; 5-10 grams or so per day. Your brain is overwhelmingly composed of omega-3 fats and fish oil is essentially pure Omega-3's. This promotes dopamine and serotonin release in the body which calms and relaxes
-Eat plenty of Vitamin C via citrus fruits. At the very least gulp down an EmergenC with a meal.
-Work out (more on this later) and be physically active
-Don't eat industrial waste (also more on this later)
-Be Awesome.
 |
| This is my version of Awesome. Be your personal version of this. |
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