ask the right questions...

Einstein suggested that we make things as simple as possible and no simpler. the right questions can simplify things. change them - or, more accurately, change us and allow us to see the answers that are directly in front of us. people often ask me what i learned at GYM JONES, other trainers are more specific and ask me what workouts i did, if they send me a "workout of the day". i was lucky. i found a group of talented individuals who helped shape my relationship with training from the beginning. i learned early to ask why and how and not just what should i do now. i also began to learn what to do with that information...

this is a short list of questions - it is hardly complete, but answered honestly these questions can help arrange a framework, a scaffolding to build your training around. these questions should bring up more questions, they should start a process, give you hints of where to look, where to push and where to rest. just remember that you are never going to find your way to your destination if you can't be honest about where you are...

first, we define fitness as "the ability to perform a task" the task you chose will outline the attributes necessary to achieve your goals, the first step is to define the task, the test...

how will you test (and in doing so, define) your fitness?

how long before you undergo this "test"?

how many hours per week (total) do you plan on dedicating to training?

what small tests do you have arranged as "error corrections" on your way to the main test?

- gut check - is this time-table honest and reasonable?

what is the duration of this test? will fueling/hydration be a factor? will boredom? will weather?

how often during this test do you expect to reach a max or near max heart rate? for what duration? what condition will you be in going into a max heart rate situation - a late attack during a bike race? a standing start off the blocks?

will you have an opportunity for intermittent recovery during your test? if so, under what conditions? (standing? sitting? walking? hanging from a good hand-hold? pinned under an opponent or against a cage?)

what factor does specific technical skill play in the final outcome?

in previous tests, has a lack physical strength ever been a deterrent to your performance? has fatigue (physical or emotional) or endurance/stamina? be specific.

during training, has lack of physical strength or endurance ever been a deterrent to learning a lesson or performing a task? at what point during training (at what level of fatigue) does your technical skill begin to deteriorate and to what extent? at what point does fatigue prevent you from tying a secure knot? making a catch? locking in a hold? defending a take-down against a lesser opponent?

has your weight/size ever been a deterrent? too heavy or too light?

has explosive power ever been a factor in your performance? quickness? the ability to "change gears" - going from a stand-still to a sprint? changing positions?

in training or during previous tests - where have you failed? what excuses distract you from training? from recovering? from eating properly? what triggers you into self-sabotage? how often must you test yourself to avoid complacency?

why are you eating the way you do? for what objective? does your diet reflect your stated goals?

what plans do you have to cope with these pitfalls? to avoid them, recover from them, or at least mitigate their effects?

what are the effects of your mental and/or emotional state or your training? on your tests? what triggers change that state? (risk? competition? failure? success?)

what sort of return on investment can you expect from each corrective effort? do any corrections contain a natural order or progression? which corrections will lay groundwork for other corrective efforts?

this list could go on, but do not mistake answering questions for progress - or asking them for that matter. that has been a pitfall of mine. the flashing lights of data points and interesting questions can be just as paralyzing as not enough information if you are not careful. the important thing is to learn from what is in front of you. to ask questions and find answers. to test theories. to try and fail and try again. the goal is to learn. to grow. and to improve.

re-evaluate often.

give things the time and attention they deserve.

do not give up what you really want for what you want right now.

look at trends, not snapshots.

be willing to take a step back to make a leap forward.

do not waste today fighting yesterdays battle. that which got you from point a to point b may not be able to get you from point b to point c. it may, in fact, be blocking your path.

pay attention. ask questions. don't quit.

add to that - find someone smarter than you. better than you. as many as you can, and learn from them.

(on that note: mark & lisa twight, rob macdonald, michael blevins, james gardner, johnny carlquist, john frieh, john spezzano, rob fusco, jenny raff, matt owen, ryan mcCliment, bill mcconnell, fred bigliardi, josh harth, jonathan yankee, candace and frankie puopolo, rachel nievelt, to everyone who makes the station what it is ... thank you for making me try harder every day.)

things have their place. ju-jitsu is a technical sport. there are, however, gym movements that can set the groundwork for better technique. we can handle the "dumb" stuff here so you can spend your mat time focused solely on practicing technique and not wishing you knew how to push through your hips or that you had a stronger grip.

sometimes you have to court failure. to experience a little fear. it keeps you hungry and it keeps you humble.

it is never too late to start.

Death By Success

one thing punk rock taught me is a healthy distrust of success.

healthy insofar as defining success as a moral victory as much as a financial one; as an internal struggle first. to beat their game by our rules.

evolving can be frightening, it can be stressful, and is, by its nature, uncertain. but without it, with out the struggle and the desire to grow, we will stagnate....

i am only half joking when i say i am motivated by fear. fear of not measuring up, fear of letting people down. this fear has served me well. propelled me to try harder, to listen better, to sideline my ego and try and learn something. this fear has kept me watchful and kept me hungry. mastering your emotions does not mean not feeling them, it means understanding their message and utilizing their energy.

i restructured my life a year ago. cut my last ties to a steady paycheck to pursue my passions without distraction. after a year of effort there is another evolution on the horizon. papers have begun to shift hands and it looks like THE STATION will have a permanent home. a new space, a larger business plan, and a renewed commitment to the people who have made it possible.

i thank you.

on a related note, there is a "support" page now where you can purchase a small token of our project.

evolve.

-the station

reason.

do it for a fucking reason.

it is a common statement, and when applied to every aspect of training, will yield more results than any piece of equipment, any fad-diet, or what you would get by following anyone elses training program.

having a goal is the first part. it is easy to understand that a goal functions as the "why?" it is why we eat a certain way. why we get up early. why we go to sleep at 10 pm instead of going out. but once you have a solid and specific goal it will also shape the "how"...

what is required of your goal? what skills? what weight is ideal? how strong do you have to be? how fast? how much power? how much endurance? what movements drive this task? what are the common injuries you need to avoid?

these are not hypothetical questions. make a fucking list. do research. add to it often.

now: self assessment. the goal is outlined, time to find the starting point....

if you can, have someone help you here. someone who is not afraid of telling you the hard and ugly truth. do this without ego. lies at this stage are hurting only yourself. this must be ruthless. it should be humbling. the task is deceptively simple: where are you in relation to the goals?

timeline. triage. how long will this take? what goals can you train at the same time? what other factors are involved? what are you willing to take on? what are you willing to give up? what kind of diet/recovery/work/travel schedule will be required? how much are you willing to spend?

be honest. be thorough. ask questions and the path will begin to form.

what root goals are other goals based on? what steps are most important? what goals can be worked on in parallel? what problems can be solved in the gym? what corrections yield the greatest benefit? what psychological factors will play a role? what pitfalls am i headed for and how am i going to deal with them? who has been there before and how can i learn from them?

do work, and do it for a fucking reason.

explosion from a fatigued/compromised state

grind down, build up the acidity, learn to hang on and explode from it. fighters can immediately see the use of a skill like this. train the ability here so you can focus on the timing during your fight training.

CV recovery under a load.

initiate panic breathing - rack as much weight as you can handle and hang on. learn to control it. to contain it. and to recover under the load.

30' of 3" rope. 30# of chain. sprint the rope straight, pull it (and the chain) to you hand over hand (use your hips) repeat 4 times. rest while your partner does the same. repeat.

grip. hip/hand coordination and engagement. CV power. muscular efficiency and short term recovery practice.

mid-section stability. shoulder flexibility and control.

here we build the tools.

send a message. tell your body what you want it to be able to do. tell it clearly and tell it often. recover well. work smart. don't quit.

the fight.

it is a good one.

there has been much work done so far this year, with many new things on the horizon. a potential building to be purchased, small business loans, new web site, new tools, and new t-shirts. this is the good fight. this is scheming. problem solving. the whiplash shift between near fanatical attention to detail and the big picture. the willingness to wield the knife, to cut out what is inessential, to drop dead weight and become the perfect tool for the task at hand. i have been putting more energy into the space, we have been focusing on details, on goals... and reaping the rewards.


















the fighters have been a pleasure to work with. not just because of their willingness to work, but because the requirements of their craft. ju-jitsu is a skill game. it is hard on the body. the gym, their work with me, is supplemental. secondary. their tasks are tailored to their goals, their test places their flesh on the line and with fights on the horizon we have not the luxury of "free time". each task is presented to correct an imbalance or to encourage a trait. shoulder and knee work to help avoid future injury, constant pressure and compromised rest, explosive power from a confined and fatigued state...

ball slam to roll out.
dynamic-isometric back squat.
knee jumps.
deadlift to box jumps
russian twists, cauldron, shoot lunges...
recover in rack position, in front plank, under the slosh pipe....
the airdyne...


everything for a reason.


















there is so much to be said in these pictures. the fight. the fear. resignation. a realization that the work is harder than you thought, longer and your fatigue deeper. the realization that you chose this. sought it out. fought for it. that you are here. now. and all that is left to do is press on.

TANSTAAFL

There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch...

time. effort. money. faith. health. blood. sweat. tears.

everything costs something, and everybody has to pay.

this should not be seen as a threat.

in accepting that everything costs. that everything is earned, or at least paid for, gives us an framework to own our decisions. to accept and embrace the responsibility of doing what is right for us and those we care for.

act deliberately.

wield the knife, carefully and in full consideration of the consequences.

travel light. travel fast.

it was Heinlein who said that "the most expensive thing in the world is a second-best military establishment, good, but not good enough to win"

it is best then, to think of each day as a battle.

do not waste time on half measures.

if you are going to play, than play to win.

if you are going to rest, than fucking rest.

focus. forethought.

do. learn. fail as hard as you fucking can just to get up and do it better next time.

take what you want. and pay for it.

remember: the price for what you want will most likely include the things you least like to do.

the airdyne leaves no-one wanting.

new students and old teachers.

new students make me thankful for old teachers.

unbelievably thankful.

having the bar set so high. positive stress. proofreading training plans, asking questions, trying to spot weakness and short sightedness. nervous tension. hormonal response. something to prove...

i am so often startled by what people expect of me. from me. from the station. from the work we do.

students often impress me. their willingness. their dedication.

other trainers often depress me. make me ashamed of what has become my profession.

not ashamed, annoyed. annoyed that there are people out there calling themselves "coaches" and "trainers", people diluting the meaning of these titles, these stations that i have come to respect so much.

i sometimes worry, worry about ending up like them. about being a know-it-all, about "leading" from the side lines. about accepting less. about compromising for the sake of business...

this, however, can be turned into a positive. an incentive to work harder. to work smarter. and nothing shakes those fears away like doing. doing it right.

there has been a group of fighters training at the station for the last month. its hard to explain, seeing someone and knowing what to do to help them. when years of small lessons, seemingly disconnected experiences can lock together and help someone correct an imbalance, break past that barrier. the surprised response from these guys when i remind them that the gym is supplemental. that what we do exists to make them better fighters, and not to forget that. they are fast learners, already feeling different, for them the test comes in the ring. for me, the work is the reward.

new students also make me thankful for old ones. for the hard work and dedication. for the trust and willingness to suffer. for making commonplace a level of effort that is anything but. i am grateful for all of this. for challenging me. for asking questions. for forcing me to grow.

to the teachers, the students, the seekers and the workers.

i thank you.

cass and mary are a wonderful example of strength and the benefits of working with a partner

focus. control. will. all these traits are built, shaped, and strengthened along with the body. this should be undertaken mindfully, and deliberately.

a willingness to endure discomfort is also useful.

do everything for a reason. a simple tip that yields incredible results. with only 3 weeks left before a fight, we cannot afford to waste time.

cope. deal. adjust what you can, then take what you need. learn to recover. under stress. under weight. under any circumstances.

the battle to stay in control is one worth winning.

again, waste no time. justify your decisions. make arguments. have reasons.
reap the rewards.

goals

"the goal is not simply to hurt you, but to make it so that no one will ever be able to hurt you again"

the physical stuff is easy. or at least, it is the easy part. you apply a stimulus, a stress, and the body responds. it is cultivation. attention to details. it is a process.

it is surprisingly easy to be mediocre. it doesn't take much effort. much thought.

to change. to excel. that is where it gets interesting.

defining goals. assessing ones ability, ones short comings. correctly assessing the relative merits of certain traits, absent of personal bias....

how strong? how fast? power? endurance? where should the time be spent? what kind of returns can you expect? applied economics, on a very personal level.

traits beyond the physical must, must, be considered as well. discipline. integrity. nervousness. depression. anxiety. fear. overconfidence. patience...

how do these traits factor into your goals?

how can you train these?

how important is this to you?

where is your weakest link?

"training" as we understand it is to work with a dedicated group of peers with the common goal of making each member more effective at achieving their personal goals. we do this by encouraging growth and exposing weaknesses.

denial helps no one.

we ask hard questions because we want to hear honest answers. we surround ourselves with dedicated people because we are actively and consciously raising our standards.

the greatest personal flaw is often the one that we ourselves do not see. we depend on each other to question, to critique, and to criticize. to encourage good behavior and punish the bad. i dont think anyone has achieved greatness by being comfortable.

we push each other. we drive each other. to be critical. to be practical. to give our best. to make it normal. a habit. to make it a minimum. the least we will give, and the least we will expect.

we aim to raise the bar.

-the station