You're Welcome!

It's 35 degrees.

It's 6:15AM.

It's Thanksgiving morning.

And we are at Bloomingdale Park getting ready for a Strongman Training Session.

Bloomingdale at 6:15AM

As I am loading weight onto the prowler, I can hear my guys grumbling ...

"Who trains at 6AM the morning after Thanksgiving Eve?"

"You know how much abuse I took last night from my boys for going home early?"

"Is that frost on the ground?"

The Prowler ... at 6AM ...

The whining doesn't get me upset. It actually makes me happy.

Before any more of you go calling me "the meanest man on earth", (which is what one athlete's girlfriend referred to me as when she heard I scheduled the 6:15AM session) allow me to explain myself.

And allow me to do so by answering each of their grumblings above.

1. "Is That Frost on the Ground?"

First off, the answer is "Yes". There was frost on the ground.

It's the end of November and the sun hasn't come up yet ... What did you expect?

Secondly, like many other "hardships" in life, this frost proved to be an advantage rather than a detriment.

Frost reduces friction as the prowler slides along the turf.

Reduced friction makes pushing the prowler easier.

You're welcome.

3 semesters of physics at Columbia paid off ...

2. "Who trains at 6AM the morning after Thanksgiving Eve?"

Advanced Training does.

Why?

Two reasons:

1. I want to create a situation where it is hard for you to go out and ruin everything you have been working for.
2. I want to kick start your metabolism on one of the highest calorie consuming days of the year. If you get wrecked the night before, the odds of you training hard before eating 5 pounds of mashed potatoes and pecan pie are lower than the Jets taking the AFC East.

Nobody Cares About 2002

You're welcome.

If this makes you give up on the Jets too, double "You're Welcome". Your life will be much better for it. Trust me.

3. "You know how much abuse I took last night from my boys for going home early?"

Absolutely.

Do you think I didn't take the same heat from my "boys" when I was 23?

Do you think I don't take the same heat now?

If going out with your boys is more important than training, you really shouldn't be part of Advanced Training. 

"But Coach, what about comradery? Isn't spending time with your friends important?"

Absolutely.

So is having friends who make you better.

You leaving the bar early allowed you to see which of your "boys" really wants what is best for you. Any guy that tried to call you out does not have your best interests at heart.

You're welcome!

The Sacrifice Makes You Special

Despite all of their grumbling, I know that deep in their heart these guys love it.

They love being able to do what "normal" people can't do and they love making sacrifices "normal" people can't make.

And I can guarantee one thing ...

 ... That later on that night, while they were watching the Dallas Cowboys get smoked by the Panthers, they definitely felt more alive and more special than they would have if they went out and get wrecked on Thanksgiving Eve.

You're Welcome!

Interesting End Notes:

1. The session was actually scheduled for 7AM. Despite not wanting to get up early at all, the guys volunteered to make it earlier to accommodate the work schedule of one of our athletes.

2. Someone's girlfriend really did call me mean. Here is a snapshot of the actual text message. His comments are spot on by the way. (Except that he called me by my first name)

3. At about 6:30AM, another person came to the field to train (not as part of our group). I was honored to say that person was an Advanced Training member who was home from North Carolina for the holiday. I guess the lessons he learned never left him. I am also honored to say that he brought someone else with him. Talk about trying to make the people around you better ...