Looking Back and Looking Forward

It is now 2011.

I’m not big on resolutions. It’s something like 97% of people have dropped their resolutions by the time February rolls around. I don’t want to be a part of something that has that pitiful of a track record.

Instead I do believe in goals. I do believe in review and planning. And I do use this time of the year as a catalyst to improve my life in many different ways.

A long time ago I starting writing a journal of what I did every single day. Soon after I begin reviewing each week and month writing down my thoughts on the previous one and planning out he next. While I made a conscious decision to cease the daily journal I continue on with the rest. It has been instrumental to my success.

I also do this for the year. And when I do it its very insightful.

Why Looking Back is Helpful

They say hindsight is 20/20, (looking back its still a bit fuzzy, sorry couldn’t resist the Megadeth reference, bonus points if you name that song!). This means when you look back you can see clearly. The thing is, this does you no good if you don’t look back. And simply remembering is seldom good enough.

By having a written record you can analyze, you can find things you wouldn’t expect.

I do this for every area of my life. But since this site is devoted to strength and fitness I’ll stick to what I’ve learned there and how you can learn from it and apply it to yourself.

A Revolution Happened to My Training this Year

That was biofeedback training as is taught in the Grip & Rip DVD’s put out by my friend Adam Glass.

It was a dramatic change from what I had been doing. When I started I had some difficulty not getting the fast results or feeling I was doing it right. Listening to your body is a skill that must be practiced. Sadly it’s a skill that few people have.

Yet my persistence paid off. Now I am better in tune with my body then ever before and the results are coming fast.

During the summer I was blowing my records out of the water. I added about 100 lbs. to my deadlift in the span of two months. My kettlebell snatches were nearing record numbers Everything was going up fast.

But I stalled out.

Why?

A Big Lesson

By looking back I was able to see the answer. It seems obvious now. I started going back to a gymnastics class. While I think weightlifting and gymnastic skills can be balanced you need to be careful in how you do it. I was making some progress in other fronts, but I was giving the priority to gymnastics.

So the days before and after classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays I couldn’t really lift well as I’d either be sore from class or want to be well recovered before I went in so I could perform well. If I wasn’t I couldn’t seem to do much there and it felt wasted so I avoiding training the days before.

And perform well I did. Some of my new accomplishments there included aerials, repeated back handsprings, a backflip holding 20 lbs, some basic moves on the parallel bars, a back lever and much more.

Then on Thanksgiving I was involved in a game of tackle football with friends. It’s a tradition, something we do every year. This year happened to be a rougher game then most. Beyond the regular stiffness and soreness, though I don’t know how it happened, my left wrist was injured and I couldn’t flex it back without pain. This made doing handstands and the majority of gymnastics out of the question while it healed.

Add in the fact that I just started my gym up and was excited to train there, I stopped going to gymnastics and have been back to focusing on weightlifting almost every single day (only taking a day off when I feel its necessary).

Now I’m back on track for my dead lifting, kettlebell snatching goals and everything else.

The big takeaway from this is that you not only need to have goals but you must prioritize them. Figure out what is more important to you. This is common sense, but as they say, it ain’t always so common. And in any case a reminder is always useful.

Setting the goals is important. Knowing you priorities is in some ways just as important.

At the time going to gymnastics was important. I had big reasons to go back. I just didn’t realize how much it would affect my other goals. Taking this information into consideration I have to make certain choices that reflect my priorities.

Possibly Even Bigger…

Another big revolution of 2010 has led me to studying the best ways of unlocking the minds powers to aid in these goals.

I’ve been working on some crazy stuff that is delivering results. A little technique that made a bolt twice as easy to bend. A different technique doubled the reps I got in a press from two to four while making it easier to do so, and without trying changed my technique in doing so.

This isn’t your average stuff. And I’ve only begun to see the true power of it. Lots more on this later.

So this is what 2011 marks for me. Because I have the best of everything I’ve ever had in place I plan to make faster progress then ever before. And it should only accelerate because I’m getting better at the skills I need in order to do it.

And with it I plan to share my techniques. In two days I’m going to be sending out a survey, as I’d like to see what most interests you in what I can offer.

There is lots in store for 2011. I hope you make the decision to come with me.

In strength,
Logan Christopher

P.S. And of course I wish to thank everyone who has supported me in the past by buying my products or even just reading what I write and visiting my websites. Thank you!