Dan John: Wandering Weights, Our Epic Journey Through All Things Heavy, Issue # 16

I like to declutter. No matter how good I am about keeping a lid on things, stuff piles up. I took a course years ago on organization and two things stood out:
 
1. Most of “organizing” is throwing stuff out, donating it to someone else or putting things where they belong.

2. To clear up your mind, clean up your closet/desk/shelf/room.
 
It was funny to apply these two concepts and something as simple as a checklist to change my career as an administrator. It cleaned my desk and cleared my mind.

As a fitness writer, cleaning my t-shirt collection seems to help me as much as a three-day workshop.
 
As much as I like training and sports (and training for sports), I like to stay balanced in all the other areas of life, too. In my twenties, I saved ten percent of every paycheck, and that decision freed up my fifties. So, as important as I see fitness, I see balance as just as important.
 
This issue of WW looks more at this balance of life. This first article by Eric Stevens it's NOT selfish to take time for ourselves to lift, train and move.
 
I like this Tony Robbins site for understanding that wealth, health and success don’t have to mutually exclusive. This first article makes an argument about health and fitness that I first heard from Phil Maffetone. The next one makes a great point. I can’t really support damming tap water while much of the world suffers from lack of safe fresh water, but I applaud the hydration idea.

Mans Denton’s site has a lot of fun ideas. I thought this 'nine ways' article makes a great point at the end about timing. There are many people who just got the timing right in life. It does help to be at the right place at the right time. Moving forward, there might not be a lot more millionaires from the railroad industry, for example.  I once got a $1500 scholarship (back when that meant room, board and tuition for a semester), simply because I was standing in line when someone called and said he wouldn’t be showing up. I nailed the timing on that one!

This next bit makes a case for cold showers. (It isn’t the same reason I used to take them.) Here are my predictions for the next wave in the fitness industry—

• The Lymphatic system as the “answer” to all questions.
• Cold, cold immersion, cold therapy and cold being used as a laser to melt fat.

Start here to begin your cold immersion.

I read Napoleon Hill as a child. I found his books at the same library where I discovered Earl Nightingale’s great work. Hill’s books are still in publication, but one aspect of his work never made sense to me. This article clears up my Napoleon Hill confusionand is worth considering. I'd have Ralph Maughan, Beowulf, King Arthur, Cervantes and Earl Nightingale on my cabinet.
 
Markus Wessel sent me a link to this fascinating photo shoot that makes me want to schedule a day with a rain machine and some black background material. 
 
Finally, a fun article, of sorts, of the importance of keeping an eye on your consumption.
 
Until next week, consider decluttering your training. Bring a garbage bag and toss out the stuff that has little value. Donate some of your knowledge to the next generation of fitness. Put away some of your training until the appropriate time.
 
Clear up and clean up your training.

Dan
DanJohn.net

Help me out—Share on Facebook!

Click here to get this each Wednesday in your email box.
Click here to see previous issues.