I hope that you are doing great and that you are training hard even though it hard with this freezing cold winter that we are having...make sure you dont skip your warm ups guys

Anyway, I am digressing.

Well in a few weeks I will be turning 35.  Besides the fact that has me thinking that I am getting on the wrong side of 30 (hey the kid in will never want to grow up!), it has also made me think about how my workouts have changed and evolved since i was in my 20's

I hate to admit it, but there was a time in my early 20's when I thought that it was all about training to make your muscles grow big and that in turn would make me really strong....boy was I really naieve and wrong about that!  But I guess I was just like any other young kid...I didnt know much about the science of getting really strong and powerful so I thought I would start copying the "big" guys in the gym....because I thought that "they must know what they are doing".....wow what a mistake....but a good one in a way because it made me into what I am now.

So ok, I did build up, but then I got bored of just training and I wanted to actually train and compete in a sport that I really had a passion for and give me a more definitive purpose for my training.

This is when I discovered the world of Muay Thai.  I can honestly say without hesitation that this was the best thing in my life to happen to me.  The only regret I have is that I wasnt able to start the sport when I was a little kid.

Not only do I have the upmost respect for the sport and it has taught me so much, but it did teach me very quickly that size does not equal power, speed and strength.  All of a sudden, the years spent in the gym were wasted.  I may have been a lot bigger than some others, but I had nothing on them in terms of speed, power and strength....these smaller guys could throw me around like a twig!!

So I knew I had to do something about this, then I discovered the art of kettlebell and bodyweight training.  The other best thing that ever happened to me...this is where things changed very quickly.  I may have leaned up a little, but all of a sudden I was a little lighter but way more powerful, a lot quicker and a hell of a lot faster!!!  It was like discovering the silver bullet of training....but it did come with a price....the price is hard work...extremely hard work..but worth every drop of sweat!

So now that I am turning 35 soon, I know that I have to be a lot more smarter with my workouts.  I now structure my workouts to be more functional, use a lot more kettlebells than heavy weights, use more odd objects and work on using my whole body in everything that I do.  

Doing this is what keeps my body feeling fit and young every day and feeling like I can take on anything I need or want to.  Lets face it, my body isn't what it used to be 10 years ago and I have to take care of it even more now.  I am not concerned with breaking any bench press records (like all the other body builder sissys out there), but I am more concerned that my body is strong and functional for every day life and also for the fact that I can keep doing my Muay Thai!  

So if you are heading into your late 30's or into your 40's and beyond...really have a good look at your workouts and really ask yourself "why am I training like this?"  if you cant come up with a reason on how it will positviely affect your overall health and wellbeing then that is a good indication that you need to stop and start thinking about using your bodyweight a little more as well as things like kettlebells, sleds, kegs, tyres etc;  

But if I had to choose only one thing to use, it would be my own body!  Especially now, preserving my body is the upmost importance to me and it should be to you as well!

Until next time

Train Hard but Train Smart

Joe