Coach John Kyle

Black Belt Living...in a nut shell

noreply@blogger.com (Coach John Kyle) — Tue, 22 May 2012 19:26:00 +0000

I believe in trying new things in life. I feel that by getting out of my comfort zone, learning new information, putting myself in challenging situations that force me to sharpen my skills or create skills I never had, can only serve me in growing into the man I want become. As a kid I always assumed that when I became an adult I would “have it all down” and be the person I supposed to be. Who knew I’d have to work so hard and continually learn from mistakes?

Life is just one big journey and it’s up to you to make of it what you want it to be. It can full of conflict or full of love. It can be a learning experience or a dull void where not even a weed could grow in the garden of your mind. It can be exciting or dull and mundane. Life can be empty or it can be meaningful. Life can be lonely or can be filled with loving and supportive people. Life is not about finding yourself, life is about creating yourself. Yet you’re usually told something different early on aren’t you?

How many times growing up did you hear the phrase, “you’ll find yourself.”? Mom, Dad, a teacher or coach perhaps started the conversation, “when you grow up you’ll finally find yourself….” As if you were not there all along. The downside to this is that every time you go looking for yourself, you are already there. I don’t believe in “finding”, I believe in creating. I believe that you can become what you want to become. So rather than looking for yourself, start thinking about what you want, and then start planning on how you’ll achieve that. You’ll be better off for it, you’ll enjoy the process much more, you’ll grow, you’ll stretch, you’ll learn.

A year ago, I knew my wife Mary and I were going to move from Tampa Bay, FL. to Denver, CO. and it was one of the best choices I’ve made in years! I couldn’t be happier here- I have the worlds biggest playground an hour from my house. Hiking, biking, horseback riding, camping, etc, all in a stone’s throw away. Before I moved I owned and operated Clearwater Boxing in Clearwater, FL. and I decided that I needed a change in careers for a short while, so I decided to become a Financial Advisor. I had no background in finance or a degree in finance, but I had been looking around for some time to find something else I may be able to sink my teeth into the way I do with coaching people and running my own business. So, I went for it.

I did everything one is supposed to do to get a good position with a large company like Morgan Stanley; a good resume, referrals, suit, tie and knock ‘em dead at the interview. It all worked as I was hired on the spot in my interview. I then studied for and passed all of the licensing exams (perhaps the most pain-through-boredom I’ve ever endured in my life), went through the rest of the training provided by the company and then hit the streets as a full fledged Financial Advisor. I hate it. I think a good analogy is that I may have been climbing the ladder of success, the problem was that it was leaning against the wrong wall. But then again, I wanted a new experience to learn more, to grow, to expand and get out of my comfort zone by doing something that I had never done before so that I could see if I could become successful at something new. And I did.

However, I’m a Martial Artist through and through. I love training, competing (or at least when I was younger and it didn’t hurt so bad), learning and of course teaching and sharing what I know with others. I love to help other people reach their full potential whether that be physically, mentally, emotionally or spiritually. To see people work for something so important and then achieve it actually makes me feel like I have achieved my own goal! It is just amazing the benefits I get from helping others. So that’s why I have started Black Belt Living back up again.

I first created Black Belt Living in 2004 after many years of trial and error on creating the course that can help others achieve their most important goals. I used to think that people would be able to connect the dots from using the principles of success I taught in the Dojo, and translate them into the work world or at home. It rarely happened the way I felt it should. There was a disconnect between what I would say, explain how to use the principle and then getting anyone to take action on it. The students needed more from me and I needed to be both more creative in my programs and more clear in my methods. And so Black Belt Living was created.

I chose the name Black Belt Living because when you thinks of a Black Belt, you think of someone who is disciplined, focused and has mastered themselves both physically and mentally. You think of someone who is a little more enlightened than the next guy and extremely confident and secure in who they are and where they’re going in life. Through this course, you will literally become a Black Belt in Life.

The Black Belt Living course is complete because it has programs that help you define what your life’s purpose is, what your life’s mission is, what your most important goals are and how you’ll achieve them. Black Belt Living offers a means for you to develop physically through the FightZone Fitness program, which I have used to get my fighters and myself in great shape for competition, as well as general health. Black Belt Living also helps you get more in touch with yourself and your higher power (God, Spirit, Allah, Buddha, etc. whatever name you choose) through the Principles in Action course. These courses are all designed to be short, simple and yet extremely precise and very effective.

These courses are the link between what you do in the dojo and what you do in life to become a successful, contributing member of the community and a person of high moral character. Just because you earn a Black Belt in the Martial Arts at someone’s school, does not mean that you are a Black Belt at living life. These courses change that. They will change you physically, mentally and spiritually. You’ll never see life the same again because your view of it will transform, grow and become so much more than it is now. You’ll give more to others because you’ll have more of you to give. You’ll achieve more because you’ll have created strategies to get you to your goals faster and with more precision. And you’ll feel better about, and more connected to, yourself because you’ll have become the person you always wanted to, both inside and out.

Take a look at the web site, www.BlackBeltLiving.com and see if there is anything you have questions about. Then call me or send an e-mail so we can discuss it.

Talk to you soon,

Coach John Kyle

3.5 Types of Goals For The New Year

noreply@blogger.com (Coach John Kyle) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 04:21:00 +0000

What would you say if I told you that you could achieve your upcoming New Year’s resolutions faster, with more excitement, passion and maybe, just maybe, without fail this year? Would you believe me? (Probably not.)Well first of all, do you even have those goals? If you do I bet you’ve got some good ones, huh? But do you have clear, written and specific goals? Right there, I’ll bet that you do not. Listen, everyone has something that he or she wants to achieve, become, do or have, and the reality is that most of them will fail miserably this year. Not because they don’t want to accomplish their goals or that they don’t care about the goals that they’ve set (I’m 100% sure that they do!) but they’ll most likely not create those goals in the most effective and powerful way possible.

So, if you want to reach that next level in life, achieve that dream you’ve been chasing, become the person you’ve striving for and NOT fail wretchedly like all of the other people who will this year, then you’ll want to compare your current goals up to my 3.5 Types of Goals for the New Year:

1. M.E. Goals- M.E. Goals are perhaps the most crucial aspect of creating any goal you’ll ever set. Why? Because they’re about YOU! M.E. goals are about what’s most important to you. M.E. goals are about what excites you, what creates passion for you and what makes you get up and go to work each day. (Outside of paying the bills of course.)

The M stands for Motivating which means you need to ask the question “does this excite me?” It is hard to work to achieve a goal when there is no momentum or energy behind you. Motivation is a key point in reaching your dreams and aspirations because you’ll need that excitement on the days when nothing seems to be going your way, or when accomplishing the goal seems too far away or too difficult too attain.

The E stands for Engaging which means you need to ask the question “does this goal speak to me on a deeper level?” Not only should a goal motivate you, but it needs to create passion, meaning and purpose. Otherwise, you may be excited to accomplish the goal, but you’ll be left asking “why the heck did I even begin in the first place?” Be sure that you’re not just motivated, but that you are finding a deeper meaning in what you are working towards in your life, because when you’re at the end of the road, I guarantee that you’ll look back and ask “why did I” or “why didn’t I?”

Here are a few questions to ask to create M.E. Goals:

· Does this goal excite me?

· Does this goal create momentum for me?

· Can this goal get me motivated on the days I want to quit?

· Does this goal speak to me on a deep level?

· Does this goal help give meaning to my life?

· Does this goal provide purpose and direction for me?

· How will I feel at the end of the road if I do not attempt to reach this goal?

2. S.M.A.R.T. Goals- Having goals such as ‘I want to get into shape’ or ‘I want to make money’ just don’t cut it. These goals are far too general for you to achieve. When creating goals for yourself, whether it be in physical fitness, education, financial matters, etc., they need to meet certain criteria in order to be attainable goals. They need to be S.M.A.R.T. goals. Once you understand how the brain works, you’ll see the need to meet the S.M.A.R.T. criteria. Try this: look around the room where you are and find the color blue. Now find red. Now green. Now yellow. It didn’t take you long did it? This is because the brain will literally filter out anything you do not want in order to give you what you do want- if it knows exactly what that is. When you say ‘I want to make a lot of money’, the brain has nothing to work with- what exactly is a lot of money? 3000, 10,000, 50,000, how much? If you were to give the brain a specific amount, it can function better and help you achieve that goal quicker. (You can get even more specific - just read #3.5)

If your goal can meet the following S.M.A.R.T. Goal criteria, then you stand a great chance of accomplishing your goals:

· S- Specific- how detailed and precise is this goal?

· M-Measurable- can I calculate or appraise this goal?

· A- Achievable-can I complete this goal?

· R- Realistic- am I being level-headed and practical with this goal?

· T- Trackable- can I keep track of any results or actions in regards to this goal?

3. “Q” Goals- Another good idea to have in regards to making your goals for the upcoming year is make them “Quantifiable”. One of the goals I set for myself during my test for 6^th Degree Black Belt was “to raise the awareness of the effects of drugs, alcohol and gangs in my community by speaking to 5000 people.” I found these people at local rehab centers, churches and Jr. High and High Schools. After I began working towards my goal, I soon discovered that reaching the number of 5000 came quicker than I anticipated, and so I doubled the goal to 10,000 after only 6 months had gone by. However (and much to my surprise), by the time I tested for my new Black Belt, I had reached over 14,000 people. By having a number attached to my goal, it allowed me to be specific, measure the goal and track the results I made as well. But most importantly, by having a number associated with the goal, I was allowed to quantify not just the amount of people I spoke to, but the results as well. In other words; I may have directly spoken to more than 14,000 people and touched their lives in a healthy positive manner over a short period of time, but who knows how many lives those 14,000 people touched. Now that’s getting Quantified!

Having a Quantifiable number as part of a goal also allows you to break down a larger goal into smaller and more manageable amounts. For instance; if you set a goal of doing 52,000 push-ups in one year’s time, it certainly meets the criteria for the S.M.A.R.T. method, but the amount is so large that it may seem impossible to achieve! However, if you were to break it down into smaller sections, you’ll see that it becomes much more attainable: 52,000 per year = 1000 push-ups per week. Those 1000 push-ups per week = 143 push-ups per day. Those 143 push-ups can be broken down into sets of 25 and all you have do is about 6 sets of 25 push-ups each day to reach your goal. Or, you could do 1000 push-ups spread out over a 5 day period rather than 7, which would break down to 200 per day, which could then be done in sets of 50 or 25. (Or you could do those 1000 push-ups in a one hour setting like me and Mary!) Again, “Q” goals not only allow you to break the amounts down into maintainable sizes, but add more to increase your level of accomplishments as well!

· Is there a number attached to the goal?

· If so, it can then be measured, tracked and quantified!

3.5 “I Will” Goals- As stated above, most goals that people create are either too general to focus on, or too weak to get motivated from. Look at those goals I mentioned above again: I want to get into shape, I want to make money. Outside of what has already been said, these goals have a serious lack of commitment. That is why another great idea you’ll need to implement into your goals for this year is to add the “I Will” statement. By starting your goal with the statement “I Will”, you place yourself in a position of obligation of reaching that goal- no matter what. By having that “I Will” statement written down, you literally convince yourself that you will achieve it, and you’ll then begin to believe that the goal is something that you will do. Having the “I Will” statement written down, reminds you of what needs to be done- it keeps you responsible and accountable for the results and makes sure that you cannot blame the lack of effort or resolve on anyone else but yourself. The “I Will” statement makes you deeply committed to your goal which is of high value because you’ll have many, many negative things come to pass and challenge your tenacity as you attempt to accomplish what you want. Some of these challenges will be big and others will be small but I promise you that you will be tested, and knowing what you will do can many times make all of the difference between failing and succeeding.

Here are a few examples of “I Will” goals that also provide meaning and excitement (M.E.), and meet most of the S.M.A.R.T. and “Q” criteria:

· I will lose 20 pounds and have a 31 inch waist by March 30^th, 2009

· I will make 50,000 this year with both my full time job and on-line business.

· I will become a division manager of my company by July, 2009

· I will graduate college by 2011 with a GPA of 3.5 and have a job making 45,000

· I will spend and extra 260 hours this year with my family to build healthy relationships (5 hours per week x 52 weeks)

· I will test for and receive my Black Belt in March 2012

FREE OFFER: Need to run your goals past someone this year to ensure that they meet most of the criteria above? Give me a call or shoot me an e-mail. CoachJohnKyle@Gmail.com I am also available to teach seminars as well at no cost. There are 3 this month to take advantage of!!

3.5 Habits for the Holidays!!

noreply@blogger.com (Coach John Kyle) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 01:53:00 +0000

What does the holiday season mean to you? Are you one of the folks that love the season- the lights, the colors, the gift giving? Does it mean love, joy, happiness and family? That would be ideal wouldn't it? It can really make this time of year special and meaningful. Yet not everyone in our society feels this way. Perhaps you're on the other side of the coin and you can't stand the craziness of the mall, or the crowds and you view the season as a hit to your bank account? (Although, we all feel that aspect!) Does it represent being broke, loneliness and frustration of another year gone by that simply sucked?

I truly hope not! I hope that you're on the more positive side of the coin, but if perchance you're leaning more towards the negative side this season, here are 3.5 Habits for the Holiday to make this season better than ever:

1. Attitude of Gratitude: For many people, this is an amazingly difficult task to perform. They usually have many personal issues that they are dealing with and cannot see the forest from the trees. (And this has become a habit for them as well unfortunately.) I am convinced that developing an attitude of gratitude is not simply a mindset, it is literally a skill that one can practice and master over the course of time.

One powerful and effective method you can do this with is to get out a sheet of paper and a pen. (Do not do this exercise in your head, it has a significantly higher impact when done on paper.) Write down everything you're grateful for: roof over your head, food to eat, clothes on your back, car in the drive way, a job, family members, friends, living in Colorado, etc. Keep writing until you get down to "all my fingers and toes, I'm breathing, I can walk, talk, see and hear." When you get down to the "small" stuff like fingers, toes, walking, etc, you'll see all the "big stuff" like the boat and the car is actually the real "small stuff." Practicing the skill of developing an Attitude of Gratitude can, over time, put things in perspective for you and make the holiday season a great one!

Offer: Want a form to fill out for the "Gratitude List"? Shoot me an e-mail and I'll send one for you to fill out. CoachJohnKyle@Gmail.com

2. Focus on Creating, Not Cash: I speak with many people who are not well off for the season, much less for the entire year. So when the holidays come around, this is a strong reminder that they are short on cash. So, if you fit this category, focus your time and attention on creating gifts rather than buying them. You did this when you were a kid, right? You could sit down with a few crayons and make a “masterpiece” couldn't you? What happened to all of that creativity? Well, life and fear of judgment got in the way, but don't worry, it's still there!

Take 10 minutes and just think: what would be fun to create for someone this season? Can you cook? Can you work with wood? Do you have something you can restore? Is there something that you're good at that a friend or family member could benefit from? Can you sing? Dance? Play an instrument? Tell jokes? By focusing on creating, not cash, you'll have fun, you'll be creative and you'll put a smile on someone else's face this season!

Offer: Need ideas on where your talents may lie to create gifts? Shoot me an e-mail and we'll see if we can't find something! CoachJohnKyle@Gmail.com

3. Plan to Eat!: That's right- eat! Far too many of you worry far too much about all of the "eating" you're going to be doing during the holiday season, and I know why. You have no plan! Plans are not simply for your business, or achieving those next important goals. Plans are necessary for success in even the smallest of issues. Plans keep you focused on what you deem is most important in this subject (or any other for that matter) and insure that you'll take what is called "right action" in any holiday party.

So here's a sample plan for you to use: "I'll eat holiday junk food (pastries, cookies, pie, etc.) on only Friday and Saturday nights as well as on the Holiday itself." By having even a simple plan like this, you'll keep the amount of junk food to a minimum, yet not feel as if you're missing out. It's important to allow yourself to relax a little this time of year and indulge. Having a Plan to Eat can help you have fun during the holiday season, and also help you keep a healthy lifestyle as well.

Offer: Don't trust yourself? Shoot me an e-mail and we'll find a plan that's right for you this season! CoachJohnKyle@Gmail.com

3.5 Give No Matter What!: As a child most of you saw this time of year as a time to get presents under the tree. It was time of receiving and getting what you wanted- even though your parents tried their best to teach you otherwise! Unfortunately, I meet many people who have grown up, yet still maintain the same childlike mentality they've always had. As adults, you and I call these people "takers". (You're thinking of few right now aren't you?) Well, admit it, you fall into this trap every so often as well don't you? Hey, who doesn't love getting a present with a big bright bow on top?

The best way for you to change your attitude about getting is to give, and by giving I mean to be of service to someone else. So, whether you're 'into' the season or you're more of a Grinch this time of year, be sure to give of your time to some cause, or maybe just to someone you know who needs help. By spending time with someone who needs you, it is very hard to think about yourself and the problems or challenges that you face. Does your elderly neighbor need help shopping at the grocery store? Do your parents need help setting up their house for the holidays? Can you spend the day at a homeless shelter or something similar? Maybe it is as simply spending time listening to your friend who is having a serious crisis in their life and helping them stay out of self pity. Whatever you can do to give, then give- and you'll quickly see how when you give, you'll get!!

Offer: Holiday season got you down? Send me an e-mail and I'll help you figure out a few ways to put these habits into practice so that this holiday season is better than ever!! CoachJohnKyle@Gmail.com

Thank You!!

noreply@blogger.com (Coach John Kyle) — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 20:09:00 +0000

For several years I have taught my heart out for the members of Clearwater Boxing Center- each and every week. And even though it was emotionally and physically taxing, as I look back now I truly did love every minute of it. I can recount many private discussions I’ve had with so many of you in regards to various aspects of your lives, and every time I do, I feel truly blessed to have been in a position to help you.

I know one young lady who after listening me talk about “Anchors and Motors” (a speech I give often) went out and changed all of her friends almost overnight! And she LOVED it! She told many months after the fact and how happy she was about making the change- and gave me credit for the whole thing!

I can think of a man who had been plagued by being overweight for so many years and how people would often say rude or mean remarks to him at work and in his social life. After training with me he lost the weight and stated how much he appreciated that I never looked at him different, or that he could not do something because he was overweight. In fact he recalled how I was even more demanding of him than the rest because I knew he could do it. In tears the man had thanked me.

And the list can simply continue on and on with regards to the people I have helped. I have been blessed to have been a part of so many lives in such a positive manner. I have watched so many of you change from weak to strong, from shy to outgoing, from unfocused to accomplished and from low self esteem to strength-of-heart and character that becomes the envy of others.

I thank all of you for allowing me to a part of the growth in your lives within your journey towards success.

BUT- at this point I need to give credit where credit is due, and that is to the teachers who have come before me on my own personal journey of growth personal development. The man you know me as today had some help along the way- Mr. Bittle has been my Master Instructor since 1986 and took me to my 5th degree. He was the one whom I learned passion, drive, commitment and intensity from all those years ago. And to point out just how good of an instructor he was- I am still passionate, driven committed to excellence and love to train with intensity! Mr. Bittle was one of a kind. The other gentleman who helped me reach new heights is Master Tom Callos who took me from 5th to my 6th Degree Black Belt in 2007 through his course the Ultimate Black Belt Test. Without him I believe that I would lack the professionalism and single-mindedness of goal setting and accomplishing what I set out to achieve that I possess today.

The point? You never get anywhere alone. Seek out the people who are further down the road than you in life, business or anywhere else, and ask for help. Never stop learning and growing in every aspect of your life and the results you get will be beyond your wildest dreams.

Still Reading??

noreply@blogger.com (Coach John Kyle) — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 20:05:00 +0000

Hi all,

I have been requested now several times to continue my blog with articles like motivation, mental focus and of course, workouts! So, if you’re still inclined to actually read what I write then I shall continue to do so.

I believe that the principles I have been teaching and exercising for so many years affect you across the board in life. Meaning that regardless of your age, background, income or career; subjects such as goal setting, overcoming personal challenges and proper nutrition are things you can all learn and grow from. Of course there will be a subject I’ll write about that you’ve no doubt learned in the past, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that you should skip it. After all, champions don’t need to be told what to do, but they do need to be reminded.

So, here are some topics that you’ll be sure to read about: food intake, mental focus, proper thinking in negative situations, creative workouts, motivating mottos, workout outlines, the workouts that I just did, goal setting techniques, being a real friend, becoming a real team player, becoming a leader. I’ll also be sure to post my workouts and the time I do them in with the amount of weight I use to see if you can beat me.

New subjects that I’ll be writing will be financial savings, investing, investing vehicles, ways to save, compound interest and of course “how to choose a Financial Advisor.” (I’ll be one in the Denver area soon.) So please stay tuned into my blog and PLEASE- stay in touch as well. I would love to hear from everyone and learn how life is moving along for you all.

See you next blog!!

Think you’re training hard? Think again.

noreply@blogger.com (Coach John Kyle) — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 15:45:00 +0000

I have a client who wants to lose 40 pounds in just a few short months. While that’s an admirable goal, it simply isn’t realistic- especially because she simply isn’t training hard enough….or often enough! I am constantly on her about how hard she is hitting, how fast she is moving and how many times she takes a break. I am constantly in her ear about these things because these are the things that will get her to the next level and help reach her goals!

The other thing she’s guilty of is not training often enough! She is only coming 3 times a week! That’s all! (She was coming only twice at first and I finally got her to up it to 3!) I am now hounding her to get here 4 times a week. Remember, her goal is 40 pounds in a few months! Again, great goal, but terrible action. (no that's not her in the pic! LOL!)

Now, I’m using am anonymous client and will not give out her name, but what YOU need to take away from this is ask yourself- “what am I doing to either sabotage myself, or help myself reach my goals?” Because most people think that they’re training hard simply because they’re sweating in training! Of course you’ll sweat- but how intense are you training? That’s the real question!

Since 1988 I’ve watched so many people half-ass their training and simply do “good enough” in training. They’ll use a weight to get 10 reps in weight training, but what they don’t do is to make sure that the 9th and 10th reps are hard as hell to perform! It’s not enough to just show up, you’ve got to make the effort! You’ve got to make the workout as intense as possible!

Yesterday I was doing the latest FightZone workout. I could barely move the weight on the last few rotations of the exercise I had to perform but I did it anyway. (in big part because I had an impromptu training partner Jim yelling me!) My legs were shaking, my arms were numb and I felt like I was going to puke! NO, I’m not crazy or obsessed- I have goals I want to achieve and I’m willing to put forth my best effort to get there.

I make sure that I am TOTALLY DONE by the end of the workout. I should have nothing left at the end of the training session- period. If I feel that I can do a 3 mile run at the end of the workout, then I didn’t train hard enough. Think about that- if you are not exhausted at the end of each training session and go running, hit the weights, do 5 more rounds, then you my friend have slacked off. PERIOD.

Think you’re training hard? Think again.

Getting Burned Out?

noreply@blogger.com (Coach John Kyle) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 22:07:00 +0000

Do you ever get burned out? Yeah, me too. It happens- no biggie of course, but the unfortunate aspect of burn out is that too many people mistake it for a total and complete loss of interest forever and ever. And because they’ve lost interest (supposedly forever) they feel as if they then have to quit and find a new activity to get involved with. And of course they’ll start the whole process over again!

The simple truth is that burn out is usually the end result of people who continue to over train for too long of a period without taking a break to allow their body to heal or their mind to decompress. So, to keep your interest and enthusiasm high, here a few ways to keep burn out from affecting you:

1. Create Weekly Training Schedules: The easiest and best way to keep burn out from affecting you in a negative manor is to schedule days off into your training routines. One great way to do this is to train Monday through Friday and take Saturday and Sunday off. After 2 days, your body will be refreshed and ready for action! Another training schedule you can get on is 3 days on 1 day off, 2 on and 1 off. That would be training Monday through Wednesday, take Thursday off and then training again on Friday and Saturday, taking Sunday as another rest day. Both of these weekly training schedules allow you to get plenty of rest but still have you training hard - and most importantly with consistency.

2. Watch for Warning Signs: Another thing you’ll need to do to keep burn out at bay, is to watch for the signs of burn out. These include, but are not limited to: muscle and joint soreness (much more than normal), loss of interest, resentment towards having to train, stopping your workout much too soon when you’re not tired, boredom while training, thoughts of quitting or moving on to something new, finding really stupid reasons why you don’t need to train, etc.

The warning signs of burn out are most likely NOT physical, but mental. You’ll get more physical symptoms from over training, but burn out is a mental factor. That should be apparent, yet I have many people who confuse the two.

3. Get a Good Training Partner: I have written many articles on why having a training partner is so crucial to one’s progress, and here’s yet another benefit of having a good partner. They can help identify when you’re burned out BEFORE you will! Surprisingly enough, most people are not aware that they are burned out, and they tend to blame their lack of interest, poor attitude and desire to quite on the activity itself. So by having someone who knows you well, they’ll be able to say things such as “hey, what’s up with the bad attitude today?” or “Hey, why are you skipping your training sessions so often? What’s going on?”, or as my wife Mary says, “what the hell is up your *ss tonight?”

4. Take Time Off: The best thing you can do if you are burned out is to simply take time off. Take a few days, a week, two weeks or even a whole month, but be sure to take time off! Obviously, if you were to schedule time off in the same manner as your weekly schedule, burn out will never even become a factor for you in regards to training. For instance, every December I take a “break” from my clean eating and just indulge. It’s the holiday time and everyone brings me cookies and stuff, so why not? I’ve been good all year, so if I take a few weeks and eat-up it’s no big deal. (Besides, when January rolls around I’m sick of eating all that crap!!) I also have no problem taking an entire week off here and there throughout the year if I feel I need to. I’ve been doing this for a very long time, so it’s not too hard for me to indentify when I’m getting burned out. And I really love this stuff, so burn out for me is not an option!

Box-a-Thon 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Coach John Kyle) — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 21:21:00 +0000

Why Does Clearwater Boxing Help Out??

Since we’ve opened our doors, Clearwater Boxing Center has participated in several fund raising events as both volunteers at someone else’s event and as the fund raiser our self through our own events. We’ve collected nearly $10,000 in cash for the Big Brothers and Make-a-Wish Foundations in Pinellas County and we’ve also collected and delivered over $6000 in holiday presents for our annual “Giving Tree” event we hold at Christmas Time. Also, we have volunteered over 1000 hours by participating at others charity events as well as our own. Not bad numbers for an extremely small and young business, huh?

But, why? Why do we do that? Why should we, a small financially struggling company, help others when we need that money ourselves? Because it’s the right thing to do- that’s why…plain and simple. There are people who are less fortunate than us, whether that be financially or because of a birth defect or accident, and we cannot ignore that, not when it’s so close to home.

We believe that charity begins in our own back yard- not thousands of miles away. Since our resources are extremely limited, it is in our best interest to do the most good we possible can with what we have, and it only makes sense to help those right here, right now in our own back yard. That being said, this year’s Box-a-Thon is still up in the air! So, if you know of a non-profit organization that is right here in Pinellas County we want to know who they are!

We have a few in mind: Children’s Dream Fund, UPARC, Hooked on Hope and Pinellas Safe Harbor (homeless shelter). Please vote who you feel we should help this year!

We need that vote soon as we’re having the event on Saturday March 28th at 10am!!

Check out last year’s fun below!!

Did YOU Just Puke? YOU???

noreply@blogger.com (Coach John Kyle) — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 21:46:00 +0000

I have a program called “FightZone” (in case you didn’t hear) and the workouts are designed to get results…as well as work your ass off. However, the key to these training sessions is intensity, not just sweating and burning a few calories as some other dainty programs are. And FightZone works- it does. But no so well if you’re dehydrated!

On Tuesday, one of the FightZone Members when balls-to-the-wall in this week’s training session- which is what we’re after. However, he was dehydrated from traveling/flying for a week straight and not drinking enough. (Flying has been shown to dehydrate people on its own, so add to that no drinking water and it doubles.) Part of the workout is to start with deadlifts at a weight that will challenge you and he used 225. A great weight for him! I watched him crank it out for the 1st 50 reps (50 more to do later in the workout) and he moved onto the next exercises. As he started the 3rd exercise, he got light headed, sick, almost passed out and had to lay down for 30 minutes. That’s when he told me about being dehydrated as well as the traveling.

Please read the following…a little science lesson if you please…

What is dehydration?

Dehydration is the excessive loss of water from the body, as from illness or fluid deprivation. Any person who exercises on a regular basis is susceptible to the effects of even mild fluid loss. The value of the body's most important nutrient, water, cannot be underestimated.

Exercise produces body heat, and too much body heat reduces exercise capacity. As the core body temperature rises, blood flow to the skin increases, and the body attempts to cool itself by sweating. During intense exercise, the body temperature rises as high as 39 degrees Celsius (105 degrees Fahrenheit) and the muscle temperature can rise as high as 40 degrees Celsius (108 degrees Fahrenheit). These temperatures make exercise difficult because the body and muscles are competing for blood.

As the body temperature rises, oxygen becomes more of a commodity due to increased circulatory demands. Oxygen is needed to help with the cooling process, and reduces the amount of oxygen available for vital organs, which can lead to severe health risks as well as a drop in athletic performance.

When you start exercising, as much as two percent of the body water is lost. Although this amount is considered a "normal" range for humans, it is certainly not an optimum level for athletic performance. Below is a table that summarizes the effects of minimal fluid loss during exercise.

PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS AND EFFECTS OF DEHYDRATION

Body Water Lost Symptoms

1 % Few symptoms or signs of any thirst present; however, there is a marked reduction in VO2 max.

2% Beginning to feel thirsty; loss of endurance capacity and appetite.

3% Dry mouth; performance impaired.

4% Increased effort for exercise, impatience, apathy, vague discomfort, loss of appetite.

5% Difficulty concentrating, increased pulse and breathing, slowing of pace.

6-7% Further impairment of temperature regulation, higher pulse and breathing, flushed skin, sleepiness, tingling, stumbling, headache.

8-9% Dizziness, labored breathing, mental confusion, further weakness.

10% Muscle spasms, loss of balance, swelling of tongue.

11% Heat Exhaustion, delirium, stroke, difficulty swallowing; death can occur.

Dehydration can cause any or all of the following:

• Increased heart rate (beats per minute)

• Increased lactate acid in muscles (increased blood acidity)

• Increased body temperature

• Decreased strength

• Any of the following medical conditions: heat cramping, heat exhaustion & heat stroke

The best way to avoid fluid loss is often the simplest: drink plenty of fluids. Water is sufficient to replenish the fluids that are lost during exercise. However, water cannot replace the minerals that are lost during exercise-induced sweating. Sweating releases potassium, sodium and calcium, which are vital for survival. These minerals, also known as electrolytes, are not found in water. It is therefore advisable to consume a supplement, which contains these added minerals, before any strenuous exercise.

After a workout, your body needs not only fluids, but carbs as well- so drink a Powerade or a Gatorade if you feel you need to. Look, we’re not just interested in having a good day, we’re seeking ways to perform at higher levels, so it only make sense to drink up!! (No…not beer or soda!)

Get educated and get hydrated!!

Can I Have a Word With You??

noreply@blogger.com (Coach John Kyle) — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 22:04:00 +0000

I just had a great conversation today with my wife Mary in regards to the horrific excuses people make as to why they can never get into good physical shape and why all of “those” programs don’t work for them. In the 23 years I‘ve been coaching people I have the chance to see the many typical patterns of behavior (i.e.- Bull sh*t) that never seems to change over time, from generation to generation, political landscapes or social changes.

Here they are in no particular order:

• I tried that diet and it didn’t work for me. (I did it for 2 days)

• I read that book and it didn’t help me at all. (I never applied the principles of the book.)

• I bought those exercise DVD’s and they didn’t work for me. (the DVD’s are covered with dust)

• I joined that gym and it didn’t work for me. (I went once or twice and got bored.)

• I tried Boxing and it didn’t work. (I went for a month and it was too hard.)

• I tried martial arts and it didn’t work. (I went to a month but was afraid of failing the test.)

• I tried that spin class and it didn’t work. (I went for almost a week, but I didn’t want to get up that early.)

You get the idea, yes? You see the pattern of behavior here?

Look, I know that change is hard. Getting up early, staying disciplined with food, being consistent with training every day, training when you’re tired….I get it! I go through all of that all the time. So what’s the difference between my wife and I and those other folks? We do the work. That’s the only difference.

We’re not better than anyone else or smarter (OK, Mary actually is, but certainly NOT ME!!). We don’t come from a childhood background of healthy eating that our parents taught us. We never learned it in high school or college. We never had someone else in our lives that was super healthy and physically fit. At some point we decided we wanted to live a better, healthier life and on our own learned as much as we could about healthy food intake and proper exercise.

So the answer to the assumption most people have is: no, this is not easier for Mary and I than for others. It’s not. We get tired from work. We have long days. We get injuries. We want to eat junk food. We want to stay on the couch and watch TV. We want to take a nap instead of training.

The difference? We don’t make BS excuses…we get it done. That's the ONLY difference.

What do you REALLY Want? Results or Excuses?

noreply@blogger.com (Coach John Kyle) — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 14:37:00 +0000

I deal with a multitude of personalities every day (some even seem to have a multiple personality disorder) and I run into many of the same patterns and issues with members and clients. And here is what one common issue that comes up often looks like:

Client: “Coach, here’s what I want- I want to lose fat right here (women grab the back of their arms and men grab their love handles). I also want to increase my cardio, strength and I also want to be on the same level with the most fit people in the gym. I want to be one of the top athletes here. THAT is what I want to achieve. Can you help me?”

Me: “I sure can help with that. It won’t come over night and it most certainly will NOT be easy. But we can do it. Here is what you’ll need to do….” And I proceed to outline a whole training and eating program for them. (Perhaps you know exactly what I would say here???)

Client: “Wow, that’s great Coach! Thanks!”

4 weeks later…….

Me: “so, how’s it going? Are you eating the food I suggested? Are you doing the training I suggested?”

Client: “well, umm, ya know….here’s the thing…..I have a real busy life and I decided that I would just keep doing training the way I always have 2 to 3 times a week. Besides, I go to Planet Fitness once or twice a week and use the machines. Don’t worry, it’s a “judgment free zone” and I never set off the “lunk alarm”. And I know that I could be eating better, but really, who has time to do that? I mean I am eating breakfast now about twice a week so that’s good, right?”

Me: “It sounds like you’re really ‘taking the bull by the horns’ on this. How are the results coming? Are you reaching that level of being one of the elite members of the gym yet?”

Client: “well, not yet, but it's still really what I want. What do you think I should do to get there?”

Does anyone else see the complete and total insanity in this????

I have continually gotten this nearly every week from various people for years on end and I’ve found that it all comes down to this: people are not really interested in results. How do I know? Because otherwise they would let go of the BS excuses and try something new! So it’s at this point you need to ask yourself this question:

Are you interested in results or methods?

If results are what you want, if moving to that “next level” is truly most important and really becoming what you want to become, then you’ll need to look for a new method. Yet most people simply will not do it. Is it fear? Sure. Is it being stubborn? You bet. Do these folks have too many control issues? To a large degree, yes. They need to let go of the things that are holding them back; the excuses, the justifications and the reasoning behind why they don’t really need to change what they’re doing. Because when they let go of that crap, they begin to get the results they want!

So again, I ask you: are you interested in results or methods? Because changing your method might get you what you want.

And I also ask: are you willing to make that change and let go of your excuses? And the only way you know that you’re truly willing to make that change is when you’re actually DOING the work. Otherwise you’re full of ****.

"To get somewhere you've never been before, you'll need to do things you've never done before."

One Small (Frikin' HUGE) Tip

noreply@blogger.com (Coach John Kyle) — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 18:08:00 +0000

Here’s one small tip that will make a 100% difference between reaching the results you want in a few short months, or taking years to get anywhere- if you can actually get anywhere without it! This one little tip makes the difference between having fun or being bored. It gets you involved both mentally and physically rather than allowing you to be disconnected from what you’re doing and where you’re trying to go.

What is it? It’s “Intensity”.

Intensity is defined as the magnitude of energy that you put out. In physics it is the strength of the source of energy , such as light, electricity or sound. For our purposes it is the mental energy that you put into your physical efforts while training- not just the physical efforts themselves. You can go through a workout in one of my training sessions, get sweaty and burn calories, but to make maximum gains you need to put out a higher degree of energy. And that higher degree of energy is called “Intensity”.

You’ve seen those loud folks on the floor grunting and groaning, and looking as if they’re in a horrible amount of pain (which they are), yet they continue to push through until the training session is over. That is intensity! When you see someone go outside, or run to the rest room and vomit and then come back onto the floor- THAT is intensity! When you see someone lying on the floor breathing heavy, not wanting t move after training- THAT is intensity! When you see people screaming at their partner to keep going- THAT is intensity!

Intensity works.

When you’ve had a long day, not enough food, something tragic in your life, intensity will keep you going through your workout but it will also help relieve stress! Intensity will allow you to focus when there seems to be too much on your plate at work or home. Intensity will also help you get a few extra reps in push-ups, squat jumps or burpees. It will help you get up a few extra pounds when lifting weights than you normally wouldn’t be able to move. Intensity keeps you mentally and physically focused on the present- which is a form of meditation by the way. Intensity works.

Here are a few ways to develop and use intensity:

One, talk to yourself. Do so in a motivating way, not in a belittling manner. You’ll want to say things like “c’mon, you can do this!”, “2 more! Do 2 more!” If you need to scream these out, then do so! Whatever will get your adrenaline pumping- do it!! (don’t say “what’s wrong with you?! You suck you little wimp!”

Two, get angry. Yes this can be positive. Look, we all get angry- that’s why there is a name for the emotion! You get angry at your boss, significant other, coworkers, classmates, neighbors, friends, etc. So take that anger and direct it at the heavy bag, the weights or in your functional training sessions. Anger can be used as healthy fuel for a workout that might have been otherwise plane-Jane! By directing that anger in a healthy manner, you’re allowing yourself to express it and get rid of it rather than holding it in and taking it out on others in an unhealthy fashion. By the end of the training session, you’ll feel better and the degree of anger will be far, far less than it was in the beginning of the session.

Three, get someone else to talk or yell at you. I know that when I have my wife Mary spotting me in the gym I work twice as hard- for 2 reasons. One is that she coaches me through the set by saying things like “c’mon, you can do this!”, “focus John”, “You have 2 more” or “I want one more”. By having her talk me through the set I stay more focused and driven. The other reason is that want a “good job” from her at the end- it’s a reward that has no price tag.

Four, think of your goals. Something has to drive you to come into my training sessions each week! I don’t play around! They’re hard as hell, so to get through it, be sure that you think about what you want and where you’re trying to get to. Get excited about the possibility!

But above all- get Intense!!

Upcoming Seminar Friday Jan 14th

noreply@blogger.com (Coach John Kyle) — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 14:11:00 +0000

So? How’d you do in accomplishing your goals last year? In 2010 I accomplished 81% of my goals (22 out of 27) which stellar compared to 2009 which was only 66% (21 out of 32). And last year was a hard year: I herniated my disk and it went out twice (once so bad I was literally bed-ridden for a whole day!) and could not train properly, both my mother and my mother-in-law were in the hospital at the same time! My wife was unemployed for several months while at the same time we were getting married! Mary also started a part time business called Mary’s Mighty Muffins – perhaps you’ve heard of it? ( http://www.marysmightymuffins.com/ )The point being of course, that even though things were extremely tough on both Mary and I, we still managed to accomplish a lot.

So, with all the challenges, just how did I improve on accomplishing more of my goals in 2010 than in 2009? It was the way in which I set the goals, not just setting the goal itself! Setting a goal is actually not a very difficult task, but creating a plan around it, finding a coach, setting deadlines and holding yourself accountable is something entirely different! And even though that sounds like too much work, it’s actually VERY SIMPLE!!

On Friday January 14th at 6:30pm, I will be holding my yearly Goal-Setting Seminar. The cost is $50 and half of that goes to charity! This is FREE for all FightZone and Black Belt Living members.

In the seminar you’ll learn:

• The 4.5 Reasons People DO NOT Set Goals

• 5.5 Mistakes People Make When Setting Goals

• 3.5 Aspects of a REAL Goal

• 4.5 Areas to Set Goals in Life

• 10.5 Timelines for Goals

• Goal Setting Success Cycle

You’ll also walk out with an outline of the seminar itself, a tried and true method that will allow you a better chance of achieving your most important goals and most importantly the knowledge and motivation required to get going and stay on task all year!

If you have any questions, please feel free to call me- 727-441-1800

See you next Friday Night at 6:30pm!!

Get Back on Track!!

noreply@blogger.com (Coach John Kyle) — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 15:46:00 +0000

Well, after my stomach punched my wife in her face this morning, it’s official: I’ve been eating waaaay too much this holiday season! Yet, this is what I do every year at New Year’s and Christmas- I continue to train hard but eat what I please at any meal I choose to. For instance, yesterday at lunch I had a big hand full of rolos. (I can’t remember the last time I had those, but they were calling my name in Target as I was grocery shopping.) And last night after dinner I think I ate a ½ pound of the peppermint bark that Mary made! So, since my vacation 3 weeks ago I’ve been over indulging like crazy and now it’s really taking it’s toll.

And my cardio workouts? Ugh! Last night I needed to get a workout in with the Level 3 training session because my schedule is so busy and boy was I feeling the food I’ve been eating! I was slow, wore out quickly and was belching like fat pregnant yak the whole time! Weight training is OK for now as many times the extra calories can help but on size and aid a little in the strength area as well.

The part that I look forward to the most is also the part that is the hardest for me to obtain- getting back on track for the New Year! 6 meals per day. 250-300 grams of protein. FightZone training 3 days per week in the AM and 6 nights lifting weights with Mary- it’s stuff I love! I love it because I love the physical results of the way my body looks and how easily I can move when training. But I what I love even more is the feelings both mentally and emotionally I receive from living that type of disciplined lifestyle. I feel more in control, more focused and more accomplished.

So, if you’re game, I invite you to join me next year in the FightZone Training Program to reach a new level with training in both Boxing and Kickboxing, learn a new approach to food, enter an entire new realm of training methodology and be held accountable for all of it! I promise, if you join this program and give it 100%, you’ll be amazed at the results!!

To learn more about the FightZone Training Program, click here.

FightZone

noreply@blogger.com (Coach John Kyle) — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 16:13:00 +0000

What is it?

I’ll tell you soon, but first you need to understand the mental framework that went into this program – the why and the how behind it all.

I’ve been training as a martial artist/fighter for 30 years now and as a coach for 22- that’s a long time. And the great part about that length of time is that I’ve learned some many things from so many people. From my Instructors, to my training partners and even from many of my own students. I’ve learned what works and how certain criteria can truly help others reach new levels in life and I’ve also learned what does NOT work and how damaging those things can be. And of course I've learned that not everyone is the same! Everyone's body is different and therefore their nutritional needs as well as what exercises are helpful or harmful to them vary accordingly.

4 years ago I asked myself what I needed to take myself to another level- FightZone was my answer. I needed something new! Something inspiring, interesting, motivation, emotionally and physically engaging, innovative, up-to-date, fresh and most importantly ….. EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. I know that I can only enjoy a training session when it is hard because that’s when I’m fully engaged in the process. I love the challenge that muscle failure brings. I love the test that a difficult session of cardio (REAL cardio) throws at me.

(Note: before some sessions I’m sometimes exhausted as I do many training sessions after 9pm, and many times it’s also due to the fact that I know how damn hard the training is going to be! But once I get moving I’m fine. I’ll sometimes tell my wife Mary how a certain body part hurts and she’ll call me a wimp and to suck it. Of course I do and then get on with the session. I say this because YOU will have days when you’re exhausted too and you’ll simply have to deal with it and press on.)

I asked myself some simple questions: what are some of the hardest exercises to do? What are some of the most beneficial exercise to do? What will make me faster, stronger, go longer and make me a better fighter? What will make me look better, feel better? What will be the most fun? What will put on muscle, take off fat yet make sure it doesn’t slow me down?

The answers came after considerable time and money spent on my part to learn more and master more.

You’ll eat different. You’ll train different. You’ll set goals differently. Why? Because if you want something different you’ll have to DO something different.

FightZone is different.

And the best part? I’ll be holding YOU accountable for your results.

Keep your eyes and ears open …… Be ready.

info will out next week!!

STOP The Knee Pain!! (Q & A)

noreply@blogger.com (Coach John Kyle) — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 15:47:00 +0000

Hey Mr. Kyle, i was curious, when you power lift with legs, how do you prevent injury or moastly soar/ stiff knees when you practice karate? I ask because my knees have been hurting lately when I kick.

Hi Bailey, sorry to hear your knees are giving you a hard time. This is all how starts by the way! LOL!!

If you love to kick as much as me and train with various martial arts kicks a few times each week, then be sure to only train legs with weights once per week and maybe even every other week if your knees simply cannot handle the volume of training you’re currently putting them through.

Like most joints, the knees can be delicate, so take the mindset of "Prevention vs. Therapy"- you're NOT getting any younger! So, here are the things that I do to help keep my knees in tip-top shape for hardcore training:

1. Thoroughly warm up (i.e.- break a sweat)- this can be with a stationary bike, brisk walk, light jog. You’ll also want to use a leg extension machine for a few light sets (you can come back and go heavy with extensions if you want after you squat routine).

2. Ascend up in the amount of weight each set, don't go heavy right away. Meaning, start with just squats with just the bar for 20 or so reps. Then with a 25lb plate on each side, then a 45 on each side, then add a 25 lb plate to each side, then take off the 25 and add a 45 each side and so on until you reach the weight you want to use for 3-5 hard working sets. The either move on to another exercise or drop back down in weight for a few ore sets before moving on.

3. Wrap your knees for heavy squats, leg presses or hack squats. There are 2 schools of thought with knee wraps. One is that the wraps causes the knee cap to grind on the rest of theknee, the other is that the wrap is more helpful and adds support. My experience is the latter. When I train heavy, I ALWAYS make I’m safe! I use knee wraps as well as a belt as well when I go heavy and get great results. Many more studies are coming out saying w wrapping the knees is OK. But, like always, you’ll need to find what works for you.

4. Train legs but once per week. For people like us who kick A LOT, we’re looking for methods to improve our martial arts abilities, NOT hamper them. You may find that the right amount for you is to train legs with weights only once every 2 weeks- you’ll have to find that out over time.

5. Be sure to alternate "heavy" week with "light week". If your knees are hurting a young age, then it's obvious that they cannot handle the demand you're currently placing on them. Allow them the time to develop and strengthen. Meaning, your muscles are ready to go, but the tendons and ligaments are not at this time. They will if you’re smart and patient

6. Sometimes use jump squats and various forms of lunges for leg day instead of weights. This is a great way to give the joints a break, but still work the muscles.

7. Take ibuprofen 1 hour before heavy leg day. Hell take it when your knees are sore as well. By keeping the inflammation down, the blood and get in there and deliver the healing nutrients as well as help flush out lactic acid. (I take ibuprofen almost every day now!! LOL! Getting old!!)

8. Ice them down afterwards of need be. Again, it helps keep the inflammation down and gets them healed faster.

9. Cycle your training schedule so that you get at least one week off every 8 weeks or so. Even if you’re only training the legs once per week, your entire body needs a break too. Remember that recovery is a HUGE key to over growth!

10. Stretch. Before your training, perform a light stretch with your warm-up to help prevent any injury that could occur like a pulled groin or hamstring pull and/or tear. After the training, be sure to stretch hard. This way you’ll developing flexibility which you already know helps with strength, speed and recovery as well.

11. Most importantly, listen to what your body is saying to you. if you need a week off, take it. If you need to use light weight, then do so. If you find that the exercises you're doing are causing more harm than good, stop. Find something else. Not everyone is designed to squat. For example, my wife doesn’t squat because it feels uncomfortable and a little painful. For me, I cannot perform leg presses as they hurt my knees big time. So, Mary does presses and I squat- simple.

Well, that’s all I got Bailey-hope it helps!!

What got you here will NOT get you THERE!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Coach John Kyle) — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 15:31:00 +0000

Question:

Coach, I’ve been training for over 4 months at the gym and seem to have hit a plateau we in regards to my weight loss. I attend training 2 and sometimes 3 times per week and have cleaned up my diet, kinda. It’s better than before is what I mean. So, what can I do to lose more weight, like 10-15 pounds?

Thanks, G.

Answer:

Well G., I have many, many people ask me this every same question nearly each week and here is what I tell them (and you) “what got you here will NOT get you THERE.” You body has reached a certain level of fitness and has developed a tolerance to the level of stress you’re placing on it each week. Basically you’re doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result- which is the definition of insanity by the way. To achieve something different, you’ll need to DO something different. So, to reach the next level here is what you’ll need to do:

1. Attend more training sessions. Coming twice a week will not cut it!! What happens if something unexpected comes up and you have to work late, give someone a ride home who’s car broke down, or whatever- you get the idea. Then you’ll only be at one training session per week. And just FYI: that sucks. Pick up your training session to at least 4 times per week and 5 if possible. Yes G, that is the number one thing you’ll have to do. You have to train more to burn more calories- bottom line. (Get it?? “bottom” line??) Whatever you have to do to rearrange your weekly schedule to get in 5 times each week, do it!

2. DO NOT diet! When people go on a “diet”, it implies a temporary way of eating. So what happens when you’ve finished your 4 weeks of dieting? That’s right, you go back to eating the same way you’ve always eaten and you’ll get the same results that you’ve always gotten. (Which you need to remember that you do not want.) The best thing to do is create a way of eating for the rest of your life. Here’s what I do: I eat clean Sunday through Friday and then on Saturday I allow myself to eat what I want. I enjoy pizza and ice cream the most. Then I get back to it on Sunday- for the most part. Every so often I’ll have another bad meal on Sunday, like when the Redskins are playing. Along with that, I eat 5-6 clean meals each day making sure I get 150-200 grams of protein. I pack my meals each day and bring them to work making it easier to control what goes into my body and when. So again G, I implore you- DO NOT diet!! Create a healthy way to eat for the rest of your life because once you get used to it after just a few short months, you’ll have many, many years of health in front of you!

3. DON’T “lose weight”! Everyone wants to “lose weight”, but they really don’t understand what that means. I have people who train with me and gain weight! BUT, their clothes fit completely differently and many have to go shopping to get a whole new wardrobe! The shirts are tighter in the chest and arms and looser at the bottom. The pants fit snug in the thighs yet are much looser in the butt and waist. They have gained 5, 10 and sometimes even up to 20 pounds of muscle and have burned off 5, 10 and sometimes even 40 pounds or more of body fat. On the scale that translates to 10 pounds of weight loss sometimes. So my question to you is this: “is how much you weigh as important as how much fat you burn and how much lean, functional and sexy muscle you put on?” Think about it, then get off you damn scale for at least one year!

G, one more thing I want to leave you with: it’s not how bad you want it, it’s what you actually DO that will make the difference. Everyone “wants” to achieve something, but the people who actually accomplish their goals are the ones who DO something about it.

How to Achieve Physical Success

noreply@blogger.com (Coach John Kyle) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 15:01:00 +0000

How do you define the word "success"? Most people will use money as the means of defining success. Well I happen to know many people who have a ton of money, but are 50 pounds or more over weight, cannot stay off drugs or alcohol, or they simply cannot maintain a loving, healthy relationship with another person. None of those people feel like a success.

To change that, here is one simple method- Achieve Physical Success!!
(Printed version is below if you don't want to listen to a crazy 6th Degree Black Belt, Certified Coach babble on and on and on and on...)

1. Physical Success: I truly believe that THE most important are of life that every single person needs to reach success in is Physical Fitness. When you make exercise and eating right your lifestyle, then the principles of both self-discipline and self-confidence are cultivated and will strengthen and grow over time. The positive results of developing these two characteristics is that your self-discipline will carry over into your work place, allowing you to accomplish more on a daily basis and reach your goals faster. By increasing your self-confidence, you’ll also be more inclined to take calculated risks to help you further your achievements both personally and professionally.

In order to achieve and maintain Physical Success, make sure that you set up a workout schedule that will challenge you physically and mentally, otherwise, if it’s too easy, you’ll be left unmotivated and achieve nothing. Set up a weekly training schedule that has you training 5 or 6 times for at least 45 minutes each day. This way, you’ll make physical fitness so much a part of your life that if you miss a day or two, you’ll feel lazy, lethargic and even guilty. And when you feel that way, you’ll be much more inclined to get back into the gym and work even harder to reach your Physical Success!

Have a question for Coach John? Contact him here: john@blackbeltliving.com

Help!! I need motivation- FAST!!

noreply@blogger.com (Coach John Kyle) — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 20:40:00 +0000

Question:

Hi,

I loved your article on How To Get Motivated-Fast. I need some advice.

I used to love getting in the ring to box, I used to love training hard every day, but after a few years, my motivation started going away. I tried to fight it, but all I could think of is how it feels to get hit and how tiring training is. I've been fighting this lack of motivation for years hoping that it would eventually end, but it never did. I forced myself to get in the ring even when I hated it. I felt good afterwards for the achievement, but did not enjoy the process.

Is there any chance that I would get that motivation back? The drive to get in the ring and trade punches? The drive to get better every day and display my boxing skills?

Thank you in advance for your help,

Anca

Answer:

Hi Anca!

Being in that place sucks! I know cause I’ve been there before myself! Perhaps you’re looking at it from the wrong viewpoint?? Rather than going into the gym and forcing yourself to fight/spar, just train. Shadow box, hit the bag, lift weights, run, mitts, jump rope, etc. Focus on having a good time simply training for the sake of loving to train. And stay out of the ring for a while.

Being around this industry for so many years I see the same thing over and over again- burnout. You were forcing yourself to do something you didn’t really enjoy doing- that’s crazy! Why? Who says you have to? Just because you’re good at something doesn’t mean you have to do it!! Just train.

We have about 3% of our membership here that spars/fights. Everyone else simply trains to get and stay in shape AND because we make it fun here as well. (See the video below!!) If you live in the area, come join us, but even if you don’t you need to get back into training even at the base level of simple conditioning. If you need to take a break for a while- then do that. A week, a month, whatever. You’ll know when the time is right to get back into training.

Here’s the secret: by just enjoying process of sweating in training, the motivation comes back.

Good luck!

Social Media at it's BEST!!

noreply@blogger.com (Coach John Kyle) — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 19:53:00 +0000

Lately I’ve been making videos of the training here at Clearwater Boxing Center- and with good reason. The one thing that truly sets us apart from any other gym or martial arts facility in the area is the cohesiveness in the people here. You train together, develop skills together, sweat and bleed together and ultimately grow and become “more” of what you’re striving for - together. So I’ve done two types of videos; one is with all of the people in the videos together demonstrating what we do here in classes and the other is the video testimonial.

When people see themselves working together in a group setting it only serves to solidify the dedication and desire they have towards each other and their progress as a whole. When someone sees themselves in the testimonial video, it helps to amplify their desire to reach their goals and their commitment to training here at this gym. Both videos cultivate and validate the fact that Clearwater Boxing Center is far, far, from any other place that someone could train at!

Enjoy the videos!!!
(The fisrt is a video testimonial of Cherry Putulin, a Level 3 member.)

(This is a group video of our Level 2 members.)

Coach John's Irish Workout

noreply@blogger.com (Coach John Kyle) — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 13:46:00 +0000

Training:

On Wednesday August 3rd, I recorded some of one of my cardio workouts. I try to explain to people what I do, how I do it and why, but sometimes letting people watch is the best way they’ll understand what I’m talking about.

First, this is considered a “cardio” workout and NOT a weight lifting workout even though I use weights. When I do a “weight training” workout, it is much more in the sense of body building. The way I use weights here is back-to-back, full-body exercises at a fast pace that tax not only my muscles, but my lungs as well. I also make sure that I have done a lot of cardio/heavy bag work, before I get to the weights as well. That way my lungs are already behind the eight ball.

I don’t believe in staying only old school in regards to training. Think that people need to get outside of their comfort zone and look for new ways to increase their abilities. Lifting weights is one of them- but it is all about HOW you use them in your training.

I did 5 rounds on the tear drop heavy bag also a regular heavy bag, then did 5 more rounds on a tai bag and the 2 rounds of basic kicking drills. The rounds were 3 minutes each with only a 30 second rest in between. Then the weights and then shadow sparring to force my muscles to be quick and fluid in their movements. This is a sense, cross training to confuse, but also condition my muscles to be ready to either be powerful, fast or both.

Have any questions- let me know. john@blackbeltliving.com

1 Way to UP Your Intensity in Training

noreply@blogger.com (Coach John Kyle) — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 15:56:00 +0000

Here's a simple and quick way to UP your intensity level so that you'll reach your goals THAT MUCH faster!!

Q & A "Know you can defend yourself"

noreply@blogger.com (Coach John Kyle) — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 14:57:00 +0000

Question: Coach John, I want to feel as if I can take care of myself outside in the street if something happens. How can I best do this?

R.G.

Answer: R.G., for a lady, you hit hard as hell! But simply telling you that time and again seems to makes no difference what-so-ever in your level of confidence in regards to self defense. If it were that easy, everyone would walk around with more confidence in their skills! So here are a few answers for you to think about:

1. Take My Self Defense Course. About once per year I run a seminar designed for self defense NOT a workout. The basis of this seminar is about conditioning yourself to deal with the adrenaline rush that hits your body in a real fight. It’s called “Adrenaline Stress Conditioning”. When adrenaline hits your system it is not always your friend. Adrenaline is what causes the fight-or-flight reaction in humans, and if your inclination is to run and you cannot, then what happens is that you “freeze-up” and cannot move. Adrenaline can also be your friend as is gives you added strength and speed, but that is not always the case for people who have no experience in dealing with street fights.

What this training allows you to do is act and think quickly when your adrenaline is pumping and fear is taking over. You’ll learn how to prevent a situation from ever becoming a physical confrontation. You’ll also be able to use your peripheral vision to see if any other attackers are coming at you from the side. Ultimately you’ll learn how to be able to “turn on” the adrenaline when YOU want to and not the other way around. So keep eyes open for the next seminar that will be coming up in a few months.

2. Start Sparring. Most people want to know that they can take care of themselves and hit someone- they just don’t want to get hit back! Obviously this will never happen and is completely unrealistic as well. So the best solution here is to start sparring with the Fight Team from time to time. No- YOU’LL NOT GET BEAT UP! What you’ll learn is the actual skill of Boxing, which will include learning how to take a punch. Yeah, it can scary at first, but you’ll quickly see how it’s not as bad as you’ve made it out to be in your head. You’ll have a big padded headgear on you and your partner will have big pillows on his/her hands.

Learning to get hit and going through the process of discovering that it is not a big deal will only help further your confidence should something happen in real life. You’ll have the experience of knowing that no matter how big the opponent is, you’ll be able to duck, slip, block or move out of the way. You’ll know how to counterstrike the person as well as look for openings not only to strike, but to run as well if you need to. The people who have had experience in sparring always do better in Adrenaline Stress Seminars. So think about it.

3. Get into a fight. Go ahead, get drunk at a bar and pick a fight with a big guy. You’ll find out pretty quick if you can handle yourself. OK, I’m kidding of course, but do you see what you said to yourself? You probably said “I’d never do that!”, and that’s the point. Since you never really put yourself in that type of a situation, the chances of you having to defend yourself drop exponentially. Further, if you walk with confidence and hold your head high and “look the world in the eyes” attackers will be MUCH less likely to view you as a target. They look for people who seem weak – but most importantly they look for people who lack confidence. So even if you feel that you may not be able to defense yourself properly, fake it till you make it!

Have a question for Coach John? send it here:
john@blackbeltliving.com
www.ClearwaterBoxingCenter.com

Q & A: Where do you get the energy??

noreply@blogger.com (Coach John Kyle) — Wed, 12 May 2010 14:03:00 +0000

Question: Coach, how do you do it? You’re 40 years old and you still train like a mad man! I’ve watched you on the bag and shadow sparring and your skill is awesome, but where do you find the energy? And where can I get some of it!?
From David P.

Answer: LOL! I have NO idea what you’re talking about David! I feel exhausted most of the time! But thank you for the compliments none the less. If you knew me 15 or 20 years ago, I believe you wouldn’t be asking that question, you’d be asking “what happened to you coach?” LOL!! I feel a big difference in my recovery and performance over the last 20 years. I still train hard, VERY hard, but my body doesn’t recover as quickly as it did and my knees cannot handle all of the aerial kicking that I used to do for hours on end. But so what? I still gotta train right?

To answer your question “where do I get the energy?” here are my answers:

1. Make specific goals with dead lines:

By setting goals, you’ll be much more likely to train on the days you really don’t want to so that you’ll not fall behind. Some days, something is better than nothing. I HATE the feeling I get when I fail to accomplish what I’ve set out to do!!! Set your goals TODAY!!

2. Rest: I remember staying up for 2 or 3 days partying with friends and then going into the Dojo and training- crazy! I would end up in a coma if I tried that today! I simply don’t recover as quickly as I used to between workouts now, so I make sure that I try to get 7-8 hours of sleep each night and nap once or twice a week. Every study has shown how beneficial sleep and getting extra naps in can be or athletes- and I agree 100%!! BUT, there are days when I simply need to rest and NOT workout. Last night was one of them. So I did a half a workout and went home and ate a good meal. It happens.

3. Nutrition: I cheat on Saturday night with pizza, ice cream, candy, etc. The other days my food is simply fuel for the next workout. If I eat like shit- I perform like shit. Most people I coach will get the physical side to this down, but disregard the other side which is nutrition. If you really want to make progress and have energy not only for training, but for the whole day, eat healthy foods! (Your Mother was right all along!)

4. Motivation from others: By opening the gym, I have been able to surround myself with people who have a similar mindset to me. They push themselves in each training session to their fullest and still strive to do better! That alone can give me motivation to be my best! But I also train with my wife-to-be Mary (this Saturday!!!) who is a constant source of motivation for me in the gym AND at home. We encourage each other to eat better, think better and DO better. We complement each other when one of us is down and set the other one straight when they get off course. (OK, that’s really Mary setting ME straight!! LOL!!)

4.5 Coffee- it truly is the nectar of the Gods! Starbucks is my second home…..

Q & A: Where does your motivation come from?

noreply@blogger.com (Coach John Kyle) — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 14:06:00 +0000

Question: Coach John, you always give us a good motivational talk at the end of each training session, and I love it. In fact I look forward to it. My question is: where do you get YOUR motivation from?

Signed, R.C.

Answer: Thanks R.C.! That always means a lot to me when I get feedback from members of the gym-most of the time I never really know if get through or not! So where does my motivation come from? A few different places really:

1. Mentors: I believe in having mentors, people who are further down the road than me in life, business, health, etc. They become valuable resources in tough times when I need some direction, and also in good times, when I’m not sure how to make the success continue. The pick me up when I’m down and give me that swift kick in the ass when I need that too! But most of all, they represent what I can become in the future if I keep doing what they do- and THAT excites me!

2. You: when I see people who enroll into my program and get the results they’re looking for, I get excited! I watch people like you come in consistently, train hard, focus, push themselves, sweat, punch, sweat, kick, sweat, do push-ups and sweat some more and I love it! Because when people can begin to change physically, they will quickly change mentally.

3. Desire: I have my own personal missions in life and one of them is become more than I was the year before; a better athlete, writer, speaker, businessman, fiancé (soon to be husband!), son, brother, friend, etc. I learned a long time ago that perfection is the direction NOT the destination- no matter how hard I try, I’ll always fail. Yet, the paradox is that success is ALWAYS built on failure. And if I’m failing, that means I’m trying, and if I’m trying that means I’ll get there soon. (I hope! LOL!!)

4. Motors: I place people into 2 groups in life- anchors and motors. Anchors hold me down and motors push me forward. I try to spend little to no time with people who are negative or have no ambitions in life and attempt to maximize the amount of time I spend with people who inspire me, educate me, push me and challenge me. Look at who I'll be married to in a few weeks!! Mary is always training her butt off and eating right, and when I hang around someone who is so focused and driven I can't help but to get caught-up in her slip stream as she surges through life with passion, desire and drive!