elitefts™ Sunday edition
Keep Your Standards High, Not Your Mind
I was asked if I would like to add another dimension to my contributions at elitefts™ a few days ago. After pondering whether I had enough to say, I was struck by the “awesomeness” and the responsibility of doing so. After a few e-mail volleys to Dave, and bouncing the idea of what I’d like this to become, he pretty much gave me free reign to attack any and all matters, and topics.
There is a growing consensus that since I was around during the time the earth was created, and that I’ve seen quite a few things and can speak from the experiences of them, rather than the theories. I’ve often said, “A man with experience is never at the mercy of anyone with a theory.” While I certainly don’t claim to be an expert in all areas, I’ll give honest and genuine feedback to a host of issues. I want you to know, that I’ll speak from the pain and scars of the things I’ve done wrong, as well as the success and accolades of doing more things correct.
What to Expect
This brings me to the choice of title for this column. I’ve said it, and you have too…”If I Knew Then What I Know Now.” This statement is summed up with one word, WISDOM. Wisdom is used often even in the book of Proverbs. Whether you’re a believer or not, is of no interest to me (for now), but the ability to live a life through experience is what we all must do in the end. We will live it through our own experience, which I can tell you costs a lot in the way of dollars, scars and pain, or through another person’s experience. Question! What is the easiest way to cross a minefield? Answer! Follow in the footsteps of the person who made it. I’m writing this column to address where I have wisdom. The topics not only include strength, conditioning, and nutrition, but also where I have experience in relationships, economics, business, conversations, child rearing, dog training and even some of the taboo topics, such as death and making sure things are in order.
I’m going to cover a lot of things along those lines, but I’m not claiming to have all the answers. What I’d like from you, the reader, is to remain anonymous and submit to me your concerns, areas of interest, issues or problems where I may lend a general plan. Here’s the kicker: I’m not going to take the politically correct road, so as NOT to offend. I’m going to give you the straight up truth that I know and experienced. If I don’t know, well, I’ll be just as candid about that as well. Remember the saying, “Be careful what you ask for?” I believe that.
Mistakes
We are now in the holiday season at the time of this writing. I was thinking back to the things that made it great, and the disasters that turned it dark. I thought about the parties and festivities, the ease of the “hook up” and the depression of being alone.
I was most concerned about the stupidity of combining libations and driving, and some of the people that were hurt from playing with their emotions. Not to mention the cat’s nine lives that I used up by shear luck, not killing myself, or thank God, someone else.
Beat the Clock
I’ve been quoted time and time again saying, “Nothing good ever comes out of being out past midnight.” This is what I shared with the young hockey players that would come into the Arizona Sundog’s training facility, and find themselves in a little “hot water” outside the rink. Most of the guys were just too young to handle the part of being larger than life, bona fide stars, in a small town. After a victory or loss, there was that need to go into town and celebrate…or drown their sorrow. It was also an opportunity to take care of those biological needs, if you know what I mean. Booze’n and Cruise’n just seemed to go together. We would call a few cocktails, “liquid aphrodisiac.” The problem was, we would head out at 10PM. That would give us two hours to get the hunt’n done. So, there was simply not enough time for a proper hunt and kill. The time was extended to whatever “closing time” was in that town, county, or state. Here’s what happens when you add the element of “Beat the Clock…”
- You have increased the quality of what is available by the decrease in visual standards (beer goggles).
- You have increased the monetary expenditure getting that way (drank away another paycheck).
- You have increased your vulnerability to getting pulled over and arrested for a DUI and police are told to “target” such activities past midnight.
- You’ve increased your chances in regards to killing an innocent participant.
- You will NOT be getting the 7-8 hours of sleep that’s necessary to recover and improve your training.
- Because you aren’t thinking with your cerebral head, chances are you aren’t taking proper precautions to engage (if you get that far) in the carnal activity that was intended. What I’m saying is that in my day, there was stuff that penicillin would clear up. NOW there’s stuff out there that will KILL YOU!
Cinderella(fella)
If you set your clock like Cinderella or Cinderfella (Girls this is for you too. After all, if your ear is itching, when you scratch it with your finger, which feels better…your finger or your ear?) and end the night at midnight, you will better your chances for a comeback and your next day won’t be one, recovering from a hangover, but from your big ass squat or bench session instead.
Keep your standards high, not your mind.
When you have the need to over do it, go ahead! But, institute the holiday sleepover party. Power pound until you can’t speak, and make sure no one leaves your house. Start that bash at 7PM, and start your escapade at 4PM in the afternoon. Nice, maybe my next article will be titled…”Kegs, Shooters, Pillows and Blankets.”
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He was formally the strength and conditioning coach of the Arizona Sundogs (NHL/Central Hockey League) as well as for the Bradshaw Mountain High School football program. Harry has worked with hundreds of athletes in multitude of sports over the course of the last 35 years. Harry is currently working with many teams in the Bay are of Northern California.
View Harry’s Training Log 
This should have been posted yesterday…ugh….
I’m sorry but this is just incoherent. Were you drunk when you wrote it? If I recall the other most recent article where you talk about drinking is much better.
Ronald:
Where the other article..I think your drunk right now!
Just me or did this article basically promote drink driving?
It did at least equate drink driving to being as bad as sleeping with someone ugly or not getting enough sleep
haha, one of the funnier quotes I’ve found in a while:
“After all, if your ear is itching, when you scratch it with your finger, which feels better…your finger or your ear?”
@Ronald and Harrison…maybe both of you need to reread this bad boy. Great article!
I stopped working nights just for this same reason. Good column, look forward to seeing where you take this.
Maybe not the best written article but this has some solid points. One thing I similary told my children is “Bad things rarely happen to those who are home and in bed by 10 PM”. Oh, be sure you boys “wrap that rascal” !!
Thank you all for your criticism.
I think the people commenting completely missed the point or have never coached or suck at coaching athletes.
Some facts: you need to sleep to recover. Drinking hampers recovery not to mention other side effects such as getting arrested for underage drinking, auto accidents and school suspensions.
Other Facts: high school and coldegent athletes stay up late, eat like shit and drink too much.
Speak to any strength coach about these three issues and you’ll see just how bad and widespread it is.
Maybe if there were MORE articles like this the kids will get it. Let’s assume only one non starter reads this and starts to get more sleep, stops drinking and eats better. His training will go much better and I’m willing to bet he starts the next year.
If you are a coach and are not addressing these things you suck. If you don’t think they are important you are stupid. If you think it’s not a problem you are blind.
I think this was a much needed article and can’t believe how blind some of you are.
Party on dude! That makes one less person I have to compete against.
Hey there amigo! Glad to see your gonna start a regular contribution to the article section and try to give these kids a little “been there done that” perspective. The ones that listen will hopefully benefit and the ones who scoff and criticize will get through with just a few scars and stories if they’re lucky, and a few regrets and nightmares if they’re not. Here’s to no “unintentional deloads” in 2012!!!
i didn’t actually understand what was going on in this article.
For all those that don’t get this article, or think it is poorly written, need to rethink who they are. You are more then likely the drunk out there in the bars, getting shit faced to the point of blacking out, and driving home. Then you hear the complaining of “I can’t get stronger” “I can’t lose this excess weight” “I can’t gain good solid muscles” etc. This is why I quit drinking almost 2 years ago. After a month, I felt better, and had money to spend on quality food. I love how Harry writes, as it’s a lot like how I write. Keep em coming Harry. Good stuff.
Ahhh H- Great to see you finally writing another article. I enjoy the passion in which you invoke from the neither regions. Reading these after posts here have made me chuckle. You can tell which one’s are young little spermlings and the one’s who’ve actually seen a vagina other then the one they journeyed through. Oh… I for one actually like your writing style. Cracks me up how EVERYONE’S a critic yet the one’s that chirp most haven’t opened a book since mommy read “Everyone Poops.” Cheers H!
I believe what Brother Harry was trying to do is share some of his wisdom.
As we get older we realize some of the mistakes we made and try to pass on this wisdom. It’s not do this or don’t that because I am perfect…it’s listen to what I am saying because I have made poor choices in my younger days and the outcome was not good…or could have been better.
My advice is to listen…the old man knows some sh*t.
Good advice Harry; the body follows the mind.
And for those who only criticize without providing a critical analysis, that’s cool. To piggyback on @Kenny’s last remark: Please just keep doing what you’re doing, It leaves more awesomeness for the rest of us!
Looking forward to more musings from a master trainer.
These are the kinds of articles that I enjoy the most. I’m only 24 and I’m all about the theory of things. But I also know that theory is just theory until you put it to practice. Experience trumps all in my opinion. I would much rather learn from someone who has done it then someone who has read about it.
One of the best things I took away from this article (besides the most awesome quote ever “… if your ear is itching, when you scratch it with your finger, which feels better…your finger or your ear?”) is “A man with experience is never at the mercy of anyone with a theory.” I instantly thought of the reverse of this because it relates to me.
A man with a theory is at the mercy of someone with experience.
I’m going to go find a mentor that can help me in my training because I can’t even imagine how much further I could be with one.
I agree with the article, but on the flip-side as a 24-year old avid lifter I’ve done my fair share of boozing in the past and had the good and bad times that went along with that. I’m discovering that now that drinking isn’t the basis of my free-time I have a lot more of it (which isn’t always a good thing). Also, I have basically lost touch with all my old drinking buddies (since they continue to drink and “party” every weekend) so I’m left in this weird limbo land where part of me still wants to “enjoy my youth” and the other part of me wants to “grow up” and search for more meaningful pastimes. In conclusion, I’m lucky that I found lifting, I would be lost and alone without it. Now my weekends are filled with hanging out with my buddies, the Bell brothers (Bar and Dumb). Now if I could just find a more “Hardcore” gym to go to instead of my “Fitness Center” then I would be happy.