Fear At Nine Stories High

20 May

I’ve been climbing and hiking at High Rocks Vista in Pennsylvania for about a year. I used to watch the people climbing there with total awe and fascination and never imagined that I could do what they were doing. Six months later not only am I doing what they are doing, I’m using climbing techniques that I’ve never seen any climbers at the park doing.

Solo climbing at High Rocks Vista

At High Rocks every climber(s) that I’ve seen are top ropers that work in teams of two or more to belay each other. I climb solo because it’s very hard to find climbing partners on a regular basis to belay me and besides…I simply like climbing solo.  I’m moving more towards aid climbing because I believe that technology can and should be used to climb rock walls or cliffs. Many climbers are more focused on “free” climbing extremely difficult routes with nothing more than their rock shoes and chalk bags. I respect all styles of climbing but jumping from tiny hand hold to tiny hand hold like a squirrel is not my thing. I could care less if I ever climb a 5.9, 5.10 or higher route. Mountains and cliffs were meant to be climbed how it is done is the personal choice of each climber.

I may finally have hooked up with a climbing instructor that understands what I want to learn and has a sound methodology to teach me what I need to know to accomplish my ultimate rock climbing goal, to solo climb 3,000 foot El Capitan in Yosemite National Park.

If you click on the link below you can watch an edited video I did of my latest climb at High Rocks. I was soloing the biggest wall in the park; it’s about 9 stories high. In the video I explain my anchoring, ascending systems as well as sharing some scary moments particularly in the last clip when my climbing rope could have been sawed in half resulting in a rather bad end to my climbing day. There are also some really nice panoramic views that I shot while I was way above the tops of the surrounding trees.

The day was a personal milestone in my life. I solo climbed and rappelled a wall that only 6 months ago I did for the first time with a guide/instructor. It took me a full day to recover physically and mentally from this climb. Physically is was very strenuous especially when I ascended the last climb with my 40 pound pack. Also I was afraid the entire time. When I looked down and saw how ugly a fall from this particular wall would be, really jacked my adrenaline levels! Take a few moments and watch the video even if you are not a climber, I share some personal insights with the viewer.

Click this image to watch the video of my biggest rock climb.

 

 

CAN’T The most overused word in excuse making-The Amazing Story Of Arthur Boorman

16 May

Arthur Boorman...Before!

I’ve written extensively about peoples lack of motivation, excuse making and pure laziness regarding losing weight and getting into shape. If you are that person. Please watch this video. If this guy can come so far so fast on nothing but sheer guts and fortitude, ask yourself…why can’t I? Get out and get it done, Arthur did!

Click the link below to watch:

Arthur’s Inspirational Transformation!

 

Arthur Boorman...After!

My Frustration With Climbing Part I-The Instructors

16 May

Solo Climbing

I’m not sure how long I’ve been teaching Martial Arts, perhaps 15 years maybe more maybe less. In those years I’ve learned much about how people think and learn. I’ve taught some incredibly athletic and bright people and conversely I’ve taught some incredibly stupid people totally devoid of any athletic ability what so ever. But you know what? At the end of the day I was able to teach them all to their maximum potential. I’d like to think that every student that I’ve taught has learned something about the martial arts and improved their fitness level and ability to protect themselves.

And therein lays my extreme frustration with rock climbing and mountaineering…the instructors. At the risk of offending anyone that I’ve received climbing instruction from I’ll let you decide from which of the following type of instructor you are.

I’ve taken many climbing private lessons from different instructors at different places and rock climbing gyms. The instruction has in some cases been from world class climbers. Some of the instruction has been very informative and well taught. Much of the instruction I’ve received however has been poorly thought out, badly presented and quite frankly not even the quality of many of the instructional videos I’ve watched on YouTube. It’s not that the second type of instructor was a bad climber, in fact they were very good climbers however  they were just terrible teachers.

In many cases I get the impression that the instructor was more interested in telling me what a great climber he/she is and how long they’ve been climbing for than in teaching me. I also get the distinct impression that some climbing instructors “horde” their information because they are afraid that their students will become better climbers than them. That is a common trait among martial arts instructors as well…hoarding information. I’ve never held back any information from my students, in fact I attempt to teach them as much as I can with the hope that they improve and someday become better martial artists then I am. Is that not the goal of every good instructor?

On my second trip to Mt. Washington, when I was doing a winter solo summit attempt I ran into three guides. One was very humble and helpful (even though I was not his client) his name was Bob. It came up in conversation that in fact he was a guide. The other two could not wait to tell me they were guides, what a pair of dopes. They may have been incredible climbers but they just oozed ego. I am slowly getting the impression that the climbing world may suffer just a tad from over inflated egos but then so does the martial arts world, perhaps even more so.

Trying to arrange instruction has been an exercise in futility. Getting climbing instructors to answer your emails or phone calls is the pantheon of impossibility. For Christ sake I’m  beginning to think that they must all be wealthy and are not looking for, nor need new clients or for that matter additional income because none of them ever answers the damn phone.

I can’t even begin to tell you how frustrating it is trying to learn how to climb, yet the very group that refuses to teach you admonishes you to not teach yourself. When I started climbing last December I knew absolutely nothing. Through a combination of private lessons, exhaustive and extensive research and reading and climbing on a weekly basis I’ve progressed from belayed indoor climbing to solo outdoor (solo top roping) and aid climbing. I’ve learned how to use the GriGri 2 as a solo belay device which allows me to climb whenever I want without the necessity of a climbing partner.

Using Petzl Ascenders

I’ve learned the basics of aid climbing by climbing rock walls with Petzl Ascenders (without aiders). I’m getting ready to start Trad climbing soon so I can climb unbolted routes. I’ve climbed Mt. Washington three times summiting twice. The only time I did not summit was last February in -50 degree weather with 85 mph winds, I was climbing solo. I would like to think that I’ve learned much and come very very far in a short period of time. I climb at High Rocks Vista in Pennsylvania and have been there scores of times, and never and I mean never have seen anyone other than me solo climbing…why is that?

I’m looking forward to getting some big wall climbs in and I’ll be doing a Presidential traverse in the White Mountains this summer (solo of course). I’d love to find a climbing instructor that wants to share his love and excitement of climbing with me in an articulate well presented manner. I’m done learning from “tossers and sheep shaggers”. If you are a climbing instructor that is willing to teach a student that is eager and wants to get his climbing to the next level…email me!

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My observations of the week: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly

11 May

The Good, The Bad And The Ugly Of The Week.

The Good: My daughter finished her first year at NYU in the dental hygiene program, overcoming a long tedious commute, exceptionally difficult classes and the financial difficulties that are associated with obtaining a college education.

My son Chris despite losing two fights in a row refuses to roll over and play dead. Instead he renews his training with the intent of proving that he is the fighter that most people that know him well; know that his is…a very good one and a future professional champion.

My fitness level continues to improve. I successfully climbed Mt. Washington for the third time in 6 months and continue achieving and surpassing my personal fitness goals.

The Bad: I continue to realize how broken the American political system is. Why is it that the only time our leaders are interested in us is when they covet our vote? Call our political system what you will, the fact remains that it is a one party system ruled and run by the effete intelligestia and aristocracy, quite similar to the political system of the last great empire…Rome.

The Ugly: I realize that human society is governed by the 80-20 rule. 80% of people are reasonable, kind and well thought out, a pure pleasure to meet or interact with. However the other 20% are pure retards that let envy, jealously, greed and every other petty emotion know to man run their sad strange self centered myopic lives. The irony is that the small minority (the 20%) are so loud and vocal; cause so much carnage on a daily basis in the lives of those around them that nobody notices the 80% group.

Avengers Review

10 May

If you read the comic books as a kid or have seen the preceding movies about the super hero characters, Iron Man, Thor, Black Widow, The Hulk and Hawk Eye then you’ll probably like this movie.
I really have no major complaints other then the move is a bit long for the story that is being told (alien invasion). Of course you have to suspend your sense of disbelief with certain aspects of the movie such as fighting aliens with a bow and arrow.
One of the interesting components of the movie is the initial clash of egos among the alpha males, Iron Man, Captain America and Thor. How the Avengers are brought together to become a planet saving fighting team is executed quite well.
I was given gift passes for Christmas which is why I actually went to a real live “movie” rather then waiting for On Demand or Red Box.. . I was not crazy about the 23 minutes of commercials (trailers) I was forced to sit trough before the movie started.
Absent in last nights  movie foray was the requisite dumb asses talking during the movie. Don’t you love it when that happens? However I was made to suffer the screaming of a baby during the first third of the movie. Who  brings an infant to a 9:30 pm screening of a movie, or to any movie for that matter?
Considering the cost of a movie ticket, refreshments (brought my own 100 calorie/bag popcorn), the nonsense you usually have to tolerate during the movie and most frequently a disappointing movie, it will be some time before I’m sitting in a movie theater seat again.

Why most of you may never reach your fitness goals.

9 May

If you were not  feeling well and  went  to the doctor and he ascertained that you had a potentially fatal type  of cancer would you want him to break the news to you this  way:”Mr. Jones you are fine, everything  is ok just keep on doing what you are doing  and eventually you will feel greeeeeeeeeeat!
Or would you rather hear  something  like this?”Mr. Jones you are  sick. I have diagnosed your  illness and  I  have an aggressive course of treatment that may save your life. It will not be easy, it  will not be quick, it will not  be cheap but it may save your life, we need to start your treatment immediately.
I’d want the second and I’m sure you feel the same way, unless of course you want to die that is.
Why is losing weight and getting into shape any different? I’m going to make a statement now that is not a “rally the team” speech, it’s rather cynical, and pessimistic . If your feelings are  easily hurt or you have a thin skin and  can’t take criticism, you need to close this window and never come  back to my blog because I’m about  to  be truthful, candid and  very blunt.
Most of  you  will  fail in attaining your  health and  fitness  goals  because you are very good at making excuses,  lack the  dedication and quite frankly are too lazy to   get to the  weight  or  fitness level that you know you should be at.
If you’ve been reading my blog on a continual  basis then you know how far and how  much I’ve accomplished in only 11 fucking months. I’m  not better, stronger, smarter then you are. Apparently though I have an iron willed determination to reach my goals  that  you may lack. I don’t want to be fit,  I want to be incredibly fit.
Since  last July I’ve lost 59 fucking pounds, climbed Mt.  Washington three fucking times,  learned  how to rock  climb and generally believe  that I’m the fittest baddest 51 year old man  on   planet earth or any planet anywhere for that matter.
You think I’m arrogant or  cocky? No.  That’s what getting into  shape has done for  me,  it’s raised my confidence and self  esteem levels.
Every week I attain a new fitness goal then immediately look for the next goal to attain, one that is even more difficult. Sometime this summer I will climb every mountain in the Presidential mountain range in  New Hampshire….in one  fucking  day, by myself. I’ll be entering a jiu jitsu tournament in the adult division  and  be competing  against  men that are my sons age and on  September 29 I’ll be  competing in  a men’s physique contest.I’ll be doing  all of  these  things  while most of you are stuffing yourselves and becoming even more slovenly at  barbecues  and  summer parties.
If I can do it so can you. You only need to decide  to get it done.  You will  suffer because becoming fit is not easy and at times really sucks balls. But if  you are willing  to suffer and eventually embrace the suffering then  you can  succeed just like I did.
I’ll leave  you with a final  thought. Look  in the mirror… don’t bullshit yourself, do you like what you see? If so good  for  you I wish you well.  If  not  stop, making  excuses and do  what you need to do to affect positive  change in your life!
DREAM BIG,  DARE  BIG, ACHIEVE BIG.

Be Fit With Me!

2 May

I wish you could share with me the experience I’ve had becoming fit. I literally went from the verge of death to where I am today, healthy, confidant and happy. I’ll leave you with this song that sums up how I feel. Join me!

Click on the image to hear our theme song of the day.

 

Can’t lose weight? Try this…stop making excuses and get fucking motivated!

2 May

 

Yep that's me last July when I started clawing my way back to being fit. I weighed 250 pounds!

If you’ve been following my health blog you already know where I have come from health and weight wise and where I intend to go. Losing the first 50 pounds was easy.  I’ve surpassed my goal weight of 195, I weighed 194.8 this morning. So “IT’S PARTY TIME”…RIGHT??? FUCK NO!

You guys know me by now. I believe in setting big, nearly impossible goals for myself and attaining them, always. I reset my goal weight to 185, however I’d really like this Dante’s dieting hell to be for a reason so I’ve decided to compete in a men’s physique contest on September 29’th. There were some strings attached however. My nutritionist, the Nutrition Nazi, has been cajoling, bullying and admonishing me to stick with her nutrition plan 100%, NO CHEATING. For me cheating was getting up in the middle of the night and having a few slices of cheese or some peanut butter or cashews. I’d never tell her I was doing this but as a consequence I knew that I was not losing the weight that I should be.

So the Nutrition Nazi, clever, scheming woman that she is, understands that I’m a goal oriented person and dangled the promise of a physique competition in front of me to motivate me to stick to the plan. In her own sadistic and cruel way she pushed exactly the right button in me that she needed to…the promise of competition.

That's me this morning 194.8 and the ABS are in da house!!!!

I love competiton it brings out the best in me. I love the feeling of being the absolute best at what I do. Without the motivation of competition I feel like Sherlock Holmes between cases…I get bored de-motivated and get into trouble.

This physique competition ain’t gonna be no cake walk. The Nutrition Nazi tells me that I’ll have to weigh around 171 to compete and that my friends is going to suck balls. Let the suffering begin!

Who Is The Nutrition Nazi?

30 Apr

 

As many of you know I’ve been in the process of losing weight through diet and exercise. In nine months I dropped from a sloppy fat fuck of around 250 pounds, size XXL T shirts and size 40 inch jeans to my current weight of 196 and size 30 inch jeans. I went from 250 to around 207 by simply cutting my calories. However I hit the proverbial “brick wall” at 207, nothing I did and I mean nothing, could get me below the 207 pound barrier.

It was very frustrating and discouraging because I knew that I still had more weight to lose but could not figure out how to do it. Finally after months of asking, and pestering her, the Nutrition Nazi agreed to help me with my nutritional plan. I consider myself lucky because she is very, very selective of whom she works with. If she evens senses that you won’t do exactly what she tells you, or that you lack the self discipline to follow her plan she’ll refuse to work with you.

Click this image to watch a short video about the Nutrition Nazi.

Working with her has been a real “treat”.  She’s yelled at me, threatened me, brow beaten and insulted me. But you know what? I hired her to get the job done not be my fucking best friend and getting the job done is what she is doing!

I often wonder if her ability to intuitively make subtle adjustments in my diet to keep me losing weight is science or wizardry . I was in Atlantic City last weekend and essentially went on a two day eating binge. I think she took this into account prior to me leaving for A.C and had adjusted my macro nutrient profile the week prior to my trip. When I got home she had me weigh myself and based upon my weight she made further adjustments. I was 197.5 before leaving and ballooned up to 204 by the time I got home Saturday evening. After ONLY ONE DAY of macro nutrient adjustments I’m down to 196 I can’t fucking believe it!

The nutrition Nazi is so crazy talented she’s actually got me on a macro plan this week to prepare me for my third climb of Mount Washington this weekend. The plan includes, food, fluid and electrolyte consumption leading up to, during and after the climb. It’s pretty amazing stuff.

Is she easy to work with…NO! Can she get the fucking job done…absolutely! If you are an athlete or even an average person that needs to lose weight or change your body composition, consider yourself very lucky if the nutrition Nazi is willing to work with you.

Swagger…Do You Have It?

29 Apr

 

Swagger

Verb

Definition:

1) To walk, or strut in a way that conveys confidence, or in some cases arrogance.

2) A way of walking, normally showing authority. To swagger is to walk with presence. There are several different kinds of swagger…

The Tesco Bag Swagger – to walk with clenched fists at waist height while swaying as though carrying heavy grocery bags in each hand.

The Terminator – To walk as though rigid, with no swaying whatsoever and as though an android on a mission.

DinGaf – ¨Do not give a f***¨ swagger – To walk without a care in the world, people get in your way… not a problem!

I got the above definitions for swagger from urbandictionary.com. My definition for swagger would be: An attitude not predicated upon money or wealth but rather upon an extreme sense of self confidence nearly pathological in nature.

The result of having swagger is twofold. Many people will be attracted to and want to be around you. Others will not understand you and mistake your supreme self confidence as arrogance and will resent and hate you.  As far as the first group cool…the second group….go fuck yourselves….

Sometimes people lose their “swag”. I did, I got fat and out of shape and didn’t care about how I felt, thought or looked.

Men with "Swag" don't own small dogs...

But now I got my swag back. I’m in the best shape of my life, feel great, think positively and generally believe I’m the baddest, meanest and toughest S.O.B over 50 years old on earth! If you don’t agree with me or think I’m arrogant or crazy…fuck off! I don’t imagine I’ll see you anywhere near the summit of Mt. Washington this weekend when I climb   “one of the most dangerous mountains in the world” for the third time!

Now that’s swag.

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