Griffith Stacey - Two turns from zero: pushing to higher fitness goals--converting them to life strength

I dedicate this book to my junior high school Boys Sports PE teacher, Mr. Bob Hunter.

His countless classes taught me that my body would be the greatest

tool I would ever own, that physically learning how to fall was a

thing, that quitting was not an option, that I could still play even

if I didnt feel great, that exercise was medicine, and that being the

only girl in a boys-only class meant I could believe I was destined

for greatness.

CONTENTS

I could not have written this book without the help of Karen Moline. She helped me organize my Post-it note thoughts and showed me what parts of my own story would be interesting and would fit within the message I wanted to send about fitness and motivation. Her insights are found on every page of this book, and I cant thank her enough.

Imagine you have the control and motivation to change the direction of your life... today, now, in this moment.

Imagine that today you cross over into a new level of creative thinking that sends you marching toward outrageous personal success.

Imagine youll finally live the dream you always wished could come true. Imagine yourself finally embracing a physical method, combined with some amazing visualization techniques, that increases your self-motivation and provides you with a greater sense of inner calm, spirit, joy, and love.

Would you be willing to take a look?

Thats what you will find in Two Turns from Zero. This is not only what I tell my students at SoulCycleto crank up that resistance knob to a place where they can push past their personal best. Its also what you turn when you go from zeroa blank page full of possibilitiesinto a whole new world of physical and creative self-discovery.

The first turn is to deal with the stuff going on in your head (the what, why, and when you want to change your lifewell get to that later in the book).

The second turn gets at how youre going to take the good ideas you have about yourself and your future and turn them into the kind of action that will always get the results you want and need.

And the whole thing togetherTwo Turns from Zero is my life mantra:

You cant get what you want by always taking the easiest path. So turn it up Two from Zero, and lets go... Are you ready? Come on!

I am a Senior Master Instructor at SoulCycle in New York City, and Ive taught to sold-out classes all over the country. My students have joked that it was easier getting into Studio 54 in its heyday than it is to get into my classes. These classes have become so popular because my students know theyre going to get my unique mix of a hard-core workout for their bodies and my even harder workout for their hearts, minds, and spirit. I dont mess around, and not a minute is wasted. And they know it.

Ive been at this for more than two decades, so Ive mastered my coaching style. Im flattered when people say Im the Tony Robbins of exercise: a combination of the mindful focus of Deepak Chopra, the exuberant high energy of Kelly Ripa, and the cool sexiness of Pink. When I teach from the floor, I become a combination of comedienne, spiritual guide, motivator, and entertrainer (a phrase I coined when asked to describe myself!).

Me and O

Those comparisons make me blush! But I do know I know how to motivate my students. It all comes together through my highly charged blend of music, positive mantras, and intense exercise sequences. I expect their butts to be up off those bike seats. Thats what gets their abs taut, their triceps firm, and their hearts pumpingand its what triggers that deliriously wonderful explosion of endorphins.

Most of all, I know my students are there to give it their alland they want the same from me. They expect results. They demand results. So do I.

I wish I could say I was born knowing this, but I learned what works the hard way. The very hard way. Looking at me now, its hard to believe I was once a drug addict, an alcoholic, a smoker, a liar, and a very sad and messed-up person. But I was.

What saved me? Exercise. It made me accountable to myself by teaching me how to feel strong. But I dont mean just on the outside. It got to me in a deeper way by showing me how to have a healthy relationship with myself. The strength of my muscles empowered the strength of my feelings, thoughts, hopes, and expectations. And exercise also became a time when I nourished myself by being with other people who had the same goals.

Its hard to define exactly what happens when a group of people get together and move, but theres a shared momentum and motivation that drive everyone forward, and everyone feels bonded in the process. I found it invigorating, and it helped me run toward the life I craved and to stop making excuses.

I will say more about this later, but over time, exercise helped me turn my life around. And believe me... you can, too.

In my life today, I lead a posse of students who are dripping with sweat and filled with adrenaline after each class. And as a result, they are happier, more relaxed human beings than they ever have been before. Yes, they are physically stronger because I push them to get results they never thought they would achieve. But while they were on that journey to getting there, I helped them see an emotional strength in themselves that they didnt know was possible. What they discover is a side of themselves they never knew.

By getting in the best shape of their lives, they merge the joy of physical movement with personal goals and fulfillment. They discover that they possess a potent power to speeding up their journey toward their goals and dreams.

Two Turns from Zero is here to teach you how to harness that power, at home, in your own time. This book is your private coach, and with it in your hands, you will embark on your own personal journey of transformation. You can do this on your own. No bike necessary! No gym needed! Or you can do what I did and find your squad while you pull it together at home!

To help you on your way to mastery, I have an approach I call LET. It stands for Love, Eat, Train. And just like the shampoo instructions, I add in the word Repeat because youve got to do it over and over again if you want it to work. If you follow LETwith lots of repeatsyou find what I call your Ultimate Center. We all strive to live inside this centered placewhere we are strong and laser-focused. In this Ultimate Center, we achieve the balance of core emotional strength we all need to face whatever crap life throws our way. Being there keeps us stable, sturdy, happy, healthy, and fulfilled, even in the face of unexpected heartache or problems.

A lot of exercise teachers and coaches tell their students that the way to feel better about themselves is to change their outside appearance. I dont buy that approach. Its never worked for me, so I dont see how it can work for others. I believe exactly the oppositetrue change comes from the inside out. Sure, we all feel better about ourselves if were happy with the way we look. But people dont really change the way they look until they feel different deep inside.