Al Kavadlo - Were Working Out: A Zen Approach to Everyday Fitness

By Al Kavadlo, CSCS

Were Working Out:
A Zen Approach to Everyday Fitness

Copyright 2010, Al Kavadlo.

Reproduction or utilization of this work in any form or by any electronic, mechanical or other means, is forbidden without written consent from Al Kavadlo.

ISBN 978-0-615-37438-3

Graphic design: Perceive Creative (www.perceivecreative.com)

Cover photo and concept: Dan Budiac

Back cover photo: Chris Shonting

Inside photos: Chris Shonting and Dan Budiac

All indoor photos taken at Nimble Fitness (www.NimbleFitness.com)

Editing: Amy Shigo and Travis Rave

For more information visit www.AlKavadlo.com

Published by Muscle-Up Books

The ideas and opinions discussed in this book are intended for educational and entertainment purposes only. This book is not intended to replace medical advice, nor to diagnose or treat any condition, illness or injury. Furthermore, Al Kavadlo is not liable for any injuries or damages that individuals might incur by attempting to perform any of the exercises or feats of strength depicted or discussed in this book. Any individual attempting to does so at their own risk. Consult with a licensed physician before beginning an exercise regimen.

Thank you to Carl, Rosalie, Danny and Jesse Kavadlo, Amy Shigo, Travis Rave, Chris Shonting, Shir Konas, Dan Budiac, Armen Gemdjian, Matt Dellapina, Mike Lieberman, Daniel Lucas, Keith Paine, Antonio Sini, Erica Vichnes, Emma Robinson, Karen Smyers, Kirsten Kincade, Meng He, Rick Seedman, Amanda Len, Kartik Tamhane, Liz Frankel, Barbara Fierman, Virginia Webb, Lenny Lefebrve, Ron Hamilton, Randy Humola, Larry Gruber, Calvin Vickers, Cherise Compobasso, Jeff Bodnar, Ed Helfer, Trish Balbert, Kenneth Cappello, John OMahoney, Elliot Rechtin, Shera Strange, Eric Bergmann, Matt Ruskin, Matt Moses, Greg Samothrakis, Julia Forte and all my other friends, colleagues and clients who have supported and believed in me over the years. This book would not have been possible without your help and support!

I began my career as a personal trainer in 2003 and got my first paid gig as a fitness writer/expert in 2006. I was hired as a columnist for the companion website to Younger Next Year , a non-fiction bestseller at the time. I wrote a lot of articles for them over the next several months. During this time I started working on a piece (which would eventually become this book) about applying the precepts of Zen Buddhism to everyday fitness. I kept it to myself, knowing that someday I would come back to it.

In the meantime, my personal training business was starting to take off and writing wasnt paying that well. When faced with the decision to put aside writing or turn down paying clients, I chose to focus on training. Funny thing is, clients kept asking me when I was going to write a book!

Eventually the day came when I left my corporate personal training job to go totally independent. I referred many of my clients to other trainers and got down to writing. This book and my blog (www.AlKavadlo.com) have since taken up as much of my life as my personal training business.

A lot of people helped me along the way (see previous page) and countless hours went into making this book, yet I am amazed that as I give it one last look over, there are still things in here that I want to change! In the exercise section, for example, I dont mention trunk rotation as a fundamental movement and I probably should have. I stuck a couple of pictures in there to try to make up for it though. I also dont mention the importance of getting a good nights sleep, so Im doing it now. The whole early to bed, early to rise thing really works. Im sure Ill find more problems as I look back on this book each time, but thats life.

And thats pretty much the whole idea behind this book: nothing is ever finished, there is always room for growth. Keeping a fresh perspective and questioning your beliefsespecially your closest held beliefsallows you to experience that growth. Change is not something to fear or to feel foolish about. To paraphrase a quote thats attributed to Buddha, there are only two mistakes one can make: not starting and not going all the way.

Since youve read this far, youve already started! Are you ready to go all the way?

I was a tall, scrawny kid growing up in Brooklyn and I didnt want to get my ass kicked, so once I was thirteen I decided to start lifting weights. I still remember my mom taking me to a store called Consumers to get my first set of weights and seeing the man wheel the box out from the stock room on a hand truck. The set was so heavy that we needed him to help us get everything in the car! I got more serious about lifting throughout high school and opting to take weight training as my phys. ed. credit was a great way to get out of playing actual sports (like I said, I was lanky and unathletic).

When I was eighteen I was desperate to bulk up and a crafty salesman at GNC took advantage of that emotion. I purchased a product called Testrogel, an exercise supplement that claimed to increase testosterone production when rubbed onto your skin prior to exercise. This (supposed) testosterone boost would not only give you extra strength during your workout, but also claimed to help with muscle growth and the recovery process. Finally there was something that could make me big and strong! My days of being puny were over, at least in theory. The reality of the product was that it did absolutely nothing, except teach me a valuable lesson about gullibility.

In college I got interested in bodybuilding. At that time, I was still just concerned with aesthetics. I wanted to get diesel! This led me to do research about how the body works. As I got more and more into fitness, a career in personal training seemed like the obvious choice. It was also around this time that I first discovered Zen Buddhism. Over the years, my interest in Eastern philosophy has greatly impacted the way that I approach fitness. Instead of living in a fantasy world of musclemen with flawless physiques and perfect smiles, my focus was now grounded in reality. I wasnt a hulking bodybuilder but that didnt stop me from becoming a successful trainer. Ive trained many people, including athletes, models, the elite business class and even an Olympic medalist.

Im not going to bullshit you: getting fit isnt easy. We live in a society that relies on consumption and encourages abundance. People drive their cars to the end of the driveway to pick up their mail. We super-size our meal and then eat it in front of the TV. In short, we live in the FATTEST country in the world. Yet in spite of all this, millions of Americans are in fantastic shape. Thats right, millions of Americans are fit! Surprising, right? But its truelots of us are lean and mean, and you can be, too. Seriously. Thats why youre reading this, isnt it?

Every year millions of people begin a new exercise plan in an attempt to lose weight and most of them fail. They reach for the next new thing and hope that this time will be different. People are constantly seeking out the newest fad diets and exercise programs in hopes that they will find some miracle weight loss solution or the holy grail of workout regimens. Why is it then that the majority of Americans remain overweight and out of shape? It comes down to the fact that most people cannot stick to an exercise regimen and healthy diet for the long term. They look for shortcuts and make excuses, hoping someday things will be different, easier. They wait (sitting on their couches and eating their pie) for the miracle cure, the magical program that requires no effort and guarantees results. But the fact of the matter is, that program doesnt exist and it probably never will. However, there is a tried and true method out there that people have been using for quite some time and I guarantee you, it works. Of course, Im talking about the combination of a healthy diet and a serious, consistent exercise program.