The relentless pursuit of excellence
Work capacity still matters outside the gym
“Back in the day” it was a given that hard work was going to be done day in and day out.
Hard physical labor was a way of life.
Today, few people know what hard physical work is like. It was often dangerous work, too.
I recently saw a photo from my buddy Don Giafardino, that is similar to this old photo. He was up on a crane doing real work, all day every day. He understands work capacity is in the real world.
I remember my Italian Dad getting me a job as a “mud-tender” when I was about 15 years old. I pushed wheel barrows of wet cement to keep the block masons supplied so the could keep laying block all day.
It doesn’t matter what you can do in 15 minutes in the real world.
What can you do for 8 to 12 hours day after day?
Don’t fool yourself about how fit and strong you are based on the gym alone.
Note: photos removed due to copyright issues
The Cave will be closed on March 31
If you show up on the 31st and see that we are closed, it means you were not paying attention to what your coach said.
Hold the ice, please, I want to recover faster!
I had the distinct honor of having Gary Reinl stop by my gym, the Cave, while he was in town working with a Pro sports team and take the time to do this podcast.
His approach to recovering from injuries makes too much sense to ignore.
Extreme sports we like at the Cave
“Rat” bikes & shiny new Harleys–the value is in the riding not the shine, the same applies to gyms
Years ago I was living in the Harley-Davidson world. I have some very good memories from those days, and some not so good.
One thing that stands out to me is how much I loved to ride, and my Harley showed it. It was what they call a “rat” bike. I rode it hard and often, I didn’t spend a whole lot of time shining it up. in my opinion, I bought it to ride, not to look at.
I rode it year-round, regardless of the weather; in fact, I didn’t even own a car during those years.
Those years are behind me now, but the lessons remain.
My gym, the Cave, is a working gym. People come there to train and get results, not for the amenities (we don’t have any anyhow).
Our equipment is mostly used or made locally. The focus is on good, solid coaching emphasizing correct technique and safe lifting practices.
We don’t look like other gyms and we don’t care to. Our path is different from the herd’s.
So be it!
Updated training schedule
Standards of the Cave
The Cave is definitely NOT for everyone!
I only work with “the dedicated, coachable few”.
- be humble
- listen well
- work hard
- be consistent
People who miss training for 2 weeks or more without notifying the coach are out for good, except for emergencies, military deployments, etc.
If any of the following apply to you, then the Cave is not for you–
- you are a wuss
- you are easily offended
- you are lazy
- you are arrogant
- you are an excuse-maker
- you are a whiner
- you are a drama queen
- you think you are entitled to something
- you think you should get a better price
It’s just that simple! It’s not rocket science.
Things that make coaching worthwhile
Why do I coach? Why do I still like coaching?
It’s not the money, that’s for sure, though we make enough for what we need.
If anyone wants to open a gym or be a coach because they think they will get rich doing it, they are delusional.
Anyone whose main motivation in life is money should definitely NOT be a coach!
It’s the people that matter! It’s seeing people break free of things that once limited them.
It’s seeing people hit their goals.
It’s seeing people get healthier, stronger, and more fit.
Here’s a quick example:
After our training today, a bunch of us went out to get some dinner. During the meal, one of the guys says to me, “Hey Coach, my three rep max today was ten pounds more than my one rep max three months ago!”
I was thrilled to hear that! He worked very hard to achieve that!
I love coaching!
The twinge, then bam!
How many times have your heard the phrase, “Listen to your body!”?
It is so common, yet is ignored by many people.
I have learned it hard way, probably like many others.
One particular thing I have noticed is the human body body will send you a warning, prior to a torn muscle or tendon. Usually it is a “twinge” or slight pain, during a lift. It is not that noticeable, unless you are really paying attention.
The problem comes when you think it’s not too bad and decide to push through and finish the set. So part way through the next rep BAM! You drop the bar and grab the injured part.
You are done, you won’t be lifting for a while.
So why did it happen?
There are numerous reasons:
- you are just so focused nothing will stop you from finishing
- you are so egotistical you think you are invincible
- you are new to training
- you have been training incorrectly
The point is, injuries are avoidable to a certain degree.
Good technique is a big plus when it come to preventing injuries, but even people with good technique get injured sometimes.
Listen more closely to your body next time!
The Cave 