Five Basic Tenets
Tenets of the Warrior Athlete
Tenet – def. – a principle, belief, or doctrine generally held to be true; especially one held in common by members of an organization, movement, or profession.
- Hard Training – Easy Combat. Iron discipline in training results in unbreakable will in combat.
- Faster, not Easier. In the pursuit of excellence there is no end.
- Stronger Together. Warriors are stronger in the presence of warriors, even when they are foes.
- Comfortable with the Uncomfortable. Excellence is the result of self sacrifice and suffering.
- Never Quit. If I die, I will die with honor.
The Warrior Athlete pursues excellence through SELF MASTERY, not self satisfaction.
Mastery in any one thing, or all things, begins with the Correct Mindset. The tenets above comprise the condensed essence of this Mindset. They work as anchors which will hold you firm in the presence of strong winds and swirling seas that seek to carry away your hope and drown your dreams.
‘Hard Training – Easy Combat’ makes it possible to push to the end of a workout or other task with a warrior’s aggressive attitude.
‘Faster, not Easier’ keeps you searching the horizon for goals to concquer.
‘Stronger Together’ reminds you to constantly search out others with similar objectives, who are hopefully better than you in at least a few area.
‘Comfortable with the Uncomfortable’ lets you know that you should be comfortable only when you are reaching far enough to feel growing pains.
‘Never Quit’ gives you the ability to grit your teeth and push on like a warrior who has only two options – finish with honor or die with honor.
Over the next few weeks, each of these principles will be reviewed in detail. But until then, post them in a prominent place and begin to commit them to memory, in order to call upon them when you are weary.
The Warrior Ethos
A peleo-meal for your mind?For the Warrior Athlete, it’s every bit as important (if not more) to make critical decisions on what you allow your mind to feed on, as it is what you put in your mouth. In fitness, I think that this principle is often forgotten.
The Warrior Ethos
Steven Pressfield writes about war. I first came to know of his work when a friend passed along a well worn copy of Gates of Fire, a masterfully told story of the battle of Thermopylae – which stands among only a few books that have made an indellible mark on me, and one that I recommend to anyone interested in glimpsing the way of the warrior.
In The Warrior Ethos, Pressfield takes Gates of Fire and strips away the shroud of Story – the time, the place, the characters, the conflict – and sets to defining the code of the warrior in a way that is understandable and transferable to any personal profession, situation, or struggle.
“The Warrior Ethos was written for our men and women in uniform, but its utility, I hope, will not be limited to the sphere of literal armed conflict.
We all fight wars – in our work, within our families, and abroad in the wider world.
Each of us struggles every day to define and defend our sense of purpose and integrity, to justify our existence on the planet and to understand, if only within our own hearts, who we are and what we believe in.”
~Steven Pressfield
Some of the most insightful works that I’ve read are short. The Warrior Ethos is among them. Short books concentrate the message and then let you fill in the story – Your Story. So that at the end of the book, which I read on a relatively short plane ride, you feel as if you’ve taken in an incredible volume of information and inspiration.
Wars Change, Warriors Don’t. Read The Warrior Ethos and give your mind a meal it will thank you for.
The Agoge Challenge
The Making of a Warrior
In ancient Greece, the City-State of Sparta was renowned for the ferocity of its soldiers and dominance of its military might. As the only city with no defensive walls, it was said that the soldiers made up the “walls of Sparta”.
The strict disciplined training that forged the Spartan soldier was known as Agoge, a training program which began for virtually all male Spartans at the age of seven and lasted until the age of twenty one.
The tenets of Agoge were simple:
- Personal desires are secondary to the service of Sparta.
- The mind and body are hardened only through rigorous training.
- Resiliency of character is forged through sacrifice.
There is much about what we know of Agoge that by our current standards seems brutal and counterproductive to civilized culture. For example, at only 7 years old, a boy is taken from the arms of his mother and forced to live in an austere environment, fighting with other boys for food and a place of importance. At age 12, the boy is provided a single set of clothes and made to live a full year outside, stealing to stay alive. Trained constantly until the age of 21 in the skills of combat and forced to literally fight for his survival, with very few comforts along the way – save the knowledge that his sacrifice earns him a place among the greatest warriors in all of Greece – the Spartan soldier upon entering the Army has more combat experience than most of the veterans of other Greek states.
Compare this with the culture of today and it is obvious that while our desire for comfort has fueled great strides in many areas, it also has a negative side effect. This is especially evident in first-world countries where there is a constant stream of “entertainment” that provides immediate distractions from facing anything uncomfortable, where the overwhelming message broadcast by every radio and television is “if it feels good – do it” and “if you want it, buy it – you deserve it”.
In contrast, the Spartan learned in Agoge that “if it feels good – beware, it will likely make you soft”, and “the only thing worth wanting is to honor Sparta, and you can’t buy that, it is earned through a constant force of will and bone and muscle and sinew.”
Ten Days of Agoge
There is a saying that the only constant is change. This is true of most things – people, places, ideals, etc. – but not of everything. For example, the principles that forged a young Spartan boy into one of the world’s greatest warriors, these do not change, but are in fact the very catalyst of change. These principles were true in 480BC, as 300 Spartans fought valiantly at the battle of Thermopylae, and they are true today. The question is whether or not you will allow them to be a catalyst of change in you.
The Agoge Challenge is to commit to 10 days of rigid discipline. It is simple, but not easy.
For 10 days, you will:
- Wake up one hour earlier than usual.
- Perform a short morning exercise routine (see notes).
- Read from suggested reading list (see suggested reading).
- Eat a strict diet (see meal plan).
- Cut off all media – music, television, movies, video games, internet (except for work purposes).
- Consume no alcohol or caffeine.
- Drink at least one gallon of water per day.
- Keep a journal and write at least one page per day (8 ½ x 11 single spaced).
- Speak only what is necessary, listen to only what is important.
- Go to sleep an hour earlier than usual.
Morning Exercise Routines
Day 1 – 50 Kettlebell Swings (35lbs/53lbs)
Day 2 – 100 Push Ups
Day 3 – 50 Kettlebell Romainian Deadlifts (35lbs/53lbs)
Day 4 – 100 Sit Ups
Day 5 – 50 Kettlebell Thrusters – 25 Right/25 Left (35lbs/53lbs)
Day 6 – 100 Push Ups
Day 7 – 50 Bent Over Row – 25 Right/25 Left (35lbs/53lbs)
Day 8 – 100 Sit Ups
Day 9 – 50 Burpees
Day 10 – 100 Squats
Note – this does not take the place of your normal training schedule.
Suggested Reading
A Message to Garcia – Elbert Hubbard
Gates of Fire – Steven Pressfield
Lone Survivor – Marcus Lutrell
Seven Pillars of Wisdom; a triumph – T.E. Lawrence
The Art of War – Sun Tzu
Note – these are suggestions only. Feel free to compile your own reading list that focuses on inner development as opposed to entertainment.
Meal Plan
Breakfast –
4 Hard Boiled Eggs
1 Pieces of Wheat Bread – plain
Lunch –
1 Large Chicken Breast – unseasoned
3 Cups Raw Broccoli
1 Piece of Wheat Bread – plain
Dinner –
1 Large Chicken Breast – unseasoned
3 Cups Raw Spinach – unseasoned
1 Piece of Wheat Bread – plain
Snacks –
½ Cup of Almonds eat throughout day
Meal Plan Notes:
Do not deviate from meal plan. Do not add anything to meal plan.
Nutritional Data:
Total Protein – 158g – 41%
Total Fat – 65g – 34%
Total Carbohydrates – 112g – 26%
Total Calories – 1745
You can expect to get hungry on this plan, although it will provide you with enough energy to sustain normal training volumes.
Parting Words
The Agoge Challenge may at first appear easy. Make no mistake, though, this undertaking, if done as prescribed, will require that you exert a great deal of self will to be successful. It is an impossible task for the weak willed, but for those who can complete it; it is a catalyst of change like few others.
While you are in the challenge – do not discuss it with friends or colleagues. In fact, other than those who live with you, no one else should be aware of what you are doing. Do not complain. Do not look for pity.
It will probably feel as if your mind is at war with itself – literally like there are two minds. One part of your mind will try to talk you into giving in to some temptation or another while the other tries to hold on. As the days wear on it may feel that the side that wants you to give up is getting stronger and the side that wants to hold on is getting weaker. Stay strong and force yourself to BE POSITIVE. You have control over which part of yourself you give power to. No matter how badly you feel on the inside, no matter how hungry you think you are, no matter how much you want to watch T.V., listen to the radio, or surf the internet, STAY STRONG by projecting strength, confidence, and resolve in your body language. You will break through each and every barrier that your mind puts up in front of you if you focus on what is right in front of you.
This challenge is not for everyone. It is recommended that you consult with a medical professional before starting the challenge.
If you do accept this challenge, then also accept the Spartan reality when going off to fight; Come home with your shield, or on it.
Mind Gym
An Athlete’s Guide to Inner ExcellenceThis is a great book for anyone trying to understand how to improve overall performance in any endeavor – not just sport.
How does stress/pressure affect performance? Consider this:
Imagine yourself in a parking lot. On the ground in front of you is a parking stop – the long concrete block that keeps your car from rolling to far forward. Your job is to walk from one side to the other. No problem, right?
Now imagine that the block has just been lifted up 25 feet in the air. Your task is the same, walk all the way across. The block is the same, it has in no way changed.
What’s different is the penalty for failure. On the ground there is no risk of injury or humiliation if you slip off. In the air though, at 25 feet, the question is not whether you will be injured, the question is how bad will it be.
Walking across on the ground is easy. In the air, all control seems to have completely slipped away. Why?
Logic tells us that if you can do it on the ground, you should be able to do it at 25 feet. A deeper understanding of the human condition, however, tells us that understanding how to train the mind to perform in any environment is as – if not more – important as training the body.
I recommend Mind Gym – An Athlete’s Guide to Inner Excellence because it opens the curtain to understanding optimal performance in the extreme environment.
Eric Liddel – Profile of a Warrior Athlete
Every year on New Year’s Day I watch the movie “Chariots of Fire”.The movie is set in Europe in the mid 1920s and culminates with the Paris Olympics of 1924. There are two main characters, Eric Liddel and Harold Abrahams.
In the movie, Liddel is a missionary and is torn between running for Scotland and training for the Olympic Games and returning to China where he has lived and worked for most of his life. As it turns out, he decides to run, with the main objective of using his natural ability to serve something bigger than his own self interests.
Liddel runs with amazing passion, and often takes the opportunity to integrate desire to serve others into his racing and training by meeting those that come to see him and visiting and speaking at churches.
Liddel is selected to represent GB in the Olympic games, but runs into a snag when he finds out that his first race is on a Sunday, which conflicts with his beliefs. When he is confronted by the most powerful men of Great Brittan he stands his ground. One of those that tried to convince him to compromise said afterward:
The “lad”, as you call him, is a true man of principles and a true athlete. His speed is a mere extension of his life, its force. We sought to sever his running from himself.
Eventually both Liddel and Abrahams won gold medals in the Paris Olympics, and went on to live successful lives by their own definitions.
As I watched the movie this year, that quote stuck struck me, “a true man of principles and a true athlete”.
That, in my mind is the definition of the Warrior Athlete.
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Restlessness and Discontent
“Restlessness and discontent are the first necessities of progress.”
~Thomas Edison
The beauty of understanding the meaning behind this quote is in the realization that it’s OK to not be satisfied with where you are now. Oddly, the realization allows you to be satisfied with not being satisfied.
If you were completely satisfied with your current state in life – whether that be your level of fitness, your current career, or your proficiency in that career, or any other catagory – your progress would slow dramatically. It is the hunger to leave the current state in pursuit of greatness that fuels our efforts.
This is not to say that we cannot be content to be where we are on the path, however. In fact, if you look at your Brass Ring pursuit like the summiting of a great mountain, while the goal is to climb to the top, the beauty of the goal lies in the journey.
I really enjoyed a post I saw on CrossFit Endurance. “Sometimes we have to stop and appreciate why we do what we do.”
Enjoy your rest today.
Deep Survival
Take today off to rest the body and feed the mind. I suggest the book Deep Survival by Laurence Gonzales.
Gonzales has written 12 Rules of Survival. Here is rule number one:
Perceive and Believe
“Don’t fall into the deadly trap of denial or of immobilizing fear. Admit it: You’re really in trouble and you’re going to have to get yourself out.
Many people who in the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, died simply because they told themselves that everything was going to be all right. Others panicked. Panic doesn’t necessarily mean screaming and running around. Often it means simply doing nothing. Survivors don’t candy-coat the truth, but they also don’t give in to hopelessness in the face of it.
Survivors see opportunity, even good, in their situation, however grim. After the ordeal is over, people may be surprised to hear them say it was the best thing that ever happened to them. Viktor Frankl, who spent three years in Auschwitz and other Nazi concentration camps, describes comforting a woman who was dying. She told him, “I am grateful that fate has hit me so hard. In my former life I was spoiled and did not take spiritual accomplishments seriously.”
The phases of the survival journey roughly parallel the five stages of death once described by Elizabeth Kubler Ross in her book On Death and Dying: Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. In dire circumstances, a survivor moves through those stages rapidly to acceptance of his situation, then resolves to do something to save himself. Survival depends on telling yourself, “Okay, I’m here. This is really happening. Now I’m going to do the next right thing to get myself out.” Whether you succeed or not ultimately becomes irrelevant. It is in acting well–even suffering well–that you give meaning to whatever life you have to live.”
How do you get what you want?
I was driving a few days ago and saw a sign that asked that very question.That got me to thinking about Brass Ring principles.
- Define your Brass Ring – That is “what do you want?”
- Envision your Brass Ring – That is to create an image or images that embody getting or becoming what you want.
- Chart your course – That is to map out your route to getting what you want.
- Act on “the three things” – Consistently work on a small number of action items that can be accomplished in three days / three weeks / three months / three years.
- Maintain the balance of your Brass Ring – Revisit principles 1-4 on a regular basis (about every three days).
The sign asked: “How do you get what you want?” The answer that was given: “DO WHATEVER IT TAKES”.
What does all this mean?
The sign represents “Train Hard”. The Brass Ring represents “Train Smart”.
Put them together and you can “Grab your Brass Ring!”
What is YOUR Brass Ring?
In the absence of clearly defined goals, we become strangely loyal to performing daily acts of trivia.
Your first step is to define what you want to accomplish through your training. This is your “Brass Ring”.
Think carefully about what your main goal is. Consider whether it is your ultimate Brass Ring, or merely a step along the way.
What is your Brass Ring?
