There is a scene in Gladiator:
MAXIMUS: Close. How long have the men been in Ostia?
CICERO: All winter.
MAXIMUS: How do they look?
CICERO: Fat and bored.
Well fellas, we are there. Sitting around all winter fat and bored. 77 more days until we start the kickoff of the 2019 season, a season which I promise you is going to make last year look like a warm up. 77 more days of waiting to do this thing.
Because I know you guys are getting anxious to hit it hard again (as am I) here is a reminder of why we wait. The WB Fitness program is intense. Any veteran of a full season will tell you that the physical and mental drain that we endure is absolutely extreme. We are not casual gym goers. We are not there to “keep in good shape for our age” or in any way just be healthy. We are there to do something different. We are there to be extreme.
This isn’t for everyone. I have no issues with someone who goes to the gym a few times a week just to keep up their good health and a moderate and age appropriate level of fitness. Good for them. But that isn’t us. WB Fitness wasn’t created for a casual gym goer. WB Fitness is created for those who have murder on the mind.
I was reading a routine for “advanced level” German Volume Training routine and thought “fuck, this is like the first few weeks ramping up till we actually work out.” Whether you realize it or not, the level of intensity I put you guys through is on par with many professional athletes.
I recently looked at the physical fitness test to qualify for special operations listed on military.com and laughed. Not one of the guys who really committed to WB Fitness would have any problem banging out the special operations fitness test after finishing a workout. Go on, take a look at the special operations fitness test
Just sitting here waiting to conquer.
Think about that, I mean really think this one through. You guys out there who have jobs and families and responsibilities are going through a workout program that makes the fitness requirement test for the Navy Seals look like something you might do as a burn out after a real workout.
I went to several websites looking at workout programs for special operators. Again, if you are bored on a rest day and want to bang out the workout they have SFOD-D training with go ahead but don’t confuse it for the way we intend to bang out our bodies.
So why the long rest? Well, by now many of you probably forgot how you were feeling come the end of July. Not just physically exhausted, but your CNS was totally shot. Me too. I understand. We do not have the luxury to just train and rest all day. We have a life to live.
So now, 77 days away from when we start up in earnest again, keep in mind that it is ok to be fat and bored (a little). Don’t make the mistake of jumping back in soon. Before you know it it will be 2/18/19 and you will be getting to it. By spring time you will be beater ready. By summer you will be in the best shape of your lives and by fall you will be ready to stop. This time next year I will be telling you not to rush it back into season again and on and on it goes.
For those of you who are really chomping at the bit I made a decision myself. Starting Jan 14th I am going to get going into the gym for that morning time. Every day full 1 hour run at top speed on the stairs. This will have two benefits. The first is to get your cardio back up. I don’t need you puking on your shoes mid deadlift set because you are winded. Go and get that heart rate up. But the other important part is that it will acclimatize you to waking up at an ungodly hour, having your bag packed the night before and getting your dumb ass out in the freezing cold weather long before the sun comes up and into the gym.
Patience boys, just 10 weeks and we will be back on our grind.