Morning Motivation

Bullfight critics ranked in rows, Crowd the enormous Plaza full. But only one is there who knows. And he's the man who fights the bull. 

- Domingo Ortega

This quote speaks to everything that Warriors of Change is about.  There is only one way to live your life and that is by your terms.  To truly know if you're capable of accomplishing your goals you must act on them.  There is only one way to know success and that is to create it, live it, and breathe it.  Others will want to contribute both negatively and positively, giving advice, opinions, and judgement along the way.  But they have no idea. The critic will find fault at every turn and try to dissuade you, out of fear that your success will mirror their own shadow life. From the outside it's easy to judge. Real strength comes from stepping out of the norm and living the life you choose.  Even a trusted mentor cannot know your struggles the way you do, and they cannot do the work for you. You are the master of your fate, choose to follow your dreams and you become the inspiration.      

You are responsible for taking the steps, for acting on your ambition.  Once you do, you will breathe the rarified air of those before you that battled their own demons to achieve greatness.  You will become the one who knows... the hero of your own story.  Take a step today to start the journey, keep grinding, and join the ranks of past heroes and Warriors who changed the world by changing themselves.

Become the hero, live the life you want, be a Warrior of Change! 

Bedtime Breakdown

"Opportunity lies with the ability to find the deeper powers within ourselves."

We talk a lot about physical power, social power, success. To put all myths to the side right now. There is no recipe for success. Success is not a formula. If it was, then everyone would be successful because everyone would use the formula. There are too many times that we look for the easy way to success when in actuality success does not come easy.

So where does it come from?

I have been told that luck is where opportunity and preparation meet, I believe this to be true. But the question still remains. Where does SUCCESS come from. The answer is more simple than one may think. The answer to where success comes from, is that it comes from within. There is no recipe, there is no formula. But when you speak to any individual who has achieved success, they will all say the same thing. They had a vision, and they believed within themselves. They didn't accept no for an answer and they stuck to any and all beliefs they had within.

THAT is the key to success. That is why there are not many who can achieve great success because so few have that vision, that drive, that stubborn determination within themselves to look at the odds stacked against them and smile. When you can do that. Only then, will you be on the path to success.

Goodnight Warriors.

Bedtime Breakdown

Think Different, Be a Warrior of Change

Morning Motivation

We are the masters of our own destiny. We are the creators of our fate, we live the lives we choose, and we all have the power to change the future. Make today the continuance of your quest or the start of your journey.  Believe in yourself because we believe in you.  

                                                                 INVICTUS

                                                 Out of the night that covers me,
                                                 Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
                                                 I thank whatever gods may be
                                                 For my unconquerable soul.

                                                 In the fell clutch of circumstance 

                                                 I have not winced nor cried aloud.
                                                 Under the bludgeonings of chance
                                                 My head is bloody, but unbowed.

                                                 Beyond this place of wrath and tears
                                                 Looms but the Horror of the shade,
                                                 And yet the menace of the years
                                                 Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

                                                It matters not how strait the gate,
                                                How charged with punishments the scroll.
                                                I am the master of my fate:

                                                I am the captain of my soul. 

                                                                                             -William Henley

You are the master and captain...become a Warrior of Change

Thursday Gym Workout

Location: Gym

Equipment needed: Barbell (40-100lbs), Dumbbell set (15-25lbs)

Time Needed: 25-35 minutes

Warm-Up: 5 minute treadmill

Workout: 3 sets 

-Thruster to Overhead Squat:  Perform a thruster (front squat to overhead press with barbell) Hold overhead and perform an overhead squat. 10 reps

-Mountain Climbers: 25 reps

-Bicycle Sit Ups Alternating Fast to Slow
10-5-10-5-10-5-10-5 (60 reps)

-Push-Up Rows: Use Dumbbells, perform a push-up and perform a row with one arm. Repeat with other arm:  10 reps

-Dumbbell Side Lunge: Using the same dumbbells as before, perform a sideways lunge, repeat to other side. 16 reps (8 each side)

-Burpees: 10

-Rest: 1 minute, Repeat

Extra Core:

5 minute Plank:

Regular Plank: 1:30 minutes
Right Side Plank: 1:00 minute
Left Side Plank: 1:00 minute
Back Plank: 1:30 minute

Morning Motivation

Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish.

-John Quincy Adams


Today will test your resolve.  Social obligations will surface, work will run late, your car will break down, or your subway train will be delayed.  Life throws us curveballs constantly and it becomes easy to be distracted and disheartened when our goals are constantly taking a backseat.  Breathe, because it's all going to be okay.  Plans are made to be broken and schedules are just future predictions, no different than getting your palm read.  The important thing is that you hold yourself accountable for making time everyday to better yourself.  It can be 15 minutes one day, an hour the next, use the time that you have and with patience and persistence you will keep driving forward.  

It's a game of inches, and every day we are fighting for them. Obstacles and distractions are our foes and they come in many shapes and sizes.  They disguise themselves as an extra happy hour or work procrastination. They attack us by appealing to our base desire for comfort, ease, and happiness but they are all false. WE are not comfortable, and we don't want to be.  Warriors of Change is about a constant drive to be better, a persistent and stubborn forward motion to be the best that we can be.  Remember that by improving ourselves, we inspire those around us and make it possible for them to do the same.  Take responsibility for your role as a motivator and aspire to greatness.  Patience, perseverance, and a strong heart will make you unstoppable.

Persistance is the drive, Patience is the wisdom, Greatness is the goal.  Join us in becoming a Warrior of Change!

Morning Motivation

There is no greatness where there is no simplicity, goodness and truth.

-Leo Tolstoy

Simplicity, goodness, and truth.  At the end of the day there is no worthwhile pursuit that doesn't involve these three principles.  Keeping life simple reduces complications and distractions by allowing us to focus on what is truly important to us.  We must get up today and go to work, school, etc because it's an essential part of our survival.  We need to survive, but going through the motions for survival sake is a waste.  Utilize the experiences you're going to have today to grow, to develop, to move forward toward your goal.  Keep in mind the simple values of goodness and truth and work to meet those ends.  Goodness toward yourself, your family, friends, strangers, whatever your motivations let them be expressed in your daily activities.  Keep it simple, work toward your goals, be a positive force today for yourself and others.

The reason you're reading this is that you believe there is a higher calling and that you are a part of it.  Warriors of Change is a community of like-minded brothers and sisters coming together to make a difference.  We are changing ourselves and driving forward and by this progress we will improve the lives of everyone around us. 

Keep your goals in mind, keep life simple, be a Warrior of Change!

Morning Motivation

If you want a thing done well, do it yourself.

-Napoleon Bonaparte


Today is a beautiful day to begin your journey.  It's a day to take charge of your own destiny and create the life that you want.  Warriors create change by acting, by not letting others influence the way they live their lives and by not counting on anyone else to do the job for them.  You want to make a difference? Do it.  Nobody will ever work hard than you on your own dreams, there's just no motivation for others to power forward the way you can.

Warriors of Change is about donating to causes that create change and celebrate ACTION.  We expect the same from our fellow Warriors.  Nobody is going to hand you your dreams, results don't come easy, YOU must take them.  You are not alone, there are others out there who are working toward their dreams and in that brother/sisterhood you will find your inspiration.  Fitness and health is an everyday grind, do it yourself, do it right, we'll be right there with you.

Start today, plan your work and work your plan, ACT and you will be rewarded.  Become a Warrior of Change!

Morning Motivation

Happy Friday Warriors, this video was shared with me by a great friend and I thought it was a fitting one for motivation heading into the weekend.

Work toward your goals, become a Warrior of Change!!!

Morning Motivation

A bone to the dog is not charity. Charity is the bone shared with the dog, when you are just as hungry as the dog.

-Jack London


Charity often has a negative connotation.  Throwing money at a cause or problem is often ineffective and unsatisfying to both those who contribute and those with necessity.  What we celebrate is the individual that needs no charity, the person who shuns the donations of others and pulls themselves up by their own bootstraps.  The negativity of charity lies in the separation of people into an "us" and "them".  The people that need help vs the people that provide it. That separation is the fallacy that leaves so many with a bad taste in their mouth when it comes to charity.  Those that need help don't want to take it out of pride, and those that give or refuse to give both feel it's money or time wasted or misused. We separate what in reality is a shared effort to better each other.  Charity has too long been a revolving door of giving and receiving without either side seeing results. Disheartened, we perseverate the vision of an "us" and "them" by continuing the same cycle again and again.

Warriors of Change believes that charity involves a reciprocal relationship involving both sides giving and receiving.  Fitness is a quest most of us share, and we are notoriously bad at accomplishing our goals.  We need that extra motivation, we need a reason to keep working, and our own happiness is too easy to sacrifice.  We need a reason, and people need help.  We are hungry to make ourselves better, feed that need while feeding a family.  We are short of breath, tired, and struggling after a workout. Share that pain with those in pain.  We are all in this together and it takes a Warrior to make a difference.  We've talked about selflessness as a Warrior trait, but the Warrior receives something in return for their effort, Brother/Sisterhood. The bond created through shared pain and struggle is unbreakable, and when we fight for each other there is nothing we can't accomplish.  We are all searching and striving for something, lets do it together.  Charity isn't about sharing our wealth, it's about sharing our struggles.


It doesn't take a strong body to be a Warrior, it takes a strong heart.

Morning Motivation

We must accept finite disappointment,  but never lose infinite hope.

-Martin Luther King Jr.

Hope is a powerful tool for self-motivation. It is the reason that we make certain choices, take certain jobs, build relationships with people, and work to improve ourselves physically and mentally.  We don't know what will come from our choices, but the reason we make them is to see a return on our investment.  Somehow, someway, we will gain or be satisfied with our efforts.  We hope, and that helps us move forward. Hope is only one of many motivators for selfish pursuits and can be trumped quite easily when found wanting. Greed, revenge, hate, and spite can be extremely powerful motivators. Lacking hope, we can quickly replace it with one of these negative emotions to power us forward. The problem is, these cause us to increase our focus internally. If we fail, we only fail ourselves. It's much easier to shoulder that blame when we're the only ones holding us accountable. We replace self-motivation with self-loathing at the drop of a hat.

Hope is the only motivator for selfless action.  There is no guarantee of a return on investment, there is no logical reason for giving up resources or time for others.  We hope that our actions can make a change, we hope that by helping we can influence the lives of others, we hope we can make a difference.  When your main motivation is hope you are no longer the one affected by your actions, but you remain responsible for acting.  Fitness has too long been a selfish pursuit. We can hope for results, but just as easily give up and hurt only ourselves. Imagine feeling that your physical activity could feed a family, cure a disease, provide medical care for a disaster victim, would you keep working? The hope of making a change, the hope that others would do the same, the hope in humanity.  When we work for bigger causes than ourselves we have to believe that we are truly making a difference. That hope is the greatest motivator of all, and when we use that to empower ourselves we can all rise together.

Rise today, live for hope, become a Warrior of Change!!!

Morning Motivation

“It is under the greatest adversity that there exists the greatest potential for doing good, both for oneself and others.” 

-Dalai Lama XIV


The mission of Warriors of Change is to change fitness from being a singular personal pursuit to a means of social empowerment.  The reason the warrior fights isn't to stay alive, but to protect loved ones and the brother/sister next to us.  We are all guided toward selfless pursuits because that is what binds us together as human beings. We are not alone in this world, and no action meant for purely selfish reasons ever inspires us to truly give our all.  Selflessness has long been a warrior trait:

"Plutarch asked, 'Why do the Spartans punish with a fine the warrior who loses his helmet or spear but punish with death the warrior who loses his shield?'

                               Because helmet and spear are carried for
                               the protection of the individual alone, but
                               the shield protects every man in the line."
      
                                                                                -"The Warrior Ethos" by Steven Pressfield

We post these motivations, workouts, and challenges so that we may slowly begin to build a movement with the power to give back.  We spend money, time, and effort trying to make ourselves better but not everyone is gifted with the same opportunities.  Our goal here at Warriors of Change is to combine our desire for fitness and self-improvement with a cause to empower others so they can join us.  These past few weeks we have dedicated our workouts to the One Fund for the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing.  I can think of no better connection between fitness and selflessness and I am proud to be a part of the contribution.  Join us, there is no better way to give back than to empower yourself and use your strength to empower others.  Use your hard work to encourage others to keep the courage to fight on.  This is not about giving, it is about not giving up. 

Stand together as Warriors and we will create change in ourselves while changing the world.  

At the end of this week we will make our first donation to the One Fund.  All of the workouts and motivations drive us toward the goal of getting fit and giving back. We are continuing to shape and improve the way that we operate, but we need more help from you to continue to develop our vision. Comment on the workouts, share ideas, stories, and thoughts. We would love to hear from all of you!

Monday Minute Challenge: Bodyweight Workout

Location: Home

Equipment needed: Pull-up bar

Time Needed: 20-25 minutes

Warm-Up: 2:30 minutes

    -30 Seconds High Knees
    -30 Seconds Jumping Jacks
    -30 Seconds Butt Kicks
    -1 Minute Jog In Place
    -1 Minute Rest

Workout: 3 sets @ 1:00 minute per set. 1 minute rest in between sets (Total time: 17 minutes)

-Shadowbox: (Uppercuts, jabs, hooks, kicks & knees if you're comfortable)

-Chest/Cardio Alternate: Pushups-10 reps
                                    Mountain Climbers: 20 reps

-Legs Alternate: Squat-1 rep
                         Lunge: Lunge, then squat and repeat with the opposite leg-1 rep

-Abs Alternate:
                 Bicycle Sit-ups-15 reps (both sides cycle=1 rep)
                 Heels to Heaven-5 reps (Lie on back with both legs up in the air. Lift heels to ceiling)
                 Marine Sit-up-10 reps (Sit up position, arms crossed gripping biceps and tucked against chest/upper abs. Sit-up and touch legs without breaking technique. Repeat)                

-Pull-up Alternate: (If no pull-up bar: Tricep dips (10 reps), Supermans (Lie flat on stomach, raise arms and legs simultaneously working lower back. 15 reps), Spiderman Pushups (5 reps).

                 Regular Pull-up-5 reps
                 Tricep Pull-ups (Grip hand facing hand)-5 reps
                 Chin-Ups (Inward Facing Grip)-5 reps

-Rest: 1 minute, Repeat

Share This Workout To Help Contribute To The One Fund!!!!!!

Morning Motivation

The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled.

-Plutarch

It's always necessary to seek motivation and make preparations to pursue your goals.  The danger we all face is that preparation takes the place of action.  We don't want to start an exercise regime until we know exactly what it's going to do for us, what do we need, how does it works, what did others think about it, etc. We don't start that business until we learn what worked and didn't work for everyone else.  The difference between learning from other's experience and living through others experience is action.  Research and preparation feels great, like we're doing something to accomplish our goals and on the right track.  What are we actually doing to make it happen? Preparation only panders the minds need for action, tricking us into believing that we're on our way when we're standing still.

Combat this by being conscious of why we're seeking motivation.  What is driving you to prepare? What is the reason that this knowledge means so much to you?  You want to learn what exercise program is best because you want to be healthier, have six-pack abs, look great in a bathing suit, etc.  You want to start that business because you want to be your own boss, make more money, give back to the community, or any of the millions of reasons we chase our dreams.  That driving force behind your preparation is your compass.  You can do the research, find the motivation, but what concrete steps are you taking today to move closer to that goal.  It is an uphill battle, it is hell, and no amount of preparation or motivation will make those challenges go away.  The only way to overcome those obstacles are to confront them yourself.  You can read all day about how other people solved their problems, but your problems will be different, and you will have to struggle through them in your own way.  Be the person that others read about and seek inspiration from. It doesn't take much, all it takes is action, turning that motivation into motion.  Constantly seeking inspiration is key to accomplishing any goal, but it's the combination of inspiration and perspiration that changes the world.

Start your fire, become a Warrior of Change.

Morning Motivation

Better to live in a rugged land and rule than to cultivate rich plains and be a slave.

-Cyrus the Great

Fighting complacency and comfort is perhaps one of the biggest challenges we face in accomplishing our goals.  Anything that forces us out of our comfort zone and pushes us to change requires a conscious choice on our part.  Any pursuit of a personal goal is going to be rugged, it's going to be hard as hell. The Resistance that Pressfield speaks of is the everyday excuses not to put your body or mind through the pain needed to do your days work.  Life is about little steps, and each step you take that tests you and brings you closer to where you want to be are the ones worth struggling through.  Uncertainty breeds innovation, like it or not we grow through pain and hardship.  That growth is what all of us are looking for because stability and  predictability is boring. Comfort is necessary, but it is dull.  There has never been a human being that has accomplished his/her goal by playing it safe.

How many times do we talk ourselves out of something before we even begin? We foresee that the task will be hard, that it will take time, money, sweat, tears, and that scares us away. We give up before we even start.  The words "rule" and "slave" in the above quotation are powerful because they are still applicable to our daily struggles now in 2013.  How many of us are working right now in a job and are doing nothing to further our personal passions or goals? We make excuses like, "I need to concentrate on my job because I have to pay the bills" or "I don't have any time to work on anything else". You are wrong.  Take 30 minutes and do something you're passionate about and I guarantee those aren't 30 minutes wasted.  I can also guarantee that you will feel more satisfied with that 30 minutes than you were the entire time you spent working for anyone else.  The difference between working for the weekend and working for a purpose is that one gives you the means to live and one gives meaning to life.  Test yourself, take baby steps toward your goal because you will gain strength as you push forward. You are in control, you are the ruler of that realm and not a slave to someone else's dream.  If you know what you want to do, or you have a goal you want to accomplish, then do something to start TODAY. Push past the fear, pain, and uncertainty and you become the author of your own story.

Change the world by ruling your own, be a Warrior of Change.

Thursday Challenge Weight Workout

Location: Gym

Equipment needed: Barbell (weight dependent on personal preference: Range 50-110lbs)

Time Needed: 25-50 minutes

Warm-Up-5 Minute Warm-Up (Treadmill, etc)

Workout: 5 sets, 1 minute rest in between sets. (If you don't need a full minute, do 30 seconds)

-Barbell Row: (Barbell in hands, legs straight, lean forward keeping the back straight. Pull the bar toward your chest as you lean over, pushing shoulder blades inward working your back muscles)-8 reps

-Front Squat to Press: (Start with the bar in front squat position. Conduct a front squat, at peak of squat press the weight above your head, return to front squat position and repeat.): 8 reps

-Barbell Lunges: (End the previous exercise with the bar on your back. Step forward in a lunge, keep your back straight and your knee behind your toe on the lunge. Repeat with other leg)-16 reps (8 each leg)

-Squat to Press: (With the bar still on your back, perform a squat. At peak of squat press the bar above your head then lower down into the same position carefully. Hint: step to one side for the squat, press up, step to the other side, press up, etc. Repeat)-8 reps

-RDL to Shoulder Roll: (End previous exercise with bar in front of you hanging. Keep knees straight, back straight, bend forward lowering the bar below knee level. Keeping back and knees straight, raise back up and at apex, roll shoulders backward keeping head looking straight ahead. Repeat)-8 reps

-Pushups: (Put down the bar, perform pushups)-20 reps

ABS: Following completion of the workout, these ab exercises can be utilized for extra core strength.

4 sets:

-Russian Twist: (Sitting down with legs raised, twist from side to side touching the floor with your hands. Utilized weight for extra resistance-25 reps (1 full twist=1 rep)

-Alternating Toe Touches: (Laying flat on your back, raise your right foot simultaneously reaching with your left hand to touch. Repeat with the other leg and arm, then raise both feet and touch them with both hands. That is 1 rep.  Hint: For a greater challenge, keep the leg not in action levitated above the ground.)-10 reps

Finish:

-Bicycle sit-ups: 100

Pictures and Videos to Come

Morning Motivation

One's real life is so often the life that one does not lead.

-Oscar Wilde

I have a mentor that said to me once, "I walked into work one day and said, here lies Joe, accountant at X corporation. I almost walked right back out the door." This struck me as both humorous and incredibly truthful. When we step back and examine our lives we can see our path with tremendous clarity. Write down all of what you do today, what you did yesterday, and look at the list.  You will get a good picture of what your everyday routine looks like and where you spend your time. We all have routines and day to day work that we have to do to get by. We have student loans, mortgages, rent, etc. We also need money to do the things we want to do. So we struggle on toward a goal, a promotion, a raise, a certain monetary amount in the bank, tenure, whatever it may be so that eventually we can start doing what we want to do.  

But what if that never comes.  If you die tomorrow, what would be written on your headstone? People have been dying since the beginning of time, it happens to all of us, and we cannot control it.  Think of your headstone as your last and infinite marketing campaign. What would you like the world to know about you after you're gone. My guess would be that most of us want to be remembered as loving parents, devoted partners, kind and generous human beings, and all of the other cliche markings you see on weathered stones around the world. We long for the idea of immortality, but do we earn the right to brand ourselves as the people we want to be? Look at the list of your actions and ask yourself how many of them contribute to what's most important to you.  Concentrate your efforts on what truly matters and start living today as you want to be remembered.  Warriors of Change is built on the idea of the pursuit of personal greatness contributing to a better world.  We sacrifice everyday for what we need to do, lets focus more of our energy on what we want to do and empower others to join us. 

Live the life you were born to live, and bring us along for the ride.

Wednesday Body Weight Workout

Location: Home

Equipment needed: None

Time Needed: 20-25 minutes

Warm-Up: 5 minutes

    -30 Seconds High Knees
    -30 Seconds Jumping Jacks
    -30 Seconds Butt Kicks
    -30 Seconds Mountain Climbers
    -1 Minute Jog In Place
    -1 Minute Jumping Jacks
    -1 Minute Rest

Workout: 5 sets as fast as possible

-Shadowbox: (Uppercuts, jabs, hooks, kicks & knees if you're comfortable)- 1:00 minute

-Squat to Front Kick: (Do a squat then front kick one leg, repeat with other leg)-20 reps

-Diamond Pushups: (Pushup position with your hands close together so they create a diamond shape between them) 10 reps

-Mountain Climbers: (2 legs=1 rep) 25 reps

-Spiderman Pushup: (Pushup position with legs seperated, conduct a pushup and while lowering your body bring your right knee up to your right elbow. Lower the leg back down when pushing up. Repeat with other leg)-10 reps

-Bicycle sit-ups: (2 legs=1 rep)-100 reps

Pictures and Videos to Come

Warriors of Change for The One Fund

The mission of Warriors of Change is to combine health and fitness goals with social causes.  The goal is to dedicate our time (and eventually) large monetary contributions to causes that we and our fellow Warriors believe in.  We will all be working out not only for ourselves, but for a cause. 

At the moment the goal is awareness, to change the world we need more Warriors.  For every 20 times any Warrior of Change blog post is shared (by email, Facebook, Twitter, etc), we will donate $10.00 to The One Fund, promoted by Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and Boston Mayor Tom Menino to benefit the victims and all those affected by the bombing attacks at the Boston Marathon.   The more Warriors we have, the more change we can enact.  Post comments, share your workouts and workout tips, share your motivations and how you're making a difference!

Join the movement, help us by achieving more, become a Warrior of Change!

Link to The One Fund website:  https://secure.onefundboston.org/page/-/donate2.html

Morning Motivation

"A child has no trouble believing the unbelievable, nor does the genius or the madman. It's only you and I, with our big brains and our tiny hearts, who doubt and overthink and hesitate."

-Steven Pressfield

How many times do we talk ourselves out of what we truly want to do?  Whether it's a fitness goal, a career change, putting more effort into a relationship, or any pursuit requiring a personal commitment. Chances are you will face something that Steven Pressfield identifies as "Resistance".  Resistance can be anywhere and anything, and it comes at us both externally and internally.  It attacks us from all sides, creating a reality around us where our goals either can't be accomplished or aren't relevant.  Reason, facts, and odds can be powerful enemies to overcome when trying to accomplish our personal goals. 99% of the time we are our own worst enemy and the change we are meant to make lies dormant inside of us. Friends, family, bills, rent, all provide valid reasons to deny our true calling. How can anyone succeed with such a massive, terrifying, and logical force preventing us from moving forward?

We can be stubborn, we can put the blinders on and continue on our path come hell or high water until we succeed.  Or, we can make that goal about something greater than ourselves. Make your personal pursuit about something greater than you. Realize your potential to create change and don't sell yourself short.  Identifying the selfless nature of your goals allows you to keep humble while striving for greatness.  Be the absolute best, and do it for the rest of us who are watching in awe and cheering you on.

To read more about "Resistance"and motivation from Steven Pressfield please visit his website:

http://www.stevenpressfield.com/