It takes a village...

When meeting with prospective athletes, when asked "What's it like to work with you?" I struggle to answer. Why? Because the relationship I have with each of the athletes I work with, is so unique and different. But now, I have an answer for them, thanks to HVT Athlete and WVU Cycling Team member, Tess Senty.

Tess and I started working together this past November, and we are building up to the Collegiate Road Season, a summer of racing for a spot on an NRC team, and working toward racing in Europe within the next two years. Tess is a phenomenal person to coach, as not only does she enjoy her time on the bike, but she truly loves learning the how's and why's.

She recently was selected to ride as a part of the Vanderkitten VIP Race program and I can totally see why. She truly loves the bike, and, makes for an awesome, friendly ambassador for the sport that is Women's Cycling. Tess understands that training for elite level competition while working on her PhD takes commitment, focus, and the ability to balance things properly.

I'm proud to work with many incredible athletes, from a variety of sports- Cycling, Triathlon, Fitness Modeling, Running, Lacrosse, and more. Every single one of them is in their chosen sport, because they love it. They enjoy putting in the time, doing the work, and seeing the rewards.

Many of the athletes I coach, have the desire (not just a dream!), to go PRO. How do we accomplish this? What is it about the HVT approach that fosters the growth to get to that level?

As Steven Pressfield says, one MUST understand and accept, that in order to go from an amateur to PRO, one must stop squandering their gifts, and put in the hard work necessary to succeed. This means showing up to work EVERYDAY, regardless of how they feel.

I can tell you from experience, that it is a hard thing to do at times, especially when either one is injured, or the weather is absolutely foul. But one MUST do it in order to succeed! And the HVT little secret? HAVE FUN while doing it. It's not about the destination, it's about enjoying the journey! Ya gotta LOVE what you're doing, and occasionally be able to step back and realize how much fun you've had on the path so far!

For each athlete whom I coach, their chosen sport is a large part of who they are, and they LOVE their sport!!...and they love sharing that passion with others. Whether it's Beth Bowman (Running), University of Pittsburgh Cycling Team, Cid Carver (Triathlon), or any of the many other athletes whom I coach, when you talk to them, it's clear how much they love their sport, and passing to each person they interact with, a small piece of that love and enthusiasm.

Speaking of sharing with others, here, in her own words, is Tess' experience thus far. While it's early in our relationship, I thought it would be nice to start from day 1, and have Tess "Check in" every so often.

I want to preface this by saying that for every athlete I work with, it's truly a team effort. We work together, discuss, and make a plan....As we progress we involve other professionals, as needed, along the journey- Dietitians, Physical Therapists, Bike Shops, Mechanics, as well as significant others, and Friends & Family... after all, it takes a village to raise an athlete!

"I have always been an endurance athlete. I have trained myself through a 50 mile trail run, half and full Ironmans and marathons, including qualifying for Boston. Although I was successful, I struggled with nutrition, time management, recovery and I could not push myself to the next level. This year, I took the leap and hired Brodie to help qualify me for Collegiate Cycling Nationals. We first met at his studio in Pittsburgh for my FTP test and his enthusiasm was so great I could not help but be excited for the pain that was to come. After the test, Brodie discussed with me, not only on bike training and form but we spoke about the importance of nutrition, core strength and understanding the dynamics of racing.

Receiving my first block was like Christmas morning, I was so excited to get started on our journey to Nationals. Brodie’s workouts were easy to understand and he was willing to go over all my questions in detail. My blocks were strategically designed, to fit into my busy life of working on a physics PhD, and reach my athletic goals. Brodie believes one should work hard to reach their goals but they should also have fun doing it, and he incorporates that into every workout. At the end of the day, I want to still love my bike even if I spent hours on the trainer. Brodie encourages this by designing workouts that make trainer miles fly by and he encourages fun rides when life gets overwhelming.

I have only been working with Brodie for two months, but I have already improved my strength, speed, handling and knowledge more than I did in the four years of training on my own. He is always checking up on me, making sure I am sleeping well, I have good energy, I am healthy, and I am enjoying life and training. In this short time, I can already feel the improvements Brodie has helped me achieve. I can now ride with the boys who use to blow me out of the water and I even challenge some of them on state line sprints and climbs! I cannot wait to start racing in just a few weeks and see where I place up with the other women so I can truly see how this hard work has paid off."
-Tess Senty

M. Brodie is an International Cycling, Triathlon, and Running coach, currently working out of Pittsburgh, Pa, USA, and Tel Aviv, IL

If you are seeking coaching, you can contact him at HumanVortexTraining@gmail.com

Human Vortex Training LLC.
Train Smarter, Not Harder.

Cereal in a box.

KEY:
Cereal pieces = training
Prize= Goal Event

It'll all make sense  by the end of this post.
(Or just be really confusing. Either way, it'll be a good read...I think.)

Enjoy!

                              Photo from:   http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2280/2806428606_e970014983_m.jpg


When I was growing up, they used to put prizes inside the cereal boxes, and they would always be at the bottom.....

Being the patient 5 year old that I was, I would wait until my mom left the kitchen, and then open the cereal and dig my hand down to the bottom to find that prize! Of course it got messy, and pieces of the cereal got stuck to me. But digging down inside that box, I found that prize.

Having the pieces of the Cocoa Pebbles or Corn Pops or Cocoa Puffs stick to my hand and arm was just a consequence.... A wonderful, tasty, delicious consequence.
My mother coming back into the room to an open box of cereal that had a 5 year olds arm (up to my elbow) in it, with cereal all over the floor, was, however, a not so wonderful consequence. Especially when the consequence was her taking the box of cereal away and "throwing it out"-Never one to waste, my mom gave it to the kid next door. (Come to think of it, the kid next door looked a little TOO well nourished!)

I did, however, get to keep the prize!
That short-lived, awesome prize... that was a constant reminder of all that awesome cereal I never got to eat.


Winter training, is like grabbing that box off the shelf. You see the picture on the cover (your target race's website), you get excited thinking about how delicious they taste (finishing the race), and that prize promised at the bottom (that feeling of accomplishment after you finish, and the pics of you looking super-cool and hardcore during the race).

But we don't want to take the time to savor and enjoy the cereal (training) while we are going through it. We just want to BE THERE ALREADY.

So, some of us take that shortcut: Skip rides until the weather gets nice, or cut training sessions short/skip a ride each week. Maybe we don't follow our nutrition plan, or get enough sleep. Besides, it's only January 29th! The season is still a few months away. We have time!

The next thing we know, just like digging our hand into that cereal box to find the prize (grabbing in the dark, at the bottom of the box) SURPRISE! Your goal event is here, and you're excited and elated!

Then you do the event, and are disappointed with the results (the equivalent to Mom walking in, and you getting only a few pieces of cereal that stuck to your hands and arm). You got SOMETHING out of the training, but only a small sliver of what you could have, had you been patient and committed to your training.

YOU MISSED ALL THAT DELICIOUS CEREAL!

Don't let the Temperature, or weather, or fact that all sane bears are still hibernating, keep you from following through on the work you MUST do to get to your goal event, and enjoy it to the best of your abilities.

You see, as per the ancient proverb "It's not the Destination, it's the journey that matters", You learn so much about yourself during your training:
What motivates you, how to work through difficulties, who's there to give you a good swift kick in the you-know-what to keep you going, and who's right there in the trenches with you, slugging it out, and EARNING the grit that comes with it.

                              Photo From:   http://www.okmilmuseum.ca/okmilmuseumvirtualclassroomWWI.htm
*THANK YOU VETERANS FOR VOLUNTEERING AND THUS ALLOWING US OUR FREEDOM!!*



Buckle down, but enjoy a bowl of that awesome cereal every few weeks (RELAX! RECOVER! DO SOMETHING FUN NON-SPORT RELATED!).

You'll get so much more out of your training by working through it, making adjustments as you go, and reaching your goal event knowing how much you've grown and how far you've come as an athlete- and even more importantly, as a person...


You know, they stopped putting those prizes in the cereal about the time I turned 10, and perhaps not coincidentally, around the time my mom said she was going to call the cereal companies and tell them to stop putting the prizes in the cereal- just because of me and my digging....

Coincidence?

I think not.



Looking for a Coach for 2014?
I have a few spots remaining, contact me today!


Human Vortex Training:
Train Smarter, Not Harder!

What is WINNING anyhow?

I just returned from a race weekend with an athlete, for the first time in a few months, and the first of 2014.

Israman Half-Ironman & Ironman Triathlon, here in Eilat, Israel. It's become known as one of the harder Ironman & HIM courses one can race, although oddly, it's not yet a qualifier for Kona, nor part of the Ironman Series...Yet.

Damn did I miss Race weekends!

Sitting at the table on the patio Thursday night (the race is on Friday), drinking a beer and mentally going through the athletes workouts, progress, and game-plan: Going through their needs, and what the mental coaching game plan for race morning would be.... I felt like I've been a fish out of water the last few months.

Why do I love race weekends?

Because I get to see someone who has put their heart and soul into a goal event, ENJOY their day, live the dream, and experience things like never before.

All those great training sessions, and all those shitty ones, struggling to adopt and learn a new approach to training, and learning new skills.... it all comes to fruition on Race day.

I've been coaching for the last 13 years, and I can tell you, that absolutely nothing in my life, compares to being at a race weekend with my athletes and teams...

Ok, maybe my time as a head basketball coach supersedes these race weekends, but I promise you that it is only because of the fact that as opposed to standing on the side cheering, that I was constantly able to see the performance, and make micro- or macro-adjustments as needed DURING the competition. In that setting I could see a group of 5 individuals on the court, come together to accomplish more than the individual parts.

But this post isn't about athlete accomplishments. It's about recognizing where you belong, and sticking to your goals and targets through the tough times, but most importantly, FOCUSING ON WHAT WILL HELP YOU SUCCEED.

No matter what the day, where I am physically or mentally, I ALWAYS know that I belong as a leader, as a coach.

However, it's not because I want my athletes to win. 

Talk to any of my athletes, and they'll tell you the words "First place", "Podium", & "Win" are so rarely mentioned, that if/when they are, it usually is around the same time that a new species of animal is discovered here on earth.

I don't care about wins. 

I won't care about them in a week, or in 10 years.

Why?

Because to me, a placing Overall, in a category, or in an age group, is a by-product.

It's a by-product of:
-Working hard, and SMART.
-Of listening to your body.
-Of a well-planned training year that kept you healthy and well throughout the training year, and  going into the race, so you COULD give your best that day.
-Of knowing as a leader, that once that plan is laid out, everything is liable to change as soon as it's started.
-Of listening to what each athlete is giving me as feedback, and adjusting appropriately.
-Of rolling with the punches and making the changes needed, as the great John Wooden Said, "Quickly, but without hurrying"

And most of all, it's a by-product of a PERSONAL training regimen, COMMUNICATION with the athlete-as they need it- and checking any ego I have; as a coach, athlete, or person, at the door before we start.

I care about the integral and vital parts: the parts that come together to accomplish more than the individual parts.

When you focus on the important parts, you get some pretty cool by-products. By-products that are incredibly rewarding, and that when they happen, should absolutely be celebrated, but in and of themselves, shouldn't be the focus.

I don't focus on a by-product, should you?

Breaking status quo

Photo from:   http://qnaman.deviantart.com/art/Blade-in-hello-kitty-pajama-302833590

Well, it's as scary as anything you can think of....Wait, it's scarier.

More than Skydiving, Bungee jumping, and walking on hot coals...

The aforementioned, you know that others have done EXACTY that which you seek to do, and have done so successfully. Yes, some fail, and that can have devastating or even lethal impact and results...but those are known beforehand, and this, well, this is UNPRECEDENTED.

Breaking the current status quo, is terrifying. You don't know how people will respond, granted you know that what you're going to do, or are doing, is going to leave an indelible mark on that specific profession or realm of knowledge.

Here you are, out there all alone. Teaching things a different way, training differently, working differently, thinking and approaching things, differently... STANDING OUT.

PEOPLE, ARE STARING.

You feel like you rushed out of the house, forgot to change, and now here you are, wearing your Hello Kitty Pajamas while giving a presentation to 50 of the most powerful people in the world.

Guess what?

You are.

All eyes on you.

You're LEADING the way. YOU ARE LEWIS & CLARK, trail blazing a new route, in completely unknown territory to those from where you came.... You're showing people a new way to train, a new way to prepare, or a completely new way to look at things in your chosen profession.

Do you have what it takes to succeed? Will you tackle the obstacles with heart, and belief in what you're doing?

Yes.

How do I know this?

Because you're out there, in your Hello Kitty PJ's, thinking "what the hell am I doing?!?!".....But meanwhile the Basal Ganglia area of your brain (your older, more primitive area of your brain that controls your AUTOMATIC behaviors) is Lit-up like the Christmas Tree in Rockefeller Center, and it's screaming: "YES. TIME TO GET IT DONE."

It's Automatic.
It's Natural.

You were born for this.

The Podium is set up for you.

Grab your Hello Kitty Pajamas....it's time to go to work.
Smile, Deep centering breath, and step out, cuz soon enough, everyone is going to be wearing Hello Kitty PJ's.



Want to train differently for your sport?
Contact me:  HumanVortexTraining@Gmail.com


"Train Smarter, Not Harder"TM
Human Vortex Training LLC.

Let's get down to brass tacks

Success isn't the big trophy, or finishing where you wanted/expected to.

Success is doing the work, day in, day out, as you need to...

...and getting to the starting line healthy.

Rest when your body tells you it REALLY needs it.

Many days it's not our body that's tired, it's our mind that's been exhausted through all the decisions and focus we needed to make all day. That's a big part of why my athletes get the green light to cut a workout, should their body not feel well after the first 15 minutes of the workout.
97% of the time, it's not the body that's fatigued, it's the mind. Give it a kick-start, and it's good to go.

You see, life really IS a marathon, not a track meet. Actually, it's more like a Decathlon. Cuz you get to do all kinds of crazy crap, and have to do it while moving from action item to action item.

It's not about grinding yourself to a pulp EVERY workout, EVERY day. 

HTFU?
More like "grab your coat, a good book and some snacks, put them in a bag in your trunk so that you're prepared for that trip to the ER or Urgent care when you blow out a (select one) Tendon/Muscle/Joint/Mental Burnout. 

Do I condone pushing through the pain (IF it's the RIGHT kind of 'burn' or 'discomfort') to my athletes? YOU BETCHA!!!

Local, State, and National Champions aren't built around "fluffy" workouts, nor by listening to anyone and everyone else around them, telling them how great they are.

The difference between a National/World Caliber Athlete and everyone else, is from the neck up, and how they think of themselves, and don't believe the hype. (yes, yes, they are also physiologically gifted in many cases).

When I was coaching high school Varsity and JV basketball, I would hold open tryouts EVERY year. You wanted a spot on my team? SHOW ME that you deserve to be there. 

Show me your hustle, your heart, your desire to work hard and be there. SHOW ME YOU'RE A TEAM PLAYER AND SUPPORT THOSE AROUND YOU WHEN THEY SUCCEED AND FAIL.

You were on the team last year? Ok, you showed me what you got last year. Show me what you have now. SHOW ME THAT YOU'VE GROWN AND LEARNED.

My second year coaching the team, I had a VERY talented player show up for the tryouts his Senior year. The year before, under my tutelage, and private sessions working with me 1 on 1, he grew immensely as a player, and I will say, had the beginnings of what it took to play Division 2, MAYBE Division 1 ball, IF he kept the same "hard work, eat right, train properly, know my strength & weaknesses" attitude, and didnt believe all his "new friends" who were telling him how great he was after the season.

He bought the hype. 

He believed those around him that said he was SO GREAT.

He didn't believe me the month before tryouts when I told him his ball handling was weak, and his jumper had ill-timing. He didn't believe his trainer who told him he came back weaker...

...Great, you did a killer training session. You put out 350w for a 30 minute Lactate Threshold effort. You workout 7 days a week. You're always going "hardcore"........Everyone looks at you because you are ALWAYS working so hard. They compliment you on it. They want to workout like you do...

That player I was talking about, didn't make the cut. 

He believed the hype.

Do you?

What do you NEED for 2014?

It's not about Resolving (see Resolutions).

Let's break it down:
Resolutions= re-solutions.

Re-Solving.

Why should you RE-Solve, SOLVE AGAIN, the things you tried last year?

Forget that.

GET IT DONE.

Don't set Resolutions. Set Solid, Attainable, Realistic Goals.

Should they push your limits? Absolutely.
Should they be hard? You Betcha.
Should they seem insurmountable? Absolutely not.

You want to have the best year yet in 2014?
Set Daily, weekly, and monthly goals.

Make sure every day you do something that gets you to your weekly and monthly goals. Be it getting your training in, or making sure you get enough rest and recovery, make sure to hit those daily goals….which lead to achieving weekly goals, which leads to attaining monthly goals, which allows you to experience success, and solid decision making.

You see, Decision making, is like muscles: you need to train the neurons to get the job done right.

That's right, when you DECIDE (Latin routes of Decidere, De+caedere, meaning "To cut off"), you're actually training the nervous system.

Exercise your decision making muscles every day, and pretty soon, you'll stop putting off the "Big" decisions, and just knock 'em out.

Trust your gut. Trust your instinct.

If you were driving down the road, and a deer ran out in front of your car, would you first weight your options, think about which was the best option at this time…or would you slam on the brakes?

That's what I thought.

Don't be afraid, Trust your instincts.

Take 10 minutes a day, and get it done.

It's as easy as 1, 2, DECIDE.

Life's too short to live in regret.

Life is like a 1,000 piece puzzle….

In order to make progress on it, you don't need huge chunks of time and effort.

Just Consistency.

Progress in life, sometimes means things start to look as they should, with you only making small changes/taking small actions on a day-to-day basis. Consistently.

What makes someone become a top professional? Is it knowledge? Is it luck?

As Steven Pressfield states in his book "Turning Pro", it's being consistent. Going to work EVERY DAY. Regardless of how you feel, you get up, and go to work. And, "Never Hold Your Best Stuff".
You have to be willing to put your mind to it, get it done, and then PUT IT OUT THERE!



Think of it as having a 1000 puzzle out on your dining room table, and every morning and evening, spending only 10 minutes on it per session.

After a few weeks, without much thought, you've completed a masterpiece!

Take 10 minutes in the morning, and 10 min in the evening each day to set targets for the day, and reflect on those targets….you'll be amazed at the effect this has on your life after just a few weeks!