This is a big week for me personally. I celebrate my 46th birthday this Saturday. Like many of you reading this post, when passing another milestone I like to reflect on my current status - physically, mentally, and spiritually. This Saturday I will also be participating in the Dynamic Variable Resistance Training (DVRT) certification, which I am hosting at my studio. Immediately following 8 hours of instruction (on the system behind sandbag training) you have to complete a clean and press test using a sandbag. This is to receive the certification. The weight of the bag is determined by your weight. So weighing a lean 205lbs I will have to use an 80lb sandbag. The test will require me to clean and press the bag 40 times in a time period of 5 minutes. This test is a challenge in muscular endurance, strength and precision. Similar to the snatch test I had to complete when I earned my Russian Kettlebell (RKC) certification in 2012, you have to prepare for this type of test which requires specific skills. One of the reasons behind including a physical test with the certification is to guarantee that participants have spent some time training with the bags. People sometimes think it’s an ego-driven component. Not at all, the people who administer these certifications want to guarantee that people carrying their certification earned it, not just paid for it.
If you’re not aware, I use the Ultimate Sandbag (USB) as a main tool in my studio. I’ve incorporated sandbag training in my training protocol for the last 3 years. I do not consider myself a master in sandbag training, but I do consider myself competent in the instruction of this tool. Along with learning from the inventor of the DVRT system Josh Henkin, I wanted to give myself a physical challenge. I give myself a few goals annually that force me outside my everyday comfort zone. I wanted something which would require me to plan & prepare. It was in the fall of last year when I started mapping out a few goals for 2016 and this one seemed very appropriate. This satisfies my physical goal in the same manner reading a book a month is currently challenging my mental/educational goal.
This also fulfills an objective I came up with when I opened the studio. I wanted to become a pillar of education for personal trainers. I’m happy & proud to announce that I will be taking the course alongside 3 of my team members. I think this may the biggest highlight. I’ve successfully conquered physical challenges before, but this feeds my hunger to be a mentor for other trainers. When I entered the personal training ranks early on I was not aware how challenging it could be furthering your training knowledge. I wish at that point, I had guidance on how to invest my educational dollars. The cost of these workshop/seminars/certifications can be in the thousands. Depending on where you live, you may have to travel which can add expenses like airfare and lodging. Finally, the time off from work. For most trainers, you don’t get paid when you’re not working. Add all of these factors up and it shouldn’t come as any surprise that less than 10% of the personal training industry participates in events like this. Along with hosting the event, I’m paying for half of the certification fee for each of my team members. The way I see it, investing in education is a way of investing in yourself. That’s consistent in every industry. I wanted to teach them that lesson early in their careers. If possible, I want to plant a thirst to always want to learn. That’s a lesson that I wish I learned earlier in my career. It’s been crucial in my growth as a personal trainer & as a professional the last 15 years. Another way I view it is that by investing in my team, I’m investing in the studio. Many studio owners say they want the most knowledgeable staff, but do nothing to support that statement.
There are birthday rituals all over the world. In Mexico they have the Birthday Piñata. The birthday piñata is filled with candy. Grab a blindfold and a broomstick, and let the celebration begin. I don’t know about you, but I certainly would trade my birthday cake for a piñata any day. Then there’s this Irish tradition I heard about. I think the Irish had a few when coming up with this one? Tradition maintains that a child is held upside down and is “bumped” on the floor, once for every year of their age plus one for good luck. We’re guessing lawyers would have something to say about this in the United States! Chinese birthday tradition maintains that one should symbolize their longevity by eating a plate of long noodles, slurping them in as far as possible before biting. As far as I’m concerned, I’ll stick to cleaning and pressing an 80lb sandbag overhead 40 times this Saturday. Wish me luck.
See you at the studio.