A Passion For The Process

There is no passion to be found in playing small...ALWAYS PLAY BIG!

A Mother's Love That Is So Strong

"A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie." -Tenneva Jordan

This video is dedicated to an amazing woman/mother. It displays her fitness journey before & after she brought such a beautiful boy into this world. I also want to say congratulations to her for expecting once again, and especially for continuously pushing through in each workout even when you don't feel so good. YOU are truly the BEST!

Only The TOUGHEST SURVIVE

2014 TOUGH MUDDER-DALLAS
PART ONE
October 4-5, 2014

So Proud Of Team Dofitness For Accomplishing The Unexpected...For Stepping Up To Every Challenge...For Not Giving Up And Finishing Strong!!!

Always Find The Courage To Do The Unexpected...The Things You Never Thought Were Possible. Be Brave, Be Strong, Work Hard, And Always Follow Your Dreams! Make Anything You Want In This Lifetime Possible!
~Dofitness

SUCCESS COMES FROM DISCIPLINE

Our Life Is Defined By Opportunities. Opportunities That Help Us Grow. In Order For Growth, There Must Be Commitment. A Commitment To Yourself...A Commitment To Succeed.

Check Out This Amazing Accomplishment...Awesome Job To My Client For Reaching Her Big Goal After One Year At Dofitness Training Studio. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

AMAZING Jumping POWER

This video shows a series of different box jump challenges at the end of each round of legs. There were single jumps on the high box, then on to two-motion jumps (start at the lowest point come up from your squat less than half-way up, go back down to your starting position and then jump on the box from the bottom of your squat...very tricky jumping style). Then a plate was added to the high box...then two plates to the high box...and finally ending with three plates on the high box. This was an amazing accomplishment and a huge challenge that was mastered. Mainly, because she is about 5'1 and she was ending each round with a variety of Intense Challenging Box Jumps. AMAZING JOB!!!!

A Passion For The Process

FITNESS is a way of life rooted in the deeply held conviction that physical, psychological, and spiritual health are inextricably related. *When you wake up at dawn and EXERCISE it is like an act of devotion. It CENTERS THE MIND for the day to come.*

"Beauty is superficial and fleeting, but health is profound and lasting."

The pursuit of FITNESS is the pursuit of WHOLENESS that can empower each of us to cope with the overwhelming pressures of our day-to-day existence.

Fitness is a lifelong pilgrimage and you must commit yourself to the journey. And those who do will find long-lasting results. Athletes fall into two groups: the believers and the nonbelievers. The nonbelievers just want to win the race, but never seem to enjoy training for it. And the sad thing is that nonbelievers seldom last in the world of fitness. The glory of winning is short-lived. 

You must have STAYING POWER and that is exactly what separates the believer from the non-believer. The believer has A PASSION FOR THE PROCESS. They enjoy winning, but they CHERISH THE LIFESTYLE even more.

**The irony: To achieve physical beauty you must LOOK BEYOND IT. If we keep our eyes focused on a particular short-term goal we may achieve it, BUT the victory will only be temporary. YOU MUST BE TRANSFORMED FROM THE INSIDE OUT.

You must have faith and when it comes to fitness, you must make the leap of faith. Trust and recognize that THERE IS NO GROWTH WITHOUT COMMITMENT, and NO COMMITMENT WITHOUT BELIEF. You must keep the FAITH. 

"There are no shortcuts."

One morning a young man in his twenties came in and enrolled at a local gym. Looking around, he saw an older man across the room, working out. His face and physique didn't seem to go together. His gray head was that of a well-kept septuagenarian, but his body seemed grafted on-impossibly young looking. In his sweatpants and tank shirts he exposed arms and shoulders that revealed full, deeply defined muscles covered with smooth, tight skin. There wasn't an ounce of fat on him. Awestruck, the young man walked over to him and said, "You look great, how long have you been working out?" The old man gave him a fierce look and replied, "All my damned life- you are looking at a LIFETIME of working out!"

With the long-term pursuit of fitness, however, weight loss, or fat loss, takes care of itself-automatically. Again, to achieve it you must not pursue it! The object is not to lose weight but to BECOME FIT. You must commit yourself to the journey of fitness, which will bring you rewarding results for a lifetime. You must stop wanting immediate results or a quick turnaround.

"We seldom make the connections between our physical health and our spiritual well-being."

You must BELIEVE that if you are on the journey toward fitness, your own lifelong pilgrimage, you will lose fat and gain muscle.

"Our bodies are, to most of us, an inconvenient appendage to our head."

***Always keep in touch with everything that surrounds you...The journey to fitness keeps us in contact with nature. The sights, smells, and sounds of land and water-reminds us of our true relationship to the material world.

"A sensory delight-the sound of your heart beating, the feel of muscles working, and the smell of nature around you confirm your existence as a living, breathing, physical being."

Three Words- IMPROVE, INCREASE, CONSISTENT
You have the power to have: improved body chemistry, increased strength and lean muscle mass, consistent weight control, improved cardiovascular health, improved psychological health, improved quality of life.

One problem many face is having an ingrained, deep-seated discomfort with their bodies. We make our living by reading, writing, speaking, and thinking, but seldom by physical labor. The nature of our work is written on our physiques, and the imprint of our sedentary lifestyles can be read in our posture, gait, and carriage. Unfortunately our neglected bodies often serve only as a repository for stress, depression, and illness. 

We must seek to restore a sense of INNER PEACE through the pursuit of health and wholeness. Fitness has all the necessary tools to help improve a person's sense of well-being, reduce their stress levels, and make them more productive.

It is important that you have the right mindset in order to achieve and live a healthy life. You can know all the theories in the world, but if you do not have the right mindset, it will do you no good. You need to have FAITH and you must BELIEVE in the intrinsic value of health if you hope to achieve it. If you haven't seen the light, if you're not a convert, you will fail. I BELIEVE IN YOU AND I BELIEVE THAT YOU CAN ACHIEVE ANYTHING YOU SET YOUR MIND TO. Never give up and don't give in. You are stronger and nothing should stand in your way. And when you face challenges and obstacles you have a hidden power rooted in your inner self to overcome. 

Like I have said before, YOU are the one, YOU are the captain of your ship, YOU lead the way, but most importantly, YOU ARE THE FOOTPRINTS THAT LEAD YOU ON YOUR JOURNEY. 

Kybartas, Ray. Fitness Is Religion. Pgs. 19-34.

Say I Will And Empower Yourself

EMPOWER YOURSELF- "When you say 'I WILL' with conviction, magic begins to happen."

Hello to all of you out there...  :)


First of all, I want to thank all you for tuning in to my blog. It means a great deal to me and I appreciate your support and kind words. If I am able to share and give you something back through health and fitness, then I have done my job. I want everyone to excel and I want everyone to come out on top from obstacles they may face each and every day. Believe in your strength and believe in yourself! IT ALL STARTS WITH YOU!!!!!!

In this blog entry, I am including circuits that I think you will enjoy trying. The same rules apply as before. Always pick challenging weight, make sure you perform full range of motion on all exercises/technique- this is very important, try to do each round as fast as possible BUT with good form! HERE WE GO! GO FOR IT! WORK HARD! GAME ON...

ROUND ONE:
1. Leg Extensions- 50x
2. Standing Dumbbell Front Shoulder Raises- 100x
3. Medicine Ball Slams- 25 x (use m.b. with handles/bring ball overhead/squat down and slam ball to the floor/stand up and bring ball overhead and repeat the motion)
4. Leg Extensions- 50x (try to increase weight from #1)
5. Standing Dumbbell Lateral Shoulder Raises- 100x
6. Medicine Ball Slams- 25x

ROUND TWO:
1. One Crunch + One Sit-up Twist/Twist (2=1 rep)- 10x
2. Core Plank with Forward/Backward Shifts (2=1)- 100x (Shift your body forward and backward/keep your body in plank position)
3. Two Crunches + Two Sit-up Twist/Twist (4=1)- 10x
4. Core Plank with Alternating Leg Raises- 100x (make sure body is in a flat tabletop/contract quads/butt/hamstrings/raise one leg and then switch to the other leg/count each leg as 1 rep)
5. Three Crunches + Three Sit-up Twist/Twist (6=1)- 10x
6. Core Plank Combination of Shifts and Leg Raises- 50x (begin with a fwd & bckwd shift/then do a left leg raise and then a right leg raise/this combo = 1 rep)
7. Jump Rope- 100x

ROUND THREE:
1. Stand-ups- 50x (begin in a lying position with legs bent/hold medicine ball over head/use momentum from arms and swing forward/contract abdominals/contract quads/then stand-up and take medicine ball overhead) *Goal is to stand up from a lying sit-up position using minimal weight as possible.
2. One K.B. Squat Raises- 100x
3. Jump Rope- 250x
4. Box Push- 4 sets (push a box/sled; ideal weight for women is (1-2) 45# plates/ideal weight for men is (3-4) 45# plates/distance is from the end line to half court of a basketball court= 1 set)
5. Push-ups- 25x
6. Two K.B. Squat Raises- 100x
7. Lateral Jumps over Step- 50x (Use a bench or a step/remember to challenge yourself)
8. Diamond-Shape Push-ups- 25x

WAY TO GO! BELIEVE, HOPE, STRIVE!

The Motivation And Opportunity Connection

"Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful."
- Joshua J. Marine

After putting in long hours of hard work and dedication, it is rewarding to know that you have succeeded in reaching a certain level. I love to push each and every one of my clients to a level they believe they can never reach. Once they reach that level, there is a positive outlook on their SELF and a craving for more challenges. I believe that this process shapes a person's outlook on life and helps them overcome obstacles not only in the gym but in their daily lives. One must TRAIN and LIVE with the goal of continuous improvement. One must make no excuses to accept anything but their best.

I believe it is important to live life with INFINITE INTENSITY. Infinite meaning extending indefinitely and intense meaning to be marked by or expressive of great zeal, energy, determination, or concentration. So this concept leads me to the problem that people face in our society. Don't you find it interesting on how society is quick to place limits on our abilities. That it is acceptable to fail as long as you have tried. Many people give up before they try. CHALLENGES are approached with a mindset that says, "Why bother, I am not good enough." This really bothers me...more than you can imagine. I have dealt with several people who will take themselves right out of the challenge...GIVE UP BEFORE THEY EVEN TRY. No one becomes great by living a life where failure is both accepted and expected. Those who achieve greatness refuse to accept failure. I want to share something I read in college.

Mahatma Gandhi once said:
"Man often becomes what he believes himself to be. If I keep on saying to myself that I cannot do a certain thing, it is possible that I may end by really becoming incapable of doing it. On the contrary, if I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it even if I may not have it at the beginning."

So begin living your life today and accept the belief that you can achieve any goal. That you will bust your ass to ensure success. The belief that the ordinary can become the extraordinary. That you will refuse to accept limits and you will strive forward in search of greater accomplishments. That you will push the envelope both physically and mentally.

I have included a Dofitness Challenge Test. Do your best and believe in your abilities to success. *Keep track of your results and send them to me to find out your fitness level. **There are four categories to measure your fitness level: OUT OF SHAPE, AVERAGE, FIT, AND SUPER-FIT.

1. The One-Mile Challenge/Time?
2. The One Hundred Squat Challenge WITHOUT STOPPING/Keep track of how many times you stopped and how long it took you to complete 100 reps/use moderate weight
3. The Chinup Challenge/How many chinups can you complete without stopping?
4. The Push-up Challenge/How many push-ups without stopping?
5. The Wall Sit Challenge/How long did you sit without getting up?
6. The Half Court Run Challenge/How many times can you go from the end line to half court without stopping?

That Little Darkroom Where Negatives Are Developed

FEAR DEFENDING FEAR DEFENDING FEAR DEFENDING FEAR-AND INSIDE: NOTHING...

We tend to avoid all things and thoughts that might produce a sense of fear in our life. FEAR: False Expectations Appearing Real. And for the most part, fear is not real, instead it is our mind imagining something awful will happen. According to Aristotle, Fear is pain arising from the anticipation of evil.

But instead FEAR is one of the great jokes of existence. When people have the courage to move forward and journey into the center of their fear, they find...NOTHING. The terror was only layers and layers of fear, being afraid of itself. 

NOTE TO SELF: FEAR IS THAT LITTLE DARKROOM WHERE NEGATIVES ARE DEVELOPED.

Your Thirst

I came across this question along with this quote and I just had to share it with you. I believe that most of you will appreciate it and find its true meaning for YOURSELF.

How can you tell the dreamer from the dream?

"I've been having this recurring vision...In it, there's this fish tank--it calms me. I see a small speck floating on the water, and I look closer, it's me...I'm atop the waves. There's water as far as the eye can see, yet I can't drink. Not a drop. I taste salt in my mouth. I taste the bile. My thirst is great and it hangs around my neck like a chain. Eventually the weight drags me under. I'm drowning...I struggle, flail, kick... Then suddenly, I sense the familiar cold, hard hand of iron. I grab hold and pull myself up. This world is a vast sea but one thing remains fixed, constant...This iron. This calling. This THIRST."

It's All About The Intensity And The Credit Card Swipe

Nice Job Cat...According To Cat...This Workout, Especially The Bike Drill Is Also Known As The Fifty Shades Of Gray Bike! Go For It! Get Those Beyonce Legs... :) I Am Here For You!!!

Try, Try Again

Here is a lesson you should take notice of,

A lesson you should take to heart,

Try, try again;

If at first you don't succeed,

Try, try again;

It is then that your courage should appear,

For, if you will persevere,

You will conquer, and never fear, 

So Try, try again;

 Believe that one day you will see THE TRUTH.

The Hand

*This Letter Is Not Connected To The Story, "The Hand"*

I first want to take the time to say "Thank You" to ALL teachers. To me, teachers are emblems of heart, love, compassion, sincerity, dedication, etc. Teachers are people who inspire their students to be the best they can be. They are willing to go the extra mile inside and outside the classroom. Teachers find various ways to connect with their students so they can understand them better and help make learning easy and fun.

Teachers care about their craft and have passion for it. I believe they are one of the most important people in our society (now and before now), they have an enormous responsibility...preparing their students to discover and understand what they can do with their lives. They help children learn and grow, they protect children and will go to extreme measures to make sure these children are safe, they love children and want to see all of them succeed.

Teachers are absolutely WONDERFUL and I feel honored to know so many wonderful teachers in my life, and I am proud and grateful to have been raised by a wonderful mother who was a teacher for 38 years. So take the time to hug a teacher or to let them know that you appreciate them and all that they do...because I believe they are one of the most important and influential people on this planet.

I want to share a very inspirational story about the impact a teacher has on a little body. It has touched my heart and I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

One day a school teacher asked her class of first graders to draw a picture of something they were thankful for. She thought of how little these children were and how they would draw wonderful pictures of their family, animals, the trees, etc. The teacher was taken aback when she received the picture Douglas handed in...a simple childishly drawn hand.

But whose hand? The class was captivated by the abstract image. "I think it must be the hand of God that brings us food," said one child. "A farmer," said another. Finally when the others were busy working, the teacher bent over Douglas's desk and asked whose hand it was. "It's your hand, Teacher," he mumbled. She was deeply touched and it almost brought tears to her eyes. She recalled that frequently at recess she had taken Douglas, a scrubby forlorn child by the hand. She did this with most of the children, but she had taken Douglas by the hand on a daily basis. And that small act of kindness, reassurance, and safety meant so much to Douglas. So perhaps this was a learning project for all the students, it was a chance, in whatever small way, to give and to be thankful to others. To help show each student that small and special moments are all around them and to show the teacher that she is on the right track....giving children hope and love.

Soaring Free And Soaring High

Focus On The Confidence And Strength That Is Within You Each And Every Day. Dare To Be The Real You No Matter What. The Price Is What You Pay. Value Is What You Get!!!To Truly Live, You Must Let The Spirit Within You Be Free And Soar High!  

WINNERS DON'T WAIT FOR CHANCES, THEY TAKE THEM.

An Amazing Accomplishment

I want to say congrats to my cousin Stephen for this amazing accomplishment. I am so proud of you Stephen and I wish I could be there to share this moment with you. You have worked so hard and you have proven to yourself and everyone else that you can do whatever you set your mind to. YOU ARE AWESOME! Please know that I will be thinking about you during your ceremony and your celebration afterwards. I am sending my love and will be there in spirit. Love you so much and we will have to celebrate when I come home for the holidays! SO PROUD OF YOU!

The Moment My Life Changed Forever Part 2

The next day was a big reality check for me. I remember playing in high school...having concussions, pulling my back out, spraining my ankles and bouncing back. NOT THIS TIME...This was a totally different situation. Not only was it ten times the normal size due to the swelling but I could barely walk. My knee was upset!!! And it was showing me how upset!!!  I remember going to the training room and the trainers got right to work in trying to get the swelling down....from ice to the stem machine to light stretching. I was going to do whatever it took to get back out on the court...I wanted to be ready for my first SEC Tournament. Those two weeks prior to the tournament were such a blur...I remember the normal routine of icing and stem every single day. The trainers would then wrap up my whole leg and have me do cutting drills up and down the court (we still weren't sure the extent of my knee), to see if I would be ready to play in the tournament. I remember doing these drills up and down the court but the knee would just buckle on me. I would be able to run and cut a little then my knee would just give and buckle. I remember never losing hope and still believed that with some small miracle I would be ready to play in the SEC Tournament. It got closer to the Tournament and my knee just wasn't budging...I was so heartbroken. I did everything I was supposed to do and knew in my heart that my knee would be ready. MY KNEE WAS NEVER READY. I told myself I didn't have time to feel sorry for myself or to be upset...I would just have to deal with the card I was dealt and be there for my team. Cheer them on! I remember during the second half of the first game of the tournament, my coach paced up and down...looked over at me and said, "We could of used you today." I was speechless.

As soon as the SEC Tournament was over and my swelling was finally down, it was time for me to get an MRI and know the real damage done on my knee. I remember getting the MRI and feeling positive as I left the doctor's office. The coaches informed me that they would contact me in El Paso as soon as they knew the results (since I would be there for spring break). I was at home talking to my sister and my best friend when I received a phone call from my mother who was at her school working in her classroom. I remember her voice being a little shaky and she asked me if I could come by the school for a bit she had to talk to me about something very important.

I arrived at my mother's school and I remember her having such a heartbroken look on her face. I wasn't sure what this was all about but I was ready to hear what she had to say. She sat me down and she began to cry...she explained to me that the coaches had just called her and gave her the news that I had been waiting for...what seemed like a lifetime was now going to be my reality. Her voice got real low and she said that I had torn everything in my knee...the whole knee had exploded inside and the chances of me ever playing again were slim to none. She began to cry...she immediately grabbed me and hugged me tightly...I remember sitting there numb to the whole thing. I was in shock and could not comprehend the words that she had just told me. I remember her looking at me and asking me if I was okay, she reassured me that we would get through this. I looked at her and said, "I know, everything will be okay." I remember I was trying really hard to be strong for her...I didn't want her to feel worst than she did at that moment. I hated seeing my mom in so much pain because of me. I looked at my mom and said, "Mom...everything will be okay. You know me...it is hard to keep me down. They may say I will never play again but I really am the only one that knows if that is going to happen or not." My stubbornness began to shine bright...lol. My mom knew what that meant but her main concern was getting my knee better. I know she was hurt knowing that the love of my life (basketball) may be over for me...but just like any mother/parent, her main concern was my injury.

I remember driving back to my house and thinking that everything was just so surreal...I felt like I was in a nightmare and was going to wake up at anytime. I began to cry...and cry...and cry. It felt good to cry and really process everything that just happened. I remember telling myself..."It couldn't be that bad." All I could think about is my mom telling me that the coach was absolutely heartbroken and that the doctor specifically said..."It looked like a war zone in there." Wow...A WAR ZONE.  It was at this point I made a pact with myself that I was ready to take on this challenge. I was ready to do whatever it took to get back on that basketball court. WHATEVER IT TAKES! BRING ON THAT WAR ZONE!!!

Thank you so much for reading my story and I hope you stay tune for my Part 3...The Fight To Get Back On The Court. Thought for today is: Accept any challenge that is put in front of you. Turn any negative into a positive experience. Always see the GOOD out of something that is BAD. Never let ANYTHING stop you from doing what is in your HEART! Have an absolute wonderful day!
Lots of Love,
Dofitness

Challenge It Up!!!

I would like for you to write down the ten most challenging things in your life. Ten things that may be preventing you from reaching your goals. For example, say that you are struggling with getting your cardio in each week. And you know that this may be one thing that may be preventing you from losing weight or achieving your goal. It is obvious then that this would be one of your ten challenges.

Now, this is your challenge game and you can make it as challenging and as detailed as possible. For instance, some of you may just write down...DO A 60-MINUTE CARDIO SESSION. Others may write, DO A 60-MIN CARDIO SESSION AND BURN 1200 CALORIES. Again, be as creative and as detailed as possible. Make it fun and worthwhile. 

The only rule I ask of you is to write all your challenges down on paper...put them in a container...AND HAVE SOMEONE WHO CARES ABOUT YOU AND LOVES YOU DRAW YOUR CHALLENGE FOR YOU. If you choose the right person, they will encourage you and hopefully make sure that you fulfill that challenge. You may choose ten different people each time or you may stick with the same person...that is all up to you. Some of you may choose to have someone draw a challenge for you each day, while others may choose to do one challenge each week. That is also up to you. Again, be creative and really challenge yourself. It is little challenging games like this that will help you reach your goals faster. As well as teach you the meaning of...what truly lives inside you and what you can overcome!

I BELIEVE IN ALL OF YOU! GO FOR IT!