by Sifu Chris Alexis
I wasn't always a Sifu (which means teacher). I was raised by a single mother and learned early on about the importance of self-reliance. You have to do it yourself. No one will do it for you. So, when I got my first set of weights at the age of 13 and was just starting my health and wellness journey, I had to figure it out for myself. I had no idea what I was doing. Because my weight set was smaller and limited, I had to focus on high repetitions. Focusing on higher reps not only developed my body at an early age, but also allowed me to learn proper technique and form. Before I knew it, I was having no problem doing 50 squats, 50 pushups, and 30 pullups.
But it wasn’t until I read an article in Flex Magazine that was discussing the training habits of professional athletes that I started to understand the need for proper dedication. The article mentioned that most professionals train five times per week, which prompted me to ask myself “what if I trained every day?" What I realized was that if I wanted to be on the same stage or in the same arena as those professionals, my dedication and commitment would have to be the same as if not greater than a professional athlete. I may not have the same god given talents as them; they might be bigger, stronger, and faster than me, but I will out work them!
Through pushing myself this way, I learned the real meaning of hard work. It isn’t about being able to do the most, but doing what you can at that moment. It is not so much about the intensity of the work as it is the consistency, and with my learned self-reliance, I knew only I could be the one to push myself and do the hard work.
After reading a few books such as The Way of The Peaceful Warrior, The Slight Edge, 177 Mental Toughness Secrets of The World Class, I started creating my own mantra which solidified into Commitment, Consistency, and Frequency (CCF).
I am 57 now and have loved being fit and decided later in life that I want to share that feeling with others. What my experience has taught me is that to get real results from any undertaking to improve yourself physically is the immense significance of perseverance and self-reliance. Regardless of what area you’re looking to improve in your life, I encourage you to embrace the values of Commitment and Hard Work in your pursuits for personal growth as they have proven incredibly useful for me.
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