Andy Haley - 13 Kick-Ass Fitness Challenges (Stack Media)

Andy Haley compiled this collection of fitness challenges for Stack Media. These are nice ways to mix up the workouts from time to time with something very challenging and/or completely different than what we normally do.

I am a big of the 2-Minute Squat Challenge - the first time I did it I was feeling strong at the one-minute mark, but with 30 seconds to go I was suddenly sucking air like a fish out of water.

I've also done the TRX 40-40 Challenge and like the intensity of it. The Atomic Push Ups I knew would be tough, but the 40 rows were much tougher than I expected after the first 25 or so.

Have fun with these - and it's not a good idea to do more than one of these in a week.

13 Fitness Challenges That Will Destroy You

Andy Haley | February 24, 2014

You think you’re strong and in shape. You crush every exercise in the weight room and blow by your teammates in conditioning drills. You’re in top physical shape, and it’s apparent to everyone around you.

Problem is, the world includes a lot more athletes. You can bet there’s someone out there who is stronger, trains harder and can outlast you.

So, how do you challenge your body, improve your game and determine where you STACK up (pun intended)? Take one of the following fitness challenges, designed by elite strength and conditioning experts to push athletes to the limit.

Note: Perform a max of one challenge per week.

60,000 Pounds in 60 Minutes Challenge

Alan Stein: Here is an awesome workout challenge that is perfect for athletes of any level to do once every couple of weeks during the off-season. It’s a fantastic way to break up the monotony of training, add some variety to your workout and spark your competitiveness.

How To: Multiply the weight you lift by the number of reps you perform to get total poundage for that set. If you Bench Press 135 pounds 10 times, record 1,350 pounds for that set. Keep a running total and then add everything up at the end (use the calculator on your smartphone so you don’t waste time doing math.) Here are the rules:

• Only full range of motion reps count.
• Pull-Ups are the only bodyweight exercises allowed (use your body weight as the weight for the exercise).
• Lift free weights and dumbbells as much as possible to keep things universal.
• When using dumbbells, count the total weight lifted. If you’re doing a Dumbbell Bench Press with 50 pounds, you count 100 pounds toward your total (2x50 pounds).
• Start the clock on your first rep and end the workout in exactly 60 minutes.

2-Minute Back Squat

Lee Boyce: The 2-Minute Back Squat creates balance and kicks the crap out of your conditioning in the process. Guys over 200 pounds, or taller athletes, should be completely torched after this bad boy.

How To: Load the bar so it's equal to your body weight and squat through a full range of motion for two minutes straight. You can stand up and breathe between reps as long as you need (don't rack the weight), but try to do as many reps as you can.

10/10 Treadmill Fitness Test

Mike Boyle: What you get here is really a true fitness test because you’re running uphill. You measure who can run up the hill the longest.

How To: Perform as shown in the video.

Inverted Ladder

Tony Gentilcore: This killer 10-15-minute circuit will torch anyone. Your goal should be to complete it in less time every week.

How To: Perform a circuit with Goblet Squats, Kettlebell Swings and a constant exercise, such as Chin-Ups or Push-Ups. Rest only as needed.

10 Squats, 1 Swing, 1-3 Chin-Ups
9 Squats, 2 Swings, 1-3 Chin-Ups
8 Squats, 3 Swings, 1-3 Chin-Ups
7 Squats, 4 Swings, 1-3 Chin-Ups
6 Squats, 5 Swings, 1-3 Chin-Ups
5 Squats, 6 Swings, 1-3 Chin-Ups
4 Squats, 7 Swings, 1-3 Chin-Ups
3 Squats, 8 Swings, 1-3 Chin-Ups
2 Squats, 9 Swings, 1-3 Chin-Ups
1 Squat, 10 Swings, 1-3 Chin-Ups

Iron Pirate Walk-Over

Rick Scarpulla: This one is something we use at Ultimate Advantage to mix things up. It’s fun and will completely shred your upper body.

How To: Set up four 6-inch hurdles about 5 feet apart in a straight line.Assume a push-up position with the course in front of you. Place your hands on two 25-pound hex dumbbells. Wrap a resistance band around your feet and have a partner lift your legs off the ground so they are slightly above head level.

Do five Push-Ups.
Walk forward with your hands over the first hurdle.
Do another five Push-Ups.
Continue through the course.

Tip: For added fun, have your partner swing your legs back and forth.

3-Minute B Meyer Blast

Bryan Meyer: This is a simple total-body test that will challenge an athlete at any level. It’s very safe, builds up your confidence and won’t break you down mentally. Try it once per month.

How To: Perform the exercises consecutively with no rest. Repeat for two sets, resting one minute between sets.

5-yard Sprint and Backpedal x 10
Speed Squats (with triple extension) x 10
Push-Ups x 10
X, Y Supermans x 10

500-Meter Row

Pete Holman: This is an awesome physical and mental challenge and a great test of strength, endurance and anaerobic power.

How To: Row as fast as you can on a rowing machine for 500 meters. A good time is between 1:30-1:35, a great time is between 1:25-1:30, and an excellent time is between 1:20-1:25. If you score under 1:20, you're a superhero!

Super Leg Circuit

Mark Roozen: This leg circuit will let you know if you’re ready to handle any type of speed work and plyometric training. You’ll also get an idea of your anaerobic conditioning, which is critical for powering through tough moments during a game. When you can handle this test, you’re ready to handle the toughest of workouts.

How To: Perform the exercises consecutively without rest. Strive to complete each set in 90 seconds, resting for two minutes between sets. Repeat for a total of five sets.

20 Bodyweight Squats
20 Bodyweight Squat Jumps
20 Alternating Lunges (10 each leg)
20 Split-Squat Jumps (10 each leg)
10 Alternating Step-Ups/Step Jumps

Triangle Drill Challenge

Doug Crashley: The Triangle Drill Challenge is a variation of a drill we use to develop speed and reaction time. But the challenge component causes further fatigue and improves decision-making during high-pressure situations during a game.

How To: Perform the drill as demonstrated in the video. Choose a work-to-rest ratio that simulates your sport. If you’re a football player, work for about 10 seconds and rest for about 30 seconds.

100-Yard Power Wheel Challenge

Ryan Hoover: In my opinion, one of the simplest but toughest exercises is the 100-Yard Power Wheel Challenge, which we regularly use at Fit to Fight. The University of California at Berkeley did a study that deemed the Power Wheel “the most effective core trainer.” My clients and students think it's evil.

How To: Assume a Push-Up position with your feet on a power wheel. Crawl for 100 yards.

300-Yard Shuttle Speed Test

Nick Tumminello: This will test your speed and power/endurance (i.e., your conditioning).

How To: Place two cones or water bottles 25 yards apart. Have a friend time you. Sprint as fast as you can back and forth between the cones, touching each cone. Repeat for 12 lengths for a total of six round trips.

Scorecard:

Males:

• Greater than 70 sec. – Poor
• Less than 67 sec. – Below Average
• Less than 65 sec. – Average
• Less than 60 sec. – Above Average
• Less than 58 sec. – Fast
• Less than 55 sec. – Stud

Females:

• Greater than 75 sec. – Poor
• Less than 74 sec. – Below Average
• Less than 70 sec. – Average
• Less than 68 sec. – Above Average
• Less than 65 sec. – Fast  

Barbell Complex

Trainer Scot Prohaska’s barbell complex combines four strength and power moves performed back-to-back-to-back-to-back. You build full-body strength, explosive power and muscular endurance in less than a minute per set.

How To: Do six reps of High Pulls From the Floor, Power Cleans, Shoulder Presses and Bent-Over Rows with no rest between them. When you finish all four movements, don't put the bar down. Go back to the beginning of the circuit and perform five reps of each move. You’ll do a total of 44 reps before you put the bar down. That’s one set. Perform three sets, resting 60 to 90 seconds between them. Click here for more info.

TRX 40-40 Challenge

Todd Durkin: Do 40 TRX Atomic Push-Ups and 40 TRX Rows. It's going to be tough. Get your mind right.

How To: Perform as shown in the video.

Read More:

• Try This Brutal Single-Plate Workout
• The STACK Top 5 HardCORE Exercises
• Can You Pass the Chicago Bears Conditioning Test?

When he was 20 years old, Shaun McCoy became one of the rare people who acquired cat scratch disease (CSD) and ended up in a coma. Appalled by his physical condition afterward, he began to train and found himself interested in cage fighting.

His experience in the cage taught him a lot about taking risks, competition, and his ideas of what danger entails.

What I learned while cagefighting: Shaun McCoy at TEDxColumbiaSC

Published on Feb 26, 2014


A writer at an early age, Shaun penciled out his first full-length novel in middle school. At age 20, Shaun was struck with CSD, which put him in a coma and hospitalized him for two weeks.

The 2-Minute Squat - And the Truth About Challenges

This article was a guest post from Toronto-based strength coach, Lee Boyce, over at Tony Gentilcore's website (a great resource for quality information on all aspects of physical training). The premise here is simple, squat a weight equal to your body weight for two minutes - "the loaded barbell must match (or surpass) your current body-weight in pounds." The bar must stay on your back for the full two minutes and you should engage a full range of motion (top of quads parallel to the floor or deeper).

Sounds hellish.

I'm going to try it tomorrow morning in my workout. If this is the last post you see here, well, you'll know what happened.

2 Minute Squat, and the Truth About Challenges

Date 10/08/2013

Today’s guest post is brought to you by Toronto based strength coach, Lee Boyce. I’ve always been a fan of Lee’s work and have often linked to his stuff on his own website as well as T-Nation.

I had the opportunity of hanging out with Lee last year when I visited Toronto and he’s every bit as personable, humble, and friendly as he comes across in his articles. Plus, for what it’s worth, he does a killer post-lift robot.

Lee’s actually going to be making a cameo appearance during mine and Dean Somerset’s Edmonton Workshop in a few weeks, so the likelihood that they’ll be some kind of robot-off is 100%.

In any case, enjoy!

I’ve always had a competitive edge when I was in school. Especially as a middle and high-school student, I wanted to be number one at anything that was remotely related to athletics and strength. Being the fastest runner, highest jumper, and lifting the heaviest weights were among the top things on my priority list.

Unfortunately, since much of the duration of my school-age career was spent as the equivalent of a 98 pound weakling, I was less than successful.

Regardless, the mentality remained present, and pieces of it still pepper themselves into my life as a lifter and trainer. It’s hard to resist a good lifting challenge, and the latest poison was too hard to resist. After a summer chalk full of Olympic lifting, I got notably stronger, but performing any exercise for more than three reps turned into the most arduous conditioning task I’d ever experienced.

Enter the 2 minute Squat

Not long ago Dan Trink used a 2 minute leg press as a challenge for reps performed in an article for T-NATION. Definitely a burner of a finishing move to destroy the quads and give you a pump that lasts days.

I took that to the next level and tried my luck with a 2-minute-long squat challenge. The kicker is this – the loaded barbell must match (or surpass) your current bodyweight in pounds.

Note from TG: shhhhhhhheeeeeeeeiiitttttttt. That’s going to suck.

Also, you can’t rack the weight during the 2 minutes – the bar must remain on your back for the entire duration.

Prepare for your heart rate to go berserk.

And (this goes without saying), you have to be sure to use a full range of motion for every rep. I don’t care about high bar vs. low bar, or stance width, as long as it’s not sumo-wide. Just get to full depth, ATG. Watch me get absolutely crushed by this challenge in the video below:

Breathing Squats vs. the 2 Minute Squat

We’ve all heard of breathing squats. Take your 10 rep max, and without putting the bar down, perform 20 reps. Take as many breaths between reps as needed. The concept sounds good, and on several exercises it can turn into a real burner – especially, once again, in the case of the leg press.

When it comes to squatting however, from personal experience I’ve found that it’s just too difficult. I’m not pulling out the pansy card, just hear me out.

To have a loaded barbell with your 10 rep max on your back (for me, that’s around 335lbs), it’s just flat out too heavy for me to lift it 20 times, regardless of how long I take between reps. Most trained individuals have a 10RM that’s heavier than their own bodyweight when it comes to squatting, which is why the 2 minute exercise is a better bet for conditioning and even hypertrophy purposes.

Plus there’s not a “target” number of reps to attain within the time, so you can focus on quality of each rep, and not have your form and technique break down as you progress through the set. That’s huge.

Here’s The Truth about Challenges

We can let our performance at fixed tests dictate the way we view our strength, progress in the gym, or manhood.

Note from TG: cinnamon test, anyone? Anyone?

These kinds of challenges are interesting, and the truth is, some of us will never be good at them, and I’m pretty sure I’m a guy who fits that category. As competitive in nature as I was and still am, it goes back to my article on The Truth for Tall Lifters. Someone’s body type will create huge caveats as to how well they will fare in any given challenge, including the one above.

Check out the video again. In each of the 19 reps I performed with the barbell, the tempo of the squat didn’t really change much. It took me FOREVER to get from start to finish position in any given rep, thanks to my height and the length of my limbs.

Having said that, if I’m given 2 minutes to squat a bar for full range as many times as possible, a 5’9” guy of similar body weight with equal amounts of strength and conditioning will beat me every single time, no matter what.

The interesting part is that it’s not quite reflective of his levels of strength as compared to mine. The task itself is just friendlier to him than it is to a 6’4” guy. For every rep, the 6’4” guy would have done more work (force x distance) than the 5’9” guy – given the amount of reps performed was in the same ballpark.

Plus the tall guy would spend more time under tension in any regular set of his own basic training. Wouldn’t the “Fran” workout for CrossFit enthusiasts be more unforgiving to a 6’9” guy who has to cover a further distance during thrusters, or during pull ups, which cumulatively eats precious seconds off the clock?

The Fallacy Behind Weight – Strength Ratio

I’ll start this section by saying that I don’t have formal research that I’ve conducted, so I’m not about to recite a litany of references to back up my statements, but with that in mind, I definitely don’t believe that there is anything near a linear relationship between having a heavier body mass and the amount that “should” be lifted.

That’s why there are very few people who weigh 265 who can match the strength-to-weight ratio of most 135 pound Olympic gymnasts. Again, it comes down to a game of levers, anthropometrics, and general ergonomics of the movement in question.

On this topic, I was talking to a magazine editor who stands 6’3”, who was recently challenged to a 10,000 dollar pull-up contest against an athlete of the opposing coach’s choice. Simple logic would have that coach choose his lightest and most conditioned athlete, probably with a pair of short arms to boot, and the editor would have gone to the crypt, and lost 10 grand in the process.

If A 6’5”, 265 pound squatter went up against a 6’0”, 215 pound squatter of equal conditioning in the challenge above, I’m sure the 215 pound squatter would still win, based on the fact that he has a lower center of gravity, and simply because the implement is lighter, period.

According to ESPN.com, In the past 5 years in the NFL combine, the average difference in bodyweight between running backs and wide receivers has been only 10 pounds, however, in the 225 pound bench press test, the running backs performed 5 more reps on average than the receivers.

One could argue that part of this may be due to training modifications to condition for contact situations, but a closer look at the anthropometric differences gives the true answer.

On average, those running backs were 3 inches shorter, with one inch less wingspan. All of a sudden, the longer armed, lankier wideouts had more of a disadvantage than meets the eye in the bench press test – even if they can produce just as much force on the field as their counterparts.

In Conclusion

Luckily, we’re not in the NFL, so there are no hard and fast privileges pending on our ability to “score well” in such tests.

Use the challenge above to do just what it did to me – kick some serious tail in conditioning, and present a cool gauge to test against yourself in future attempts.

I find it really cool to repeat similar conditioning tests at the end of each of your training phases to see where you stand as compared to the last phase. I’m sure you’ll get a very different result after a strength program with 3 rep maxes, compared to a dynamic conditioning program with multiple rep schemes.

Fitness training is very body-specific, and as such, it’s extremely unregulated. Don’t be a sucker for what’s on the bar, and the reps you’ve performed, and focus on the training effect. You’re going after your own results, so “challenges” are only valid if they’re made against yourself, and not someone else.

About the Author

~ Lee Boyce is an internationally known fitness writer and strength coach and owner of Boyce Training Systems, based in Toronto Ontario. His work is published regularly in many major fitness magazines including Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, T-NATION, Muscle and Fitness, Bodybuilding.com, and Inside Fitness. In 2013, he was named to the Team Jamaica training and treatment staff for the Penn Relays international track meet. Currently Boyce works with clients and athletes for strength, conditioning, and sport performance. Visit his website www.leeboycetraining.com for more content, and follow him on twitter @coachleeboyce and facebook www.facebook.com/lee.boyce.52.

Jack Kornfield - Set the Compass of Your Heart

Jack Kornfield is the author, most recently, of A Lamp in the Darkness: Illuminating the Path through Difficult Times. This brief excerpt comes from that book.

Jack Kornfield - Set the Compass of Your Heart 
BRIEF TEACHINGS

You need a reliable compass to set your direction and steer through the rough waters when you are going through hard times, when you’ve been betrayed, when you’ve lost your job, when you’ve lost friends or loved ones, when you’re in conflict with your family, or when you’re going through illness.

But how can you set your direction when you can’t see any clear harbor? And how can you navigate through difficult waters when you’re swamped by overwhelming emotions, when so much of your awareness is taken over with trying to figure out who’s at fault and who did what to whom, or creating stories about who’s wrong and who’s right and why?

When we’re overwhelmed by a difficult situation, sometimes we know we’re behaving in a way that is only making matters worse, but we don’t know how to stop.

No matter what situation we find ourselves in, we can always set our compass to our highest intentions in the present moment. Perhaps it is nothing more than being in a heated conversation with another person and stopping to take a breath and ask yourself, “What is my highest intention in this moment?” If you can have enough awareness to take this small step, your heart will give you an answer that will take the conversation in a different, more positive direction. With simple steps like these, you can behave in ways that at least will not fuel your difficulties—or anyone else’s.

Whatever your difficulties—a devastated heart, financial loss, feeling assaulted by the conflicts around you, or a seemingly hopeless illness—you can always remember that you are free in every moment to set the compass of your heart to your highest intentions. In fact, the two things that you are always free to do—despite your circumstances—are to be present and to be willing to love.

Adapted from A Lamp in the Darkness: Illuminating the Path through Difficult Times by Jack Kornfield © 2011. Reprinted with permission of Sounds True.

T-Nation: The Four-Minute Push-Up Challenge

I found this "challenge" at T-Nation. It's pretty straight forward - do as many push ups, in good form, as you can in 4 minutes. From Martin Rooney – 12/31/2012.

The Rules

• Begin the test in the up position.
• Start the timer before the first descent.
• For a rep to count, you must go all the way down until the elbow is at least at a 90-degree angle (chest 2 inches off the floor) and lock out the elbows at the top. The core must stay locked and move up and down with every rep using the toes as the fulcrum of the movement.
• You can rest/stop whenever you want, but the clock must keep running.
• Poor reps in terms of body position or putting down a knee before a rep is completed don't count toward the total score.
• Stop counting when 4 minutes have elapsed and record your score.

When I first read this article I thought, "No problem, I should be able to get 100 reps in 3 to 3:30 minutes." It's always a good lesson in humility to seriously over-estimate one's skills or abilities.

So I tried the test this morning (in my defense, I had just finished 10 miles of big gear intervals on my spinner, on nothing more than 6 grams of BCAA and some coffee).

First set, 35 reps. Thinking, "Damn this is gonna be easy - maybe get 100 in under 3 minutes."
Second set, 15 reps. Thinking, "Wow, that was a huge drop-off."
Third set, 10 reps. "Shit!"
Fourth set, 6 reps.
Fifth set, 5 reps. "Holy hell!"
Sixth set, 5 reps.
Seventh set, 3 reps.
Eighth set, 3 reps. Worried, "Hell, I might not even get 100 in four minutes."
Next several sets, 2-3 reps.

Total reps: 100 -- Total time: 4:01


Rooney's Rating Scale

• Below Average: Under 49
• Average: 50-84
• Good: 85-109
• Excellent: 110-139
• Extraordinary: 140+

If you try this and are also humbled by it, Rooney offers some excellent tips to increase your ability on this challenge. I found it humbling, and even though I often do 100 push-ups in a workout (since I really don't bench press anymore), I am sure I will be sore tomorrow. Those last few sets of 2-3 reps were complete failure - very humbling.

Vanessa Fisher and Mark Forman - Revisioning Men's Worth: A Critical Exploration of the Challenges & Opportunities Facing Men and Masculinity in the New Millenium

As part of her on-going series Dialogue Series, Dancing in the Liminal: A Global, Border-Crossing Inquiry into Art, Activism, Spirituality and Leadership for the 21st Century, Vanessa Fisher recently interviewed psychologist and integral theorist Mark Forman on the topic of revisioning men's worth. This is god stuff.

Revisioning Men's Worth: A Critical Exploration of the Challenges and Opportunities Facing Men and Masculinity in the New Millenium

Posted by Vanessa Fisher on Tuesday, November 13, 2012
With Mark Forman

Download this Dialogue as an MP3

Mark Forman, PhD. is the fourteenth guest on my Dialogue Series, Dancing in the Liminal: A Global, Border-Crossing Inquiry into Art, Activism, Spirituality and Leadership for the 21st Century (see overview for this series here).

Mark is the Clinical Director of Life Design Centre, an innovative psychotherapy studio dedicated to changing the lives of individuals, couples, children, and families. He is also the Executive Director of MetaIntegral’s Psychotherapy Center and the Lead Organizer of their Integral Theory Conference, the world’s largest academic conference devoted to Integral theory and its application.

In this dialogue, I interview Mark on his views regarding the unique challenges and opportunities facing men and masculinity in the 21st Century.

We critically examine cultural discourses surrounding the shifting historical roles of masculinity and femininity, explore the impact of feminism on men over the last 50 years, and point towards new directions of inquiry for men's role in the future.

Mark is a long-term practitioner of both yoga and meditation, having studied intensively under several prominent teachers, including Gurumayi Chidvilasananda and Kenneth Folk.

His latest book, A Guide to Integral Psychotherapy: Complexity, Integration, and Spirituality in Practice was published in 2010 by SUNY Press. Mark is also currently co-editing, along with Michael Raffanti and Toni Gregory, the first ever text on Integral Diversity, entitled Integral Approaches to Diversity Dynamics: Exploring the Maturation of Diversity Theory and Practice.

How Resilient Are You? A Short Assessment

Lifehack posted a simple self-test to assess our resilience.The topic of resilience has become very relevant in recent years as a result of the constant stress so many of us deal with in our lives. Wikipedia offers a nice description of psychological resilience - and it's important to understand that psychological resilience supports physical resilience and likewise, physical health and resilience supports psychological resilience.

Resilience in psychology refers to the idea of an individual's tendency to cope with stress and adversity. This coping may result in the individual "bouncing back" to a previous state of normal functioning, or using the experience of exposure to adversity to produce a "steeling effect" and function better than expected (much like an inoculation gives one the capacity to cope well with future exposure to disease).[1] Resilience is most commonly understood as a process, and not a trait of an individual.

___

[R]esilience is best understood as a process. It is often mistakenly assumed to be a trait of the individual, an idea more typically referred to as "resiliency".[12] Most research now shows that resilience is the result of individuals being able to interact with their environments and the processes that either promote well-being or protect them against the overwhelming influence of risk factors.[13] These processes can be individual coping strategies, or may be helped along by good families, schools, communities, and social policies that make resilience more likely to occur.[14] In this sense "resilience" occurs when there are cumulative "protective factors". These factors are likely to play a more and more important role the greater the individual’s exposure to cumulative "risk factors". The phrase "risk and resilience"' in this area of study is quite common.

Commonly used terms, which are closely related within psychology, are "psychological resilience", "emotional resilience", "hardiness", "resourcefulness", and "mental toughness". The earlier focus on individual capacity which Anthony[15] described as the "invulnerable child" has evolved into a more multilevel ecological perspective that builds on theory developed by Uri Bronfenbrenner (1979), and more recently discussed in the work of Michael Ungar (2004, 2008), Ann Masten (2001), and Michael Rutter (1987, 2008). The focus in research has shifted from "protective factors" toward protective "processes"; trying to understand how different factors are involved in both promoting well-being and protecting against risk.

With that background, here is the quiz.

How Resilient Are You? Take the Test!

July 8 by Bobbi Emel
When faced with a crisis, some of us bounce back just like a fully inflated ball while others of us hit the ground with a thud and stay there, totally deflated.

How good are you at bouncing back? Just how resilient are you?

Take this test* to get your answer!

To get a good idea of how resilient you are, be as honest as possible when taking the test!

For each item, fill in the blank at the end of the item using the following scale:

1 = Absolutely disagree
2 = Disagree
3 = Neutral
4 = Agree
5 = Absolutely agree

1. When confronted with a crisis, I usually start working on a solution right away rather than first just hoping it will go away. _____
2. I don’t worry too much about the future. _____
3. I am not embarrassed to tell my friends and family when something bad has happened to me. _____
4. Every time a crisis occurs, I can easily remember that I’ve made it through bad things before. _____
5. When something bad happens in my life, I don’t spend a lot of time wishing I had done something differently or thinking constantly about the bad thing. ____
6. I often think about what I’ve learned from a crisis after it’s passed. _____
7. When I get stuck in traffic and am going to be late for an appointment, I am very calm rather than frustrated and stressed. _____
8. I write a gratitude list at least once a week about the things I’m grateful for. _____
9. When something bad happens, I prefer to be around others rather than withdrawing and being by myself. _____
10. I’m not very hard on myself most of the time. _____
11.  I think it’s okay to occasionally smile and laugh when something really bad has happened. _____
12. I have a go-to person – like a mentor – when a crisis occurs in my life. _____
13. I don’t tend to get stuck in the past. _____
14. It’s easy for me to believe that a crisis or catastrophe in my life can be a good thing. _____
15. When a crisis happens, I come up with a lot of different solutions rather than just freezing. _____

Now total up your score!

Scoring:

60-75     You’re a superball! You have very good resiliency skills and habits and you can bounce back from just about anything.
45-59     You are bouncing right along  . . . most of the time. You have good resiliency skills, although sometimes it’s hard to engage them right away when faced with a crisis.
30-44     Meh. Your ball has gone a little flat. You need to pump more air into that ball. Crises tend to throw you a bit. Add some flexibility to your life and be open to handling problems differently in the future.
15-29     Uh-oh. Your ball is completely flat. Looks like you need to really work on your resiliency skills. Check out the section below for more ideas. And don’t worry: learning to bounce back in life is like learning anything else – you just need to practice. Be open to responding to setbacks in a different way than you have in the past.

Detailed breakout:

Here are the components of resiliency that made up your scores. If you were low in one particular area, try to increase that particular skill.

Acceptance: the art of non-resistance
Items 1, 5, 7, 11

If you scored yourself a 1, 2, or even a 3 on these items, realize that denial is a common response to adversity and is actually a protective mechanism. Just don’t stay in it too long or you won’t bounce back at all! Teach yourself to see the reality of your situation and act on that.

Also consider how much energy you are expending when you fight or resist your problem. You can give in without giving up. The difference is that giving in allows you to keep trying to solve the problem without using up precious energy resisting the fact that the problem is here. It’s here in front of you. Don’t resist it – accept its presence and work on it!

Remember that it’s okay to experience positive emotions and laugh even when in the midst of a crisis. This kind of emotional experience will help release oxytocin and endorphins that you need to help you through the storm.

Perspective: see things clearly and from different angles
Items 4, 15

The key to this component is to remember that you have had difficult times before and made it through. Remember your past experience!

Also, keep in mind that there are many angles to a problem and therefore many solutions. Break out of your old mold and try something new! A great way to prep yourself for future difficulties is to develop your creativity. Try Roger von Oech’s A Whack on the Side of the Head for some fun, mind-expanding activities and ideas.

Social Support: ya gotta have friends
Items 3, 9, and 12

There is a lot of research showing that social support is a main component of resiliency. Even if you’re an introvert, having just one person you trust to talk with about your situation can be extremely helpful.

It’s also really good to have a more experienced, wiser person or mentor you can turn to when trouble hits. This can be a parent, friend, or anyone you look up to and respect.

Positive Actions: creating positive emotions during times of crisis
Items 2, 8, 10, 13

As mentioned above, it’s important to experience positive emotions in your life, even in times of crisis. Researcher Barbara Fredrickson’s work shows that positive emotions not only help you feel good, but they expand your ability to problem-solve well.

Rather than worrying about the past or future, try to stay in the present as much as possible. Listen to some mindfulness meditations to help you remain centered in the current moment.

Be kind to yourself! Even if you got yourself into a mess, remember that everyone else has at some time in their lives, too. Treat yourself as you would your best friend who is having problems.

Finding the gifts/Learning the lessons
Items 6, 14

Adversity frequently brings opportunities for self-growth and new experiences. Even though you would rather not have problems, remember the old saying: The sand that irritates the oyster often becomes a pearl.

Well? How resilient are you? Let’s hear about it in the comments below!

*This is a non-scientific test used for informational purposes only.

Michael Taylor - What Are The Benefits Of Meditation For Men?

Last Friday's conversation on A New Conversation with Men, hosted by Coach Michael Taylor, featured Peter Vroom talking about his "The Resolute Mind" meditation technique and "how it can support men in dealing with the multiplicity of challenges men deal with on a daily basis."

Listen to internet radio with Coach Michael Taylor on Blog Talk Radio

What Are The Benefits Of Meditation For Men?

by Coach Michael Taylor

Fri, March 23, 2012

Men are faced with unprecedented stresses and challenges today. Unfortunately, too many men turn to alcohol, drugs and sex to try to deal with this stress.

Join Coach Michael Taylor as he speaks with Peter Vroom about The Resolute Mind meditation technique and how it can support men in dealing with the multiplicity of challenges men deal with on a daily basis.

Peter Vroom has been studying Vedic Meditation since 2002 and was an assistant teacher with Limor Babai for many years. He ran many advanced knowledge courses and assisted many students to a greater understanding of the technique. After finishing his training with Thom Knoles in India and the US, Peter now runs his own centres in LA, Sydney and New York. 

Find him here: www.theresolutemind.com

Meditation is good - no matter what it's called or what lineage it's from. At the very least, just sit with good posture, breathe naturally with your belly, notice the breath move in and out, and repeat. Do this until you have been sitting for 5, 10, or 15 minutes. Evey time your mind wanders from the breath, notice "thinking" or "drifting," and gently bring attention back to the breath.


For a more in-depth instruction, see this article by Thanissaro Bhikkhu on Basic Breath Meditation Instructions.

Temporarily Out Of Balance - Going Through A Phase

When we feel out of balance and that our lives have gotten off track in some way, it's very easy to become caught up in the feeling and see that as our reality. However, if we can take a step back and look at the big picture, see the narrative arc of our lives, so to speak, we begin to understand that these difficulties, whatever form they take, are not our reality, but only a temporary phase. This too shall pass.

In this Daily Om, they are talking more about the imbalance that occurs as we learn new skills or adopt new behaviors. One of the "warnings" that come with entering therapy is that your life is about to become very unbalanced - old behaviors may no longer feel right, but the new ones you might be learning are not yet comfortable.

When we grow, our balance gets thrown off for a bit. The important thing is to flow with it, and if you are in relationship, PLEASE be sure to talk to your partner about what you are experiencing - make her (or him) an ally, a partner in the process. To do otherwise can destroy a relationship.

Temporarily Out Of Balance
Going Through A Phase

In the process of becoming, we can become out of balance temporarily, but know it is only a phase and will pass.
We are all almost always in the process of learning something new, developing an underused ability or talent, or toning down an overused one. Some of us are involved in learning how to speak up for ourselves, while others are learning how to be more considerate. In the process of becoming, we are always developing and fine tuning one or the other of our many qualities, and it is a natural part of this process that things tend to get out of balance. This may be upsetting to us, or the people around us, but we can trust that it’s a normal part of the work of self-development.

For example, we may go through a phase of needing to learn how to say no, as part of learning to set boundaries and take care of ourselves. During this time, we might say no to just about everything, as a way of practicing and exploring this ability. Like a child who learns a new word, we want to try out this new avenue of expression and empowerment as much as we can because it is new and exciting for us and we want to explore it fully. In this way, we are mastering a new skill, and eventually, as we integrate it into our overall identity, it will resume its position as one part of our balanced life.

In this process, we are overcompensating for a quality that was suppressed in our life, and the swinging of the pendulum from under-use to overuse serves to bring that quality into balance. Understanding what’s happening is a useful tool that helps us to be patient with the process. In the end, the pendulum settles comfortably in the center, restoring balance inside and out.

Tags: psychology, personal growth, self awareness, challenges, balance, Temporarily Out Of Balance, Going Through A Phase, Daily Om

Silas Reinagel - Challenges and the Masculine Soul

A nice article about the need for men to have challenges in their lives. I'm not sure if this is a genetic thing related to testosterone (which is shown to be correlated with risk-taking behavior) or if is a cultural thing that shapes the way men understand themselves. Likely, it is both.

Disregarding the author's "conversations with God," I think this is an interesting post.

Challenges and the Masculine Soul

One thing that I have consistently noticed about most of the men I admire is their enjoyment of challenges. There is something intrinsically enjoyable for a man in testing his own strength in various ways. For that reason, manly men frequently seek out opportunities for competition, push themselves to their limits, and enjoy the feelings that arise whenever they are confronted with risk or danger. Indeed, even experiences that are especially painful become something to brag about once the crisis has been overcome. It seems that masculinity, in many ways, thrives off of challenges. Women may derive some enjoyment from challenges, competition or crises, but it seems to be more the exception, rather than the rule. They rarely seek out difficult tasks and conflict in the the way that men do.

I noticed this partly in my interactions with my brothers. We have two mantras that we frequently vocalize:

- Everything is more exciting with an element of danger.
- Everything is more exciting if you bet on it.

I don't remember exactly how these two mantras emerged, but both of them are deeply held by nearly all of my brothers. We often speak of them and just as frequently we seek out opportunities to place bets or add more danger and adventure to whatever we are doing. We have a shared delight in competition. For that reason, we are always looking for new ways to compete with each other. In most of our holiday celebrations, we play a family game of some sort. Most of them are quite brutal and militant. We typically play some variant of Risk, wherein we happily assault each other with massive armies in a relentless battle for world domination. Likewise, I have one brother who is extremely smart for his age. I often find myself going to poker nights and competing in various tournaments alongside him. As much as we enjoy competition amongst ourselves, there is a supreme pleasure in unleashing our prowess upon others. Whenever we are competing against others, we primarily adopt an "us against them" stance. After sharpening our skills against each other, it's fun to test our mettle against other worthy adversaries. My brother and I are currently preparing ourselves for an upcoming tournament by considering every possible opposing strategy that we may have to face. The very process of competing or preparing for competition is exciting and invigorating!

Similarly, even within my own life, I have noticed that as I have grown in manliness, I have gained an increased appetite for challenges. I savor new opportunities and relish stepping out of my comfort zone. A couple of nights ago I was lying awake in bed pondering the course of my life. In my heart I felt this question looming up: "Are you able to take on the many challenges of life?" At first, I was filled with uncertainty. "I hope so," I said to myself.

Read the rest.

Tags: masculinity, spirituality, challenges, personal growth, Silas Reinagel, Challenges and the Masculine Soul, risk taking, danger

Andrew Parkes - Dear Men: I Struggle . . . with Male Friendships

Many men struggle with male friendships. Most of us have buddies, but are they real friends? Can we share our deepest selves with them? Our fears, our dreams? Often not, at least not among the men I know.

[As a side note, Andrew and Tripp need to work out who gets to call their site the New Man - both are using the phrase, granted Tripp's is a podcast.]

Taking it all in...

Dear Men: I Struggle… with male friendships.

I struggle with making new friends - sometimes I judge potential friends incorrectly. Other times, I just don’t want to put myself out there - there is a part of me that is shy and withdrawn when meeting people for the first or second time.

I struggle with developing existing friendships – I never seem to get around to doing this despite my best intentions.

I struggle with being ‘inconvenienced’ by a friend or potential friend – if you call me right now to grab a coffee at Starbucks, I will probably say no because I didn’t plan for it in advance (I am working on being more spontaneous.)

I struggle with including friends in things happening in my life – I usually just do it and then think about including people afterwards.

I struggle with putting enough effort into friendships – I don’t seem to make time for friendships unless where we are meeting, when we are meeting, and what we are doing fits into my schedule, under my own terms.

I struggle with staying in touch enough or on a regular basis. I don’t know what a lot of my friends from high school and university are doing right now because I haven’t put in the effort to stay connected with them.

I struggle with friends that keep our relationship at a surface level.

I struggle with the question: ‘How many of my friends would I feel comfortable calling at 3 AM for support if I was in a crisis situation?’

I struggle with this question: ‘How many of my friends would call me at 3 AM?’

I struggle with wondering how many of my friends truly know me.

Above all, I know I need male friendships and that I can be a good friend. I am just not good at them.

Dear Men: I Struggle. And I know you do, too.

Check out his site for more good content, or to contact him for coaching.

I can relate all too well to much of this. I too am not spontaneous, and am more than a little shy (social anxiety kind of shy). So I feel him here.

But I also know that working on developing a friendship, even just one, over the last year has been very good for me. He and I met as trainer and client, but he lost his job at one point and since I liked him, I offered to work out with him from time to time. Now we work out several days a week.

I've seen him get married and have children. If I needed help moving, I could call him and he would do it, even if it sucked.

I don't know about the 3 am call, though - I don't know anyone other than my girlfriend that I would call in that situation. But that has more to do with who I am than with friendships.

But seriously - how do you make and maintain male friendships? Leave a note in the comments, please.

Tags: men, friendship, challenges, guys, Andrew Parkes, Dear Men, I Struggle with Male Friendships, New Man

The New Man - Episode 74: Pt 2, How to Navigate a Woman's Emotional Minefield

The second part of this discussion with women on what men might want to know.

The New Man - Episode 74: Pt 2 How to Navigate a Woman's Emotional Minefield

When your woman freaks out, do you buckle or try to make it all go away?

Do you prefer a passionate woman or a stepford wife robot?

And does your woman really support you or does it seem like she’s just another obstacle getting in the way of the life you want to have?

Alyson Schwabe and Christiane Pelmas are back for part 2 of our talk on how to navigate a woman’s emotional mine field.

This is part 2 of our in depth talk on how to approach tough topics with your woman. In this one, we learn a BIG lesson around how to deal with a woman’s “emotional storm”, how saying “yes, dear” is killing her respect for you and other tips for avoiding those big traps men often fall into.

For information regarding The Red Pill Weekend visit http://www.tripplanier.com/redpill

In this episode:

• Don’t be afraid of your woman’s storm
• How to go through something hard and come out okay
• Why am I in this relationship?
• Life with a woman is about storm
• Storming is about being passionate
• Do you want a passionate woman or a stepford wife robot?
• Storming is to test a man, to see if he’s trustable
• The storm does not mean something is wrong
• Do not buckle to the storm
• If you buckle, she will take over your role in the relationship or look for some way to fill it
• It’s not about winning a fight or dominating the scenario
• She’s entitled to her response and it has virtually nothing to do with you
• Don’t take on her feelings
• And don’t defensively posture
• Stay curious
• We want to know that in our relationships, we can say anything
• Most common belief: I’m the only one that has to deal with this
• Don’t try to do it alone
• Get help with big problem areas -- find a therapist, coach or counselor
• Trust that your relationship can stand the test and actually grow
• Look at your partner as a team member, not as your opponent

Related Links:

• Subscribe to The New Man by Email
• Trusted ID Coupon Code
• Subscribe Free in iTunes
• Red Pill Weekend
• Alyson Schwabe's Website
• Global Culture of Women

Tags: The New Man, Episode 74, Pt 2, How to Navigate a Woman's Emotional Minefield, Tripp Lanier, Alyson Schwabe, Christiane Pelmas, men, women, relationships, emotions, challenges

The New Man Episode 67: Sean Stephenson -- Get Off Your “But” and Live Large

Interesting episode.

The New Man Episode 67: Sean Stephenson -- Get Off Your “But” and Live Large

Sean Stephenson -- Get Off Your “But” and Live Large

In these “tough times” Sean Stephenson is here to show us how to cut the crap and move forward. Sean avoided a death sentence at birth, multitudes of surgeries and physical setbacks to live an amazing life as a therapist, author and speaker -- impacting people around the world.

In one particular story, Sean tells us how his mother asked him if he was going to use his situation as a gift or a burden. Heavy stuff for a fourth grade kid. Sean is here to remind us how to lose the excuses and victim-mentality that keep us playing small.

The only thing holding you back is yourself. Listen on if you want to grow.

In this episode:

• Interpreting the challenges in life
• Reality Show on A&E “Three Foot Giant”
• Your “victim story” is the biggest thing holding you back
• Fairness is an illusion
• Your responsibility to live is a vicTOR vs a vicTIM
• Your mentality creates your reality
• Living your dreams makes some people nervous
• Is this going to be a gift or a burden in your life?
• Nobody has it easy
• Maintain and upgrade your beliefs
• How your community keeps you where you are
• Surround yourself with solid people
• The “Sean-tourage”
• You are like your friends
• Character traits of those around you
• How do we choose our friends?
• If something is meant to be, you can take it slow
• Tolerating crappy relationships
• Book -- “Get Off Your But”
• Fears
• Insecurities
• Excuses
• Go for long term pleasure which is fulfilling
• Finding your purpose is sexy
• What do I need to do today to be living my purpose?
• Where are you most happy & fulfilled?
• We are more scared of success than failure
• Being challenged about how much you want it
• Rule with a velvet hammer
• How challenging yourself physically strengthens you mentally
• What was the worst day of your life?
• Learn from others’ experiences
• The boundary of your problem
• Face your fear
• When you do things that are courageous you gain confidence
• InnerGameMagazine.com

Related Links:

• Subscribe to The New Man by Email
• Trusted ID Coupon Code
• Inner Game Magazine

Tags: The New Man, Episode 67, Sean Stephenson, Get Off Your “But” and Live Large, Tripp Lanier, Sean Stephenson, masculinity, challenges, life, beliefs