The perfect morning routine...kinda 🧐

Happy Thursday Three!

Here are this week's coaching tip, exercise tutorial and question to ponder for the week.

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I. A questionable virtuous morning routine.

This morning I woke up today to the sweet sounds of birds chirping, feeling refreshed from my 9+ hours of uninterrupted sleep. I sprang out of bed and immediately enjoyed a large glass of filtered water with a sprinkle of Himalayan sea salt and a squeeze of lime. With my water in hand, I went outside for a nice walk to soak up some morning sun. It was pure bliss!

Next, I did some mobility and fasted cardio, followed by some deep, mindful breaths in a plunge pool. Then, I made a delicious, nutritious meal, which I savoured slowly and mindfully. After a quick shower, I spent some quality time with my kids and I was ready to start my day with a positive attitude. Namasday!

Cool story bro; what really happened…

Okay, okay, let's be real here. The truth is, my alarm blared for a good minute or so before I could pry my eyes open and get my backside from the sofa (the kids hustled me out of bed). I only got about 6 hours of sleep - not great, but not the worst either.

I shuffled to the kitchen to grab my gym bag and scurried off to the car while drinking whatever water was left in my bottle from yesterday. Once I got to my early morning Jujitsu class, I quickly stretched my tight legs before getting twisted like a pretzel for the next 45 minutes!

When I got home, I did jump into a cold plunge, but my thoughts were less mindful and more about contemplating life choices. After a quick shower, I threw a bunch of ingredients into a blender to make a quick protein smoothie. I quickly kissed each kid goodbye and, at the risk of missing my train, helped my youngest into his new sandals before he launched them across the room. And off I went to the station - now at a brisk walk drinking my smoothie as I went.

The real story is far less glamorous than what I originally wrote, but it was still a really good morning; it just wasn't perfect.

It's easy to get caught up in this virtuous version of health that closely resembles a romantic comedy where everything comes together, but the truth is, it's often a bit of a hot mess of compromises and choices.

I could have either gotten an extra hour of sleep or gone to Jujitsu - today, I chose to train, but yesterday, I chose to sleep.

I could have spent more time making a proper breakfast but I wanted to train. I could have spent more time with my kids but I figured I've got a weekend with them coming up.

It's not going to be perfect or Instagram-worthy, you'll have to make compromises and even say no to things. That's the deal.

II. Naked Swings

Don't worry it's not a "clothing optional" kinda deal.

Naked swings are essential unloaded (no kettlebell) slow-motion swings. It's a surprisingly insightful drill that improves your swing timing; namely knowing when to break at the hips to produce more power and make the swing safer for your lower back.

Try a few naked swings before your next kettlebell session and see what you find.

Check out the demo video here.

III. Quote to ponder

Don't worry about motivation. Motivation is fickle. It comes and goes. It is unreliable - and when you are counting on motivation to get your goals accomplished, you will likely fall short. - Jocko Willink

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P.S. If you enjoyed this week's Thursday Three, share it with a friend.

Thanks,

Jamie