I’m a 52 year old husband, father of 3 and multiple business owner and I am super fit. I don’t say that to brag but anyone who trains with me or near me can validate that (leave a comment about that below if you don’t mind). Fitness has been my life calling:
…from watching the Olympics at 9 years old “deciding” I was going to be a runner. I ran to the next town over and then ran back. I didn’t know that the town (Gerald, Mo) was 4 miles away from home (Rosebud, Mo)
…to swimming at St. Louis University (NCAA Division 1)
…to doing my first Mountain Bike Race called Leadville 100 MTB in Colorado last year (103 miles with 11,000 feet of climbing)
…to doing a 200 Mile Gravel Bike Race called Dirty Kanza 200 (200 miles with 13,000 feet of climbing)
Here is my most recent “run” – I don’t train every day but I’ve noticed that as I get older – days off cost me mobility. So I usually take days off when I travel.
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Day 1 – August 26 – Aikido – 1 hour 39 minutes – 68 TSS
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Day 2 – August 27 – Aikido – 1 hour 20 minutes – 51 TSS
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Day 3 – August 28 – Aikido – 1 hour 13 minutes – 57 TSS
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Day 4 – August 29 – Group Road Ride – 1 hour 19 minutes – 115 TSS
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Day 5 – August 30 – Solo Road Ride – 1 hour 10 minutes – 60 TSS
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Day 6 – August 31 – Aikido – 1 hour 31 minutes – 113 TSS
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Day 7 – September 1 – Solo Road Ride – 1 hour 30 minutes – 76 TSS
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Day 8 – September 2 – Aikido – 1 hour 59 minutes – 75 TSS
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Day 9 – September 3 – Aikido – 1 hour 23 minutes – 54 TSS
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Day 10 – September 4 – Aikido – 1 hour 52 minutes – 72 TSS
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Day 11 – September 5 – Group Road Ride – 1 hour 21 minutes – 110 TSS
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Day 12 – September 6 – Solo Road Ride – 1 hour 13 minutes – 63 TSS
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Day 13 – September 7 – Aikido – 1 hour 24 minutes – 51 TSS
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Day 14 – September 8 – Aikido – 1 hour 11 minutes – 36 TSS
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Day 15 – September 9 – Aikido – 1 hour 52 minutes – 74 TSS
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Day 16 – September 10 – Aikido – 1 hour 38 minutes – 57 TSS
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Day 17 – September 11 – Aikido – 1 hour 56 minutes – 91 TSS
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Day 18 – September 12 – Group Road Ride – 1 hour 26 minutes – 106 TSS
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Day 19 – September 13 – Orange Theory Fitness – 55 minutes – 62 TSS
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Day 20 – September 14 – Aikido – 1 hour 5 minutes – 34 TSS
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Day 21 – September 15 – Solo Road Ride –
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Day 21 – September 16 – Aikido –
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Day 22 – September 17 – Aikido –
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Day 23 – September 18 – Aikido –
TSS stands for Training Stress Score, I use it across all modalities of training. You can learn more about it here.
What does it take to get and stay fit? Here are my 3 observations.
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Want it. Whatever IT is – just want it. My strategy is to go to my grave with a Black Belt in Aikido and a 1,000 Mile Belt Buckle (for finishing Leadville 10 times). The only way I can do that is to have a strong body that doesn’t have excessive muscle; which is why I go to Orange Theory Fitness.
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Plan it. You have to put the time in to align yourself with authorities in the realm. For Aikido I teamed up with Aikido of Charlotte. For cycling I teamed up with my old friend David Sanborn of David’s World Cycle. If you really want it – save yourself the time and team up with the best. AND THEN LISTEN TO THEIR WISDOM!
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Slight Edge the plan. Consistently execute the game plan on a daily basis. Take time off for sickness and recovery but otherwise lock it down and get it done.
While there is no guarantee that this formula will work for you; if you don’t have a plan try it for 30 days and see how it goes.
Tell me about your physical quests in the comments below, I want to hear about them and cheer you on!
Also, You can follow my joy ride at any of these hashtags:
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#zdoesaikido
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#zdoesotf
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#zdoesleadville
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#weaponizedmotion
Yeah, I can attest to that. Z is the fittest guy I know. Measured by trips around the sun, he is 10 years my senior. Measured by strength, endurance, any overall fitness… he is easily 10 younger. That’s a 20 year delta. I’ve trained with Z on the aikido mat every week for the past six years. During that time we’ve thrown each other to the ground literally thousands of times. Thousands. And he is always the first to pop up ready to get thrown again. His attitude, like every great athlete, has always been very “Thank you very much! May I have another?!” He brings that resolve to the Dojo and he applies it in his approach towards fitness in general. If I had to summarize Zahid’s approach to fitness in a single word, that word would be, without hesitation, Relentless. He is unabashedly Relentless. Always working. Day after day. Week after week. Month after Month. And year after year. He is as Relentless as the sea. If you throw him a thousand times, he’ll get back up and ask for another. That’s what makes him a great athlete. When he talks about fitness, and dedication, and what it takes to succeed – do yourself a favor and take notes.
Z’s winning formula about being fit is the exact same formula for accomplishing anything extraordinary in life. His goals are two examples of that. In fact, only 2% of all martial artists that start a martial art go on to achieve Shodan (First Degree Black Belt). While it’s not a hard formula to read or understand, the execution of it, well, let’s just say is for a select few. In almost 20 years studying Aikido, I have never met a student that tries harder than Z. Skill aside, fitness aside, Z wants IT more than anyone I know. When he shares his previous successes in all walks of life I have no doubt that he wanted IT more than the guy or gal next to him. That is his X factor. Now wanting IT, in his examples no doubt takes a very high level of fitness and an even higher level of endurance. Z is one of the most fittest endurance athletes I have ever met. In a class of 20-40 year olds, he can run circles around them on the mat when it comes to stamina. He doesn’t quit. EVER. It is quite impressive. In fact, his 20 minutes before class warming up at times is more than some people can do physically in 90 minutes of training. Anytime Z is talking about endurance, fitness, health and wellness, my ears perk up and my eyes open further. Not only does talk the talk but he walks the walk. I am looking forward to him seeing him continue to pursue his goals.
There is no better example of someone who executes on these three principles than Z. I have known him for over 25 years, and I have seen his focus change, but these three principles guide him in all pursuits. This last spring I watched from a distance as Z prepared for the DK 200, a 200 mile gravel bike race in Emporia, KS. The coolest part was that I got to see his training, planning, and desire pay off in person when he crossed the finish line. This race was tough!! Kudos to you Z!! Your hard work, determination, and focus are an inspiration to me!!
Zahid’s commitment to always being better today than yesterday is contagious! Thank you for always motivating and inspiring me to be a better version of myself daily!