i also like the advice about doign whats fun – i often would just go play basketball but feel like i wasnt accomplishing much other than breaking a small sweat shooting around, but i realize now its important if for nothing else than to establish routine of going to the gym.

As a small note, I’ve been a part of the GutCheck program for 6 mos now. I just made level 6 and am in better shape than I’ve been in for years.

I think I’m beginning to see phases beyond just exercise and diet. I’m starting to see flexibility and aging gracefully in this program. I’m looking a life in a longer fashion and thinking that if I make this a part of my identity, I may not live longer, but I’ll have a more fulfilling life. I don’t intend to die weak. Will I be the kind of grandfather who posts videos (or 3d holograms by that time) of myself, ripped, doing kettlebell training? I now think I will be.

Additionally, I think about my posture at work, my form while driving,… am I layering small problems into my structure or am I fighting the affects of aging actively. Am I stretching properly or am I turning into one of those inflexible old guys.

I look further out, and I want to be a better servant, father, husband, employee,… Some of these things are hard to do well. Some need practice or the actions that we do not enjoy. I now realize training and getting the mental discipline to adapt to things I don’t like and to work them to a point that I do is making me better. When I get the “gift” of feedback at work, it’s actually easier to see the sincere and real value in it compared to the past. The pain or discomfort of being criticized fold into the same place as the pain that occurs when one works out. It’s pain that is a part of building oneself. It’s “good pain.”

So, I look forward to the refinement of this model and adding in of other phases.

Thanks Yusuf!

Thanks, I appreciate the validation!

About the development of physical consciousness, there is absolutely an increase of awareness. As one’s physical development increases, connectivity, sensitivity and feedback with the world also increases.

In regards to your model of a person’s evolution in physical training, I meant to point out that there is also a very significant impact that family and society make on his physicality and approach to training.

For example, in the first stage, “Self-Pity”, the Outlooks and Traits mention how the self pity links to work and family. There is a very deep seated relationship between a man’s family and the surrounding community that directly influences that feeling of self pity and how it expresses itself in his physicality, eg. lack of energy, poor posture, stunted sexuality, etc.

Also, how would the whiney six year old feel with the social pressures of a dad? Would he give up? Or maybe even physically rebel and tantrum as in the “I ate the whole freaking box of donuts” scenario, as was mentioned in an earlier comment?

Anyway, just some thoughts.

You’re on to something really powerful here and I’m very interested in seeing your refined model.

Jonathan Mead mentioned your site to me with high regard and I have to say this is an awesome post!

Identification and honest understanding of one’s inner game is an insanely powerful step to moving toward the next level of being. I especially like how your analysis delves far deeper than the conventional “Why do you want six pack abs?” model and really aims at the root of the issue.

There are some really great comments here and I’d like to add a few points for thought.

Firstly, your model holds many parallels with Bruce Lee’s “three stages of cultivation” (which is actually a concept he borrowed/modified from various sources):

Partiality – the running to extreme
Fluidity -the two halves of one whole
Emptiness – the formless form

I’ve always found this extraordinarily helpful when helping students evolve or even when contemplating my own personal evolution.

Secondly, I noticed that your model suggests a relationship between the individual’s process and the people within his life without addressing it especially directly. This relationship plays a significant role within the psychology of the individual. As social animals, the individual’s physical/mental/spiritual development is directly tied to the people around him/her, an important factor within the realm of personal development.

Your philosophy obviously takes this into account considering the “Better world through strong dads” motto and I’d like to see more of that within the model you’ve described here. I’m not a dad yet, but I can imagine how the social (and very physical) elements embedded within the idea of the father figure play a critical role within a dad’s personal evolution and physical development.

Thanks again for sharing.

Regarding the donut, it combines all of the most potent flavor enhancers in one, sugar, salt, and fat, and does so in very pleasing way in terms of a fluffy light texture. So I would say it is normal to want them when offered. Those flavor enhancers affect the same part of the brain that drugs do. The chemical reaction is the same from what I understand. But at least you have the freedom. You are making that choice whereas many people could never pass up a free donut. That’s why if you have particular health goals you’re shooting for, it becomes important to set up your conditions for success, not being around those foods and letting those who might offer them to you know how serious you are about not being offered them.

They’ll test you at first but that is where you take a stand and let them know you mean business. They won’t do it again if you handle it right. But if you’re not in that situation too often and your health goals are moving along, whose to say you shouldnt enjoy a donut every so often? It comes downs to your goals and standards.

I know this is about people who are already training, (“Is your training growth stunted . . . “) but it would be more complete with a stage 0. I was talking to a friend recently who’s pre-stage 1, with the usual litany of desi health issues (overweight, high blood pressure, cholesterol) and he seemed embarrassed at the thought of taking care of himself, limiting his food and exercising.

For what it’s worth, I’m probably stage 2. There are physical activities I love, mainly hiking and backpacking, and my primary motivation is the hope that I’ll still be doing this with my family when I’m in my 60s or 70s. Twenty or thirty years from now, I want to be the old guy on the mountain, dancing up the slopes while all the young dudes are huffing and puffing way below me (I’ve been overtaken by 60 year olds back when I was in my thirties so it only seems fair that I should get to do the same thing

As JohnnyB said, I like having worked out wayyyy more than I enjoy working out. But I enjoy working out more than I enjoy getting off the couch. That first step’s the killer.

If I can go on a tangent for a moment: I also like having not eaten dessert but I don’t enjoy turning down a slice of cake. These days, I don’t even enjoy most of the foods I used to love, donuts and cake included. (I still love chocolate ☺) But I still want to eat a donut whenever there’s one nearby. Why is that? Is that from remembering that I used to enjoy them?

Also, I’m dreading the extreme early hour. 7am? Argh. Deep down inside, I kinda know that this is going to fundamentally change my life schedule.