Message to Humanity: Social Media has created cowards of you

Before the times of social media face to face communication was practically the only way of interacting with other people. If you wanted to say something to someone you had to confront them and bring it to their attention. Social media has definitely made us more social but at the cost of human contact. We are social beings and we thirst and crave for the attention of others. But we have traded physical communication with others for communication behind a phone or computer screen. Here are a couple of issues that has completely destroyed face to face contact with other people thanks in part to social media. If you're reading this it's because you know that something is very wrong with modern communication. Why? Because you feel it and you know it to be true.

Social Media makes us less confident
Texting, messenger, chatting have replaced phone calls. Calling people and actually listening to someone's voice is no longer sufficient. Whole entire conversations are communicated through texting. How about replacing texting with writing a book or blog for a change. The act of approaching someone either to ask them out on a date or even approaching someone to confront them about a pressing issue is no longer done face to face. We hide behind the screen of a phone and message through social media. It takes a lot of confidence to approach someone and bring up an issue. It can be very uncomfortable to express your feelings with someone whether it be romantic or maybe an issue that they have brought upon you. Regardless, the act of communicating face to face to bring up issues with people has been replaced with a simple text.

Ghosting
As if face to face communication isn't enough anymore for this modern age of lost humanity we can't muster up enough bravado to express to other people that we don't want to see them anymore so we simply vanish into thin air. An act called GHOSTING. With no explanation, usually very sudden they disappear. You can send them as many messages as possible trust me they won't respond. The only way to get a hold of them is to track them down and confront the issue in front of them.

The solution
In an article titled "The Top 5 Regrets of The Dying" (Click Here for article) highlights people's regrets on their last moments of their lives. One of those regrets was...

"I wish I had the courage to express my feelings."

People suppressed their feelings in order to achieve peace and avoid confrontation with others. This only creates an existence of holding back what is truly calling from within to come out. When we suppress within, we live a life of neglect and never really become what we were meant to be. Therefore, the only solution is to build courage and approach the person face to face (assuming distance isn't an issue). It will be uncomfortable. But in the end, you will feel better that you did. You will feel so good about yourself that you expressed your feelings. That's what it takes and it's the only solution. Keep in mind that courage doesn't mean the absence of fear...it means acting in the presence of fear.

Coach Cano

The relative value of strength in Olympic Weightlifting PT. 2

Let's talk about the relative value of strength in Weightlifting. How relative is it? It's probably the most valuable asset a Weightlifter can have for the following reasons described below.

Weightlifting is not judged...
If Weightlifting was a sport that was simply judged and based off technique then there would be no need for weight classes. Sports that are judged based off technique execution such as gymnastics and diving don't have weight classes. They have judges who judge the movements of the sport. These are sports that are completely subjective and when it comes to scoring and it's up the judges to declare who is the winner.

In Weightlifting, there are no judges. There are referees who's job is to make sure that the executed lifts are within the rules. In order to win, it is up to the Weightlifter. The winner is determined by the lifter that lifts the most weight. The judges don't determine the winners in this sport.

Records in Weightlifting
The reason there are records in Weightlifting is because these records are based off which lifter lifted the most weight in the snatch and clean and jerk for their respective weight class. The records aren't set on who has the best technique. The records are based off who lifted the most weight...PERIOD!

Weight Classes
If technique were truly so important in Weightlifting then why are there weight classes? Don't get me wrong, technique is important but it's not the determining factor in winning. No one wins gold medals because they have better technique. If this sport was purely about technique let's have no weight classes and see who lifts the most. It's so obvious that this approach would favor the heavier more muscular lifters. Why? Because higher weight classes have more cross sectional muscle fibers which produce more force. But because this isn't the approach to winning in Weightlifting there are weight classes and rightfully so.

In order to win in the sport of Weightlifting you have to be strong. You have to be the strongest in your weight class. Because no matter how good your technique is you are not going to be awarded a medal for based off your technique. But you will earn a medal for lifting the most kilos no matter how your technique is as long as the lifts are within the rules.

Coach Cano

My visit to Coffee's Gym PT. 1

Hi everyone.
I traveled from California to Coffee's gym in Marietta Georgia (30min north from Atlanta) this past weekend to meet some friends but more importantly to train there. Training in different gym environments gives you an opportunity to perform at a higher level because you are not familiar with the people, energy and environment. Coffee's gym gave me an EXPLOSIVE energy and I didn't disappoint!!!


Coffee's Gym
John Coffee is a legendary Weightlifting coach out of Georgia. In the early 1990's his gym was the dominant Women's Weightlifting gym for years. Many girls came to John Coffee and still do and turn out to be amazing lifters. One of Coffee's gym most successful Weightlifters is Robin Goad who became IWF World Champion in 1994. This is a very rare achievement in the USA. She is just one of numerous lifters who have come out of Coffee's gym with huge success.

When you enter the gym it's divided into 2 sections:  one section is for fitness/bodybuilding which is generally seen throughout all gyms and the second section is entirely dedicated to Olympic Weightlifting. When you enter you notice the walls full of placards of achievements that go from top to bottom. Then there are framed pictures of both national lifters and international lifters all over the walls.

In one corner lies John Coffee's coaching couch where he spends a lot of time coaching...and napping. Around Mr. Coffee are endless newspapers and magazines and kinda looks like a bomb went off. Some people are just special like that.

Coffee's gym has so many lifters from different age ranges from junior lifters, senior lifters and many masters lifters. But don't be fooled, all these lifters are taking their training serious!!!! You just don't walk into Coffee's gym haphazardly!! You are there for a purpose!!!! 

I stated my training with the one and only Mr. Juan Sepulveda aka THE KING!!! IF you don't know who THE KING is let me tell you something about him. At 63 years old, he can snatch 100kgs, clean and jerk 300lbs and created his own Crossfit workout called Crossfit 'WHO?' It's 8 reps of 100kg power cleans. I saw it in person and said, 'WOW!!!!" I couldn't believe it. He was going to another planet!!!!

I'll write more about it next time in PT. 2 of my Coffee's gym experience. I'll introduce you to some of the people I met there and other details not mentioned here. 

Till next time,

Coach Cano

MINDSET: Weightlifting and life

Weightlifting is just about mindset as it is about the physical. The main reason why you're in a funk or having a bad streak of lifting is your mindset. You need to change your mindset. You need to think higher of yourself. You need to think more favorable outcomes for your life. You need to imagine yourself as a winner. No one can do it for you except YOU!!!!

Why do you think sports teams change managers when the team isn't doing so well? Same at work. People get fired because of poor job performance and the next person who fills the void brings a whole new energy to the group. Those that bring a new energy and new mindset to the group are the ones that are going to make it at the top.

Far too many times you get to the gym and someone is complaining about the smalls things. This really pisses me off!!!!!!!!! I feel like throwing a washing machine to their face because no one cares about complaining. WINNERS NEVER COMPLAIN!!!!

I have a daily routine that when I wake up and before I go to sleep I either read or listing to an audio program about self help, personal development, subconscious programming. Something that will develop my mind and take me to the next level. Change your mind, change your life. Develop that strong, powerful mindset. Nothing is too small or too big that can't be overcome.

Strong body, strong mind.

Coach Josue Cano

Vegetarian STRONG foods!!!

There are several vegetarian strong foods that will help you become stronger in your quest for strength. We're going to highlight 3 vegetarian foods. They are loaded with super nutrients to help you recover quickly and to help you have energy for training.

1. Blueberries
Full of antioxidants and loaded with phytonutrients its been recommended that blueberries help cognitive function by helping motor skills. In addition, it may help with short term memory loss. Strength training requires tremendous mental qualities to overcome a weight and having improved cognitive abilities can only help.

2. Beans
Beans are full of protein and fiber. Both of these nutrients are essential to sustain life and help with satiety. Plus, they are very inexpensive. A pound of beans costs less than $2 whereas a pound of any meat is going to run up much more than $2 a pound for just about the same benefits.

3. Dark chocolate
Loaded with antioxidants it also improves mood. Just about everyone feels better after eating chocolate. Choose dark chocolates that have a higher than 70% cocoa. Lastly, it's incredible for your heart!

There you go. Add these 3 strong foods to aid you in your quest for strength.

Follow the Sheep and you survive. Stand alone...you DIE!

For years its been said to not follow the sheep in order to reach success. I'm here to challenge that saying and tell you that if you do follow the sheep you will survive and thrive.

Sheep and animal behavior
All animals and humans stick together. The larger the society the greater the strength. There is plenty of strength in numbers. 10 humans versus 1 person. You don't need to be a scientist to know who stands a greater chance at survival. It's no different from humans. It's very hard or impossible to reach the highest level of success alone. There is no self-made man. You leverage your power with the help of other people. That's why teams, organizations, corporations, and societies exist!!!!! IT SHOULD BE SELF EVIDENT!!!!

Networking
The network marketing business depends on the pack in order to keep the flow of business going. One person and one person alone cannot be successful in this type of business because one person cannot do the work of 2 people and more. Most businesses involve networking. Networking is dependent on the collaboration of others in order to reach high levels of success.

With that said, societies from the animal kingdom to humans stick together in herds to form strong networks to survive. Yet far too many success gurus who spin and spew the false rhetoric that you must separate yourself from the pack to be successful. It's just irresponsible that this myth still continues to be shared and believed by people. There is a reason why sheep stick together because they will survive if they do.

As in the famous words of the Terminator, "Come with me if you want to live."