Staying True to Yourself

January 10, 2022 | By

I love parables and old stories. They are the perfect way to convey complex and philosophical ideas in a way that speaks to all of us. So let me tell you a quick story:

There was a  man who saw a snake being burned to death and decided to take it out of the fire. But when he did, the snake bit him causing excruciating pain. The man dropped the snake, and the reptile fell right back into the fire.
So the man looked around and found a metal pole and used it to take the snake out of the fire, saving its life.
Someone who was watching approached the man and said: “That snake bit you. Why are you still trying to save its life?”
The man simply replied: “The nature of the snake is to bite, but that’s not going to change my nature, which is to help.”

You see, we are constantly under the influence of our environment and the people around us. This environment plays a huge role in who we are and at times it tests us in extreme ways. The challenge lies in our ability to know oneself and act in a way that is true to our nature, resisting the negative influences that surround us.

Oftentimes we are unaware of what is taking place in someone else’s life or what stressors cause people to act a certain way. It is not our job to judge someone for their actions but rather seek understanding and have a level of self-awareness that allows us to interact instead of react. More times than not cooler heads prevail and in many cases problems or disagreements can be solved with connection and honesty.

So don’t let the snake ruin your day or make you vengeful. Accept the fact that it is simply reacting to its environment and trying to survive. An open hand is always better than a closed fist, so extend it out and see how you can be of service.

Be true to yourself, ALWAYS.

1/10/22 WOD

DEUCE ATHLETICS GPP

Test 1RM Bench Press

Complete 2 rounds for quality of:

8 Barbell Bench Press (4,0,1,0)
6-12 Chin Up

Then, complete the following for reps:

AMRAP 8
1 7th Street Run
20 Walking DL DB Lunges
12 Hanging Leg Raises

DEUCE GARAGE GPP

5-5-MAX 
Back Squat

Complete 3 rounds for quality of:

8 Partner Assisted GHRs
24 Alt DB Goblet Rev Lunges

Then, AMRAP 10

30 Squats
10 Hand Release Push Ups
5 Power Cleans (155/105)

Colton was born and raised in Newbury Park, Ca, where his love for sports and movement started at a young age. It was apparent from a young age that baseball would be the vehicle that would lead him to playing collegiately for the University of San Diego and later professionally when he was drafted by the Minnesota Twins. After numerous injuries and surgeries, he had to medically retire from baseball but luckily he found a community and home at DEUCE Gym as a student. Not long after he received a challenge from Logan and encouragement from other coaches to join coach’s prep and begin his new journey in fitness. Now hungry as ever, Colton continues to grow as a young coach. Utilizing his experience as a high level athlete and his understanding of primal and functional movements, he strives to make training in the gym as transferable to an individual’s life as possible. Leading from a place of love and connection, Colton understands that training isn’t always about the fitness but it is always about the person.