1. Don't put bourbon in your oatmeal, even if the recipe calls for it. Worst breakfast ever.
2. Once you've built up a decent base of muscle and can see your abs, adding some biceps curls is a must for big arms.
3. I should have started doing direct shoulder work a long time ago.
4. I have attended, on average, two or three seminars per year except this year. And that's just unacceptable. Watch for me at various Perform Better and other seminars in 2010.
5. Lupe Fiasco is my favorite hip-hop artist.
6. Not having cable TV has been great for productivity. However, I've missed a ton of basketball and football games I would've normally watched. Maybe it's an excuse to head to a bar for a beer to watch the game...
7. I don't care what you say – Hooters is a terrible, terrible restaurant. (Mainly because of their shitty food.)
8. I really like to cook. Spanish-style steak with red bell pepper, chili pepper, lime, and sour cream is my specialty followed closely by perfect fried eggs.
9. The best way to become a better writer is to write. This year I wrote and edited over 40 articles for TMUSCLE, 72 blog posts, and assorted pieces for Men's Fitness and other newsstand magazines. That's a lot of writing. And I still have a long way to go to.
10. Even though I don't have cable, I've become addicted to the Netflix "Watch Instantly" program. My favorites: The Office, 30 Rock, PBS documentaries, and Southpark.
11. Sometimes going into the gym without a plan is exactly what you need.
12. After having over 100 different beers this year, I've made a few discoveries:
- I like stouts and porters the best
- I'm not a big fan of Belgian beers
- My favorite breweries are: Sierra Nevada, Rogue, Dogfish Head, Flying Dog, Big Sky, and Deschutes.
13. I answer, on average, 250 emails per month from readers. I hope at least some of it was good advice and made a difference.
14. With rare exception, I wear the same two pair of jeans, ten shirts, three hats, and two jackets all the time. And that suits me just fine.
15. De-cluttering your home is on par with de-cluttering your mind—there's less bullshit, more productivity and room to breathe. Throw away the shit you don’t need or hardly use.
16. Moving in with your girlfriend is a big, challenging, incredibly rewarding and fun step. Learn to spend a little time apart and cherish everyday things like cooking, watching movies, training, and reading across the room from one another.
17. The Wii Fit is great for little fat kids and, apparently, 185-pound fitness/lifestyle journalists.
18. Since January 1, 2009 my blog has received over 76,000 unique visitors. I'm still amazed and grateful that people want to hear what I have to say. Thanks, guys.
++++
So what have you learned this year? (It can be about anything.) Let me know in the comments!
Posted Dec 20, 2009 by Nate Green.
This entry is filed under what I learned.
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Comments for This Entry
Ive learned most ppl at the gym have NO IDEA what they are talking about. Most of them have "seen this guy", "read an article", or "heard on tv"...
The best thing to do is go out and see what works for you. Get off your butt and don't be afraid to do something, even if you make a mistake you'll learn something.
Many apologize if any of the articles you've edited this year have been harder than usual. :)
Yes Nate... with ya on the oatmeal and the Deschutes brew. Love Mirror Pond Pale Ale as it's not a typical pale...
Usually a wine guy but beer can be great when you get into the good stuff and develop your pallet a little.
Good for you on writing... yes, I agree.
And as for abs.. and biceps... Yup!
In Strength,
Shawn Phillips
Nice list, Nate. I really have enjoyed your articles at interviews at t-muscle- in particular the piece you did with Joe DeFranco. Big fan of his coaching and training style, so it was fun to see you take part in that...
What have I learned? I think the big one for me is: Taking action and applying knowledge- you can know it all, have the best training program, be a self proclaimed expert, etc etc but if you don't put what you know into actual ACTION- it doesn't mean sh*t!
I say this because I finally took what I feel is a big step of ACTION doing things I have been dreaming of for years and even though it may take some hard work and effort, the end result is what you put in to it! Lots more work to do to get to where I want to be, but I'm getting there.
Keep up the great work here and at T-muscle. Also was pretty intrigued with your articles you did with Dave Tate and Christian Thibaudeau!
-John Cortese
Great article Nate!
I've learned a ton this year. A few that stand out:
1. Keep traveling to seminars, clinics, other facilities, etc. This year I have met a ton of great trainers and coaches. Some by attending seminars...others by "sending that email".
2. Pay it forward. I feel so lucky to have guys such as you, Mike Robertson, Adam Feit, Bill Hartman, Tony Gentilcore, Joe Kenn and the list goes on teach me A TON of stuff just this year. And all of it just because they like to help people out. I do my best to "Pay It Forward" and help everyone I can that emails me, comments on my blog, or just ask questions on the street.
3. Try something new. This year I went white water rafting for the first time. Freaking insane! It will now be a yearly trip. I traveled to Jamaica. Great place with great people! Another yearly trip. I also competed in my 1st, 2nd and 3rd Strongman Competitions this year. I've competed in bodybuilding, powerlifting and now strongman. Strongman is DEFINITELY my new favorite! This past weekend I qualified for 2010 Nationals.
4. Make time for friends and familiy. With as busy as I stay between training clients, trying to write, traveling to seminars, training myself, it is easy to get caught up in being "too busy". This year I have made a lot more time to visit my grandparents, have groups of friends over, spend time with my little sister. You have to make time for these things.
5. If someone ask you to present on a topic don't get too nervous about the whole thing. Remember when your in a position to speak you are the expert. Tell them what you know in the most effective and entertaining way possible. Ask for feedback and improve for next time.
Keep up the great articles and blog Nate!
I totally agree with you about hooters. Those girls all seem to hate life!
Hey have you ever tried Red Tail Ale? It's a must!
I learned that I could transform myself from a 45-year-old, near-300lb, knee-surgery recuperating, laid off HR guy into a 220lb, self-employed, marathon runner (Completed the 13.1 Fort Lauderdale in November; doing the full Disney marathon in three weeks.) Couldn't do much about the 45, lol, but feel as good as I did in my twenties again. Been reading your column the whole way, and look forward to applying a lot of your advice in 2010 when I take off these last 40lbs.
Buffalo Wild wings>Hooters
also
Tilted Kilt (if you have one around you) > Hooters
Not only is the food terrible, the outfits def. need some revamping, they might as well be wearing "mom pants"
Nice article Nate, Many thanks for replying my emails and your advice on seeing a specialist about my shoulder, ended up being a torn infraspinatus but am back in shape now.....and once again about consuming more fibre, noticed a big change. Looking forward to your articles in 2010.
Netflix > Cable. You can watch just about anything on cable the next day on the internet anyway. If you ever want to be able to watch the games just check out www.justin.tv they show live events.
As far as reading I would check out some books by A.J. Jacobs he writes for Esquire I think you would like him, Malcolm Gladwell pretty well known, Larry Winget (Personal Finance) and Thomas Stanley (Personal Finance).
Keep helping people out Nate. Your making a difference. I know you have helped me in many ways.
Things I've Learned:
-Just get shit done; speed of implementation is the most important skill of any entrepreneur
-Always smile
-Always be working on yourself
-Talk to any girl you are interested in talking to, approach with the mindset that your giving her your time and you want to see if she qualifys
-Don't try to pick up chicks, try to have a good time and be the funnest dude in your group
-Train @ 100%
-Set goals and then set deadlines
-Always ask the question when trying to network "what can I do for them with what I know"
-Give 10% of your income to charity and tip well if the effort was made
1. There is always going to be someone who knows more. [Unless you're Brett Contreras, and you're talking about ass. ;-)]
2. There is always going to be someone who knows less, and you will never be able to get them to shut up.
3. Life is too short for bullshit.
4. Some people will never like you. Trying to make them happy is a recipe for disaster (see also: bourbon oatmeal).
5. It took 36.5 years, but I've finally figured out a way to make eggs that doesn't make me yark.
6. People who don't "get it" look at drive, dedication, and discipline towards self-improvement in much the same way that they view negative addiction-type behaviors.
7. Satisfaction is good, but it's not enough.
8. It's only money.
9. Just because you can do it yourself doesn't mean you shouldn't do it with friends.
Seek & enjoy a Jolly Roger Christmas Ale. Wouldn't be the holidays without one!
1. mobility is important
2. multitasking can be bad
3. not counting reps is a good way to learn intensity
4. swallow pride and work on weakness
5. don't spend too much time on any one decision, and if you have to guess choose the harder way.
6. merry christmas
"5. Lupe Fiasco is my favorite hip-hop artist."
Officially gained my respect... for what it's worth :)
Check out Atmosphere, FELT, P.O.S, Brother Ali, and anyone else close to the Rhymesayers label, they are insane.
Things I've learned this year include
-be yourself
-lifting the iron makes nearly everything better :P
-improved big-time on my cooking
-learned what an overdraft is though never used it
- and due to old age have learned to listen a lot more and take in to consideration other peoples and add my two cents cause it does actually matter to people
1-I have learned that the best way to cook a steak is indoors with a cast iron skillet and finish in the oven.
2- Stripping all the unessecary movements make workouts more enjoyable.
3- Maintaining a blog/website with fresh content daily is hard work.
4-Recording 2.5 hours of podcast material is just as challenging.
5- I really don't like the shilling of subpar products from GNC reps. Just let me shop.\
6-Sometimes reading some good books trumps reading RSS feeds
7-Trying to sell your home during a shitty economy is impossible
8- Muscle Chow is a cool book and I'm glad I read it
9-Being short and big has great weight lifting advantages but make shopping for clothes extra difficult.
10-Supplements work better when kept to a minimum
That about covers it.
Things that I have learned:
1. A year is a lot more productive if I set out goals and work towards achieving them than otherwise.
2. It's fun to celebrate quarter-birthdays, half-birthdays, and three-quarter birthdays as they're also great days to do a review on how I've been doing with my goals and to ask myself if I'm living a life that I am happy to have.
3. It's an awesome thing to experience to see improvements in myself. I especially noticed this with my decision to exercise on a more regular basis whether I was following the BFS program or running.
4. It's just as exhilarating to get responses from any of the ten people who I wrote to for thanking them for being one of the ten people who have brought great positive influences upon my life.
5. Sometimes it's easier to make changes in life by doing the changes by myself instead of waiting for others to make the changes.
6. Cooking meals isn't all that hard especially when the recipes are not complicated. Going sandwich-less is great! :) And, finding recipes that are PN-friendly are bonuses!
7. It's worth my time entering locally based contests that require efforts on my behalf. I've won a $50 gift certificate at a HMV and, just recently, over $600 worth of gift certificates at various local businesses.
8. Going on a 5-hour tv diet actually makes tv viewing more enjoyable. I now only watch a few shows that I truly enjoy!
9. Travelling will leave you with life-long memories. I cannot shake off my memories of visiting Hong Kong, Macau, and Shenzhen, China. Every once in a while I am reminded of my visit in this part of the world that I never expected to visit.
10. It's friggin' awesome to live in a walkable neighbourhood. Having bought a house in one of these neighbourhoods and being able to enjoy walking to the library, to the local Blockbuster (video rental store), to the waterfront trail, to the grocery stores, and more are all luxuries that I really enjoy.
11. I do miss riding on the buses because it would give me time to do more reading. I realized this when I decided to leave my car in the garage on a very snowy morning and catch a bus to go to work as a way of not having to shovel the driveway more than once during that day.
12. It's harder to have a schedule when you're on holidays. Yet, especially when working with other people and their schedules, it pays to be flexible with your time when you're on a particular schedule in order to achieve all the things that you may want to achieve within the day or the week.
13. Having a blog reader is superior to having a newspaper delivered on a daily basis.
14. Having assorted lists of things that I want to do or need to do are great because whenever I find myself having some free time that I didn't expect to have, I can just refer to the appropriate list and make good use of that free time instead of searching for ways to kill the time, like going to bored.com.
15. Raking 80+ bags of leaves isn't fun, but it comes with home ownership.
Awesome entry. I burst out laughing at number 1. Why can I visualize you doing this too clearly? LOL I m experimenting with vodka and creatine...
My big one... "The grass is not greener on the other side, it's greener where you water it." In terms of relationships.
Can't wait to read next years list.
Nice post.
Are you going to Perform Better in Long Beach? It's August 8-10th I believe.
Here's my list:
1. If something seems impossible, you're either thinking too hard or think you're working harder than you are.
Ex: My Math and Physics classes were really tough this quarter, but when I think back I realized I spent more time in the gym than I did doing practice problems. No wonder I sucked!
2. Think about what the worst thing that can happen is. It usually isn't that bad, and the worst thing usually doesn't happen. So if you want something just go out and try for it.
3. Buying a watch and nice clothes are an awesome investment. At a college where people like to go to class in flip flops and beat-up shirts, it helps you stand out and look serious.
4. I need to go out more often. I didn't go to enough parties / meet enough people last quarter. See #2.
**5. If you ask for help, you'll usually get it. If you strike up a conversation, you never know what you might get in find out, and what connections you will make.
5a. If you grade sucks, just ask for a higher one. If they like you and you aren't a dick, you should get extra points.
6. If your friends disappoint you or let you down, find new friends. One great friend is worth 10 sub-par ones.
I disagree. Hooters is an excellent restaurant because, uh, the wings and, uh, the customer service.
What direct shoulder work do you do?
When dancing on the main table at a Christmas party
1 Do not choose the Bee Gee's Staying Alive
2 Check that there is at least one other person dancing anyehere in the building
3 Listen closely to your boss as there is a subtle distinction between " Go Mike!" and "Go home Mike"
What I like best about your stuff here is that you keep it all real -- you deliver great content without taking it all too seriously. You never get all preachy or arrogant. That is special.
Not sure I can come up with 18 (hey, it's early here in New York City and I was out wayyy late last night), but:
1. Need to vary my work-out program about every month. When it seems good and familiar, need to shake it up a bit.
2. Personal trainers who work for themselves are way better than those working for big commercial gyms.
3. I eat too many carbs. But at 5'11", 160 lbs., not sure how big a problem it is. So at least I try to keep the carbs high quality.
4. Abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym/
5. You cannot spot reduce.
6. Even though I am 55, it is great for my self-esteem that when I "take my shirt off" I can still turn heads.
7. You can be gay without being creepy.
8. It is better to go to the gym and do something, then stay home and watch a movie.
9. Travel, especially international, is good for the mind and spirit.
10. Fitness sites and blogs with good looking people are better than ones without.
Let's leave it at that. Thanks all!
Thanks for all the comments, guys! There are some very good tips in here!
@Robert - As a native of Buffalo, I have to disagree vehemently with your assessment of Hooters' wings. :-D
Breading is for people who can't cook 'em properly.
Also, speaking from personal experience, breading may also keep them from cooking properly, which can give one a scathing case of salmonella/food poisoning, which is not a recommended way to spend a weekend visiting a buddy. (Yeah, this was eight years ago, but I'm still ticked off about it.)
Just discovered your blog. Enjoyed the post. Great advice about improving writing by writing! Would love a post on your process for getting it done some time for those of us who are aspiring writers. You've got a great mix of humor, practical, and motivational advice. Nicely done. Will definitely check in from time to time. Thanks for what you do.
Nice call on the Big Sky beers, Moose Drool is number one in my book....
Hey Nate, just grabbed your book for Christmas, looking forward to reading it!
Awesome list. If I could add one thing: looking for the right girl never works, it's when you're not looking that someone great comes around.
Hey Nate that's a cool list and here is what I learnt this year:
(in no particular order)
1) Be yourself at all costs, I am usually myself but tonned it down at times which wasn't a good idea.
2) Listen to your gut and learn to trust it, I now listen to my gut as often as possible and it is working like a charm.
3) Cultivate a really good network of people you respect and who will accept you for who you are.
4) Listen to good music it really is good for the soul.
5) you always have time for what you want and if you feel you don't take a look at all the shit you don't need to do (this was directly influenced by you so I am grateful.. thank you).
6) Don't be affraid, life is fun and full of adventure. IF your not having fun (overall) then change what your doing.
7) picking up chicks is all about fun.
8) Don't stick to one method of thinking unless it works really well and admit when your wrong. Humility is an important aspect of being human.
9) I don't know how to respond to certain events or when people are telling me somethings that are a bit personal.. Don't hide this fact just tell them instead of trying to respond correctly.
10) Time does heal all wounds.
11) Hurricane by 30 seconds to mars is the best song ever.
12) Take risks especially if it feels right, the worst that can happen is you make a mistake but if you do make a mistake have the wisdom to learn from it.
13) for me love isn't a life long thing, for the lucky people it is but I think more people saty in situations longer then they should. Love could last for a minute, and hours a night or months to years.. Just enjoy it while it exists.
14) It is possible to pick up where you left of with the right person.
15) Nutrition is important.
16) read as much as possible.
17) The worst question is the one you don't ask.
18) Fear is all in your mind. so change the way you look at a situation.
19) Learn how to talk to people well, you never know what will happen from talking to someone you don't know. you will usually learn something.
20) Make sure you keep educating yourself.
21) Always believe in yourself and strive to move forward.
Hey Nate that's a cool list and here is what I learnt this year:
(in no particular order)
1) Be yourself at all costs, I am usually myself but tonned it down at times which wasn't a good idea.
2) Listen to your gut and learn to trust it, I now listen to my gut as often as possible and it is working like a charm.
3) Cultivate a really good network of people you respect and who will accept you for who you are.
4) Listen to good music it really is good for the soul.
5) you always have time for what you want and if you feel you don't take a look at all the shit you don't need to do (this was directly influenced by you so I am grateful.. thank you).
6) Don't be affraid, life is fun and full of adventure. IF your not having fun (overall) then change what your doing.
7) picking up chicks is all about fun.
8) Don't stick to one method of thinking unless it works really well and admit when your wrong. Humility is an important aspect of being human.
9) I don't know how to respond to certain events or when people are telling me somethings that are a bit personal.. Don't hide this fact just tell them instead of trying to respond correctly.
10) Time does heal all wounds.
11) Hurricane by 30 seconds to mars is the best song ever.
12) Take risks especially if it feels right, the worst that can happen is you make a mistake but if you do make a mistake have the wisdom to learn from it.
13) for me love isn't a life long thing, for the lucky people it is but I think more people saty in situations longer then they should. Love could last for a minute, and hours a night or months to years.. Just enjoy it while it exists.
14) It is possible to pick up where you left of with the right person.
15) Nutrition is important.
16) read as much as possible.
17) The worst question is the one you don't ask.
18) Fear is all in your mind. so change the way you look at a situation.
19) Learn how to talk to people well, you never know what will happen from talking to someone you don't know. you will usually learn something.
20) Make sure you keep educating yourself.
21) Always believe in yourself and strive to move forward.
Never liked hooters food either. But whats worst is that the girls seem to have gotten frumpier
Great idea for a post Nate!
My List
1. Take Action: Although preparation is important, I've learned its impossible to plan and know everything ahead of time. Make moves, learn from your mistakes and keep striving to get better
2. Attend a seminar every 3-4 months: Nate you were an inspiration for me to make the investment in traveling to a seminar and in my experience it has paid off much more then the $1000 or so expense.
3. Focus on one or two things at once, dominate them then add the next project. My mind is constantly moving on things I want or should do/create but I have found that it's impossible to do everything at once. The payoff is much higher to focus on a few and be the best at them v.s spreading yourself too thin
4. Don't compare yourself to other people: Everyone is different and has a different playing field to work with
5. Be grateful of the good things in your life and acknowledge your accomplishments
6. Try to improve one small thing every day
7. Organize and plan: Taking the time to do these two things make life much easier
8. Training should never be a chore. Whether you have to change muscle groups, tempo or training volume, don't force yourself into a workout you absolutely don't feel like doing. Rather pick something you love ....do it with full intensity and focus
So, can we have the recipe for the perfect fried eggs?
1) Life after graduating college isn't nearly as stressful as I thought it would be.
2) Squats and deadlifts used to be my least favorite exercises and I never did them: after learning how to do them correctly, they have become my favorites.
3) Isolation exercises, with some exceptions, are a waste of time.
4) When in doubt about your wardrobe, consult a blunt female friend.
5) Even though I more or less cook the same thing everyday, it beats the hell out of the "take-out" meals I used to eat.
6) 7-8 hours of sleep is a must: having a "bed time ritual" helps me pass out like nothing else.
7) Don't overexert yourself on cardio days: I've been doing little--running a mile as fast I can (8 minutes), shooting a basketball for a little bit, jump rope for a couple of minutes, stretch, and done within 20-30 minutes. It's enough to burn some calories, but not enough to take away from muscle recovery.
8) Yoga rules: not only are you surrounded by an army of beautiful women, but I also leave extremely relaxed, not to mention that it has helped my posture.
9) I usually consider video games a waste of time, but I consider "Rock Band" and "Batman: Arkham Asylum" exceptions to that rule.
10) Facebook, however, is a huge waste of time: after realizing how much time I wasted on it, I have cut down Facebook use to 20 minutes once a week. And do I miss it? Not at all.
11) I used to believe long-distance relationships didn't work out, but I am in a serious relationship with a girl who is joining the air force in Febuary. Inconvenient? Yes. Worth it? It just might be. Do I have any idea what I want at this point? No... but I am totally Ok with that.
12) Creatine, whey powder, fish oil, and a good multivitamin are the only supplements you need. Natural foods are more important for keeping your body in check.
In my 30s and I've always lifted weights semi-regularly, but bought "Built for Show" (which rocks and I recommend it to everyone so thx!) and got more serious in the last year. Worked out harder, changed my eating habits to smaller meals more times a day, added protein drinks (usually EAS Myoplex) and seeing very good results. Curious if there'd be upside in switching off Myoplex pre-made shakes to a powder soln like After Glow by Biorhythm (recommended at GNC and has good reviews online). Also, I saw you mentioned Surge in your book. That one doesn't have creatine and maybe that's a good thing for me. Recommendation on what to use?
Scott, I have one word for you; t-nation! well, t-nation.com. I think that's how a lot of us found Nate...
"14. With rare exception, I wear the same two pair of jeans, ten shirts, three hats, and two jackets all the time. And that suits me just fine."
Pretty similar to me. I dress practically almost the same way everyday.
14. With rare exception, I wear the same two pair of jeans, ten shirts, three hats, and two jackets all the time. And that suits me just fine.
Totally agree. Assumingly, in the week before Christmas I wore out two pair of jeans. Jeans that I brought in a batch of three a while back (the last ones looking pretty thin too). Proudly I can say they wore out, where you would expect a bodybulder to, not in the knees, not in the seat, but in the inside thigh!
Having said that, I still need bigger legs. Show my a guy who thinks he is big enough, and I'll show you someone who's not a bodybuilder. ;)
All the best for the new year everyone.
Definitely agree with number 5.
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