I do not lift weights...I do not go to a gym...I TRAIN AT ELITE
Stronger, Faster, Smarter Athletes
fISH's Blog

...elite is a mindset...


...elite...put yourself into an environment where you WILL SUCCEED!

...it is not just a facility...it is a culture where people help others to become their best...
...world-class programming, nutrition...and a team that are DEDICATED to your goals.

...whether you are in the running for Manitoba Athlete of the Year, trying to make a team...
...or finally getting in control of the physical component of your busy life...

...it is not about showing up and doing your workout...it is about PARTICIPATING in the CULTURE...

...a culture that goes far beyond THE RINK...it reaches into your home, with your family...
...the grocery store with your choices....your life with a new sense of purpose...

...from the moment you wake up and that first choice you make to get into your car and get to EL1TE for the 6:00 am class...to the last protein shake you have at the end of the day, when everyone else is having milk and cookies...EL1TE is a mindset...it will push you to demand more of yourself...in the gym...in LIFE!

Years ago, one of our long-time clients, Cornell Soccer Star, Sean Mooney captured his interpretation of ELITE like this:

ELITE IS NOT A PLACE WHERE YOU REALIZE YOUR POTENTIAL.
IT IS A PLACE WHERE YOU LOOK AROUND AND SEE ATHLETES FROM ALL DISCIPLINES DOING THINGS THAT YOU CAN BARELY COMPREHEND.
IT MAKES YOU THINK, FORCES YOU TO REFLECT AND MOTIVATES YOU.
IN THE END, ELITE DOES NOT HELP YOU REALIZE YOUR POTENTIAL BUT EVERYDAY IT HELPS YOU REDEFINE JUST WHAT YOU THOUGHT IT WAS...

Push your limits...BE ELITE!

Update:

1- Congrats to Doug Brown, Andrew Harris and CJFL Player of the Year, Ryan Marsch...who have all been nominated for Manitoba Athlete of the Year...yes, 3 of the 5 nominees...from ELITE NATION!!

2- Speed Camp started at the UofM last night, in attendance were the who's who of Manitoba Football Royalty.  Coached by Glenn Bruce, the camp lasts 9 more weeks wrapping up with the ANDREW HARRIS ELITE ACADEMY IN APRIL!

3- Good Luck to our good friend Ryan Anderson; Anderson is in the last few days of prep for the Arrowhead 135. A 135 mile winter race.  On foot, carrying and pulling his supplies...Ryan begins the trek Monday at 7:00 am, you can follow his progress at www.arrowheadultra.com . Shouldn't be too tough for Ryan, you may remember him from his run/ blade/ bike across Canada just a couple of years ago. Have fun pal.

Until next time ELITE NATION,
Onward and Upward,
Your pal,
fISH

...communication...


...emotion and intelligence...reciprocal agents...just like the electrolytes, sodium and potassium...

...when making a decision...
...an emotional one will limit the amount of intelligence that it is made with ...
...if you can take the emotion out of a decision...it is much easier to make an intelligent decision...

...just yesterday, our good friend and former ELITE Professional, Matt had one of these moments...
...after a few weeks of serious illness and the stress of moving...Matt misinterpreted a message...

...a simple one...

...I gave Matt a piece of information...in a way that did convey the right information...
...BUT not the right emotion...

...not taking into account the stress he has been under as of late....



...and I wish it could have happened differently...
...but it did not...

...as Matt and I discussed it last night...and even likened it to a child-hood game of "telephone"...

...it made me think about all of the important levels of communication that influence interpretation...
...from history to intonation...
...something that can change the interpretation of a simple instructional message...
...to something else entirely...


...the correct message should have been "thanks Harper for all you have done for the Nation...your DEDICATION and invested effort...you will be missed by many...but none more than someone who first met you as a client, hired you as an ELITE Professional and leaves you as a friend, thank you for your friendship and belief in the NATION"...


...remember...it is not just WHAT you are communicating...but HOW you do it.
...a lesson learned.

Until next time ELITE NATION,
Onward and Upward,
Your pal,
fISH


...enthusiasm...


...enthusiasm...more contagious than the flu...
...and NOTHING has more of an effect on your success than this...

...I get to see literally HUNDREDS of athletes on a daily basis...
...and whether they are Hockey or Football Players, Ballet Dancers or Figure Competitors...

...the common denominator of ALL CHAMPIONS...is their enthusiastic approach to training...

...you want something badly enough....and you are enthusiastic about it...YOU WILL GET IT!
...BOTTOM LINE!


Don't get me wrong...it may not come as naturally to you as others...
...or it may take you a while to find some energy....

...true it may be tough when it is -40, dark, 4:30 am....
...but dragging your butt to the gym is NOT good enough...
...you need some fire...enthusiasm....DRIVE...to make "it" happen.

HERE ARE 5 SURE FIRE WAYS TO START YOUR FIRE!

1- MUSIC- LOUD AND HARD...SING ALONG WITH IT IN THE CAR IF YOU HAVE TO!!!

2- GREEN TEA OR COFFEE, MAKE IT PART OF YOUR MORNING RITUAL...A LITTLE KICKSTART TO A TRAINING SESSION IS A GREAT CALL!

3- EYES ON THE PRIZE...I KNOW ATHLETES WHO TAPE A PICTURE OF THEIR COMPETITION  OR GOALS ON THE FRIDGE...GREAT WAY TO START THE FIRE IN THE AM WHEN YOU ARE REACHING INTO THE FRIDGE FOR A PROTEIN SHAKE!

4- KNOW THIS...SOMEWHERE SOMEONE WANTS "IT" AS BAD OR WORSE THAN YOU DO...AND ARE TAKING MEASURES TO MAKE SURE "IT" WILL HAPPEN FOR THEM...IF YOU HAVE A COMPETITIVE CELL IN YOUR BODY...THIS ALONE SHOULD DO IT.

5- REALIZE THAT TODAY IS THE YOUNGEST AND MOST READY YOU WILL EVER BE TO MAKE YOUR WORLD BETTER...NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT!


***Music, green tea, fuel your competitive fire and KNOWING THAT YOUR TIME IS NOW...if that doesn't get you ready to TAKE IT...I hear Good-Life has a special on Zumba Classes!


Until next time ELITE NATION...
TAKE IT..it is yours...2012!!!

your pal,
fISH





...life is fast...

...ONWARD AND UPWARD...

...years ago, at the football club, I had received a letter where the closing line read just that...

...it was a number of years later where I had seen it again...and began using it myself...

...I believe it reflects the spirit of ELITE...moving and always looking to get better...

...after all...you can't teach what you don't practice or haven't done...

...over the past couple of weeks...
...we have made some PHENOMENAL additions to our staff and programming...

With the loss of Matt Harper, our Football Coordinator (moving to PEI)- just yesterday we have announced his successor...you know him at #60 for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Mr. Obby Khan.  Obby will be overseeing our Football Programming and Football Community involvement...a long-time ELITE client, Obby's love for the game will be a great foundation for further Football Development.

...if Obby's addition wasn't enough- 7 time National Sprint Coach, the legend is speed training...Mr. Glenn Bruce will be working exclusively with the ELITE PERFORMANCE ATHLETICS CLUB...(what is that you ask?)- ELITE has registered a TRACK CLUB at U of M- and will be holding our SPEED CAMP starting January 25th for 10 weeks on Wednesday Nights from 5:30 to 7:30 pm....LIFE IS FAST...AND YOU CAN BE TO...FOR MORE INFO- contact fISH directly at 831.6758 VERY LIMITED NUMBER OF TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE....!

...and finally- to help Glenn host the evenings at Max Bell, it is none other than- the 2011 Grey Cup's MVCanadian- and long-time ELITE Client....Andrew Harris...as he preps with ELITE for another stellar season with the BC Lions...
 
...as we eluded to a couple of blogs back...there are MANY big additions and changes coming to ELITE....

...EACH one of them geared to taking you ONWARD AND UPWARD!!!


Until next time ELITE NATION,
Onward and Upward,
Your pal,
fISH

...it is going to be tough...

...pushing yourself to improve is never easy...

...whether you are rehabbing a knee, competing in your first contest, trying to drop your "40" time...

...if you want CHANGES...YOU WILL HAVE TO WORK AT IT...

...but that work is often more than you have "banked on" and even cause you to search your soul...

...sure everyone can work for a hour or two at a time...but that doesn't create anything special...
...it is the discipline to repeat that hundreds or thousands of times...
...it is the ability to understand that to win your first contest- YOU HAVE TO BE MILITANT
...it is the understanding that there will be discomfort...even some pain associated with it...
...it is the sacrifice of other things that you enjoy...to have success at something else...


...when you see an athlete weep into their hands after a loss...
...or better yet... after winning a championship....

...it is the years of pain, sacrifice, thousands of attempts that are all condensed into one moment of time....where a moment of what this all meant is (hopefully) realized....

IF IT WHERE EASY...EVERYONE COULD DO IT...
99% OF PEOPLE HAVE EXCUSES WHY THEY CAN'T....

1% ATTEMPT GREATNESS....AND EVEN LESS SUCCEED....

...if you are working with ELITE, I HAVE ALREADY TOLD YOU..."IT IS GOING TO BE TOUGH"....

...so next time you are in... pull one of our MANY CHAMPIONS or PRO ATHLETES ASIDE....

...ASK THEM IF IT WAS WORTH IT...

...They will undoubtedly say "ABSOLUTELY...BUT IT WAS TOUGH"..."TOUGHER THAN YOU CAN IMAGINE"...

...2012...MAKE IT YOUR YEAR!!!


Until Next Time ELITE Nation
Onward and Upward,
Your pal,
fISH

...it is going to be tough...

...pushing yourself to improve is never easy...

...whether you are rehabbing a knee, competing in your first contest, trying to drop your "40" time...

...if you want CHANGES...YOU WILL HAVE TO WORK AT IT...

...but that work is often more than you have "banked on" and even cause you to search your soul...

...sure everyone can work for a hour or two at a time...but that doesn't create anything special...
...it is the discipline to repeat that hundreds or thousands of times...
...it is the ability to understand that to win your first contest- YOU HAVE TO BE MILITANT
...it is the understanding that there will be discomfort...even some pain associated with it...
...it is the sacrifice of other things that you enjoy...to have success at something else...


...when you see an athlete weep into their hands after a loss...
...or most better yet after winning a championship....

...it is the years of pain, sacrifice, thousands of attempts that are all condensed into one moment of time....where a moment of what this all meant is (hopefully) realized....

IF IT WHERE EASY...EVERYONE COULD DO IT...
99% OF PEOPLE HAVE EXCUSES WHY THEY CAN'T....

1% ATTEMPT GREATNESS....AND EVEN LESS SUCCEED....

...if you are working with ELITE, I HAVE ALREADY TOLD YOU..."IT IS GOING TO BE TOUGH"....

...so next time you are in... pull one of our MANY CHAMPIONS or PRO ATHLETES ASIDE....

...AS THEM IF IT WAS WORTH IT...

...They will undoubtedly say "ABSOLUTELY...BUT IT WAS TOUGH"..."TOUGHER THAN YOU CAN IMAGINE"...

...2012...MAKE IT YOUR YEAR!!!


Until Next Time ELITE Nation
Onward and Upward,
Your pal,
fISH

...opportunity...


...there is more of it than you can imagine...
...in our lives...it is almost ALL we have...

...opportunity to be a better...athlete, friend, spouse, employee, employer...the list is endless.

...the opportunity is there...if you want it badly enough....

...and here is the thing...YOU already know what it will take...YOU CAN SEE IT...

...but it is going to take some work...SEIZING IT WON'T BE EASY...IT WILL TAKE YOUR DEDICATION...

...HARD WORK...AND PERSISTENCE...

...ARE YOU READY TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR OPPORTUNITY?

...or let it slide through your fingers?

...YOUR LIFE IS HAPPENING RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOUR EYES...JUMP IN ...

...SEIZE YOUR OPPORTUNITY...TO BE A BETTER? (only YOU KNOW this one!)

Until NEXT TIME ELITE NATION!
Onward and Upward,
Your pal,
fISH

...a promise...


...EL1TE is not a centre...it is not a gym...it is a way of life...
...a way of life that I am very proud to be part of....

...EL1TE is not my job...it is a way of life...

...just as EL1TE is not just a GYM to you...

...You may have seen the sign at the top of the stairs...

...I don't lift weights...
...I don't work out in a gym...
...I TRAIN AT ELITE!...


...it has never been our goal to be a GYM...it is our GOAL TO BE A COMMUNITY OF EXCELLENCE.

...our goal is to make the most of the lives of our clients...AND our lives as well...


...with each passing year....EL1TE Nation continues to grow...evolve...and change...

...you will see MANY changes over the next few months...some BIG ones...


...these changes WILL allow EL1TE to continue to give the best possible support to all of our athletes and clients...from new faces coming to old faces going...new programming...training opportunities...and ways to add MORE to YOUR lives and TRAINING EXPERIENCES~


...it is very easy for me, from MY vantage point to see where we are going....
...and just what is in-store for THE NATION!

...What I can do...is make a promise to the NATION....

...and that PROMISE is that in 2012, you will see changes, trophies, national championships, hard work, sweat, tears, new faces, new places and more than anything....

...a PROMISE that you will have the unwavering DEDICATION of myself and the ELITE Professionals to help you make the most out of wherever YOUR JOURNEY will take you...

...Get ready for YOUR BEST YEAR EVER...IT IS HERE...2012!!!

Onward and Upward,
Your pal,
fISH

2012


...as the last few hours of 2011 slip by....

...I hope you are able to "ring-in" the NEW YEAR with friends and family...

...and wish all of you health, happiness and another GREAT year of facing challenges with strength, courage and selflessness...

"EVERY LIFE FORM SEEMS TO STRIVE TO ITS MAXIMUM EXCEPT HUMAN BEINGS.... HOW TALL WILL A TREE GROW> AS TALL AS IT POSSIBLY CAN...HUMAN BEINGS ON THE OTHER HAND, HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE DIGNITY OF CHOICE... YOU CAN CHOOSE TO BE ALL OR YOU CAN CHOOSE TO BE LESS... WHY NOT STRETCH UP TO THE FULL MEASURE OF THE CHALLENGE AND SEE JUST WHAT YOU CAN DO?"

UNTIL 2012, ELITE NATION...
ONWARD AND UPWARD,
YOUR PAL,
fISH



...YEAR END...


...it seems like a good time to reflect on all the things that happened over the past year...
...we have all been busy...pushing ourselves...our boundaries...
...and redefining what we thought our limits were...physically, emotionally...even spiritually...

...as our wins and losses of 2011 slowly tick away into the annuls of history...
...let's reflect on what we learned from the year...both from our wins and losses...

...and then cut the cord from the past...and boldly face 2012 with the lessons we have learned...the friends we have made and the dreams for our future...

...let's also appreciate our health and good fortune...and with this strength that we have, make sure that is not wasted...turn it into something positive...for yourself, your family, your friends and YOUR COMMUNITY...



...I am NOT a New Year's resolution type of person...
...it is really just another day, that is as easy to change as any other...
...but I do realize that it may be a tool that others may need to make a NEW Start in their life..

...at ELITE we do not have New Years' Specials to get clients through the door...
...but we ARE going to do something SPECIAL THIS NEW YEARS!!

...we are going to CELEBRATE the fact that we are in good health and are strong enough to hep others along this journey...

...as you know, a close friend of ELITE for years has been the Siloam Mission...we have sent our team of ASSASSINS (ELITE's moniker for those who achieve "kill" one of their extraordinary physical goals)...down many times to help prepare and serve meals to Winnipeg's less fortunate...

...WELL, THIS NEW YEARS' EVE...WE ARE UPPING THE BAR....ELITE AND PROJECT ECHO ARE CELEBRATING OUR GOOD HEALTH AND FORTUNE BY DONATING 300+ PIZZAS FOR NEW YEARS DINNER AT THE MISSION!!! Want to help CELEBRATE your GOOD FORTUNE with us...? You can contact Thomas Hall at 979-0791 or Big-Mo at ELITE to find out how you can turn 5.00 into a New Years Eve Dinner for someone who NEEDS IT...and RING in your New Year with your FIRST "win" of 2012!!!

Until Next Time ELITE NATION,
Onward and Upward,
Your pal,
fISH