People Who Think I'm Arrogant

You likely have an increased sense that I am either arrogant or disappointed in you....

• If you want to quit, but still smoke cigarettes. I am not talking to you if you enjoy tobacco and have no plan to stop smoking. More importantly, this section applies to other vices in life beyond just cigarettes. I'm addressing those who "want but can't" quit anything. A desire to stop destructive behavior is a good start. However, your inability to actually quit concerns me. It means you are losing a battle, due to a lack of willpower and discipline. Temptation is strong. And while I have never smoked cigarettes, I absolutely guarantee you that if I did, I could quit. Probably cold turkey too. I don't care what experts say about chemical dependence. I wouldn't let that habit rule my life. NO WAY. Bragging? Yes, a bit. But there are plenty of those who have done the same. Leave excuses out of this fight. If you want to quit but still smoke cigarettes, you probably lose lots of battles in life by citing excuses.
• If you don't live up to your word. My wife learned early on in our relationship that I don't use the words "I promise." Everything I say is a promise. Your words are important to me. My words are important to you. If you say you will complete a task or be somewhere at a certain time, I expect you to follow it up. This is a reputation to cherish. Say it, then do it. It's that simple. If you cannot commit, then say so. I'd rather hear about an uncertainty or maybe than being surprised with an unfulfilled promise. And if I catch you backing out of your word, your name goes into a column of those who I can't trust. And it will take YOU to work your way into the other column. If you don't live up you your word, you cannot be relied on.
• If you don't wear your seatbelt. If you don't see the value in your own life, then why the heck should I? No need to continue.....
• If you cheat on your spouse. There are few choices in life that are as serious or lasting as marriage. Though, it's been said it's one of the easiest decisions ever. If you cheat on your husband or wife, I can only assume you are a cheater, liar, and fraud in many other aspects of your life. Trust is not a once-in-a-while quality. Your infidelity permeates you. If you cheat on your spouse, why should I believe in you?
• If you stay on the ground when knocked down. Resilience is a very positive trait. I don't care how many times you are beaten. I care about how you react after the failure. I probably will actually put more value on those who lose and try again than on those who have always won. I want to see how people respond to obstacles and derailments. If you stay on the ground when knocked down, I will not draft you onto any team of mine.
• If you refuse to go camping. I'm quite OK with the occasional self-pampering. But if you deny yourself the opportunity to live the occasional existence as a survivalist, I question your ability to endure hardships in life. You are likely the same one who throws a fit at power outages, imperfections in hotel pillows, variances in home temperature, and elevators being out-of-service. Campers tend to have a better attitude towards the minor inconveniences that life throws at us. If you can cook over a flame or sleep under the stars, you can endure some of the breakdowns in technology and luxury. Camping is planned practice for the zombie apocalypse. If you refuse to go camping, you aren't taking a stake in your own physical survival.
• If you don't read books. I said READ, not listen to books on tape. And I said BOOKS, not People or Cosmo magazine. And I don't mean Nicholas Sparks or suspenseful novels either. What I am talking about is non-fiction writings that teach lessons: biographies of US Presidents or inventors, tales of hardships or exploration, accounts of war or tragedy, techniques for leadership or innovation, debates on conventional wisdom or religion, the Bible. I thirst for knowledge, not merely entertainment. If you read these things, you take pride in your personal development. And I probably like that about you. Calling anything you can purchase at the grocery check-out line "reading material" is an insult to those who try to better themselves through written word. If you don't read books, you don't see value in other people's experiences.
• If you don't believe in God. God is. True. There is a better chance of rock and metal ore evolving into a Ferrari sports car than a cellular blob evolving into a human being. Evidence of God's existence is all around us. Ignoring that is complete blindness. If you don't believe in God, you are dead.

I make no apology for how you feel when you read this post. What I do promise you is help, guidance, and assistance in putting an end to any of the above personality or behavior deficiencies. Deficiencies? Yes. You are missing something in life if any of the above statements fit you. And I make no concessions.

I live life according to a set of guidelines and rules. If I didn't think the above list was important, I wouldn't share it.

The good news: Life has do-overs. If you want to make change, start soon....

PHOTO: Colosseo

I may die here in this cell or in the arena tomorrow. What possible difference can I make? -- Maximus, Gladiator

I just returned from a great trip to Italy. Had lots of time to think about life. And of course, fitness. A lot of emotion and analysis about where I am, where I've been, and where I'm headed. I hope to share of my thoughts with you as the weeks progress.

I hope I adequately pre-published enough posts in my absence to keep you all nourished ;-)

Putting the TRINITY in your day

You'd have to go back to February 18th, 2008, to find our very first post to this blog. It was called Renaissance Men (and Women). One of main purposes of that post was to promote balance within our lives...mental, physical, and emotional balance.

Yesterday was one of those days I wrote about -- spending time in church, library, and gym. I managed to have a real TRINITY Day. I went to morning church, did a stair workout at my fire department's hose tower, and read a book at home in my "brain room."

Days like those are hard to come by. I even snuck in an in-bed nap in the afternoon. What a great day.

Post in comments what book you are currently reading. When there are five responses, I'll post what I am reading this week....

Conspiracy Against Extremists. Part 5.

Parts 1-4, click here.

Extremism should not and cannot be painted with a broad brush as wrong. Expert witnesses are extremists. Professional and Olympic athletes are extremists. Valedictorians are extremists. To simply say, "Extremism is evil," is ignorant. Extremists find themselves at the pinnacle of ability, knowledge, and ethics. They are committed to causes, and strive for the best.

Certain terms ring sour with extremists:

• Good enough.
• Lukewarm.
• "C" student.
• Acceptable.
• Mediocre.
• Ordinary.
• White bread.
• Expected.
• Mainstream.
• Middle of the road.
• Average.
• Bland.
• Going through the motions.

These phrases are filled with feelings that find a home under the bell curve's bulge....nothing particularly special. To the extremist, they invoke gray, passionless emotions.

Modern health clubs are filled with folks who are passionless about their workout programs. They merely go through the motions of a daily or weekly routine. They accept marginal results...in both mirror and performance. But it is relatively painless. Few missed goals. After all, one must actually HAVE a goal before one can fail reaching it. There is a certain comfort level in "not failing." So to make sure one does not fail, one only needs to not set a standard.

Failing is painful.

Or is it? I find more pain in not having goals. I find more pain at not competing. I find more pain in not having a chance to succeed. Failing to me means I gave it all I had in a risky effort, but came up short. Failing means I have to try harder next time. Commit to a new course. Visualize myself being the champion. The Extremist.

So who promotes this Conspiracy Against Extremists? The populous. The cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat. It's everywhere we look. From labor unions to little league baseball, participants are rewarded for doing a lukewarm performance. Low standards are set as a rock-bottom baseline. Do less....get more. Why would a little league team strive for the championship game if all players of all teams get trophies regardless of standing? Why do labor union workers do the bare-bones least they have to? Because there is little reward for doing any better.

Why do health clubs promote lack-luster fitness programs? Because clients are willing to come back as long as they don't feel the physical pains of true effort or the discouragement of missed goals. They come back with their money, each week, each month. They do the same thing over and over again with little results. They become the bulge in the bell curve. And they somehow gather others to their world of missed opportunities and dull abilities.

Our system is broken. Few reach down to find a hearty desire to actually excel at something. If you really look out there, there is little competition to fight. Most are stuck in some comfortable existence that has barely a faint glimmer of reaching where extremists strive to be. If you want to be the best at something, it's not really all that far out there. The competition is lazy and unmotivated....unfocused and ignorant....unwilling to commit and quits when stumbles. They are no match for Extremists.

What I want is this:

A climate that encourages goal-setting, painful physical efforts, ethical competition, and a thirst for knowledge, populated by those who know a good cause...and strive to be a champion for it! I want all people to take risks at something important in life. Real risks. By setting some goal so lofty you might not actually reach it. Not at first attempt.

I want people to claim a stake in their own success. Not sitting back expecting some fair distribution of prizes or rewards. I want people to take a bite out of failure and chew on it until a new plan, a fresh path, a renewed vision of success is crystal clear.

I want everyone to experience the grandeur emotions that accompany successes and victories and pitfalls and failures I have been blessed with. Not everyone was born to parents who told their young, impressionable, naive children that they could do anything they wanted to in life. Not all children believed their parents. I did.

I hold firmly that just MAYBE I can be that motivator to some of you to set that goal. Just maybe I can be that friend that stands at your side watching you realize a dream. Just maybe I can shake your hand or hug you when you are bursting with that joy of winning out over adversity. Maybe I can be that voice that first calls you an Extremist....

Conspiracy Against Extremists. Part 4.

PHOTO: Our great friends Brian M and Bobby K during the 2009 Thunder Rolls 24-hr adventure race. Based on their shadows, I'd guess this was taken in about the 12th or 13th hour. These guys are jacks-of-all-trades!

NOTE: This post will offend many of you. But do not mistake this warning as an apology, for I make none here. I am not sorry for any ill feeling this may give you as a reader. Also, do not confuse my challenges as claims that I am an expert or elitist. For I am neither. But do not confuse my self-admitted shortcomings as lack of effort to reach those levels. For I make no qualms I try hard. Very hard. Just understand I know why you might become upset. Now read on....

Re-examine the Bell Curve. As a reader of this blog I make some assumptions. Our bell curve for this discussion revolves around physical fitness. Here are some of the general delineations along our curve:

• Serious Injury / Illness / Medical Condition
• Sedentary / No fitness program / Unhealthy
• Active / Walker / Jogger
• Casual-to-serious health club attendee
• Competitor / Goal-driven participant
• Elite athlete ... AKA Extremist.

This of course is a theoretical model of complete and integrated physical fitness. There are obviously many standards of what constitutes physical fitness. But since this is MY post, we're using MY standard: the Jack-of-All-Trades Standard. This approach to fitness demands competence and proficiency within as many domains as possible. I will put to bed attacks on this model. First off, this model does NOT apply to proficiency or elitism in any ONE domain. A world champion marathoner will NOT be aligned as Elite Athlete at the far extreme of fitness on THIS model. Nor will the world's top StrongMan. The person found at the extreme of fitness in THIS model is a theoretical ideal perfect athlete with limitless skills, abilities, proficiencies, and strengths. This person does not exist, except in the minds of Extremists.

I know there are many Trinity Training Group readers who excel in their one field of fitness...maybe long distance running, or biking, or triathlons, or powerlifting. I do not care how great you are in ONE or a few disciplines. You are probably not fit in MY model.

I won't discuss the bell curve's one extreme of a sedentary lifestyle. We all can agree this is unhealthy. The bell curve's middle bulge is filled with health club attendees. These people participate in a wide spectrum of activities: weightlifting, cardio machines, yoga, boot camp, swimming, circuit training, running, and biking. And of course they participate with varying levels of commitment, intensity, and proficiency. Casual participants find themselves with Feel Good Workouts. The more serious people challenge themselves with goal-oriented performance-based sessions.

Take the next step up from that. There are those who follow fairly well-balanced programs. They might participate in several of the above activities. Their balance and integration is closer to well-rounded fitness than a champion in any one single event or domain. But there are still limitations to the abilities of these participants.

Now let's venture into the far corner of the curve. Here we find some serious athletes. If we compare them to a popular CrossFit model, they are: strong, with stamina, with high cardio-respiratory capacity, fast, powerful, flexible, accurate, coordinated, agile, balanced. They have high work output over both short and long time durations. There are few (if any) chinks in their armor. They are Jacks-of-All-Trades.

But again, I point to this this Conspiracy Against Extremists. This time the extremists are functional fitness enthusiasts. There is a guerrilla war going on against the functional fitness movement. Among mainstream health clubs, fitness magazines, nationally certified personal trainers, and many fitness equipment manufacturers these Extremists are seen as a threat. The threat is to the pocketbooks and livelihoods of those relying on the masses under the bell curve's bulge...a bulge of lukewarm knowledge, participation, and commitment.

This war is being waged through a variety of tactics. First off, they attack with pointed remarks about the dangers and risks of injury. That mudslinging alone is enough to steer many away. Then the attackers discuss how intense the workouts are...but in a way that dissuades so many potential functionalists from actually joining....as if the functional workouts are so discomforting, stressful, and demanding that no one would subject their bodies to the torture. There are claims that functional fitness programs are "too good to be true." Lastly, tactics include explanations that one must be fit even in order to begin such an "advanced" routine.

Imagine this: any person could buy or make some fitness equipment for what many gyms might charge for a year's membership. The same person could go online to a few FREE websites and get better instruction and ENCOURAGEMENT than at their gym or from a coach they pay MONEY to! They can complete the workouts in a fraction of the time required under current practice. And the workouts produce quantifiable results in the way of body composition and physical performance. This does sound a bit like the Holy Grail. It sounds so much like a "scam" that when I discuss functionalism to others, I have to be very careful to not sound like a shyster with some smoke-and-mirror show.

There is a mold that has been cast. It was developed by many scientists, coaches, educators, and businessmen. Many of them have financial interests. Some have reputations to uphold. Some have fragile egos. (Some of them have been mature and confident enough to realize that change and advancement is good....and functionalism is the present and future of physical fitness models. It is constantly changing and adapting to what works. It is not based on equipment, or qualifications, or money. BUT do not confuse this. There is much money to be made from the functional fitness industry as well!!) The mold I speak of above has encouraged this bulge of mediocrity. The bell curve's majority consists of Feel Good Workouts and the status quo. Breaking the mold might lead to the ruin of traditional health clubs, personal trainers, and certain fitness equipment makers. So to save the "system," there is a conspiracy against the changes advancing other athletes towards the corner of elitism.

What the old mold does is foster an environment where it's OK to be mediocre. It's acceptable to merely go through the motions. The leaders encourage you to believe what you are doing is better than nothing at all (which is true!). The slick leaders unfairly hold up images of magazine cover models, promising their widget will lead you to that body. They tell you what you WANT to hear, not what you NEED to hear...and what you want to hear is that everything you are doing is OK, is good enough, doesn't hurt, and is the path to your dream body. The same leaders describe these Extremists with unflattering terms: unqualified, uneducated, closed-minded, intolerable, arrogant, ultra-competitive. And I have to nod and say, "Yes, I'm all those things." But I'm working on it....

I find it quite amusing how many opponents of functional fitness have bad-mouthed the movement, and then began to tweak their own programs in ways that are very similar to functionalism. Hmmm. To me it sounds like some of these trainers and leaders have had to spout out against the extremists just long enough to secretly join them without losing financial interests or their followers/buyers/members. I applaud trainers who have been exposed to functionalism and made the switch in the drop of a hat. There is something courageous and mature in admitting that what one had been doing was actually far from the most effective techniques and strategies...but now sees the light. Doesn't it seem obvious that others lacking confidence and security will avoid making those admissions of fault or that there is a better mousetrap now?

If you are sick of moderate fitness, marginal results, and inferior motivation look to functional fitness models as the cure. The corner of Extremists has many participants from all walks of life: old, young, fat, skinny, men, women, athletes, office workers. You name it.

Do not buy into this physical fitness Conspiracy Against Extremists. It's a war being waged by ignorant, self-inflating, weak, money-squandering leaders who fear embarrassment and losing financial position. These far superior fitness programs I preach of are rooted in terms of idealism and goals rather than misconception and popularity.

It is lonely and challenging at the corner of the bell curve. But it is rewarding. Many in the masses will tempt you away from functionality and your search for elitism, towards their bulge of mediocrity. Do not take their bait.

To be continued...

NOTE: For more on this check out this post on Athletic Skill Levels, with a link to CrossFit Seattle's chart on what constitutes their view of "elitism."

Conspiracy Against Extremists. Part 3.

Links to Part 1 and Part 2.

So what lessons had I learned through my few examples:

• Avoiding meat (beef, chicken, and pork) during Lent season. Two lessons here. The first one was the obvious religious view on Lenten sacrifices. The second was how vegetarians are viewed. I eat meat. Lots of it. And I know firsthand how vegetarians are viewed by meat-eaters. Vegetarians are seen as extremists. And so are those who follow some religious custom of avoiding meat. OK, so the Pope gave Catholics a "rule" to follow, trying to stimulate the fishing industry a few hundred years ago. So what? I don't give up meat because I detest eating animals, or because of some Catholic guilt. But to those who don't get to hear my own personal reasoning, I'm one of those extremists: liberal vegetarian or guilt-ridden blind-following Catholic.
• 
  
• Avoiding alcohol while training for a marathon. If you didn't hear me the first time, I like beer. But at parties and gatherings for the better part of 14 months, I didn't drink alcohol (well except for that one shot at Grandma Jay's funeral). What I could not believe or understand was how over-the-top my friends were at trying to get me to drink at these parties. What difference did it make to them? Why did they care if I wasn't drinking with them?
• 
  
• Not having a television for 2 months. One would have thought that unplugging a television was equal to unplugging from society. Few could comprehend what life was like without TV for that long. No one could converse with me about some weekly drama TV show that was on the previous night. Or some gossip show. Or worse yet...a reality show. I wasn't able to participate in those conversations....so what else could we possibly talk about?
• 
  
• Sleeping on the floor for 2 years. Luxury is often confused with necessity. (Link to Luxury Versus Survival post series.) I confuse them myself from time to time. But this bed-versus-floor issue was actually quite fun for me to talk about. I called my challengers the "Princess and the Pea." Why on earth would a grown man with a job and house sleep on the floor? The jokes about me being a hillbilly or crazed survivalist rang with a shade of truth about how others felt about the issue.
• 
  
• Competing in strenuous physical contests. Few understand the reasons why competitors volunteer and pay money to partake in physically demanding contests. Marathons. Triathlons. Adventure races. CrossFit challenges. StrongMan events. SWAT competitions. Some argue the risks of injury or medical complications. But to those who participate, the risk is small compared to the reward. But unless one participates, it's hard to explain in mere words what the reward even is. To many who are not physically active, the participants in strenuous and/or endurance events are over-the-top.
• Leading a church youth group. Religion is taboo. That's what society is being programmed to think. By whom? I'm not exactly sure. But there are strict rules about prayer in school and teaching restrictions about evolution versus Creation. Somewhere along the way, separation of church and state has turned simply to severing church from common society all together. So now, the movement has created a climate that mutes those with a strong committed faith. It's as if those believers are forced to explain themselves as to why they believe....because there are so many other reasons and laws that they shouldn't go public with their views. There tends to be a "sweet spot" with religion: one can go to church on Sundays, but don't dare get more involved than that. And absolutely do NOT talk about it with others.

So that's how I found myself on the proverbial map of Extremism. I have been seen as the tree-hugging "vegetarian," the on-the-wagon party-pooper, the anti-technology recluse, the floor-sleeping survivalist, the fitness-focused ultra-competitor, and the evangelizing preacherman. Each of these titles comes complete with a deeply held stigma. The above stereotypes are quite common in our society. And we blindly hold to many of them with much passion as we do ignorance.

Much of me enjoys debate and discussion. I eagerly engage others in challenging diatribes about the topics listed above. Part of me takes pride with going against the grain....sometimes because it's how I truly feel about something....and admittedly sometimes just to do it for attention (and hopeful debate!!). But I've learned to stick with my beliefs and passions no matter what the cost. That cost rears itself in different ways, but almost always with a side dish of exclusion or isolation from some sect of society. Often that sect is the majority.

Each of these aspects of life has a Bell Curve. A certain number of any population has a great percentage within the middle portion. Obviously fewer and fewer people find themselves with company as s/he gravitates toward the extremes. It's lonely at the extremes. There aren't as many folks who share the same level of commitment or take such a strong stance at those bookends. No matter how "right" or ideal the bookend might be, the bell curve theory holds true. Strength in numbers under the curve at the middle-of-the-road provides protection. Protection from ridicule, from being isolated, from being outcast. Join those in the safe middle and you are guaranteed acceptance. Society tells us to conform. Consider the cookie-cutter appearances and behaviors of high school students. They wear the same clothes, style their hair the same, and do the same things. The bell curve theory is very applicable to impressionable high school students who form their opinions and decisions based on acceptance by the masses.

There are many parts of our lives when we find ourselves in that middle ground. Sometimes the topic at hand is just not important to us to take a stand at one of those extreme bookends. Maybe it's out of ignorance. Maybe it doesn't affect us directly. Maybe it's one of those "battles not worth fighting." And I whole-heartedly agree that we as individuals can not and should not take an extreme stand on every aspect of life. It's the equivalent of spreading ourselves too thin.

Instead, I encourage everyone to find those SELECT segments in life where you are willing to fight that battle. Take those risks because the reward is so great. Or the lesson is worth it. Or because it's right. Sometimes taking a stand or jumping in with both feel is the right thing to do.

If you are one of those who consistently align yourself with that middle-of-the-road group, I question you: Do you not care about it? Are you not confident in your choice? Do you do it because you are ignorant or un-educated to the topics? Have you not found a group of friends or compatriots who are like-minded? Are you thriving for acceptance within that group in the middle? Are you fearful of being excluded? Do you doubt your worthiness? Do you not have the energy to explain yourself to others who disagree? Are you afraid of being unfairly lumped together with those at the FAR extreme...who might be "wrong?" Will you be coined as overly-opinionated or blind? Is the standard to live up to too high for you?

What I am NOT asking is to be different merely for the sake of being different. I am not saying we should all buck the system. Rather, analyze some aspects of life important to our character and our existence. Living a life consistently in the middle of the bell curve is boring and lukewarm.

Take a stand knowing that sometimes being an Extremist is the right thing to do.

Part 4 to discuss physical fitness. Finally.

Conspiracy Against Extremists. Part 2.

Click here for Part 1.

I had never considered myself an extremist. Afterall, the term Extremist comes with some serious images of over-the-top, unreasonable, and intolerant people. Those are not any views I want next to my name. However, in the past few years, I've had some great experiences by being that guy who is the Extremist. These are:

• Avoiding meat (beef, chicken, and pork) during Lent season
• Avoiding alcohol while training for a marathon
• Not having a television for 2 months
• Sleeping on the floor for 2 years
• Competing in strenuous physical contests
• Leading a church youth group

The lessons have been through my hearing and seeing the responses of those who learned of my so-called extremist actions.

• Avoiding meat (beef, chicken, and pork) during Lent season. For the past three Christian Lent seasons I have "given up" meat. Not on Fridays like I had been raised, but for the entire duration. For me, it's a time of shared hardship and a challenging lesson in self-discipline. It's rough, constantly searching out new ways to consume healthy protein: eggs, beans, lentils, nuts. The self-restraint is a daily reminder of the sacrifices made for me by others. Yet, when co-workers or friends realize my Lenten promise of avoiding meat, I'm met with confusion. First off, most people admit they would not be able to last the weeks of the season without meat. They ask in disbelief, "What do you eat then?" or, "Is that healthy?" Many challenge my intent with, "Do you really think it's wrong to eat meat during Lent?" However, for three years my answer remains the same: No it's not wrong. No, I'm not doing this out of guilt. I've consciously picked things in my life that are a serious challenge to avoid. It's a valuable lesson in self-denial. And I generally refrain from blowing them away by telling them I also avoid sweets and alcohol too. ;)
• 
  
• Avoiding alcohol while training for a marathon. In August of 2001 I decided to run the 2002 Chicago Marathon. I realized quite early that I'd have to make some serious lifestyle changes to reach that goal of finishing a 26.2 mile running race. I like beer...and I don't like diet beer. In other words, I drink beer that has lots of calories. Additionally, I discovered an 18-week training program....a program that would require lots of hours per week running. Well if one does the math, one quickly figures out that August 2001 and October 2002 are separated by more than 18 weeks. My strategy was 2-pronged: lose some fatty weight and beginning running more miles per week in prep for the training program. So I made the simple rule of quit drinking alcohol. It kept me out of bars late at night (which allowed me to wake up early and run). It cut my caloric intake. And it saved me a LOT of money! But more importantly, avoiding alcohol constantly reminded me of this commitment to run a marathon!!! Every time I was tempted with a drink, I would recall that promise I made to myself. In essence, whenever I thought about beer....I thought about crossing the 26.2 mile finish line.
• 
  
• Not having a television for 2 months. During some home renovations, I had to unplug and move our television and stereo system. With only one TV, we lost access to local programming, cable, and DVD. (I admit: I don't watch that much TV anyways.) So for these 8-9 weeks, I read more, wrote more, and found myself at more peace than when I watched TV. Dinner conversation wasn't distracted by a TV in the next room over. I felt as though my mind was "engaged" in thought to a higher level than during times when I watched TV. Yet when others discovered that our only TV was unplugged they looked at us in disbelief. "You don't even watch the news?" they'd say as if the media outputs of the car radio or newspaper couldn't fill the void.
• 
  
• Sleeping on the floor for 2 years. When I moved out of my parents' home, I luckily was lent a bed from a friend who needed a place to store his. Well as quickly as luck came, it left. He eventually needed that bed. I was left with an inflatable mattress, with the intent on buying a bed soon. Well that week of the Aerobed turned into six years. That inflatable went flat one week and left me without anything but a 1" foam egg crate pad. So I slept on the floor, with the intent on buying a bed soon (again). Well that week of sleeping on the floor turned into two years. I learned a lot about luxury those two years. Most importantly, I discovered how so many of my friends and family saw a bed as such a necessity. No one (and I mean NO ONE) could imagine themselves without their comfy mattress every night. To me it wasn't that big of a deal. I had been sleeping soundly.
• 
  
• Competing in strenuous physical contests. Adventure races suck. And they suck for hours at a time. The preparation is intense. Logistical strategies of eating, hydrating, navigating, clothing, packing, and carrying equipment. The physical training of long mountain bike rides, trail running, and paddling canoes or kayaks. Avoiding or mitigating injury. I love adventure racing! What I most enjoy is pushing my body and MIND to limits never experienced before. I have very fond memories of some of those most excruciating and painful moments in various races: cramping muscles, dehydration, malnourishment, and mild hallucination. Adventure racers thrive during these conditions. (I'm actually very sad this exact moment writing this. My racing partners are out in Iowa competing this minute, and I had to back out. I so want to be with them!...sharing the suck.) There is bond among racers from competing teams like few sports or endurance events.
• Leading a church youth group. This was probably the most educating experience. I led a church youth group for a few years. During that time, I was introduced to a new sort of feeling: isolation. When others learned of my position, I was met with a variety of responses. I was most surprised by how many friends or associates viewed my participation as being a hard-nosed religious fanatic. I could tell by the quick way the topic of conversation was changed. Or the expression on one's face. Or stumbling over words, not quite sure how to talk to a "minister." Or how I was introduced to a new group of people. Or the questions people asked of me. I found myself lumped together with a sect that comes with a negative image in today's modern American culture: overly closed-minded religious zealot.

The above are a few examples of how I determined that this Conspiracy Against Extremists exists. Chew on some of the above stories for now. I'll get into their implications within extremism in the next Part 3.

Conspiracy Against Extremists. Part 1

Reader beware: EXTREMIST AHEAD.

Modern American culture hosts a conspiracy against extremism. The conspiracy is fed by a burning fear of being isolated. It's fertilized by a longing to be accepted. It's a movement that's blindly joined by those who are weak.

Moderation has been called a virtue to limit the ambition of great men, and to console undistinguished people for their want of fortune and their lack of merit. - Benjamin Disraeli, former British PM

The simple nature of being "extreme" is touted as being overboard or unreasonable. The negative connotation of extremism clouds any educated argument. Extremists of all ways of life are quickly bound together with groups such as al-Qaeda, Branched Dividians, and armed militias. Not a fair shake. Many of you first read the title of this post "Conspiracy Against Extremists" and some preconceived imagine popped into your mind. Right?

An arising question may have been: How exactly does this relate to physical fitness, performance, and elitism? First, let me lay some serious groundwork with regards to extremism, social acceptance, human tendencies, and myths and connotations.

Two obvious sects ripe for extremism are politics and religion. Social "law" goes as far as keeping dinner or cocktail conversation away from such topics. One really has to wonder why. Afterall, those are the two topics I most enjoy discussing! But most folks don't want to lose friendships, business contacts, or family ties due to an argument where neither side has a decent chance of changing the other's stance. (I'll take that risk!!)

Let's first look at politics. Most people have been brought up in a family or environment that favors one American major political party over the other. (With the uprising of more influential groups, we have less of a bipartisan system than in the past.) Rarely does a happy family sprout from parents with opposing political views. There are certain views, beliefs, values, and philosophies in strong contention with each other. With contention comes argument. And disagreement requires knowledge to debate. However, most Americans don't possess enough political knowledge to enter into a civil, logical idea-contest. Or they get swayed by a savvy lecturer who knows how to sell his/her point to the uncommitted and uninformed. This weakness breeds a tendency to "ride the middle." Polls indicate 25% of Americans as "independent" when it comes to political affiliation. I'm not sure it stems from ignorance, or the reluctance from aligning themselves with a side. Now there are far-left Democrats, moderate Democrats, moderate Republicans, and far-right Republicans....with all shades in between. Is this fear of alignment a fear to be falsely grouped among the far left or right....and therefore a desire to be labeled indecisive rather than labeled an extremist??

With regards to religion, let's first examine Islam. Depending on the statistics, numbers vary greatly. I'll adopt one set of numbers to make a point here. Ten percent of Muslims are solid believers. They live by all the rules of the religion. Eighty percent go with the flow, and are more practitioners out of upbringing, convenience, and ritual. Only 1-2% are categorized as violent jihadists (though I've seen stats as high as 7%). There are obviously varying degrees of all Muslim believers, some categorized as extremists.

Now within Judeo-Christians, I'd contend the numbers are similar. While I don't see the frequency or volume of violent Judeo-Christian movements (as with Islam), there are undoubtedly those who do use violence as a tactic, claiming action in the name of God. Many Christians find themselves along the spectrum between strong, faithful, testifying believers all the way down to I-go-to-church-on-Easter. If one aligns him/herself with a group of fervent and committed believers, s/he risks being labeled with those extremist titles of Jesus Freak or Bible-thumper. "Maybe it's better to be temperate than to risk those titles," is a moderate approach.

Abortion. We've got Pro-Lifers and Pro-Choicers. At one extreme, there are protesters who pray in front of clinics that perform the procedures. At the other, activists who fight for late-term abortions. One end harbors "baby murderers" and the other holds intolerant and chastising idealists.

Gun Control. Another hot bed for debate. Gun owners cling to the Second Amendment, but are cited as militia men, paranoid protectors, and the reason for violent crime in America. Gun control advocates are either sissies or overly-idealist legislators.

Turn the page to alcohol consumption. Abstainers sit at one pole denouncing alcohol as a poison to body and mind. Regular drinkers on the other hand proudly raise a glass to any day ending in "Y." Talk out against booze, and you get called a teetotaler. Frequently partake in the bottle, and you're a drunk, lush, or booze-hound. This is NOT a unique situation where one bookend is considered wrong by most all. Most cultures see drunkenness as an evil (or wrong). But why do the majority of people also see the same negative connotation applied to complete abstainers? Why is moderation seen as better than complete abstinence?

The topics surrounding sex is filled with potentials for extremes. If you're an abstainer, put on the chastity belt. But sleep around, and you're a slut. The same goes for pornography. Certain risks go with speaking out against it (Goody Two-Shoes?)...and the Internet and technology has produced yet more media opportunities to churn out porn addicts. Again, the safe route is to side with a certain public-acceptable amount of promiscuity, and tax the porn industry. Much like in the case with alcohol consumption, less risky to put oneself in the middle. Aligning with an extreme here is a recipe for isolating yourself against the rest.

What has been bred is a climate rejecting polar affiliation. The safe route is to be moderate. Not too hot, and not too cold. Be temperate. Be tolerant of everyone. Don't upset the apple cart. Don't cause waves. In short...be mediocre. Ride the middle of the road. This is not only an acceptance of mediocrity, it's a factory pumping it out en masse. Some of the above dissected topics have poles that are outright wrong on all moral compasses. Drunkenness. Lewdness. Violence. The others aren't as clear cut. Well, let me rephrase that....the others aren't as agreed upon.

I must make some concessions here. Some topics under politics will battle forever. Gun control. Social Reform. Abortion. The poles are so antagonistic. The middle ground is held by those:

1. Confused by the issues at hand.
2. Ignorant to the facts or stances being contested.
3. Refuse to align themselves with a side for fear of being associated with the most extreme in that group.

There are extremists attached to each of those movements. The arguments and debates and protests are heated on both sides. And this is not the forum to discuss them any further. Done.

However, I will discuss some of the other topics. Consumables and participation events. As I've alluded to above, some of the above topics have varying degrees of what it means to be moderate. One one end, there are some topics that have varying degrees of consumption and participation. Two previously identified topics are alcohol and sex (which at times aren't as separate as may seem). At one end, there is drunkenness and lewdness. Both of these "extremes" have been labeled by most all societies as wrong. Public society has however found some middle ground where one finds acceptance. But, why is there such a negative connotation towards the opposite bookend of sexual and alcoholic abstinence or avoidance? Critics against these extremes claim intolerance, prejudice, or obsessiveness. I understand the dissenting overtone of overindulgence in these realms, but why such an unyielding toward avoidance??

We can go on and on with these consumables and participation events: vegans, vegetarians, Amish/technology, pornography, food portion consumption, sexual activity, modern medications, religious devoutness, celebration of holidays, sports team/athlete fanaticism, alcohol, illegal street drugs, television watching, tobacco. The list can go on and on. And many of these topics find an extremes of overindulgence/participation versus avoidance/abstinence. Most all of the extremes of overindulgence bring a negative image: too much tobacco, too much alcohol, too much sex, too much chocolate, too much watching TV. But I question yet again....why is there so much negativity associated with the opposite extreme? What inherent danger goes with not having sex, not drinking booze, not watching TV, not caring about the local sports team, not eating meat??

Society has found it much easier to promote moderation than it has in accepting or tolerating avoidance groups altogether. Moderation has been deemed a virtue, but avoidance is punished with monikers....some nicknames are worse for abstainers than for those who over-indulge in the same consumables!!

These following personal stories of mine shed some light on the Conspiracy Against Extremism. Between now and when I complete Part 2, maybe I'll even think of some more examples of how this Conspiracy Against Extremism can be painted into a clear picture. These are real life stories that I have lived throughout the past few years:

• Avoiding meat (beef, chicken, and pork) during Lent season
• Avoiding alcohol while training for a marathon
• Not having a television for 2 months
• Sleeping on the floor for 2 years
• Competing in strenuous physical contests
• Leading a church youth group

Part 2 will elaborate on the above case studies that make some points about how society perceives those who find themselves bunched with extremists. And Part 3 will get into how this all fits into physical fitness.

For now, I leave you with the above foundation upon which I will build my case for a Conspiracy Against Extremism.

The Trinity, Renaissance, Arete, and Samurai

Train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.

I've always appreciated the challenge to excel in multiple fields and aspects of life. The name of this blog TRINITY TRAINING GROUP is a testament to the triad of life: Mind, Body, and Spirit. The Christian Trinity is my way to envision and explain a human's completeness and balance.

I've also spoken and written about being "Renaissance men and women." The concept of being Renaissance is knowing a lot about a lot. It's related to the French root of the word renaistre, which means "to be born again." The period in Europe known as the Renaissance was a cultural rebirth in many intellectual pursuits, such as science, theology, music, and art to name a few. The "polymaths" of the Renaissance period were known to be those men who had a broad and universal knowledge, spanning many disciplines and fields.

The Greeks use yet another term: ARETE. The word arete translates poorly into modern language. Its ideal of "excellence" is almost just as foreign to modern culture. However, ancient Greeks held firmly to this ideal of virtue and excellence in all aspects of life: physical, emotional, ethical, intellectual, courage, discipline. It was deemed to be noble to strive to reach one's fullest potential on all fronts. Spartan warriors exemplify arete.

In the East, they identify these same ideals within the samurai. These highly literate and educated fighters were sometimes known as warrior-poets. These samurai were closely held in the same hand with strict philosophical movements, as well as extreme loyalty to the nobility.

Most every culture (both ancient and modern) has a word, phrase, or concept that embodies personal excellence. Being a Christian, I was pointed to the idea of the Trinity during high school. However, the concepts of Arete, the Renaissance, and the Samurai just as accurately portray my life's direction of balance and excellence. I find constant encouragement from the teachings of many cultures and time periods.

I have been blessed with many successes in life. As I look around, I find many of those who subscribe to a holistic approach to life share many similar achievements. Likewise, I find those with this same inner balance who strive for excellence can contend with failures, setbacks, illness, and injury better than those without the same foundations. For me, living as a Christian has been extremely rewarding, even in times of disaster and failure. Some of my life's greatest lessons have come after disappointment, sadness, and hardship. I'll argue to my own death that my strength of spirit has done more for my life than any summation of physical or mental strength.

In school, much of intellect is measured by way of tests, grades, and report cards. Much of physical ability is measured in sport, by way of a stopwatch or referee. However, one's emotional/spiritual health and stability is rarely graded or evaluated...(I'm not saying it even should or could be measured). It's easily argued as the most abstract of the three. And with its mystery comes neglect and ignorance.

Our emotional health includes many topics: purpose, competition, greed, self-absorption, self-esteem, courage, worth, ethics, integrity, attitude, honesty, loyalty, desire, respect, compassion. The list goes on and on. For as much stock as I put into physical fitness and education, it pales in comparison to that focus I put on spiritual health.

For those believers out there, I stand tall knowing you have my back on the stance that Belief brings peace, contentment, and success. For those skeptics out there, you will always be looking for those qualities somewhere else....even though it's surrounding you. Go ahead and keep ignoring it.

Personal excellence has many recipes. They all contain three main ingredients: Mind, Body, and often-neglected Spirit. Pick up all three pieces and see where they take you.....

Survey: Who is the Fittest?

This most current question is bound to spark some debate.  There are many strong feelings about which athletes are the "fittest."  Of course each person picks the sport at which they themselves are most adept...well because of course it's a virtual self-vote! This topic raises some heated debate in the world of physical fitness training. First and foremost: What is fit?

The last survey asked about our readers' familiarity with the CrossFit Journal's "What is Fitness" article.  Most of the responders had at least read it.  In it, the author promotes a well-rounded practical approach to physical fitness.  It's a jack-of-all-trades philosophy.  In this case the "trades" are ten various components of physical fitness, across various time durations.  For example, the author believes a "fit" person has good abilities and capacities in strength, power, endurance, agility, coordination, flexibility, accuracy, balance, stamina, and speed.  That's a tall order.  This goes against much of popular belief of who are the most fit athletes. Let's vote on it...

In your mind, which of the following athletes is the fittest?

• Ironman triathlete
  
• World's Strongman
  
• Decathlete
  
• Gymnast
  
• Marathoner
  
• 200m track star
  
• Mixed martial artist
  
• Olympic powerlifter
  
• Yoga instructor

Please post comments, and include your top pick, as well as #2. There will be a variety of answers, and even more reasons why. I'm personally torn between two or three choices, but I'll narrow it down this week.

Power!!

Before I post, I must apologize to Vinny. He hates when I bust out the chalk and start up with the math equations on the blackboard...

So I tried to compare some performances between two participants during a WO. Several variables quickly arose... weight of kettlebell, height of participant (and hence overhead reach), time, and number of repetitions.  Each of these can easily be converted into the proper units of measure to compare Work (or in this case Power).

Luckily, each participant did the WO for the same time (20 minutes).  That makes differences in Power and Work directly proportionate. But for the sake of future experiments, I converted the results to Power instead of Work. Here is the difference:

• Work measures the amount of energy, as a function of Mass, Acceleration, and Displacement.. (Force and Distance).
  
• Power measures the Work with respect to Time.
  

Here is an example: Weightlifter 1 and 2 are the same height. They both lift 100 pounds from the ground to overhead. They each do this ten times.  Weightlifter 1 does it in ten seconds. Weightlifter 2 does it in 15 seconds.  Both weightlifters do the SAME amount of Work. However, Weightlifter 1 is more powerful because he did the same work in less time.

My scenario:  

• Different KB weights
  
• Different heights
  
• Different bodyweights
• Different repetition numbers
  
• Same time limit

The Power formula was used to calculate which participant was more powerful (and since the time limit was equal, whichever participant did more Work, was also more Powerful). The movement was kettlebell clean-and-press, with total repetitions in 20 minutes. Participants had displacements of 75 and 78 inches (from floor to bottom of KB at top of press), KB weights of 55# and 50#, performed 122 and 182 repetitions, respectively.  The questions raised: 

• Could the participant with the shorter reach AND fewer repetitions still have Power/Work output equal to (or greater than) the other participant by using a heavier KB? 
  
• Leaving the weights alone, how many repetitions would the Power/Work "loser" have had to add to win? 
  
• Leaving repetition numbers alone, how much heavier would the "loser's" KB have to be to win?
• Leaving all else alone, how much quicker would the "loser" have to perform the same number of repetitions to be as Powerful as the winner?

The answers were reached only after using the Power/Work formulas.

The shorter participant (26 watts) with the heavier KB did produce less Power than the taller participant (36 watts). The shorter one would have had to do 50 more repetitions in the same time. Or do the same work in 5:45 less time, or use a 78#KB and do the same number of reps.

Power-to-Weight Ratio:  Power per kilogram of participant's bodyweight.  Since the shorter participant weighed considerably less than the more powerful participant, I adjusted the "score" based on bodyweight.  Since many of the figures were estimated (or rounded), a truly accurate reading is not available. But, the less powerful participant's ratio of Watts/kg = 0.3444, and the more powerful participant was 0.3409.  Too close to call, but you see how the efficiencies of the two participants' bodies are virtually EXACT! (at least in this experiment)

Amazing stuff. I am surely going to be experimenting with the above Power formula.  Some other linear lifts and movements I will experiment with  include:

• Deadlifts
  
• Sumo Deadlift High Pulls
  
• Thrusters
  
• Clean-and-Press
  

For example: Imagine Barbell Deadlifts.  If a two-minute test is used, with maximum repetitions being the goal, how will Power output change with higher reps of 135# versus mid-reps of 225# versus lower reps of 315#?? Or Power outputs for maximum repetitions without stopping, which would mean different time limits?

I produced a rudimentary Microsoft Excel spreadsheet "calculator" to determine Power and Work outputs for future experiments. I'll surely send it out to anyone who emails me. This could be a lot of fun.  If you are interested in helping out with my experiment by collecting data on some baseline WOs, please email me. The more data points I have to use, the more accurate results I can expect.

Reading: "Toward an Understanding of Power" by Patrick O'Shea.

NOTE: The actual WO was AMRAP in 20 minutes of KB C&Ps, with round one being 1R and 1L, round two being 2R and 2L, and so on.  Round 10 had 10R and 10L.  This definitely affected the total repetition numbers for 20 minutes. I'm confident that a less-structured WO would allow both of the participants to perform more repetitions in 20 minutes.

Praise and Encouragement

During the last Thanksgiving Week, I thought about a blessing that I never really spent all that much time pondering, much less appreciating: Praise and Encouragement.

It might sound a bit silly for an adult man to put stock into something so seemingly childish as Praise and Encouragement....after all, we don't hear all that much of it as adults! There's a lot more beating down than building up.

As a child, I had two parents who showered my brothers and me with encouragement.  We were told from the time we began rolling over and crawling that "we can do it."  As we got older (and probably like most children) our parents told us that we could accomplish anything we wanted to.   And probably like most kids, I brushed those comments off. It hasn't been until much later that I realized my parents were actually right. I really could do anything.  

I look back at all the successes and failures in my life, and notice an overwhelming trend.   Whenever I set a goal and it was an important priority in my life, I generally succeeded. Maybe not at first, but eventually. Good grades. Friendships. Contests. Lofty goals. Jobs. It didn't matter. If it was important to me, I got it.  Yet I must clarify that when I use the term "important to me," I use it with utmost passion and emotion, and with true ownership and commitment. Consuming thoughts and efforts. Believing and visualizing.

I got good grades and academic awards in school. I had successes in athletics. I forged lasting friendships....(the standard pre-determined goals of American youth)....a common storybook tale.  But I do NOT tell my story to you to recall childhood successes.  Rather I tell it to link ADULT success to this childhood praise and encouragement.

When as a child I heard words of compliment, recognition, affirmation, and motivation, over and over again, I'm not sure I had any choice other than to believe it. I now realize those parental commendations as a small child had been weaved into the very fabric of my now-adult character. A fabric woven so tightly it cannot be ripped, torn, or shred.  I now have no choice in life other than to believe I CAN DO IT.

Today, I get challenged with, "Who do you think you are?" or "You'll never be able do that." Verbal doubts like those above are whispers against screams. They're water droplets on a raging wild fire.  Today, I get described as: focused, competitive, selfish, confident, determined, pompous, committed, self-centered, faithful, arrogant, resilient, stubborn, cocky, assured...some terms obviously not as welcomed as others. I've been told I come across as one who thinks he's better than others.

In recent times, I have been cautious of how I come across to others.  My character is frequently misinterpreted as a superior-than-you attitude.  I honestly hold firm that adults both suppress and find themselves uncomfortable around others who possess the "I can do whatever I set my mind to" attitude...an attitude that is acceptable for a naive schoolboy to innocently (and wrongly) have, but not a grown man.

So why is this attitude acceptable for a naive schoolboy, but not an educated grown man? Is it because most adults have grown out of the "I can do it" mentality after experiencing failure? Is it because they never really believed in the power of the mind and commitment to succeed?  Did their parents fail to instill the invincibility during impressionable years? Maybe it's easier to swallow failure for those doubters? What it really boils down to:  refusing an "I can do it" approach gives an "out"...an excuse to fail and gladly accept it.  I guess if you don't commit to it, it's not really failing, right? 

What winnings and successes have you experienced in your life? To what do you attribute them? Hard work? Outside support? Perseverance? Belief?

It is OK to possess the attitude of "you can do it."  After all, you really can do it! My parents were right. Yours probably were too.

In this winter Christmas  season, make an extra effort to set fitness goals: weight loss, a certain time or performance on a benchmark workout, a commitment to complete a workout program such as the Prison WO....whatever it is, feel free to post your goal on the comments here! It might force you to put in that extra effort!

Repost: Renaissance Men (and Women)

Sorry for the lack of recent postings. I'm diligently writing a series of posts that's taking a bit longer than I had originally estimated. This is a slightly-editted repost of the very first post on the Trinity Training Group. It fits quite well with the current series I've been working on about the antagonistic views of Luxury and Survival. Without giving ourselves the opportunities to learn and better ourselves, there will be no advancement. If we settle for our current physical fitness levels, is it good enough for the challenges that suddenly arise? Who among us has the willpower or determination to continue to educate ourselves beyond the classroom? Is the only time we think of religion or spirituality on Sundays or when we need help? It is a constant "fertilizing" of our bodies that allows us to reach full potential.

It takes a special commitment to begin down the Road to Renassaince. It requires a decision to exercise, read, write, pray, inspect, discuss, practice, think, learn, focus, share, and examine. And with all this extra duty, one must begin to rid life of unnecessary excesses and wasteful habits. Limited are the days of watching mindless TV, gossip, sleeping, gambing, sport drinking, and whining. It's been a rough road...difficult to ignore the temptations of luxury, the easy life, and being entertained. And just as hard to keep up with all the positive practices!

Check back often. I hope to have a part or two up within the next few days. Lou

A rebirth of personal excellence here in 2008? Sounds somewhat odd, doesn't it? We live in an age of dodging obstacles and taking the paths of least resistance. The most popular current self-help resources are those that inflict the least personal pain...diets with no hunger, workouts with no soreness, and religion with no guilt. But going back to Eurpoe a half-millenia ago, quite the opposite was occurring. The Renaissance was in full swing. It was a cultural shift that brought us advances in art, science, and religion. Scholars and artists led the charge to be the best they could be as whatever cost.

We at Trinity Training Group are asking the same today...a "personal Renaissance." When we enrich our Minds, Bodies, and Spirits, we see great benefits. Imagine a day with time spent equally in a gym, a library, and a church. That sort of well-rounded attitude is what pushes the human experience to new levels. Mental and emotional healths tend to be overlooked these days, with a focus instead on only physical wellness. But even physical strength and stamina cannot reach full potential without proper effort spent in spiritual and mental exercises. This blog will address different ways to challenge the Mind, the Body, and the Spirit. We make Renaissance men and women!!

“In Italy for thirty years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder and bloodshed but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and the Renaissance. In Switzerland, they had brotherly love; they had five hundred years of democracy and peace and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock.” -Orson Welles

Renaissance Men (and Women)

A rebirth of personal excellence here in 2008? Sounds somewhat odd, doesn't it? We live in an age of dodging obstacles and taking the paths of least resistance. The most popular current self-help resources are those that inflict the least personal pain...diets with no hunger, workouts with no soreness, and religion with no guilt. But going back to Eurpoe a half-millenia ago, quite the opposite was occurring. The Renaissance was in full swing. It was a cultural shift that brought us advances in art, science, and religion. Scholars and artists led the charge to be the best they could be as whatever cost. We at Trinity Training Group are asking the same today...a "personal Renaissance." When we enrich our Minds, Bodies, and Spirits, we see great benefits.

Imagine a day with time spent equally in a gym, a library, and a church. That sort of well-rounded attitude is what pushes the human experience to new levels. Mental and emotional healths tend to be overlooked these days, with a focus instead on only physical wellness. But even physical strength and stamina cannot reach full potential without proper effort spent in spiritual and mental exercises. This blog will address different ways to challenge the Mind, the Body, and the Spirit. We make Renaissance men and women!!

“In Italy for thirty years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder and bloodshed but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and the Renaissance. In Switzerland, they had brotherly love; they had five hundred years of democracy and peace and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock.” - Orson Welles