When my husband and I travel, we love soaking up the different culture (a real treat for us when you when you live in small rural Lumberton.) On our last adventure - a long weekend in Miami - we ooh la la'd over the lobby of the Intercontinental Hotel - decked out with the touch screen coffee tables. I just love the mix of contemporary art, technology, and zen that radiates from this place!
But our most amazing story from this trip was meeting Andres. Andres, is Miami resident and parkour coach - athlete extraordinary. ( parkour is a movement sport/art of running, jumping, flipping, climbing, swinging in a fluid flow using whatever the terrain has to offer - which could be a sidewalk - stadium, train station, - anything is open game - think spiderman in street clothes).
Below is a short video Andres teaching me a parkour vault in Miami - he is an awesome instructor!!!
Five years ago, Andres was an 100 lb overweight - video game-junk food addict. With his lifestyle and a family history of diabetes, stroke, and heart disease, he was immersed in an environment that was destroying him. He hadn't given much thought to his path - until he felt his ankles buckle and collapse from the weight of his frame, his joints were losing there ability to uphold this excessive stress. The light bulb went off for Andres, he could not continue down this dire course.
Several weeks ago in one of my earlier blogs, I discussed that habit is permanent . You cannot delete or extinguish a habit; to change, you must sub it with another routine. A very difficult task- insurmatable for some - but not for Andres. He made it with simple steps. (Please do not equate simple with easy...simple and easy are not one and the same by far!) This was his "miraculous" recipe
- He found a goal. In this case, Andres was awed by the athletic challenge and thrill of parkour . He could visualize himself in that athletic role.
- He took slow steps and bite size portions to reach his goal. He started out by nixing the junk food and incorporating a general fitness plan. (If you have noticed, this is completely opposite of the formula used by the "Biggest Loser" - which is one of the most misleading horror shows on prime time and slap-in-the-face to any intelligent fitness trainer or exercise professional.) He became more fit and healthy before diving into the crazy athletic technicalities of parkour.
- He changed his habit routine! - this is the BIGGIE. He subbed 18 hour video game benders to a weekend full of movement. Instead, he played with parkour basics and his fitness workout. He replaced the junk food, with healthy natural ones.
And with simple habit changes - this is where Andres is today. The change rippled throughout his family-- his habits became contagious. His mother became interested in healthy foods - eliminated all junk from their house, and began to cook healthy meals for the family. Andres convinced his brother to begin working out with him and in time - they held weekly conditioning sessions in his garage with friends and school mates - ( anyone that has had the joy of training with friends, knows what a great motivational and accountability tool it can be - not to mention FUN!) With Andres change - he not only made an impact on himself ----but others ---- and that's the magic!
Andres and me- hope to add some videos of Andres' awesome skills here in the future! And I can't wait to take more more parkour lessons!
