Milestones!

Kathi hit 129 lbs!!! She did it!!!

 

Click here before you read on. Immediately. Stop reading and click. Are you still reading? CLICK HERE. I want you to read this while this song plays in the background… Because I dedicate this song to each and every one of you who fight day in and day out, tooth and nail… Blood, sweat, and tears… Fears, jeers, and insecurities… That voice constantly pulling a tug-of-war saying “You can!” followed by “Can I?” Well yes, you can. You will. You’ve done…

My girl Kathi Tyler (pictured above) hit her goal today. After 2 and a half years of roller coaster worthy ups and down, twists and turns, low points and high points, shoulder injuries, achy muscles, trials, tribulations, motivation, inspiration, PERSPIRATION. 2 Harvest and crush seasons (she’s a winemaker), a little girl, a new puppy, a new car… She has found herself a new woman. 2 and a half solid years culminated today in Kathi hitting her goal… 129 lbs. This is for you Kathi… I love you. WE love you. Congratulations baby girl, this is only the beginning before we get you up on stage you hot mama!

 

He did it!!! I love this man!!!

That song better be playing still… If not… Play it again! Not only did Kathi hit her marker, but my man Art is below the 200 lb mark for the first time since… When Art? I looked it up… His first challenge (he is an OG member… Hulk – Round II and beyond!) he weighed 244 lbs and couldn’t hold a plank longer than 30 seconds. I dare ANYONE who has seen this man work during bootcamps, BOSU class, one on one sessions, Zumba, or any other form of exercise he can get his hands on, to say that he is not one of the beastliest, most motivated and unstoppable forces of nature they have ever seen. I want to get a mural of silverback gorillas on my back, and I might just replace one with a picture of Art, because he EPITOMIZES what they represent to me… Strong, loyal, proud, and somebody who has such a FIERCE confidence that they DON’T show off that you KNOW you don’t want to mess with them… Art, you ARE Hulk. When they ask, you tell ’em… Art. I love you man. WE love you.

When Art was leaving today, he told me his neighbor had a heart attack last night around 10pm. He told me he’d been having complications before and nobody is sure how drastic this last one was exactly. Around that same time last night (10pm) I got a text from Art saying “Our trainer has a saying… You get the results people don’t get by doing the things people don’t do.” I responded with “That’s me!” and he simply sends back “No one else.”

Now, the correlation of the timing of this didn’t hit me until Art told me what he told me next. He puts his hand on my shoulder, takes a deep breath, and says “if it wasn’t for you and the team, that would be me last night. I have no doubt in my mind. Thank you.” Then he just tried to walk away! I said “no no no, you get on back here…” and after the driest hug we have ever shared (moments before we shared the sweatiest embrace we’ve ever shared) I told him “Art, I’m the foreman in this equation. I have the blueprint, I have the tools, and I have the power to lead and oversee… You, however, built the house. You are the one showing up to work every day whether I’m there or not. You are the one doing the hard work, and I can’t thank YOU enough for meeting me with the same level of commitment I give to you. You are the definition of ‘Hulk’ Art, and I can’t thank YOU enough.”

I have 2 reasons why I’m telling this story. Reason#1 is because Art, my man, that fear of getting taken away by an unhealthy body is GONE. That WILL NOT be you. Last night is a reminder of what you have changed for the better to the zillionth degree, and no one can ever take that away from you. Your family is going to have you around a long time my friend… That golf course is going to have your feet tread it a thousand more times before you take that stairway to heaven. Team Hulk gets to stay fired up by you from here on out (minus the coming crush season). Reason #2 is because I can’t thank Art, Team Hulk, or ANYBODY I work with enough for the appreciation I get shown. You will all ALWAYS be welcome, but under one condition… Recognize you are doing the work. I am NOT a miracle worker. I am a leader. I am a massive weight loser. I am the kid that no one cared about, so I just kept screaming till they heard me out. I’m the one with blueprints for success. I’m that helping hand that knows what it’s like to struggle… To despise yourself. To think that you have nothing to offer anybody, including yourself, so what’s the point? I’m the one who gets how hard of a struggle nutrition is because I have the same struggles. I’m the one who follows my own mantra of “you get the results people don’t get by doing the work people don’t do.” I’m the one who follows my own formulas, thought process, and suggestions to the fullest.

I am NOT the one making you show up every day. I am NOT the one forcing you to book sessions or sign up for Team Hulk. I am NOT the one forcing you to stick around after Hulk to do Zumba (aside from the first week :D). I am NOT the one doing your push ups, squats, planks, wall sits, shoulder presses, lunges, rope work, BOSU work, bicycles, ground-to-stands, body extensions, isometric flexes… I am NOT the one planning your meals or making you breakfast in the morning. I am NOT the one making the right decisions for you (when the “wrong” ones are so much easier to choose). For all the things I am, the things that I’m not fall on YOU.
Thank you, Team Hulk, for believing in this former fat kid and putting your shovel to the grindstone (screw the axe!) for me day in and day out. Thank you for taking the blue prints and not only following them, but putting on some additions of your own. Thank you for being the reason I wake up in the morning and why I have a smile on my face as I plop into bed at night. Thank you for your kind words, fierce battle cries, gut wrenching “AhhhOOOOOO’s!!!”, and deafening chants. Thank you for being the reason that Hulk is so popular I now have to book 50 people 2 months in advance for my next challenge when in the beginning I had to beg and plead to even fill (hopefully) 10 spots 3 months in advance… I had a vision. Thank you for making that vision a reality.

You say thank me? Not a chance… thank you…

I feel the song of the day is pretty obvious. If not, click here!

Also, Meghan Hoyal is no longer on her death-bed! Welcome back!!!!

Album #1 of “Team Hulk – Round VI” Click Here
Album #2 of “Team Hulk – Round VI” Click Here

Disney themed workout this Thursday!

“Train the trainer” date coming soon!

Sound off!

– Hulk