nicnakis

Handstands and the lessons they hold

I have always thought handstands were awesome, but I have never been very good at them. I guess that’s a relevant term; I have been better at them than many people, but not as good as I wanted to be. In my head, I wanted be able to handstand walk across the basketball court andContinue reading “Handstands and the lessons they hold”

Make Food at Home

One of the upsides of COVID-19 is that we get to make a lot more delicious, nutritious, home-made meals.

“I’m not losing any weight right now, but I guess that’s ok.”

I’ve had this same conversation a couple times today, so I thought it would be a good blog post just to clear some things up. Point 1: During a public health crisis, weight loss is not a very high concern. More importance needs to be places on staying healthy and happy. Point 2: If beingContinue reading ““I’m not losing any weight right now, but I guess that’s ok.””

Get Creative

Just a few photos of some of my favorite pieces of home-made exercise equipment from home gyms I’ve had over the years.

Little Doodle, Big Idea

Of all the things I’ve ever doodled in a journal or drawn on a whiteboard, this one has definitely had the most impact. I first drew it for a client when I was at Riverside Health Club, in an attempt to explain why thinking about their sleep and happiness was more important than a high-intensityContinue reading “Little Doodle, Big Idea”

Where To Start?

Right now we’re in COVID-19 lockdown. Things are way out of the ordinary. People are scared about their health. A lot of folks are taking this time as an opportunity to improve their health and fitness habits, but many don’t know where to begin. Here are my thoughts. 1. Separate your “Circle of Concern” fromContinue reading “Where To Start?”

Blood, Dirt, and Water

This is something I wrote last year, but I like it and I am re-posting it here. Food for thought (about food). This is Personal My personal story with nutrition goes back to a family with all kinds of health problems and really no compass for how to eat properly. Between ignorance and misinformation,Continue reading “Blood, Dirt, and Water”

Why Now?

My health and fitness practices are the same all year long and I’ve been developing them all my life. I train in my garage gym or outside, I eat home-cooked meals, I drink water and keep a consistent sleep schedule. I coach others on their own behaviors, nourishment, and exercise. So why am I writingContinue reading “Why Now?”

Never Stop Learning

This one connects to the “Smart” part of Smart, Fit, and Clean. The ability to learn is not something to take for granted. Learning is a skill and it is also a practice. In order to learn, you need: A growth mindset. You must possess the mental framework to understand that your life is notContinue reading “Never Stop Learning”

Fitness as a Martial Art – History of the Athletic Skill Levels

This is a story about a super-obscure style of fitness that I practice in my personal workouts. The concept started with David Werner at CrossFit North. Dave had the idea of treating fitness like a martial art, with belts that you had to earn as your abilities progressed. This idea led to his development ofContinue reading “Fitness as a Martial Art – History of the Athletic Skill Levels”