Set Higher Standards by YogiRavi

…with GOOD food.

I am not talking about Taco Bell’s freakin “fourth meal.”

Tonight Kat and I headed out to grab a bite in Queen Anne and of course everything was pretty much shut down after 10pm. Moxie was open. It is a great little place right around the corner from the QFC. The decor is moderate to upscale (great for a date or nice meal). The prices are reasonable, the staff and bartenders are incredibly friendly and they serve a full-menu until midnight every day!

There is a nice bar area or quite table spots. The bartender, Allen, even stays open later if there is anyone who wants to hang out. Totally cool. The head chef is also a part owner. The restaurant has been open about 6 months, and I hope this one sticks around for a while. If you are out and about later at night, be sure to check it out (the sweet potatoe fries are amazing).

I’ve followed Gavin and Jeff‘s lead and setup a feedburner account to syndicate this blog.

If you are one of the three people that are reading this blog ….update your feed to:

http://feeds.feedburner.com/Set_higher_standards

Apparently this will let me track all sorts of personal data about you …well, at least I’ll know how many people check in and when. I guess there are other benefits; but I need to bust out my english-geek dictionary to understand them.

gracias.

Along with the static contraction weight training, I’ve been working on bodyweight exercises. If static contraction techniques in the weight room can help you develop more top-end power and strength, I think that bodyweight exercises are great to build lasting strength and endurance. I think the two compliment each other. Plus, it is just so much easier to drop and do a few dozen push ups than to head to the gym.

Lately, I’ve decided to mash-up the two! I have been working static holds into my bodyweight exercise routine.

Most people are familiar with just pounding out push up reps or loads of crunches; but when was the last time you just held a push up for as long as you could? Most people never do this, but I think it might be a great way to stress the muscle more effectively.

The technique is this: after stretching a bit, place your arms slightly wider than shoulder width apart, and lower yourself only 3 inches. Hold this pose. Do not go too far down. Your arms should be almost (but not at) their point of complete lock-out.

The first time I did this I thought I could hold it forever (back on April 30th)….I made it 30 seconds before collapsing. Two weeks ago I made it for 2 min 30 seconds! I have been doing holds since then but haven’t timed myself. Will do a spot check later this week to see where I am at.

In parellel, I’ve been testing my 1 set max for pushups. I have been curious to see how only doing this minimal amount of training would help me progress. Here is my 1 set push up max has progressed in the past month:

• May 7th: 30
• May 14th: 37
• May 16th: 38
• May 29th: 41
• (today) June 6th: 44

I haven’t been trying to set a personal record each time…but it has ended up happenng. Between May7th and today I have primarily been doing static push holds (one hold to failure every other day) in between my one-rep max tests. I have also done (3-4 times) some Hindu Pushups (yoga combo of downward/plank/upward dog), a few yoga classes and 1 full-on weight room session.

The point is, I am finding my self making some reasonable progress by only doing 1 set of static push ups every other day or so. Could I attribute the gains to the other random stuff I do? Perhaps, but when I was really into doing pushups in high school it tool me a very long time to make the progress I have made in the past month, and I worked a heck of a lot harder! I think there is something to this technique.

I’ll keep going and see where it leads me. My personal best for nonstop push-ups is 52. If I can beat 60 using this method…I will be a true believer!

btw….if you are reading this blog, let me know what your personal 1 set max is for push ups; just curious! Pls add a comment to the blog!

I talked last week about my experience with the Static Contraction workout technique. This post follows up on my experience after the workout.

Immediately following the workout I had a very good feeling. I felt moderatly pumped, but not so trashed that I couldn’t function like a normal human being. The following day, my arms (biceps and triceps) were very sore, but my chest and back felt only a little tight. It was pretty clear that my arms were shocked by having to handle that much weight. 48 hours after the workout, my arms were still sore. Three days after the workout, the soreness was pretty much gone.

I haven’t hit the weight room again since the last workout, sticking to some bodyweight exercises and yoga. I plan to try my next weight workout sometime this week. One of the supposed benefits of this method of training is that by putting such heavy stress on your muscles, you should only need to lift about once a week (twice a week if you split your workouts into 2 days hitting opposing body parts). The measure of progress is your ability to lift higher weights, or hold the same weight for longer periods of time. I don’t feel like I have lost any strength in the past week, we’ll know for sure in a few days.

I was talking with a Ed (a co-worker of mine) a few weeks ago and the topic of leadership and management came up. Of course, we naturally started talking about Jack Welch, and his latest book “Winning.” I haven’t had a chance to read it yet, but I have read his other books, and personally think the Audio CD (read by Jack himself) for his book “Straight From The Gut” is one of the best business books of all time. Hearing Jack, in his gruff no-nonsense tone, talk about leadership, is both hilarious and 1000 times more impact-ful than just reading it. It is well worth your time, whether you are working in a big corporation or just looking to motivate yourself, your family or your friends to achieve something worthwhile.

Ed and I were talking about what it is that makes someone a successful leader. He brought up a fantastic point about what made Jack such powerful figure. Keep in mind, Jack Welch was a lifer at GE, starting right out of school at the age of 26 and climbing to the top over a 30+ year career. The point is, Jack Welch has INCREDIBLE FOLLOW THROUGH. Ed mentioned that in his last book, there are a few pages showing memos from some of the Jack’s top leaders at GEs. These memos were commitments the leader’s had made several years prior. Jack had printed these memos, and personally referenced them regularly years after they were made, making handwritten notes on the memos to keep track of progress against commitments.

To think that a CEO of one of the most successful companies on the planet would have this long-term view and make it a point to not only keep, but reference with painstaking detail the important communications he has with his employees….well, it just blows my mind. Most companies have standard review processes, which including some type of goal-setting and ratings against goals. Unfortunately, management rarely keeps these goals top of mind. Pursuit of the next big thing is always seeming to be more important that actually finishing what was started.

You can say Jack was successful for many reasons (charisma, brains, luck, etc) but I think it comes down to two things 1) endurance and 2) follow through. Finishing what you started and having the endurance to do it. Not losing sight of goals and commitments. Measuring progress (or lack thereof) against those goals and commitments. In my last post (peaceful warrior: an amazing film) I mentioned Tony Robbin’s “words of wisdom” that making progress is ultimately what helps us feel not only a sense of achievement from reaching a goal, but a sense of lasting fulfillment for what we have done. Having following through, means that you are able to see exactly where you (or your company, or your relationship, or whatever) are making progress, and where you are just plain old stagnating.

When was the last time you stopped to review goals or commitments you made for yourself (not for your job) and gave yourself and honest assessment? Most people never do, and when it does happens, it is not done consistently. Following through is one of the hardest things you will ever do, but if it works for Jack, it’s worth giving a shot.

I just got back from a screening of The Peaceful Warrior, based on the book by Daniel Millman written over 20 years ago. The film is really outstanding. I recommend that everyone go see it…and tell your friends about it. The sad reality is, movies like this will struggle to stay in the theaters more than one or two weekends. Despite the power and impact of the film, mass market appeal and $$$$ are what the big theater’s are looking for. Hopefully with a strong opening week, the film will be around for more folks to check out. Go see it this weekend! Tell your friends! Take your dogs and cats! Blog about it!
Now on to what I think about it

The film, produced by Lionsgate, stars Nick Nolte, Amy Smart and Scott Mechlowicz and is a very well made and powerful movie. The thesis of the film is that “there are no oridinary moments,” and is based on Millman’s own autiobiography woven into a narrative. The storyline follows a Cal Berkley gymnast in his quest to become the best, and the unlikley “teacher” (played by Nick Nolte) that ends up showing him the true way to fullment and happiness.

(picture of Nick Nolte as “Socrates” the gas station….I mean “service agent.” You’ll know what I mean once you see the film.)

The movie is no different to the Yoda/Luke, Mr. Miyagi/Ralph duos we have seen in movies before, but the Peaceful Warrior is able to drive home the message effectively, yet without the pomp and show of an intergallactic battle or predictable david vs goliath sparring matches. Nick Nolte was absolutely perfect in this role. It is great to see him take on this lower-budget independent film. The script was well written, and while I can’t say there were any plot twists I couldn’t forsee, the film was done in a way where you really didn’t care.

Following the film (I saw the showing in a small theater in the Capitol Hill area of Seattle, WA); there was a videoconference live with 7 other sites. In Seattle, a few of the producers were present to take questions. In the remote locations: Dan Millman, all the cast members and many special guests were on hand to comment and discuss their favorite parts of the movie.

Perhaps my biggest suprise was seeing a videoconference feed of Tony Robbins live from Fiji! Tony was a major influence to one of the producers of the film, is a big fan Dan Millman’s writings, and was a big supporter of the film itself. Tony spoke a few words about the movie, and the key messages he hopes we all take away. In a nutshell his guindance was that our lives tend to focus around two things: 1) Achievement and 2) Fulfillment. Achievement is something we are good at, but Fulfillment is something that we often overlook. Achievement is about accomplishing a given end-result. Winning a gold-medal for example. Fulfillment is more of an art, it is about the process of change. It is about making progress. Tony made the point that we are always in one of two states as a human being…progressing or dying…and it is progress that gives us the juice to get excited and achieve great things…while feeling fulfilled. Fulfillment and Progress….Tony’s words of wisdom!

(multi-site videocast with Tony’s oversized head on the big screen!!!)

Of course, the rest of the cast had some great things to say about the film. Lavar Burton was in one of the remote sites and read a few questions and comments about the movie. I got quite the kick out of that…a totaly throwback to Reading Rainbow!

(one of the producers of the film taking questions in Seattle)

So I totally recommend seeing the movie. But be warned…you will actually be thinking about it hours after leaving the movie, so if you are looking to zone out…go catch MI3 and if you are looking to take a nap, go see The DaVinci Code.

I’ve been a regular pandora listener for the past 3-4 months. I have a daily habit. Try it out at http://www.pandora.com and get hooked yourself! Pandora is the brainchild of Tim Westergren, who I got to meet today at Seattle’s EMP. Tim knows music, having spent about 10 years as a rock musician, experiencing life on the road firsthand, living out of a van and travelling the west coast playing gigs where he could find them. He also studied computer acoustics at Standford while an undergrad, and spent some time as a movie score composer (or trying to be one that is!)…experiencing the music industry from multiple perspectives. During the discussion today, Tim talked a bit about his background, the history of Pandora and spent quite a long time taking questions from the other pandora listeners who came out to put in their own personal feature requests.

This meetup is one stop on a nationwide roadtrip Tim is making to informally connect with Pandora listeners. Tim mentioned that one of his first stops in New York City a couple months ago included a whopping 2 people meeting him at a cafe. Today in Seattle he packed an auditorium of the EMP with 150 people! Keep in mind, the meetup was only publicized in a single entry on the pandora blog. Each person who attended also got an e-mail reply by Tim himself. What started out as an informal meet and greet tour is turning into one of the best and least expensive marketing campaigns they could have ever imagined!

As background, Pandora came about as a sideproject, with the original idea being the platform Pandora sits on, the Music Genome Project. This project involves categorization of songs by a taxonomy that captures their essential qualities. The key to the taxonomy, is that each of the 400,000 songs (and growing) in the Pandora database are assessed manually by a trained musician. Each assessment takes about 20 minutes and Pandora has now grown to include over 40 musicians helping to grow what they call “The Genome.”

While the original vision for the project was to create the Music Genome and use it to help e/retailers identify music to cross sell to their customers (think Amazon’s referral engine only much much better), an early attempt at creating a webcast service was soo successful that it has now become the primary business. I highly recommend checking it out. Tim’s vision is to utlimately create a “middle class for musicians” by making more obscure/independent artists more apparent to the masses as a result of the Music Genome and the cross-referencing it enables. Think of it this way, if you are a big Police fan, Pandora will play songs that are similar in “spirit”, including more obscure artists you may have never otherwise discovered.

Some other interesting stats thrown about at the meetup:

• Pandora has over 2 million listeners
• Pandora has over 23 million radio stations created by listeners
• Viral from the get-go: the original pandora.com service was opened to 200 friends and family, the website was password protected so only these people could access it. Within a few days, over 5000 people were accessing the service! This was the original sign that streaming audio was really something they should pay attention to!
• 10% of pandora sessions result in someone buying music using the links to purchase on Amazon.com or iTunes! This conversion rate is incredibly high.
• Pandora makes about 5% per purchase their listeners make on Amazon or iTunes.
• Currently about 70% of their indexed songs are from popular artists, 30% are from lesser-known or indepedent musicians.
• Currently about 70% of incoming songs they are in the process of indexing are from lesser-known or independent musicians!
• 400K songs are currently indexed as part of the music genome project….this is growing every day
• Pandora is funded through a cut of purchased songs, advertisements on their homepage, and use of their Music Genome Project platform by eTailers (Amazon was specifically mentioned) to help cross sell music to their shoppers.
• They currently have 70 employees, and are growing!
• During the dot-com-bust they had to stop paying salaries to keep the business going (they have since made up for that!)

I love Pandora because it plays great music, and helps me discover bands I otherwise would have never known existed. Is there really any better feeling than discovering a cool new song or band? After hearing Tim speak, it is also inspiring to see these guys stick it through for over 6 years since founding the company, pushing through 1) the dot com bust and 2) the flood of music related startups (think Napster et al) and coming out on the other side a success.