Workout of the day

Working hours cock up at the day job has meant some very long days for me this week, so Wednesday and today have been basic mobility drill days only. Saturday will be back at it. 62 Kg on 5x5, squat, o/h press, bent over rows and deadlift. Until then...

The Rules Of The Game

All games have rules and boundaries that all the players must know. The following would be sensible rules for your career / business game…

• The game must be fun from time to time – you need fun to help keep the team motivated.
• People have to be capable of playing the game. Only give work to people that they can do or they will become de-motivated. Don’t set unrealistic targets.
• The game should be challenging, so don’t set targets too low but they must be achievable. People want to do a fair days work for a fair days pay, otherwise they lose a sense of value and it becomes demeaning.
• The game needs playing in the right environment. A nicer working environment will improve motivation.
• Only play a game that you are willing to play yourself. If you expect your team to play by different standards and values to you, they won’t buy into your game. Your business ends up being a reflection of you. If you’re greedy, you’ll end up with employees who are greedy, if you’re disorganised your business will be disorganised, etc.
• Let the employees have some autonomy and authority to play the game their own way with rules to keep them in check. It’s a bit like being independent contractors or thinking like an entrepreneurs but this must only be within set guidelines. They can suggest improvements to systems and these suggestions should be measured against the present systems. The goals must be set with the team, the manager setting the critical goals and the team the rest. They should have ownership and be rewarded directly related to their achievements.
• The managers can work on the game rules but let the employees do the work. The managers can decide who plays what position by matching work to ability but the players move the ball.
• Give employees responsibility for their own work. You really want them to make a commitment as well as take responsibility but that may take a bit longer to come. It’s bit like egg & bacon, the hen took on some responsibility but the pig made a commitment. 
• The game must never end. If it ends there is no way of continually moving forward. However, there does need to be victories along the way to keep the team motivated. Cheer people, have contests, monthly awards, tell people they are good at their work. It’s just like a football match, the crowd cheers progress down the pitch, which often leads to a goal that records the score.
• But don’t congratulate if it’s not true. If you can’t congratulate, you need to encourage. Look for positives, not negatives. 
• Never change the ethics of the game as the whole game is built around this. However tactics can be changed to keep the team motivated. The values have to hold up in tough times, not just be feel good slogans.
• Keep reminding the team of the game.

First published in "The complete Profit Guide" by Salter Newman, 2005

Workout of the day

4 X 2 mins jumping jacks
5 sets of 5 reps squats (61kg)
5 sets of 5 reps bench press (61kg)
5 sets of 5 reps reverse rows (bodyweight)
5 sets of 5 reps roll outs


basic full body stretches

Citrus fruit smoothie

Ingredients:

• 5 cups of grapefruit juice 
• 3 cups of orange juice
• 1 cup frozen berries (I like raspberries)
• 1 cup of water
• 4 bananas
• 1 tablespoon honey
• handful of ice.

Method:

• Throw it all together in the blender, blend for 2 mins and serve.

Don’t Worry About Mistakes... a new years uplift!

Everybody makes mistakes. Don’t listen to those who say you’ll learn from them. May be you will, may be you won’t. After all, Henry Ford went bankrupt twice before becoming a success.

Don’t worry about making mistakes if you want to succeed in business. You need to decide for yourself if you can live with failure knowing you tried your best. Is that not better than not to have tried at all? Many successful entrepreneurs believe it’s better to have tried and failed than never have had the courage to try.

You need to take action and get started. Sure, you don’t know everything but don’t wait forever planning or you’ll do nothing.

If you don’t know about taxes, so what? There’s no tax to worry about until you start making some money anyway.

And don’t beat a dead horse. Recognise when something is not going to work, cut your losses and move on. There’s no rule about you can only start one business in your lifetime. You have 365 new chances every year to accomplish your goals.

Apple and Turkey Curry

Ingredients:

• 500g left over turkey, chopped into bite size pieces
• 2 apples, cored and chopped
• olive oil
• one large onion, finely sliced
• 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 3 red chillies, seeds removed and finely chopped
• 1 inch of ginger, finely chopped
• 400g chopped tomatoes
• 1tbs tomato puree
• handful leaf coriander
• 1tsp cumin powder
• 1tsp coriander powder
• 1tsp turmeric
• 1tsp garam masalla
• 1tsp curry powder
• salt

Method:

• Fry the onions over a medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the chillies, ginger and garlic and continue frying gently for five minutes.
• Add the spices (except the coriander)and salt and cook on the lowest heat for another five minutes.
• Add the tomato puree and tomatoes and bring to a boil.
• Then reduce the heat and let it all bubble away for 10 minutes. If it looks too thick add some stock or water to the mix.
• Add the turkey and apples and continue to cook for half and hour.
• Serve sprinkled with fresh coriander

Happy Christmas

Spaghetti with Marinara Sauce

On Christmas Eve I like to eat light, my thoughts are seafood and pasta:

Ingredients:

• 2 x 400g chopped tomatoes 
• olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic crushed
• 1 small onion chopped
• Handful of basil leaves
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• freshly ground black pepper

Seafood you can add to the sauce - pick a few or use just one:

• cut up lobster
• shrimp
• mussels
• clams
• calamari
• scallops

Method

• Heat the olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium low heat. Add the chopped onions and garlic and saute until tender.
• Stir in the tomato and the remaining ingredients.
• Bring to to a bubbling simmer over medium high heat and then decrease heat until the sauce is just slightly simmering.
• Continue to cook until the sauce starts to thicken, about fifteen minutes.
• Add the seafood and transfer to the pasta. Serve immediately. Do not add cheese!

Workout of the day

60kg for each rep and set:

• Squat 5x5
• Overhead Press 5x5
• Deadlift 5x5
• Pull-ups 3xF
• Prone Bridges 3x30sec

Workout of the day

Basic mobility drill and stretches - its been a long day!

Sherry Trifle

Ingredients:

• 1 Swiss Roll
• 1 packet Raspberry Jelly
• 1 tin Strawberries 
• 1 pint Custard, cooled
• 1 pint cream
• 150ml Sherry 
• Raspberry Jam
• Toasted Flaked Almonds

Method:

• Slice the swiss roll
• Arrange in the bottom of a glass serving bowl.
• Pour the sherry over the swiss roll
• Add the fruit.
• Prepare the jelly as per the instructions 
• Pour the jelly over the fruit and sponge
• Place in the fridge and allow to set.
• Pour custard over jelly.
• Whisk the cream and spread on the top of the custard
• Decorate with almonds.

Upcoming posts:

• The things I have learnt this year (inspired by the garage gym online)
• My garage gym - with photos
• My 2011 plan, current stats and monthly training video
• The how to gain weight diet
• The Curry series
• What to do when you work 12 hour shifts, travel 3 hours to get to work and are starving hungry
• Total rebuild - how a three month lay off, medication and lots of junk food can wreck you, and what I am doing to get back again.
• Training for the Manchester 10K
• Sports Massage - from Newbie to Intermediate

Anything else I should add?

Workout of the day

10 mins skipping rope

5 sets of 5 reps squats (60kg)
5 sets of 5 reps bench press (60kg)
5 sets of 5 reps reverse rows (bodyweight)
5 sets of 5 reps roll outs

10 mins heavy bag

Tuna and bean stir fry

Right, I'm back!

Stopped training, stopped cooking and felt sorry for myself for a while, but getting it back together and have some belief again - no thanks to some of my new "friends" (you know who you are)

Ingredients:

• Chop up a selection of celery, pepper, aubergines, onion, mushroom, tomato, leafy greens, broccoli and cabbage
• 2-3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• Olive oil
• 1 can tuna
• 1 can of red kidney beans
• 1 red chili finely chopped
• about 2 cm of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped.
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 cups of uncooked rice

Method:

• Get the rice on. To 2 cups of uncooked rice add 4 cups of water. Cook at mid-high heat for 12 mins.
• In the meantime, heat the oil.
• Cook off the onions, peppers, carrots, and celery. Once the onions soften add the aubergine, cabbage, leafy greens, or broccoli.
• Add beans and flaked tuna. Stir fry for about another 5 mins
• Add the chili, soy sauce and ginger.
• Serve over the rice, that should now be cooked.