A Reflection on Momentum

League of Wildness,

I think it’s good to be able to change your mind.

And I also believe that you must be true to your values.

If you’re not - your soul will erode.

That’s why we’re going back outside.

Kim has been telling me for years that the ethos embedded in the monkii bars 2 Kickstarter was the most pure form of wild gym. I’d have to agree.

It was all about expanding your imagination of what is possible and learning to see the world through a new lens.

Ultimately - it was about how to workout differently and free ourselves from the industrial fitness complex.

Health and fitness is extremely simple - but not easy. 

Go outside.
Move your body.
Eat well.
Get nutritious sleep.
Control stress.
Have intimate relationships and be a part of a community.

The challenge we face is an artificial world that is incongruent with our DNA combined with an alienation from the outdoors.

On a more practical level we’re busy, stressed, in pain, and we do not know what to do.

Going outside makes things very simple.

I find it so fascinating that we need things such as cold exposure, heat exposure, sunlight, big views, real food, and good old fashion walking prescribed to us by some of the most intelligent people walking the planet. We once knew this intimately - intuitively.

Life has also become highly segmented. You drive to a special space to work. Then drive to a special space to get food. Then drive to a special space to buy clothes. And then if there’s time, you drive to a super-special space lit by fluorescent lights, filled with $10,000 machines, covered by a perfectly flat, smooth, artificial floor, and where you get to put on an even more special costume to exercise in.

Let’s go outside and workout.

I’ve gotten into the mindset of essentially trying to stack as many habits as I possibly can so I can do them outside.

By twisting the knob and stepping through the door we immediately start to receive nourishment from the world - and even - the universe.

Every day since 2007 I have thought about how to combine exercise and the outside world. I’ll never forget standing in my college weight room the day I got my first Ranger job discussing with my strength coach how I would train in the wild.

What’s important to understand is that I was a walk-on to a top 10 division 1 Lacrosse team. I weighed 155 lbs and was barely 5’8” when most of my teammates were over 6 feet and 200+ lbs. The only reason I was able to compete was because I was a disciple of training.

What I didn’t expect was to emerge from that time in the wild in the best shape of my life, earn a starting role (after riding the bench for 3 years) and even getting a scholarship to come back and play out my final year of eligibility.

There was something truly magical about spending that much time outside and combining that time with a bigger purpose.

Many religions have stories of people going into wild places to strengthen their spirit.

My time in the wild strengthened my body and spirit beyond what I had ever imagined possible.

My hope is that wild gym can help you peer through that crack in your own psyche and see what dreams of yours might have a chance of coming true. That’s what makes life interesting.

Here’s my vision for the Momentum program launching Tuesday, July 25th and with wild gym as a whole.

The idea is to focus on workouts and products optimized for outside.

The workouts will require minimal equipment so it’s easy to open the door and move.

You’ll also have a plan that will keep you consistent and accountable.

 

You don’t have to be extreme - just be consistent.

 

Stay tuned for all the details coming Sunday…

We will open up the signup on Monday July 24th and our first workout will go live on Tuesday, July 25th.

I’ll see you out there!

-Dan

P.S. If you're looking for customized 1-1 coaching with me (Dan) click here to learn more.