As Many Reps as Possible

by Jason Khalipa

  Physical AMRAP – 8 minutes:

  Set a clock for eight minutes and perform as many rounds as possible of ten push-ups and twenty air squats.

  To perform the air squat, start standing with your feet at about your shoulder’s width apart, heels down, and feet slightly turned out. First, send your hips back almost as if you were sitting into a chair while simultaneously bending your knees. Continue to sit until the crease of your hip is below the top of your knee or “below parallel.” Once to proper depth, stand back to full extension by pressing through your heels and extending your legs.

  Jason’s Pro-Tip: Remember, if you need assistance in the push-up you can perform this exercise from your knees. In the air squat, if you are unable to squat to the depth described above without discomfort you should only go as low as you are able. As you get more accustomed to the squat, your body will adapt to this new range of motion.

  CHAPTER 4

  THE ONLY REAL-LIFE HACK…WORK REALLY HARD

  Remember those airport bookstores and the ridiculous books that line the shelves? There’s a thriving business not only in selling books with no substance, but also those that promise you the ability to hack your way to wealth or health. Lounging around won’t make you millions, and it won’t get you great abs! I wish that were true, but it just isn’t the case. Now there are certainly tips, tools, and tricks to mastering certain skills or accomplishing goals, but anything worthwhile will surely only come through hard work and dedication. For me, it’s less about the amount of time something may take and more about the effort—can you go from couch slouch to hard body in a few short months? Sure can. But you better believe you’ll have to change everything about your life and work harder than you ever imagined.

  Another way to describe this breed of no-effort life hacking is taking the easy way out. It’s my opinion that millennials have especially been caught up in the “hack your way to _____” craze. I have one burning question, and I bet you guessed it based on the title of this chapter: what’s wrong with good ol’, roll-up-your-sleeves hard work? Just about everyone I know who has achieved anything of value had to work hard to do it. When people ask me what my secret is, I’m always a little embarrassed by how simple it sounds. I often respond with, “It’s not a secret at all…I just worked really hard for many, many years.”

  I think it’s a little unfortunate that we live in a time when hacking one’s way to success is an alluring market of its own. Isn’t it common knowledge that hidden within every shortcut is a cost? At some point you will have to pay. Even if by some stroke of luck you are able to “hack” your way to a goal, have you really mastered the skills that you needed to master? Have you built, brick by brick, the foundation of confidence you’ll rely on in the future? Will you be able to replicate your results in the future? Or did you just play yourself?

  You Can’t “Hack” Your

  Way Around Hard Work

  When I was young, I was fortunate to learn a few foundational principals from mentors. Show up on a consistent basis every day for weeks, months, and years on end. When you show up, you show up on time, ready to work, and you work…hard. These are non-negotiable. You show up. You’re on time. You work. And you work hard. Honestly hard.

  Because I experienced some success in competitive CrossFit I tend to get more than a few messages daily from people who are not currently training but want to win the CrossFit Games…this year. Not in five years, not in two years, heck…not even next year. This year. For those who wake up one day and decide they want to win the CrossFit Games, they first have to undergo a reality check and understand what they’re up against.

  You’re talking about a competition that literally begins by pitting you against the world, and then ends with you up against the world’s best. The competition just to get to the Games (let alone be in a position to win it) is as large as it is fierce. Your level of fitness and the resolve of your why is going to have to have an otherworldly strength. The race to be good enough to have a shot at even qualifying for the Games has made training a full-time job…for years. And that’s just the physical element. If you qualify, competing at the Games requires a much-sharpened set of emotional and psychological tools.

  Bottom line: there’s no hacking your way to the top of anything. It’s certainly not possible in professional sports. The same can be said for building a robust, successful business, and for building a long-term, happy relationship. The price of entry is a long grind packed with challenges, and the sooner you recognize that, the sooner you will be able to use the AMRAP Mentality to its greatest potential. It has to be something you love doing, want very badly, and want for the right reasons.

  My definition of hard work is probably best characterized by the level of intensity you give to the work at hand. This ties back to the topic of the previous chapter: focus. When you need to accomplish a task, block out all distractions and get to work. Your ability to work hard scales with your ability to focus. To elevate your performance in pursuing your best work, make an AMRAP-style workout of it. Compete against yourself on a clock and try to do a better job today than you did yesterday. Or (and only if you’re ready…) if you really want to punch the throttle, compete against others.

  This is the same concept that makes community-based fitness so successful. When you shut off the noise, commit to the grind, and add a touch of competitive energy, you are going to see the results. The process pays double. Not only will you see immediate improvement in your current output, but also you will get better at the process each time you show up, punch the clock, and put in the work. Improvement occurs naturally through consistent practice. The combination of consistent practice and competition will set your results on fire. Ever pour a little lighter fluid into an open flame? I just gave you a can of lighter fluid…now, use it.

  Hard Work + Consistency = Results

  Of course, this conversation about hard work doesn’t occur in vacuum. It depends on you—where are you are now, where are you coming from, and where are you going? Working hard doesn’t mean that you’re pushing yourself into a reckless, potentially dangerous downward spiral. It doesn’t mean you go shooting off in some random direction. Rather, it means pushing past your comfort zone and systematically testing your limits.

  Let’s compare the concept to exercise. The workout necessary to produce the desired result necessarily will involve a relative level of discomfort. The key word is relative. The level of input is going to be much different for an inactive person on their first day at the gym than for a seasoned, well-trained athlete. However, they both need to work hard relative to their physical, psychological, and emotional capacities. One of the things we do at NCFIT is provide an experience that shows new clients what hard work in a gym looks like while keeping them safe. We toss them in the deep end, but with a stellar set of floaties and with a vigilant lifeguard on duty.

  In this context, I like to use the term “best effort” (or even “smartest effort”) and often avoid the term “max effort.” There’s a subtle difference. Make your best effort clearly denotes that I am asking for hard work, but not hard work at the expense of safety. You might ask, “But Jason, how would you know I am truly giving my best effort?” Honestly…I won’t. Only you can. I could certainly make a guess, based on previous observations and experience. However, you are the only one who knows whether you make your best effort or whether you fake your way through it. The onus is on you. I can give you the tools, but I can’t do the work for you. So, if you’re okay with mediocrity and just getting by…go ahead, fake it.

  But here’s the promise: if you truly work hard, if you truly show up every damn day and make your best effort…you’ll achieve results. This is going to happen in the gym, at work, and in life. Forget the hacks and shortcuts. Practicing, and eventually mastering, hard work is the only sure path towards reaching your true potential.

  The Value of Strong Mentors

  Let me tell you about three of the hardest workers I’ve ever met,
and the lessons I learned from them. I met two of them while learning the ropes of the gym business from behind a desk—Joe and Minh. Through their actions and invaluable counsel, I learned a great deal about what to do and how to do it…for just about anything life can throw at you. And through their stories I learned about common pitfalls and what not to do. Later, I put these lessons to use when I went into business for myself.

  Joe owned the gym. He is a barrel-chested bear of man with no off switch. I spent a lot of time watching, shadowing, quizzing, and following him. I fired questions at him constantly. A lot of questions. Questions about the basic operations of a fitness business, how to lease a space, identifying prime locations, dealing with members, managing staff, and turning a profit.

  I truly think Joe saw how much I was burning to be successful, and for the most part, he was happy to offer advice. I was disciplined and hardworking, and I knew Joe valued that more than anything. He knew that I studied my craft and practiced my sales pitch. He could see that I sincerely wanted to help people make health and fitness part of their lifestyles. We both shared the belief that fitness could change lives.

  By the time I started working for Joe, he’d gone from selling memberships to buying and selling properties. He had built a highly successful fitness business with multiple locations in the San Jose area. He knew entrepreneurship, and I unrelentingly peppered him with questions about how to do it. I thought that if Joe knew it, I should know it too.

  In fact, Joe taught me one of the most powerful lessons of my life. He probably doesn’t even remember the talk, but I sure do. One night as we powered along on the elliptical, I worked up the courage to tell Joe that one day I wanted to own a gym. I was nervous as hell…I remember trying to sound really cool and prepared. It went something like this…

  “Joe, I want to own a gym one day.”

  Yep, that’s it. It was all I could muster. But I’ll never forget what he said in reply.

  “If you want to be an owner, Jason, then act like an owner.”

  Without another word, he hopped off the elliptical and walked away. This left me feeling a little confused, and I wasn’t entirely sure how to interpret the quick departure. About thirty minutes later, I saw Joe again. This time he was on his hands and knees cleaning a mess that someone had made in the bathroom. It hit me right across the face. If I wanted to be an owner, manager, or the like, I needed to start acting like it. Not then but now. Not tomorrow but today. From that day on, I cleaned the bathrooms nearly every day and picked up every piece of garbage I saw on the floor. I even started to wear a collared shirt, and if you know me, this is a BIG DEAL. To this day, I won’t walk by trash on the floor. And every time I visit one of our gyms, my first stop is the bathroom…to ensure they are up to the standards I learned from Joe.

  My education from Minh revolved around the art of the sale. He was an absolute master. You might recall that I didn’t start off as a sales guy at Joe’s gym. At first, I worked the front desk and made $12 an hour. From my desk-height metal stool, I would watch Minh with awe. My eyes followed him as he greeted perspective new members at the door and ushered them quickly into his office. Minh knew I was watching him. He loved it. He occasionally made sure that I saw his commission checks as the came across the front desk. If he was trying to inspire me to move up to sales, it worked.

  Minh was the gym’s best sales guy by a wide margin. A perennial top-performer, Minh could sell a ketchup Popsicle to a man in white gloves. He had perfected the art of the sale, and he had done so after working up from nothing.

  Minh was born in Vietnam, and once he and his family moved to the United States, they moved around a lot—Texas, Florida, and finally California. When Minh started school, he didn’t know any English, but he worked his way through it and graduated high school.

  By the time he was eighteen, Minh was considering college but there was no family money to send him. They simply couldn’t afford it. So instead, he worked. It started simply, with a help wanted ad. He took down the address and showed up. When Minh arrived, he received two things: a box and instructions. The box was filled with women’s perfumes. And the instructions were simple…sell them. As you might imagine, the first day wasn’t much fun. Minh didn’t know anything about perfume. And the first time he knocked on a door, he was scared to death. It was not comfortable at all. He would freeze up the instant someone answered, then turn away without a word and head toward the next house. He felt the urge to quit and be done with it. But he didn’t quit. He learned to embrace the discomfort and worked his way through it.

  Like Joe, I think Minh saw something in me. That’s why he made sure I saw his commission checks. Later he would tell me that he noticed my hustle. Minh’s work ethic was guided by the singular maxim—if you can sell, you can eat.

  Eventually, Minh took me under his wing. From him, I learned the basics of selling technique and the importance of resilience. My skills improved quickly. A big part of this was the energy and enthusiasm I showed potential customers. Minh approved and sought to magnify this trait in me. He helped me shape a personal policy of how to treat people, a policy I honor to this day.

  Later in my career, I reflected on my performances and realized I needed some help. Chris, the last mentor I want to talk about, was a member of NCFIT, and had extensive experience in triathlons. It was definitely an area I needed a lot of help in!

  I looked at my results from the Games events, where I placed top ten in almost everything. The outliers were the endurance events, in which I was at the bottom of the pack. I knew I needed to work on my weaknesses if I wanted to get back on the podium. I met Chris in 2012, and he completely changed my game.

  In 2011, they announced a triathlon at Camp Pendleton. I didn't sleep all night because I was so nervous, and Ashley played a large part in calming me down.

  Fast forward two years later, and I walked into both 2013 and some long endurance events with the earned confidence to do well. All the track workouts, swimming, and biking had paid off. Learning how to compete had certainly paid off.

  One thing Chris taught me was to “break the rubber band.” I use this analogy in business to this day.

  Let’s say runners are in a pack, and two of them break away from the group and are neck and neck. All of a sudden, the second group realizes there's no way to catch those two and they start fighting for third place. The leaders of the race have slipped their minds.

  The goal is to break the rubber band between the runner leading in first and the person coming in second. If two runners are within a few feet of each other, it can help the second runner to imagine a band drawn between the two. That band is what will keep the second runner mentally and physically in the game. Once the gap between the two runners becomes twenty feet or so, the runner in second place is no longer looking to compete with the runner in first. In other words, the band has broken and the second place competitor has shifted his or her mindset. Now, he or she is trying to maintain second, and is running to avoid being overtaken by those competing for third.

  This mentality can be seen in business as well. Establish yourself as such a powerful leader that your “competitors” are no longer striving to catch up to you, but instead are working “outrun” the men or women competing for their title or role. Once you've done this, you've broken the band.

  In a way, this is the essence of the AMRAP Mentality. The goal is not to work as long as possible before dropping of exhaustion, the goal is to work as smartly as possible in order to make the most of the time you have. Think of it as a results-driven system rather than a time-driven one.

  I learned a great deal from my mentors. Don’t work to the detriment of your family. Use your time wisely. Don’t judge anyone. Treat everyone with respect. Greet all newcomers with a friendly smile and encouraging energy. Use well-placed humor to break down barriers. Let the client know you are there for them. Allow your client space and time to make their decision.

  What this all boils down to is bei
ng friendly, treating the client with respect, and allowing them to feel comfortable in an environment I knew could be intimidating. A smile and positive energy were the best ways to do this.

  Minh taught me that selling requires real passion. If you’ve ever met me, you know that if I am anything it’s fired up! I genuinely enjoy talking to people about fitness. I always have, and I always will. This made the sell something more genuine. I was actually really excited about helping these new clients get started. My sales strategy, if that’s what you’d call it, was simple: smile and listen. When I discovered what it was that had motivated them to come into the gym, their why, I focused on that. I let them know how the gym could help, and I explained to them the value of a fit, healthy life.

  If a prospective client didn’t buy a membership that day, it wasn’t a problem. I never showed any frustration or belittled their decision. I simply let them know that they could call me anytime, and I would be there if they changed their mind. Not only was this the right thing to do, but also it was good business. Funny how often those two line up! Many of the same folks who had walked out without buying a membership came back two months, six months, a year later or sometimes longer. This approach paid dividends, as people would specifically ask for me and tell their friends and coworkers about me. I was feeling pretty stoked. In a few short years, I went from front desk towel boy to Minh’s closest “rival” on the sales board.

  I was making very good money and feeling pretty good about myself. I gained more momentum and began to focus my entire schedule and lifestyle on optimizing my sales output. I went to classes in the morning, went to the gym in the afternoon, and sold memberships until the gym closed for the night. Looking back on it, I was definitely using the AMRAP Mentality already, I just didn’t know it. All the pieces were there…I was segmenting my day into clear time slots, identifying a clear focus for each endeavor, and attacking each with purpose. But most importantly, I had a burning passion within me. I was fighting for a comfortable life with Ashley, and I was beginning to get a taste of being my own boss.