I just received Laird Hamilton's new book, which documents his thoughts on how to live a productive and balanced life.
I have huge respect for Mr.Hamilton, his spiritual connection to the water and the earth is truly inspiring, and the holistic way that he lives life is amazing.
When I was first looking for his book, I landed on a few forum sites, where different people where explaining how they were going to start following his way of life and his training, and how it would make them a kick ass _____ (fill in the blank, I saw everything from a better surfer to a better firefighter)
Where we common mortals make the mistake, is that these amazing human beings are the genetically the top one percent of all of us. Laird could eat coco puffs and watch TV all day, and still be a much better surfer than most people, Michael Phelps could take a year off swimming, and still beat 99 percent of the population of this planet in the 400 IM.
The point that I am making is we should take inspiration from these people, not try and emulate their training or dietary habits. I read that Michael Phelps ate nothing but pizza in Beijing, and still beat everyone!
The average person doesn't have the genetic make up to withstand their training or dietary habits and still be successful.
Two classic examples, my favorites are the young men that try and follow the "Nebraska football program" or the "Notre Dame football program" or those that find a "super hardcore special forces workout" on the web and try to follow it.
Trying to excel is fantastic, but realism in the face of injury or other negative turns of events trying to follow such programs, is an indication to re-evaluate the intensity rather than push through the pain with some ideas of grandeur.
