Face your Fear and Pet the Cheetah - Explosive Prowler Training for Athletes

I had such a strange dream last night.

To be candid, I think my sleep has suffered tremendously since the Beast opened its big bloody maw back in January of 2010.

One minute I was in the Agility/Conditioning room in the facility (I've not come up with a more clever name for that room yet), with some of the athletes and Bogannam; we were drilling them with Explosive Prowler Pushes. One of the young athletes was pushing the Prowler so hard that it was traveling 50 feet and slamming into the overhead doors with a loud "Baaa Baaam."

Then in a flash, I was alone in the side yard of my grandparents' old home in Bridgeport, CT - alone except for a cheetah. Before we discuss the cheetah, I want to touch on a couple of things; one of which may have sent my mind into an ecstatic, dream-inducing spiral.

I received an email last evening from a High School Strength Coach in Connecticut. I don't know this coach personally (yet). He coaches at a school about 20 miles away from Trumbull and the Fairfield County area.

This coach was suggesting that he'd done some research on Connecticut Strength and Conditioning facilities and from what he could ascertain, Beast was the best facility in the State - that's a direct quote, "best in the state." Super high praise for sure, but I feel fairly confident it's warranted. I'm not without humility, but attaining this level of excellence was always part of the plan. We definitely want to be recognized as one of the top Athletic Training Facilities in the Country. Being average was never part of the Beast Business Model. Being remarkable was always of paramount importance.

Don't misunderstand me; I know we have a ton of work to do and that there is plenty of room for improvement. We are not where we need to be yet, but at least we are moving in the right direction.

Here’s the thing: average is bullsh$&. You think it’s fine because you’re also surrounded by average dudes, so any small difference makes you feel good about yourself. But you need to stop f&%$# around. It’s still average, you know it, and you’re better than that.

 - Julien Smith

The coach's email must have been running through my subconscious mind all night, eventually taking the form of the largest cheetah I've ever seen. But, before I elaborate on the cheetah (and whether or not I ultimately get mauled) let's talk about Explosive Prowler Pushes.

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