Saturday May 17, 2008 - Guest Post: Max

How bad do you want it? (yes, thats Max on the cover!)

How bad do you want it? How bad do you want chiseled abs or the physique of a pro athlete or fit-mag cover model? Are you willing to pay your dues and work for it? Genetics and God-given anatomical structure go along way, but it is not enough, especially as you age past 30 and spend your days sitting in the flight-deck or commuting.

It is not realistic to expect to look like pro-athletes or fitness-models do, if you’re not willing to train like one. In reality, most fitness-models and athletes, including myself, are part-time or weekend warriors. Like my self, as an airline pilot for my ‘main’ career, many fitness industry professionals and athletes have other jobs or spend much of their time stuck in traffic driving to casting calls. Yet some how we manage to pull it off and stay lean and in shape, even when the odds of stacked against us with busy schedules and other career responsibilities.

It simply comes down to time management, planning ahead each night with your calendar, and discipline, as you probably already have realized. Sometimes it may feel like a daily battle to fit in your work-out. If so, then rise to the challenge and win – make it happen, because exercising is YOUR time. It is something you do for YOU, and don’t let anything take it away. Fitness is a way of life, not a convenient option.

Here is an example of a situation that just happened to me as a reserve-captain for JetBlue Airways: I got called to fly last minute so I hurried up and exercised that morning on my spin bike before quickly packing and heading off to the airport. Of course being a fitness-minded individual, I ALWAYS pack work-out clothing just in case, even if it looks like day-turn at the onset. Once I arrived at my layover hotel – an executive suite at Las Vegas resort – I had a choice to make: Go out and have a cocktail and enjoy the night life, or, do my second work-out session of the day at the hotel fitness center and get to bed early, since I knew I would be flying all day the next day and would not have an opportunity to even go for a walk let alone exercise. I was scheduled to fly LAS to JFK and then DHD back to Longbeach! Talk about cooped up and sitting on your butt all day! So guess what: A 2^nd work-out is exactly what I chose to do during my short overnight alone in Vegas, because that is how bad I want to stay in shape after all of the hard work and dedication I have put in.

Sound obsessive? Probably - But that is the mentality it just might take to earn you the physique you want. I believe in taking a well-needed rest day as required for illness, rest and recovery, but this wasn’t one of those times for me. There will be plenty of other party trips to Vegas with family or friends anyway.

So…think you don’t have time to fit in a work-out…think you might as well leave you running shoes at home? Think again.

Sincerely,

Captain Max

Max Wettstein

Airbus 320 Captain

JetBlue Airways

www.maxwettstein.com

www.aircrewfitness.com