Dad Strength (Part I)

I've been honored to have a couple of my articles published in Dan John's newsletter "Get Up!". For those of you who may not know Dan John, he's a very progressive and generous strength and conditioning coach, as well as an accomplished track and field, highland games, and weightlifting competitor. His articles have been published widely at Testosterone Nation and in Men's Health.

In the latest issue of Get Up!, I tackle the subject of finding training time for new and expecting fathers. The entire article can be found here, but this is the introduction. I hope you like it:

* New & Expecting Fathers: Tips for Training and Time Management *
Fatherhood is a life-changing event. There is “the moment” when the full weight of your new role strikes you. “The moment” may hit others at different times, but hearing that first weak cry when my son was born was it for me. The words “love” and “responsibility” suddenly carried immense weight. From that moment on, I would find myself in a rage when reckless drivers tailgated, swerved, or honked. I’d get angry when people swore around my son. In short, the world became a scarier place that I needed to be able to defend my baby against if the need arose and, in that context, training became an even greater necessity to me. I can’t prove it, but I believe that becoming a father automatically makes you stronger.

How does this play out in the wild kingdom? Well, take lions, for example; young rogue lions have a rough life - no sex, no pride, no offspring. They have to hang out with other rogue males. They have no pride of their own, which makes hunting harder. When they think they have what it takes, they challenge a pride leader. The king of the pride is probably older, stronger, better fed. If the king loses, he will be stripped of his lionesses, and his cubs will be killed and possibly eaten. Who would you put your money on? Who has more to lose?

The concept of “Dad Strength” is not just “philosotainment” (a term coined by Dan Adams, author of Dilbert) – it actually exists. This may or may not translate to bigger numbers in the gym, but things like being able to open a can of whoop-ass should the occasion call for it, take on a whole new level of significance when you are a father, and not just for lions...