The Avengers. Justice League. Coon and Friends.
These groups of super heroes fight crime, defeat evil-doers, and kick ass all over the galaxy. Each “team” is composed of men and women who are the absolute best at what they do – they work together, build off each others’ strengths, compensate for each others’ weaknesses, and help when help is needed. Teamwork rules.
If you run into the Avengers (or if you’re a bad guy and trying to avoid them), you can expect:
- Technical mastery from Tony Stark, a.k.a. Ironman
- Incredible strength from Bruce Banner (the Hulk)
- An other-worldly asskicking via lightning and hammer from the mighty Thor.
- Muscular strength and endurance from the patriotic Captain America.
You’ll find similar stories with the Justice League – Superman, Batman, the Flash, Aquaman, Green Latern, Wonder Woman, and so on. Sure, individually each super hero is incredibly impressive. However, each person becomes stronger when combined with the unique skills and abilities of his/her super hero colleagues. The Flash is lightning fast, but there might be times where he needs help from Batman and his gadgets or Superman and his power of flight to save the day. As the saying goes, the “whole” can often be greater than the sum of its parts. Guys in tights and capes are no different.
I’ve rambled on about super heroes for a few paragraphs now…what for?
Because I have a simple question for you:
What are you bringing to the table?
I want to know what your “super power” is. Are you the guy/girl who loves to run and can get others to join? Are you a weight-lifting fanatic who gladly dishes out advice on how to get stronger at squats and deadlifts? Maybe you’re a hell of a cook and your friends always look forward to your next meal together. Maybe you’re not in the best shape, but your powers of persuasion (or guilt-tripping) are so strong that you can organize a fun run at work or a weekend hike to the mountains at a moment’s notice.
Or, are you the lazy guy who shows up late to everything, eats poorly, and complains about not having enough time?
I’ve already covered how to become a superhero in 4 easy steps. Today, you get to decide what your super power is, and how it can be used to improve the lives of those around you. As Olmec says in Legends of the Hidden Temple (yes I just referenced a 15-year old Nickelodeon TV show), “the choice is yours, and yours alone.”
Maybe you haven’t quite figured out your super power yet. Luckily, we live in a world where anything is possible, so you can decide what you want to have as a super power, and then go get it. You can even make up your own epic destiny as to how you GOT that power.
My story: I wanted to become the go-to nerd for fitness, diet, and travel advice. Sure I didn’t study fitness in school, and I had never been out North America, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t acquire these skills and get really good at them. Batman and Ironman weren’t born with any super powers either; they had to learn and create to become super heroes. That’s not bad company to be part of.
Once Your Power Is Decided
Do you have your super power decided? Do you know what you want your special ability to be? GOOD. Now use it. Get better at it. Read books, spend time on forums, test yourself, and increase your abilities. Want to know what the best and fastest way to increase your knowledge and power in a particular skill?
Teach somebody else to do it.
I started Nerd Fitness with just a passion for fitness and not a lot of knowledge. As the days, weeks, months, years went on, I took readers’ questions and did my best to learn everything I could about the subject they wanted to learn about. Whether it was barefoot running, the paleo diet, diet soda, parkour, or not sucking at working out, I soaked up as much info as possible from multiple sources and then “presented it to the class.” I’m still not an expert, but I know more than most and can teach those that are less knowledgeable than me. I have gurus like Mike, Shawn, and Jason who I can turn to when I have questions that I can answer.
I’ve learned that my passion for helping people with fitness and wellness is equaled only by my desire to learn MORE about fitness and wellness. I have become a sponge for knowledge.
Shut up, being a sponge can be a cool super power!
The Nerd Fitness Hall of Heroes
Have you been on the Nerd Fitness message boards before? They’re full of super heroes, each with his or her own special abilities. Superhuman strength-machines, endurance maniacs, Parkour geniuses, and hundreds of others share their knowledge and offer up advice to fellow rebels, free of charge. It’s a pretty awesome community that gets better by the day.
IMPORTANT NOTICE I’ll be updating the message board software tomorrow to get ready for our newest 28-day challenge launching on Monday; I’ll also be including a adventure-travel section for other folks that are looking to start their own Epic Quest list. So, if the boards are suddenly down or not working over the weekend, fear not citizen: they are being rebuilt stronger!
I’ll go into more detail on Monday, just get ready for some good clean competition on leveling up your life!
Speaking of 28-day challenges, I realize I’m a month behind, but I want to officially congratulate Spezzy on winning the October 28-Day Challenge! It was her performance in this challenge that actually made me decide to ask her to become a moderator. Honorable mention went to Capn_Tommy_Sunshine, who also kicked an incredible amount of ass. Congrats guys! I’ll be announcing last month’s winner on Monday.
Happy Holidays
Merry Christmas everybody! If you’re not Christian, Happy Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Festivus, whatever. Enjoy these next few days with your friends and family, eat whatever you want, drink too much, and have some fun. But I expect you to report to duty come Monday, get started early on your New Year’s Resolutions, and start kicking ass for 2011 five days early. Because that’s how we do things around here in the Nerd Fitness rebel army.
So let’s hear it: what is your super power?
If you don’t have one yet, what do you WANT it to be?
-Steve
PS: Nerd Fitness t-shirts are now in the hands of rebels all over the world. Today’s picture comes from my buddy Joel Runyon, doing his best Superman impression.
Do you have a shirt yet? Send me a picture of you doing something awesome in it and you could be featured in the next Nerd Fitness Article!
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Personally, I think Joel is doing is best Steve Kamb impersonation. Jussayin’
I think you hit a good point. There are too many people in society that just get by, but if you ask them, they don’t want to be that person who just gets by. “What are you bringing to the table” is a perfect question for a lot of people.
Too much, people are worried about just making money and going home. They drive nice cars, live in big houses, but they are not contributing anything to society except for their consumerism. Asking them what they are bringing to the table is a good way to call people out that they need to be more focused on others, and the enrichment of themselves through the betterment of others.
Great post Steve.
Being a sponge can be a cool super power! <– best quote ever.
I can't wait to see wait to see you roll out Sponge Steve Nerd Man action figures, they're gonna be HUGE.
Also, minor correction — Superman was doing his best Joel Runyon impression – get it right!
I think my super power is making people grin when they see me working out. Not only am I out there running in my ninja monkey shoes and polka dotted toe socks, I have juggling clubs too and go down the street tossing them in various patterns as part of my workout involves joggling. I’m not sure if that counts as AMAZING COORDINATION or whether I’m just the plucky comic relief. :o)
Thanks to Nerd Fitness, I have been able to keep myself accountable, hone my skills as a marathoner, improve my level of fitness, and have fun on every course. As a result, I have been able to complete 8 marathons, 32 half marathons, and a slew of 5ks and 10ks in 2010.
I am Endorphin Dude, and I am proud to be part of the Nerd Fitness Rebellion!!!
http://edude2009.blogspot.com/
My superpowers used to be an iron will buttressed by an extreme tolerance for discomfort and a pretty decent fitness knowledge base. But this year, I found out that I had my own version of kryptonite and I fell of the path. I want to earn the right resume my place on the Jedi Council in 2011.
I love that you included Coon and Friends. 10 points.
You’re so right. Not only is it important to find your Super Power for your own happiness, but also to enrich the lives of others.
My current super power is laying out a killer plan to follow to meet my goals. The super power I am working to create is following through on all of my plans for fitness, blogging and life.
I am a creative superpower – I can draw henna designs in any media on any surface and write the tale on my blog… I am also a kick-butt cook…which is why I need to focus on becoming a kick-butt home workout avenger.
My super power is my ability to adapt to any changes when I’m doing parkour. Immidiately, my brain processes the obstacle, searching for handholds, bars, and the best, most awesome way to overcome it. I’m always working at bettering myself. I have a constant pressure to get better, to impressively improve myself. Though nobody pressures me, I feel like I have this responsibility to be the absolute best that I can be. I feel that I let down everybody I know whenever I dont perform at my best. I work my butt off, trying to be the most awesome, the best. But, being an uberly- self- conscience 14-year-old, i dont see results, and I always feel like I’m failing. This feeling drives me to keep trying, to never give up, and to not give about what other people think about me.
whatsreal
Lifeforever
my super power is Lunges!
My ability is to completely and utterly focus on what I’m doing at all times and take in large amounts of information quickly and efficiently. My weakness due to this, however, is while focused I can lose sight of my surroundings or anything not pertaining to what I’m focusing on.
My super power is i can talk, i can think of really good arguments in seconds. I can convine people of things and make them wonder. I can make people happy, sad, angry or horny with my voice by saying a word i have already “anchored” on them. This also works on myself so i can make myself happy whenever i want to.
I can also slightly do some “mind reading”. I know when people are happy, sad and so on even if they try not to show it. I also know to some degree what people actually are thinking about.
My super-power is to be able to create a portal, of any size ,shape ,or form, to my own pocket universe at a moments notice. In that pocket universe I can create my own reality based on my imagination. Also I can give myself abilities and bring them into this dimension. I can also create objects that I can imagine. I can only create these things while I am in the pocket universe(or at least a part of me). I can only bring things into this world that already exist here or that is a common idea such as a time machine or hover cars. When I enter my pocket universe I can choose who sees the portal by touching the person I choose. Also when exiting my universe I can enter this universe any where I want as long as I have been their or seen the place in its current state (Minor changes about its state are not crucial). In my universe i make the laws of physics. Death or disease will not exist unless I say so. Lastly when entering my universe time in the real world slows down exponentially. 10 years=1 sec in real world. I’m not much of a fan of the real world and sometimes I just want to get away from it all but at the same time keep the things I like about the real world
A punch that’s like getting hit with a side of ham.
I don’t QUITE have my superhero persona yet. After a super bad year (I was in a wicked bad car accident about 14 months ago and then nearly took a dirt nap in June from a systemic toxemia and MRSA) I gained about 50-60 lbs since June. But, I just got off opiates (I fricken HATE those things!) and am trying to find my inner kick ass. I have been kind of a puss in that I hate going to PT but its time. No more excuses. Take no prisoners. I got my sweetie to go to the gym and he lost about 50 lbs in 4 months and looks great. I will have to start out with body weight stuff since I am literally just starting out after major illness and injury but so what. But, step one is to get off the sugar. Step two will be to up my protein intake to 60-90 grams (I’m post gastric bypass), Step three is to hit the paleo diet hard. Step four is to take that first leap of faith and try for a walk at least around the block.
It may sound silly, but I just want my superpower to be being a badass in every way, shape and form possible. I want to be the person who picks something she wants to do, and then does it, and becomes exceptional at it. And then, I want to pick a new thing and do it again, and again, and again. And…if I could always say the exact right thing. That would be good too. I’m a good writer, but a bad talker.
I can’t believe you missed out Black Widow, the only women in the avengers!
My superpower will be managing to work-out and get healthier without making myself ill – a feat in itself for me!
Why do people not believe superpowers are real? I for one believe in superpowers like chi, Aura, and more, but what I want to know is how to activate your power. I already did all steps and tricks but I still can’t use it I can feel it and see my aura but how to activate it.
I’m extremely flexible and can pull of amazing gymnastic stunts randomly, though I’m extremely clumsy in normal life. (I daydream too much, I think.) I seem to have some inborn sense of where I am compared to the ground, and how to move my muscles to get them to spring up in just the right way. I suppose my superpower is… being natural? I have weird cat-like tendencies, stretching every morning, and luxuriating in simple pleasures- the movement of muscles, a nap, yummy food, or a hot bath. At my best, this can inspire other people into thinking that exercise and dieting is fun, and relaxing. at my worst, I can slip into a few too many cat-naps.
My super power make myself obey to my SOUL
What is a super power. A super power is something is living in you, make you do something super natural like any one else can’t do it without this notion call super power because He choosing you to be one with you. I’m one in one has He is one in all has High power..?
I want the power to say something and it to be reality
My power is to create volcanic lightning