‘A man I couldn’t be prouder of!’ That was the opening line of the article/dedication after Ivica reached his 50th workout on May 30th last year. And what can I say now.
To start off with, Ivica is the first person in the history of our group to reach 50, and now, by a natural sequence of events, the 100th workout! It’s a journey that began on December 11th, 2017, after he more or less continuously surpassed a fifty-workout-mark in May next year. He then decided to take a late but well-deserved summer break on August 9th, which is another indicator of his great effort and perseverance. We continued our story on October 9th, 2018, and since then, until yesterday, we maintained an impressive continuity, disrupted only by two things so far, his removal of a mole tooth and my short personal break. Yesterday’s 100th workout also marked the second-to-last session of the fourth phase of my ‘Superset 4’ program. Couple of our trainees are following it, but Ivica is the first one to complete it. Although we have another summer break incoming, despite the workload and personal obligations that await him, Ivica expressed a desire for basic full-body program he can perform at home, which is another mark of how hard does this man go.
After we both shared numerous good and bad sides of team sports during our playing careers and then turned to fitness and individual training, I can sincerely say that I am immensely proud of everything this man has achieved on both of those fronts. The legend of Selce’s handball has now become the legend of SpartanFit, forever etched on the pages of our Facebook group, and one day, perhaps, in a book. Given my inclination for writing, it’s hard to believe it’ll go without it. Although I don’t often consider numbers as ideal metrics, such as weight or age, I hope that today’s example and Ivica’s 43 years will significantly influence and emphasize the inspiring side of this story, motivating some of you to make a positive change in your lives. You must first change your attitude, mentality, and belief (if someone else can do it, why can’t you), and then, through consistent, persistent, intelligent, and patient work keep going towards the change you so eagerly desire but have, for some reason, been afraid to start. That’s literally all you need. To start! Many things Ivica does now and can do guys half his age can’t. He often pauses and spends a moment in a slight ‘what have I just done’ disbelief, but therein lies the beauty of this entire journey, in pushing your own limits. So, my friend, I stood by your side with enthusiasm and pride when you did your first pull-up, your first ‘Superman’ push-up, when you almost ‘died’ but still completed everything that was written after last year’s break, when you surpassed the limit of fifty and now a hundred-workout mark. Where our interaction in this aspect will lead us next, only the sky knows, and we can only speculate. Regardless, I sincerely look forward to it, and I know that the thought excites you too, no matter how difficult it may at times be, and you, like many others who interact with me at Matkino, wonder, ‘why did I sign up for this.’
Original release date: May 28, 2019.