Coach Keyed's

Lifestyle, Lessons, and Lore

Coach Keyed's

Lifestyle, Lessons, and Lore

I've always had a go against the grain mentality along with a little bit of an anti authority complex, so once high school was out, I knew I wasn't going to college. "The books aren't for me," I'd always say. I thought the school system in the states was a joke, and still do. Show up on time, follow directions, memorize what we say, and get punished for anything other than that. It destroys the free thinking mind and cages creatives. Life started after school when I'd go into the woods and build bushcraft camps, navigate public transport to the city to get into trouble, and climb buildings to practice parkour and explore my environment from above.

Long story short, this page is for learning a bit more about me, the way I think, why, and to share the wisdom of the one and only true impactful teacher: life, and her many experiences. You know 90% of my from my content. This is the unfiltered 10% of me beyond the gym and coaching you don't see. My "off the clock" lifestyle.

Costa Rica Road Trip - June 2022

(3 min)

I went back to drugs...

I was 20 at this time and had broken up with my ex of almost 5 years a few months before this road trip. That was a quarter of my life at the time. I experienced my first ego death because of this, getting covid and having to celebrate with just Mum through a door, and disputes with my parents over who got custody over me for the holidays, as if I had no say. My life was being dictated for me, and the breakup was the collapse. I went sober for a month but was counting the days. We spontaneously booked a trip to Costa Rica, cause that should fix it, right? I drank, I smoked, and I adventured. I was traveling the world to ultimately look for myself. I didn't find myself, obviously, because I was looking externally, which was the whole reason I experienced this ego death to begin with. Relying on things outside of me.

Looking out over the Costa Rican jungle from the villa balcony, clear skies and sun hitting my face, breathing in the freshest air my lungs had ever experienced, elbows resting on a wet metal rail from last night's rain that made the flowers smell just a bit stronger, it hit me. I need to choose, otherwise reality's gonna choose for me. I have a choice, and that's to choose who I am myself, or to continue to let external reality choose for me and essentially not choose... which is still a choice. For once, the seemingly insurmountable work of creating an identity with personality traits I liked, choosing career paths that cover my creativity and desire to impact people, and health goals didn't feel like so much work. Even though I really was starting out with nothing as nothing, I felt relieved. Contrary to what I previously believed, this level of responsibility actually made me feel light.

Looking over that villa balcony, it clicked for me for this specific reason... I was admiring the view, not just the location and landscape, but the villa itself, and being with my closest two brothers, feeling truly free. I exchanged a little bit of money (digitally, so it doesn't even really exist outside agreed value exchange and numbers on a screen) and in return got luxurious freedom. I wanted that. The villa, the view, the brotherhood, the freedom, and I was experiencing it. I materialized it effortlessly in this very low state. I knew what I wanted now. That's the big picture. It wasn't being chosen for me anymore. I had shown myself on this journey how much work was in front of me that I was actually grateful for, what I truly wanted, and the inexcusable evidence that I can create that reality regardless of circumstance, effortlessly.

This lesson is at the core of my programs, helping clients understand that their life is their choice, and they don't need money, status, or even certain personality traits to experience their desired realities. Because they build it. Internally.

Crane Climb - May 2022

DISCLAIMER: The activities described in this story involve inherent risk and are shared for storytelling and entertainment purposes only. They do not constitute instruction, encouragement, or endorsement to attempt similar activities. Coach Keyed has consistently discouraged this kind of activity in others, including clients, both before and since this story took place. Physical Freedom and Coach Keyed assume no responsibility or liability for any injury, legal consequence, or damage resulting from any individual's decision to engage in similar conduct.

(5 min)

I hung from a crane and put my life on the line...

3 friends and I went to Boston for a climb. I say this casually because at the time it was casual. It was something I was more fond of due to my past and would typically lead an excursion like this.

I specifically did these adventures because they gave me a sense of power. A feeling that was foreign to me as a boy. Being shipped back and forth between parents like luggage, told what to do in school, being punished for not listening to orders, and being in dangerous situations with no self conviction or ability to protect, which I knew was my duty as a man. This power came from leading a crew, outsmarting legal authority as a teen, and from looking over the city from a place that is inaccessible to people. It brings me peace and power simultaneously.

The problem was, there was an internal battle going on at the time. I was actually at a really low point from the breakup again, even though the Costa Rica road trip epiphany was just a few weeks before this adventure. It's actually what caused this low state. I had no way of knowing this at the time, but that is what I mean when I mention being taught by life and experience. This low state was caused by my old identity realizing its time is coming...

Ego and identity have a funny way of manipulating you to not change so they can remain. I decided that I was going to create a new identity in Costa Rica. My old self was clinging to life, threatened by the arrival of my ideal self, because in order for me to be a new person, the old self needed to die.

This internal battle is loud, intense, emotional, and constant. An emotional rollercoaster. We were at the top of the crane admiring the view and taking pictures when I felt this urge I had not felt before to free-climb the arm of the crane. This was outside the usual scope of a climb due to risk. They watched intently, warning me multiple times to be careful, but knowing not to interrupt my focus. Another urge... dangle...

Ten seconds felt like ten months, and I feel the intensity from this experience when I visualize it to this day. A light breeze and subtle late-night city sounds of distant laughter, horns from different directions, accelerating public transportation, and the muffled thumping of Spanish music. Silence, responsibility, focus... presence. Something I hadn't felt since innocent moments in early childhood. The internal courtroom of who has custody of my identity watched along intently alongside my brothers, praying I didn't slip. I watched my free-hanging feet swing in the breeze and climbed back in.

The group's body language was that of released tension and relief. I just laughed, not knowing how to react to this peaceful feeling. I quieted the battle for the first time. It gave me hope that there is more to life than what I'd been experiencing. There are moments in life that aren't suffering just to exist. That's all I needed. Presence. A primary focus in Physical Freedom now that I know some people have always lived with this internal conflict of the new identity fighting the old in hopes of a desired reality.

The hope is found in the present. The present truly being a gift.

Moved to Maui - May 2024

(6 min)

I accidentally learned meditation from an enchanted waterfall...

I was unemployed for a few years after high school. I had money saved up from uhhh, lifestyle... but by 2022 I was losing it fast due to that same lifestyle. I know, shocker. So I started working again, janitorial work at a luxury gym for minimum wage. Imagine what that does to an already struggling identity that just experienced an ego death and quarter life crisis.

One of the boys had done a WWOOF on the Big Island and had the time of his life, so we decided to do one too (live on someone's land in return for labor). In May 2024, we flew 11+ hours one way for 6 weeks to Maui. The opportunity we found was with a chill, heavily accented ethnic dude who really needed the help (redacted for privacy).

Over the weeks, we got to know this character we called Uncle. A war vet in his country, he moved here with nothing, and now owns multiple stores, a home with a beautiful view, and was actually a kingpin. I mean, c'mon, with these accomplishments, it only made sense. He grew fond of us fast and proudly saw us as family, like brothers.

During this time, I was half-assing online coaching, selling spreadsheets for $100-$400 with only a handful of clients, unsurprisingly. I was still smoking every day, reserved, and honestly still figuring myself out. Uncle ended up promoting us from field laborers to turning one of his shops into an ecom business, since tourism was still low from COVID even years later. We didn't see major success, but we felt it when we sold a $600+ item with $0 ad spend. It proved the online business stuff wasn't BS, and gave me real hope for my own coaching business.

It wasn't until our road trip to Hana that I felt like I entered a different timeline. We hit a roadblock from construction, far from any town. We could wait, or turn around and miss the trip entirely.

We decided to go into the jungle and build a camp for the day using our bushcraft background. There was a hidden trail behind a guardrail, buried in dense jungle brush. We stumbled onto a secluded, enchanting waterfall nestled in a narrow, steep valley. Alele Falls. We had it to ourselves all day. We set up camp, swam, and talked about life. Sun peeking in from the steep cliffs above, a constantly rhythmic splash that sounds like aggressive wind through the trees, and a cool mist from the falls that even on this scorching hot day gave goosebumps when it hit the skin.

I ended up taking a nap, which I never do, but I was beat from the day. When I woke up, everything felt different. My whole mindset shifted, gratitude, complete presence, not a single desire in the world. Accomplishment. Like I was on the right path finally. One that I had created.

Meditation is a tool the ancients used for a reason. It allows for self-discovery, healing, awareness, and real psychological identity development. I incorporated multiple variations of meditation within Physical Freedom after experiencing its power, then studying the real science behind it.

This was an advanced meditation, entering theta brainwave state, which cracks the door to the subconscious, surrounded by brothers with the same no-settling perspective on life, pushing these ideals into the part of my brain responsible for habits, self image, and beliefs.

I woke up a different person with one meditation...

Purgatory Hike - 2026 June

(5 min)

Hiked in purgatory, friend passed away the next day. (Tribute Post)

In June of this year, 2026, we went for a hike in New Hampshire. Hikes are adventures we hit year-round, especially in the summer. We were supposed to hit Mount Washington, but due to weather, we decided we'd just drive up and find something else.

We collaborated on features we wanted. River, waterfall, pond at the top, and decent mileage for a day hike. When we arrived at the parking lot, only one other car was there. We were really off-grid. Usually all parking lots are pretty full, especially for a hike featuring so many things.

At the lower altitudes, it was very cloudy, overcast, and drizzling on and off, but still pretty warm. We found a big pool on the river to take a dip. We couldn't help ourselves, seeing all these opportunities as things that may never happen again. As we ascended upwards, passing the main waterfall and the other people in the car from the parking lot, the weather started getting very eerie. Dense cloudage rolling through the trees. We were at the altitude of low rolling clouds.

Parts of the trail veered off from the river, creating this perfect silence. Not even the breeze made any noise. The vibe completely changed as the biome did. We respected it by continuing the hike in silence until we reached the pond. The pond felt like the edge of the world.

The other side was not visible. Complete whiteout. We knew what had to be done. Half the group thought we shouldn't initiate, since it was much colder up here and we might be getting back in the dark if we lingered too long and still needed to eat.

We, of course, optimized this opportunity by initiating (when a group member goes in the water, everyone is required to join for the bool, pushing everyone to better themselves by keeping up with the group). A bright white coat protecting the visibility of the treeline on the other side of the pond, complete silence and isolation, chilling mist, and a weird seclusion vibe to fit the setting.

A beautiful orange burning sky upon arrival back at the car. Symbolic of surviving our passage through the veil.

The next day, an article about someone our age in a fatal accident spread around. It took us all day to find out from his mother that it was one of our friends. He didn't join us on this hike, but there's an important correlation between the theme of the hike and this friend's core beliefs.

Don't focus on the rain. Regardless of the weather, we went in and accomplished the mission of pushing ourselves and enjoying the bool.

Seize every opportunity. When we saw a spot to initiate that called to us, we did. When we had this weekend to hike, but the weather took a turn, we did anyway.

Push each other. Another group member and I took advantage of the law of initiation to get everyone in at the pond. The hike in general was cold and wet. The morale was high regardless of environment.

He may have passed, but he passed all of his good traits off to us, which we happily embody. I think many people fail to seize opportunities, thinking there'll be more of them, but remember that each individual opportunity is a unique experience that can't be replicated.

We may have hiked through cold, wet, rainy purgatory, but our fire burns brighter than ever after his passing.

Long live Cheyed.