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As with Nutritional advice, "Fitness" advice for the last few decades took a wrong turn and is now returning to common sense.
We have been involved for a long time in a "Cardio Craze", getting "pumped" and sweating ourselves to weight loss ... and supposedly "fitness". How wrong that direction has been! If it was right, then why are so many people still unable to perform basic human movements such as a proper squat? Why are so many people dealing with a severe lack of joint mobility and back issues? Why are so many people making no progress in their abilities, but actually becoming less able?
Crossfit was on the right track with the concept of getting back to compound, functional, primitive movement based training. It completely changed my approach to training (and nutrition). However, there was still a lack of emphasis on flexibility and mobility.
Lately, with the rise in popularity of Crossfit and the flood of new Crossfit gyms everywhere, the original emphasis on technique and consistency in movement is getting pushed aside in many of those gyms in favor of competition. People are getting caught up in beating the clock, winning "Games", and .... sweating their way to weight loss! This often leads to unaddressed weaknesses, imbalances and injury.
Luckily there is now a shift in emphasis to Movement based training ... getting back to the basics of proper body control and appropriate strength development. More gyms are catching on to the fact that Mobility is a key to longevity in training and in life. More people are realizing the benefits of training their weaknesses and focusing on movement and mobility.
The average person wanting better, quality, pain free movement for the rest of their lives should be looking for this type of training. Athletes wanting to reduce their risk of injury and increase their performance potential should be incorporating this kind of training. Seniors wanting physical independence and the ability to play with their grand children should be doing this kind of training. We are all meant to MOVE, and have the capacity to to do so freely and without pain!
Are you just getting sweaty and hurt? Are your movement skills and mobility being developed, or are you just doing "the same old familiar thing"? What are YOU training for? How do YOU want your body to feel 5 years from now? 10 years from now? The rest of your life?
Training shouldn't be about weight loss, getting pumped, getting sweaty or winning. It shouldn't be about driving the body into the ground with crazy high rep circuits or punishing "marathons" that tear you down and leave you hurt.
Training should be about recognizing and addressing weaknesses. It should be about improving skills, technique and performance. It should be about offsetting the many things we do in modern society that we were not designed to do (i.e. sitting for long periods of time staring at a computer monitor or television). It should be about "bullet proofing" the body so as to reduce the risk of injuries and slow down the aging process. It should be about acquiring long term physical HEALTH!
Most of all it should be about HUMILITY, not competition. Be humble in your training and willing to take a step or two backwards. Struggling with your weaknesses develops great strength, both physically and mentally. Forget about what other people are doing around you and focus on YOUR challenges. Be willing to slow down and do it right. This will do far more for your health than beating the clock or those around you.
We have been involved for a long time in a "Cardio Craze", getting "pumped" and sweating ourselves to weight loss ... and supposedly "fitness". How wrong that direction has been! If it was right, then why are so many people still unable to perform basic human movements such as a proper squat? Why are so many people dealing with a severe lack of joint mobility and back issues? Why are so many people making no progress in their abilities, but actually becoming less able?
Crossfit was on the right track with the concept of getting back to compound, functional, primitive movement based training. It completely changed my approach to training (and nutrition). However, there was still a lack of emphasis on flexibility and mobility.
Lately, with the rise in popularity of Crossfit and the flood of new Crossfit gyms everywhere, the original emphasis on technique and consistency in movement is getting pushed aside in many of those gyms in favor of competition. People are getting caught up in beating the clock, winning "Games", and .... sweating their way to weight loss! This often leads to unaddressed weaknesses, imbalances and injury.
Luckily there is now a shift in emphasis to Movement based training ... getting back to the basics of proper body control and appropriate strength development. More gyms are catching on to the fact that Mobility is a key to longevity in training and in life. More people are realizing the benefits of training their weaknesses and focusing on movement and mobility.
The average person wanting better, quality, pain free movement for the rest of their lives should be looking for this type of training. Athletes wanting to reduce their risk of injury and increase their performance potential should be incorporating this kind of training. Seniors wanting physical independence and the ability to play with their grand children should be doing this kind of training. We are all meant to MOVE, and have the capacity to to do so freely and without pain!
Are you just getting sweaty and hurt? Are your movement skills and mobility being developed, or are you just doing "the same old familiar thing"? What are YOU training for? How do YOU want your body to feel 5 years from now? 10 years from now? The rest of your life?
Training shouldn't be about weight loss, getting pumped, getting sweaty or winning. It shouldn't be about driving the body into the ground with crazy high rep circuits or punishing "marathons" that tear you down and leave you hurt.
Training should be about recognizing and addressing weaknesses. It should be about improving skills, technique and performance. It should be about offsetting the many things we do in modern society that we were not designed to do (i.e. sitting for long periods of time staring at a computer monitor or television). It should be about "bullet proofing" the body so as to reduce the risk of injuries and slow down the aging process. It should be about acquiring long term physical HEALTH!
Most of all it should be about HUMILITY, not competition. Be humble in your training and willing to take a step or two backwards. Struggling with your weaknesses develops great strength, both physically and mentally. Forget about what other people are doing around you and focus on YOUR challenges. Be willing to slow down and do it right. This will do far more for your health than beating the clock or those around you.
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