Whoa, it’s been a hot minute, so I want to get us back on track with some interesting articles. I have three that I’d like to share with you, so we can all get better together. I say “better” because I’m not sure that “smarter” is what we’re after.
Let me elaborate on that point before we start. My most recent focus in continuing education has been on the recurring thought that as the we continue to learn about the human body, we fail to learn more about humans. That’s the biggest set of irony in the fitness industry, bar none.
Humans first. Fitness second.
I’ve had my fair share of fitness elitism and will continue to strive for excellence, but have realized that continued information, in the absence of understanding or action, is almost completely useless. Endlessly seeking more facts and figures does little to help us as trainers become better at our profession, and attempts to transmit that information for the purpose of “education” does little to empower our trainees. I believe that in fitness, education and experience are maximized when considered tools of empowerment, not tools of teaching.
While I’ve always considered myself a teacher, I believe I can use my degree in education by focusing on organic people-first learning over the facts-and-figures rote memorization that have turned off so many of us to the education system in general.
We need to make things simple enough that they can be easily implemented, but not so simple that we lose the intended message. As such, here are three articles from the past week that I think hit along the continuum for letting you readily think about and implement exercise.
The Elegant Art Of Not Giving a Shit
“Not giving a shit sounds like apathy, but it’s not. It’s simply a refusal to waste your energy and time on thoughts you’re not going to act on. So when you do give a shit, make sure that the point of this shit-giving is to figure out what you’re actually going to do in response to what happened, and then move on to the action part.”
Lifting Weights Doesn’t Make You Badass
“People go #beastmode in the gym. They feel #nopainnogain. They walk in ready to #kill, #destroy, and #takenoprisoners, and they’re #fitnessaddicts. And #aboutthatlifebro. They #deathpress, do #skwatz, do #deadlifts, and are #hardcore. Did I mention that I’m #nattylikejesus?
Time for a reality check. You are lifting weights!”
In a world where weight lifting, testosterone, and dominance are inseperable, we need to understand the difference between being “Elite” and being “elitist. This article from Alexander Juan Antonio Cortes gets it.
The Art of Active Rest
Finally, I’d like to share with you my most recent article for the Mark Fisher Fitness blog, titled, “The Art of Active Rest.” What to do between sets in your workout is often no-man’s land. We’re not really sure how to approach it. Often, this becomes time to check out the person next to you, check out your phone, or ignore rest all together so that you can #PowerThroughThePain.
Relax, stud. You’re not helping yourself. What you do isyour decision, but I will postulate that doing the opposite of what you’re accustomed to will help you get that much better. As humans we’re drawn to what we’re good at, and often we need the opposite to truly transform. (TWEET THAT SHIT!)
As fitness professionals, it’s our responsibility to consider physical culturebefore we consider the fitness industry. I’m passionate about making a betterworld, and better workouts are an important part of, but not the only factor, in that world.
Read these three articles and enjoy three distinct ways to get better by… well, not doing more but being more efficient in mindset, mental approach, and movement. Let’s get better.