We were once a naked little meatloaf, incapable of holding up our own head let alone anything we now take for granted – yet there are muscled-up mental midgets who will intimidate those who don’t ‘measure up’. I am not a fan of people who make others feel inferior and weak – when everyone has strength to offer. These folks are the first to remind you of their ‘status’ – clouding the fact that they were weak once and needed guidance.
As a trainer, I will be the first to tell you that just because someone has lots of muscles or even his own gym, doesn’t mean he knows how to help you truly achieve anything. I know you don’t care about what I know, until you know how I can help you. That’s how it should be and here’s how I’ve helped others like you: Click.
Bad Marketing and Gym Owners who challenge people by putting their workout numbers up and saying things like – ‘How many workouts did you do today?’ or ’If you don’t puke it doesn’t count’ are excluding more than they are helping. They unknowingly subscribe to the theory of ending up on the surgeon’s table as part of the plan – along with the clients they train. I can go on but I’d rather not.
There are health goals like: living without pain, playing with your grandkids and enjoying life and then there is Fitness goals like: lifting heavier weights, running a 5k or completing a ‘Mud Race.’ All of these are noble – however, Health must come before Fitness in my book, always. (Unless you are an NFL Lineman with a year left in the League and I can help you get paid that money by staying on the field with Health Training.) Life is the Sport that all of us need to ‘Win’ and I will never compromise someone’s longevity later for quick results now.
All this stuff that looks like fitness, where people move mindlessly with no regard to proper form, function and performance isn’t just bad – it’s borderline criminal. As Dan John has said, after the age of 28 (longer if you’re a paid athlete), your body conspires by the minute against you. Having the Strength, which isn’t just in the muscles, to endure the tribulations we are all bound to encounter is so crucial and pure torture if you’re disconnected from the wonderful feeling of a healthy body, mind and spirit.
Modern lifestyles have forced a go go pace to maintain this charade of ‘having it all’ and something always gives. What I can’t figure out is why people chase wealth only to lose their health and then spend their wealth, trying to regain their health? Creating a vicious cycle of accruing expensive hospital bills and pretty things – rather than life enriching experiences you can only get by being strong and healthy.
Strength is a choice and some just make it later in life or are forced. Either way, those who have embraced the struggle of forging strength, owe it to those who need help to reach out and grab, not push down. As my friend Lisa Schaffer says, there is ‘Strength in Numbers.’ And everyone comes from a different background we know nothing about except the common, human bond.
There is also a huge misconception that people think they need to ‘get in Shape’ before’ they see a trainer? Or the classics – I’m too: Old, Fat, Skinny, Injured, Short, Tall, Hopeless, Good already to hire a trainer? There certainly are various types of gyms and trainers in the world with special niches that work with two ends of the spectrum: elite athletes or very injured clientele. Most of us are not in these categories.
A strength trainer worth his salt, will be able to help most people, given they have proper clearance. Why? Because a good trainer will consider your health goals first and your fitness goals second. All of us have different needs and a good trainer will keep you safe and moving towards all your goals. You must have a solid foundation of healthy movements before specializing in running, or weightlifting or gymnastics or whatever.
Every Body needs Strength from Babies, to kids, to teens, to adults and the elderly for the sole purpose of living and thriving in a world that seeks to take your strength. I do not like clichés, however this one always rings true – “When all things are equal, the Strongest will Survive.” How about – Strength is the equalizer of skill, outlasting the better equipped.
My next post will explore Why we need to Train for Strength and the benefits of doing so, or not. In my heart of hearts, Strength Training is the most important thing you can ever do to enjoy the quality of your life. Not because it’s what I do for a living as I could be making more money doing something else. I chose Strength because of the unique opportunity it gives me to impact society and help others.
Can’t wait for the Next post? To start building a foundation now – Click the picture below to Grab my Free Health Report: The Top 5 red Flags to Fix: Before Training
You don’t need all kinds of crazy intense stuff, especially if I lay you on your back, have you stick your legs straight up in the air and you can’t even hold them there because you’re legs cramp and abs shut down. Proper exercise should mimic you’re goal and keep you healthy in the process, so you can go do the thing that you’re training for!
If it’s to run a 5k, you’ve got to move well, transfer the force of pounding the pavement and have the strength to do it. If it’s to lose 10lbs, your muscles have fire properly in a sequence, producing enough stress to force the system to burn the fat. Want to have joints that don’t ache and play with your grand kids? Maybe even Dancing with the Love your life in the pale moon light? Then breathing and moving well, with the strength to enjoy those experiences, may be all you need. Take the time to find out Point A and every decision you’ll make just became exponentially easier because every choice will either move you closer, or further from your Point B.