When I was younger I had the classic notion that I would live forever and my body would never break down.Now that I’m 33, I’m old enough to know that my joints and tissues have a finite lifespan, and once they’re gone it’s good bye black diamond skiing and hello family size bottles of inflammatory meds.
I fear that someday I’ll become one of these folks who sits around telling people about how strong and fit I was, but how the very methods I used to get in shape were also the undoing of my success as the years marched on.
“Yep I grew a chest of granite, but my shoulders had to have surgery from all the heavy bench pressing.”
“I was lean and fast, but the knees can only take so much running, so now I walk with a limp and even stairs are a challenge.”
(*shudder*)
No sir! .
– Stop playing chicken with the body.
I’ve no longer been working out with the goal to see how much punishment my body can take before it breaks. Instead I now see training as an opportunity to teach and educate the body through giving it new information rather that just driving it into the ground. So instead of going untill I drop, I focus on making my technique as perfect as humanly possible and to use each second to push myself to the highest level of performance.– Make exercise an all day activity
My exercise is not just found in one single workout of the day. I pepper my activity throughout the day with a little here and a little there. Some pull ups in the morning, a jog in the afternoon and some kettle bell work after dinner. By the end of the day I’ve done much without feeling like it.– Stick to natural movements
Running up a hill or pulling a sled are simple and intuitive moves that almost anyone can do. Trying to see if I can lift the entire stack in the Ab-zilla weight machine is not. Just as the body tends to have a better time dealing with natural foods, using a workout based on contraptions and funky positions is like calling a bag of chips and a snack cake lunch. Also just like junk foods, there is certainly room for them in your life without consequence, it’s just not a lot of room. By sticking to body weight movements and natural weight lifting the functions of the body are improved upon and protected for years to come.
Above all, I plan to listen to my body. Everyone hits a snag once in a while, but a month long sense of fatigue and lack of motivation is a red flag. Listening to my body and treating it like my best friend, as opposed to an enemy is the best way to keep it as an ally for years to come.
