The Art of Movement Edition 57: It Doesn't Really Matter How You Do It, Only That You Do It

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Edition 57: It Doesn't Really Matter How You Do It, Only That You Do It

'The methods are many but the principles are few…'

You have probably heard me beating that drum before, usually when talking about 'what is the best way to achieve x or y?' - the truth is there are hundreds of ways to meet the same ends in your training. But I’m a big believer of ‘first things first’, and very often the first thing is being missed entirely. I usually always end up coming back to the conclusion that there is really not much point considering any kind of major specifics to a training programme unless 3 basic boxes (that are nothing to do with exercise) are being ticked first. I want to know if you are:

1. Getting sufficient and regular good quality sleep?

2. Drinking enough water and at the right times?

3. Eating a predominantly (80-90%) healthy diet full of fruit, veg, nuts, seeds and protein?

If you are missing 1 or more of those 3 things? Stop right there. Go back and ensure you are addressing the basics which give you the platform to go and do it right.

Then we can talk about the exercise. People often glamourise ‘the grind’, whether that is waking early to get after it before work, or combining hard training with working late into the night, poor diet and very little down time.

Taking care of #1 ensures you have the focus and motivation to pursue your goal for the long-term. #2 ensures you perform well during exercise, and stay hydrated at all times. Nail #3 and not only will you have the drive to chase your goal, not only will you perform it well, but you will reap the benefits of training with a fully maximised preparation and recovery process primed for muscle growth and energy replenishment.

But even then - we won't refine the details of the training until ensuring a couple more things.

1. Daily movement: Walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, stretching. These easy, gentle activities you can do on a daily basis are the glue that keeps the plan together.

2. Adherence/Consistency: Are you repeatedly showing up?

If you are moving daily outside of your sessions, you are improving your chances of elevating your metabolism, your daily calorie expenditure and general conditioning/preparedness for more intense exercise. If you aren't doing this, and the only exercise you get is during your gym sessions, there will be a whole lot of sedentary weekly hours that will be dragging you away from progress. Take care of your daily movement and you've won half the battle!

The other half of the battle is achieving consistency with your workouts. Just ticking the box. Of course, some direction to the work being carried out is preferred - but don't worry if you aren't performing glamorous plyometrics, top speed sprints or big heavy deadlifts. Simply getting in and getting a brief list of exercises done is more than enough. Always remember:

“The best training programme is the one you can stick to”

So what are you waiting for? Start playing the long game and doing the small and simple (and sometimes boring) stuff really, really, really well. Make that your priority and then you’re in a primed position to shoot for the moon with your goals and objectives!

Movement of the Week: Single Arm Banded Overhead Press

That’s all for this week! Check out my Patreon channel for video episodes, on-demand workouts, training programmes, training guidance/advice and more!

Thank you,

Gabriel