Fitness Musings

The typical gym can be an intimidating place. And while I (generally) believe doing something is better than nothing, I also believe that a LOT of time is WASTED in the gym by the average American. Shell out thirty bucks or so a month, do a couple curls, run a lap on the treadmill, maybe sit on a machine and move your arms around a little (not like you're sitting enough in daily life or anything...) Unsurprisingly, most of the people there look and feel the exact same way they did last year, and the year before that, and the year before that. Time and money are precious things -- I think that we can all agree that you should never waste them.

The human body is designed to jump, climb, pull, row, push, carry, press, sprint, squat, lift, and push. There should be a focus on QUALITY over QUANTITY with these specific movement patterns. In general,  COMPOUND MOVEMENTS (exercises that incorporate many muscle groups, such as a squat) should be emphasized over ISOLATION MOVEMENTS (exercises that single out a muscle group, such a bicep curl).

Millions of us already have some sort of dysfunctional ailment: Back ache, knee pain, tight hamstrings, hunched shoulders, flat feet... These ailments are usually the result of poor, repetitive movement habits. To change the way you stand, walk, lift, and sit can drastically reduce excessive pressure on the joints, increase muscular strength, and eliminate nagging aches and pains. Regardless of whether you hit the gym or not, you actually "exercise" everyday. You squat on the toliet, you lift objects over your head, you carry things around. This is why it is vital that we train these movement patterns to eliminate excessive wear and tear on joints, ligaments, and tendons while maximizing strength and mobility. When you're strong, healthy, and your body is functioning optimally, things just seem to "work".

The crucial point again is that QUALITY MATTERS!