I know why most people hate going to the gym, and it has nothing to do with exercise, exertion, or getting all sweaty and tired.
Want to know the reason? The way most people do it, it’s boring as hell.
Let me ask you this: are you strapping yourself onto the same machine as the day before, hitting the same buttons you did the day before, and doing the same workout you did the day before? And where did this workout come from?
I’ll bet you it came from one of these three sources:
- an article in a magazine,
- it’s what the person behind the desk showed you on your tour when you signed up, or
- it’s what everyone else is doing.
Most people copy others because they have no idea what to do, and figure that if it’s good for the gander, it’ll be good enough to get their goose in gear, too.
We progress when we learn...
The problem with this is obvious.
How many of the people on the elliptical machines at your gym look and perform the way you wish you could? Not many, at my gym.
At the gym I work out at, between two and ten people inhabit the ellipticals, treadmills, and step-bike-contraptions every morning… and then there’s me, over in the free weight area. Alone.
And you know how much better those two to ten people look today, compared to when I joined, a year and a half ago? None. Some even look worse.
But, I’ve lost 15 20 pounds, and I’m strong as two of my former selves put together. I barely recognize my own muscles in the mirror. Oh, I’m not going to win any contests, and I rarely even turn a head these days (blame it on being “follicularly challenged”, 38 years old, and not particularly broad-shouldered), but I’ll be damned if I don’t have muscles in places I never knew I could.
Now, am I particularly gifted? Special? Is my uncle Jack LaLanne or something? Heck no… I’m a reformed fat kid from a sedentary family who’s had to work at it all my life. But, I’ve got one thing that many people don’t display much of, at least when it comes to the gym: a willingness to learn.
You Gotta Keep On Stepping
I got fascinated by the human body, and what it’s capable of, when I was fifteen years old. Maybe it was because I resembled a human jello mold, and athletes are just so… athletic… but I was hooked. I read everything I could get a hold of in the pre-information age, which meant I read Arnold’s Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding from cover to cover three times a week.
I knew when I was 16 that I wanted to open a gym someday. I went to college, not really knowing what I was doing there, but lucky for me, UC San Diego had a small Physical Education department in those days, and I was able to squeak out a minor in PhysEd before the department got budget-cut. Somewhere along the line I talked myself out of the gym-ownership idea, but stayed active (after losing 35 pounds my senior year of high school, I bounced around a few collegiate sports, like water polo and rowing, and then played a few sports recreationally and exercised solo after that), and kept studying.
I took some amazing classes, read some amazing books, and tried some amazing (and not so amazing) workout routines, until finally landing on CrossFit.com in October of 2007. I’ve been glued to the CF community ever since, and I still feel like a rank beginner at times. (And yes, my goal of opening my own gym is back on. Look out, baby.)
To get through the hardest journey we need take only one step at a time, but we must keep on stepping. — Chinese proverb
Sheeple no more!
Bottom line: You’ve got to take responsibility for your progress, or lack thereof.
In any aspect of your life, be it fitness, business, relationships, or whatever, if you aren’t learning, you’re standing still. Now, if you’re happy with the level you’ve reached, that’s fine… but if you recognize that your journey isn’t over yet, then it’s time to get busy.
Whenever you think you’ve stopped learning, it’s all over; remember that! — James Fitzgerald, aka OPT
If there’s anything I want you to take away from this post, it’s this: You are capable of much more than you think you are. What does that mean, practically speaking? It means that if you aren’t happy with your bodyfat percentage, or your current vocation, or the way you speak to your kids, then do something about it!
Start reading. Subscribe to feeds, newsletters, and podcasts. Take a class. Interview someone who knows what you want to know (it has been my experience that most people are glad to share what they know, if you only ask). Volunteer.
And if you come up to me at the gym and ask me how to squat, I’ll grin wider than a giraffe and be happy to teach you. I guarantee it’ll be fun, as well as hard… although I’ll probably talk your ear off, too, about why the elliptical machine sucks, so be ready.
Image (of my friend Amie!) by greg westfall
This post is very timely Adam, thanks!
I’ve been meaning to get fit as well and have been going at it unsuccessfully for the past 3 years, but I have to figure that one out on my own – and soon. I agree, we do need to step up and keep learning – about everything and anything we can get our hands on. I’ve always believed that we can learn anything we set our minds to. Sometimes though, the realities of life and adulthood sidetrack us a bit. We are all indeed capable of so much more, we only have to fight contentment and stagnation and reach for that goal we’ve been eyeing for a while. Who knows? This coming 2010 could be the year we go back on track and succeed.
For more interesting success ideas and tips for 2010, check out http://www.makemorelivemoregivemore.com.
I love this post as it is really in line with what I have been doing lately. In the last 6 weeks I have lost 15lbs simply by changing my diet, I am doing a lot of reading and learning and it has made a huge difference to how I look and feel. My exercise routine starts this Monday but I am not using a gym I am starting walking as I live in the Caribbean and surrounded by beauty.
Thanks for this post I really feel like it is a confirmation that I am on the right track.
Thanks, Teresa; I agree that anything is possible, if we’re willing to put in the work. And I also have high expectations (I almost said, “hopes”, but that wouldn’t be very responsible of me, would it!) of myself in 2010. Let’s hold each other to our best, shall we?
And good for you, Carol! You’re definitely on the right track. If you haven’t yet seen Mark’s Daily Apple, I highly recommend it. And since he lives on the beach, you’ll no doubt get some great ideas from his fitness posts.
Great article. I certainly would love to learn something newer this year.It was part of my new year resolution. Thanks for the article. Cheers
Adam-
Thanks for the picture props! I read your post when you sent it to me and have not been timely in posting a sincere thank you!! Thank you my friend!
My pleasure. You’re a stud!
This is great Adam!
As you quite rightly point out, progressive overload is all about constantly finding new ways to keep a body adapting via the manipulation of things such as: weight (resistance) moved, running speed, workout duration, rpm’s, incline, running surface, range of movement, recovery time (between efforts), overall training volume, training frequency and lots more.
Mistakenly, many people consider progressive overload to be the exclusive domain of the elite and the highly conditioned. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, this is one of the most common barriers to success. My mum (mom) is seventy (she hates me telling people that – sorry Mary – but it is very cool) and she lifts weights four days per week. She always trains progressively. Why? Because her goal is to improve, not to maintain. Can a seventy year-old generate significant physiological adaptation? Yep. Can a seventy year-old woman train her body to have similar strength, aerobic fitness and flexibility to that of a much younger woman? Yep.
Keep up the great work Adam!
You’re exactly right here. The process of continual improvement is what makes life worth living. We should always be trying to learn something new. Always challenge ourselves to improve.