So as a follow up to part 1 of this post, I wanted to break down each aspect of fitness in 100 words. The great thing about the mindset is the simplistic takeaways. The lack of specialized words or terms makes it very easy to read, and actually comprehend. So trying to stick with that same theme, let’s dive in to take a look at these parts.
Eat meat & vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar.
Choose healthy foods that provide your body with lots of nutrients. A bag of chips doesn’t have many nutrients in it. Lower amounts of starch means you don’t need them with every meal.
I know what you’re thinking, and yes, fruit does have sugar. The “no sugar” that this is referring to are things like candy, or sweets with high levels of sugar and no other vitamins or benefits.
Keep intake to levels that will support exercise, but not body fat.
Measure your foods for optimal fitness. If that doesn’t work for you, just try not to overdo it. Eat healthy foods, when hungry.
Practise and train the major lifts:
Deadlift, Clean, Squat, Presses, Clean and Jerk and Snatch.
These are multi-joint movements that train large (and more than one) muscle groups at a time. Compound lifts are shown to be the most effective at developing muscle and gaining strength. Vary the weights and reps you use when training these lifts.
Similarly, master the basics of gymnastics:
Pullups, Dips, Rope Climb, Push Ups, Presses to Handstand, Pirouettes, Flips, Splits and Holds.
If the major lifts build your large muscle groups, then these train the smaller ones. These exercises are great for helping you stabilize and balance, rather than move large amounts of weight.
Bike, Run, Swim, Row, etc… hard and fast.
It’s crucial to do enough cardio. Aim for easily repetitive movements that can be done intensely without major risk of injury. Focus on sprint intervals with these, not distance.
Work out 5 or 6 days per week. Mix these elements in as many combinations and patterns as creativity will allow. Routine is the enemy.
The majority of the week you should be combining these lifts, movements and exercises in endless ways. There should be an underlying structure to how they are combined. But, try to stay out of a strict routine. Don’t get in a rut of doing the same things over and over. Get creative with how you incorporate workouts into your life.
Keep workouts short and intense.
Intensity is king. Common knowledge would say longer is better. However, this is not true. There is a reason sprinters look like power houses and marathon runners look like twigs.
Regularly learn and play new sports.
Learn new movements and create lots of neural pathways. Teach your body and your mind how to do lots of things!
Fitness in 100 words: a simple philosophy
There you have it. That is fitness in 100 words (plus a little extra). Ready to get fit? Book your free intro today.
