There’s been a lot of emphasis on new exercise routines and functional training in the fitness industry – and there will always be some new shiny object that comes along. The objective of this blog is to make a case for why the basics are, in my opinion, still supreme.
The primary goal for any exercise program is to improve one’s health. Although, there may be other positive side effects of exercise, such as enjoyment, social factor, improved physique, the ultimate goal is to be healthier and stronger.
If we can ‘parking lot’ the notion of motivation and ‘not getting bored’ of a particular exercise program and just look at the merits of how the program can help you achieve your health goals, then I’d like to propose the idea that the simplest but most intense exercise program is the best.
By not getting distracted by the newest exercise equipment and protocol that comes out, and instead, double-down and focus harder on giving more effort to what you’re already doing, you will not only make more progress towards being healthier and stronger, but you will become better at exercising.
What does that mean to be ‘better at exercising’, you ask? Good question!
Assuming you are performing a properly designed exercise program that targets all the main muscle groups in the body, then practicing this routine requires you to improve on 2 main areas: a) the technique of each and every exercise in the routine; and b) doing them to your maximum effort level.
There is a reason why there are some exercises that are perennial and seem to be as old as the activity of running itself! Exercises like the push-up, or the squat have been around since humans have been able to move and that’s not because they have a great PR agent working for them. It’s because they are basic movements that best recruit the biggest muscles required in everyday movements.
By mastering the basic exercise techniques and doing them to a high degree of intensity, you will develop better and better coordination and strength and in doing so, accelerate your body’s progress towards health.
It’s true, the harder you push yourself, the more discomfort you will experience. But as I have blogged many times before in the past (here, here, here, here, and here), that is the one stimulus your body requires to make an adaptive change.
Learning to train the mind (as well as the body) to endure discomfort, to endure boredom, then becomes the never-ending process of maximizing your training journey.
Basic bodyweight or weight training exercises that have stood the test of time, can and always will be there for you if you can block out all the fitness hoopla that circulates social media.
The workout routine may not look the sexiest, but after some time and commitment, your mind & body will.
For further reading:
https://nickhorvat.com/why-professional-tennis-players-mainly-do-basic-on-court-exercise/