I didn’t want to title this blog “My Last Fitness Post”, but it could end up being my last post about getting stronger. It has been a long journey, but I’ve found the answer. Maybe not for you, but for me.
Don’t get hurt. That is it.
Pick safe exercises. Challenge yourself. Allow time for recovery. Trust the process. Stop modeling yourself after outliers. Understand survivorship bias.
Body By Science, Hillfit 2.0, and Foundation Training.
Once you’ve solved for safety, there is no magical plan. Do whatever holds your interest. Just don’t get hurt.
When the fitness bros beat their chest about optimal this or that, keep in mind that the assumption with all their nonsense is that one can not get hurt if one has good form. This is a ludicrous assumption.
Also, spare me the link about how a group of 20 untrained college aged men got marginally better results doing whatever for 16 weeks. Fitness to me isn’t measured in weeks, it is measured in decades.
You study other men and you find out what makes them weak and then you don’t do that. — Jay Leno
What makes them weak is not pursuing fitness or pursuing it too hard. The way to win is to not lose.
Patience beats “No Pain, No Gain”. Maybe not in the short run, but eventually.
At this stage, I think I’ve said all I have to on the topic. I no longer feel the need to convince others. It is exhausting and I no longer care. Fitness is not my career. I am a hobbyist. I have other hobbies. It is time to move on. I won fitness.
My best fitness posts are archived on the Fitness Insights page.
Photo by Robert Bejil
Stephan Raczak
Dec 25, 2014 — 10:41 am
A part of MAS just died.
PS: This was not your last fitness post. 🙂
MAS
Dec 25, 2014 — 10:53 am
@Stephan – I see this as a celebration. Both liberation from conventional strength dogma and the need to convince others of what I see as a safer superior path.
I will likely still post about fitness, but it will probably be in other areas outside building strength.
Mike Klucsarits
Dec 25, 2014 — 2:43 pm
A book I read years ago summarizes what you are advocating. The book: Joe X , Rethinking physical fitness for adults by Avery Hunicutt. The book is no longer in print but there are used copies around. It’s a fictional story that ends with a template for physical fitness which is termed the moving forward method. Check it out if interested.
James
Dec 26, 2014 — 7:54 am
I believe it was Bruce Lee who said “simplicity is the key to brilliance.” I think you have simplified the way of getting stronger brilliantly as well as providing excellent resources. It is that simple.
MAS
Dec 26, 2014 — 9:07 am
@Mike – Thanks for the reading tip. That book does look interesting.
@James – Thanks. I think the path is more than simplicity. It is about properly aligning the value of long term pain free fitness before ever deciding on what tools it takes to accomplish that path as well as tools to avoid even though they might be tempting in the short run.
Marcelo
Jan 5, 2015 — 6:25 am
Well, i learned a lot here. Hillfit and HIT did wonders for a skinny guy that could not gain weight! I’m in the best shape of my life now, NOT eating low-carb and strenght training 2x a week and the rest of the free time PLAYING.
A big THANK YOU Michael!
Anthony
Jan 7, 2015 — 11:00 am
Hey MAS
I like what Bill DeSimone said recently. Thought I would share in case you missed it from him.
“Exercise should challenge your fitness, not your safety.”
This is basically what you are saying, just a bit shorter.
– ADJ
MAS
Jan 8, 2015 — 9:29 am
@Anthony – The wisest sentence ever.
Catherine
Mar 22, 2015 — 3:05 pm
Simplicity is the key to brilliance, Qigong the key to become stronger without becoming obsessive https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qW1b9-wOVU I’ve gotten the most plastic ‘pistols’ following this practice.