Master The Basics
In order to create sentences we need to know words. In order to create words we need to know the alphabet. What I want you to do now is think about this concept as it relates to your training. Do you know your fitness A, B, C’s? I can tell you right now the answer is more than likely no and the big problem is that without knowing that you can’t communicate with (train) your body in the most efficient manner.
Unfortunately, fitness isn’t like language you can get by without practicing or even knowing the fundamentals. You can get away with just plain old hard work. You can get away without doing the boring stuff. And you can get away with doing what you think works best for you. Listen, I’m not saying that without practicing the fundamentals of physical fitness you can’t succeed or that you can’t be excellent at something but I can tell you that with them you will do anything and everything better. The most successful people I have ever trained are the ones that master the basics. The ones that stay committed to practicing what could be described as boring meticulous, tedious, and difficult work. The programs that always work best regardless of the desired goals are the ones that focus on the fundamentals, not stray away from them.
I really want to emphasize that last point because I have and continue to see far too many people stray away from the basics. I hear a lot about ‘mixing it up’ and ‘muscle confusion’ and I have to tell you that is complete bs. If you want to develop strength in your lower extremities nothing will do that better than heavy squats and deadlifts. Trying to argue any different would be like telling a pianist that practicing the violin would make them a better pianist. Maybe you could make the argument that playing the violin will make them a better musician but only through practice playing the piano will they become a better pianist.
When it comes to training, never neglect the basics. Keep working on them and try to master them because without a strong base you are limiting your potential, success, and are likely going to experience some sort of set back. Always remember to Keep It Simple Stupid (KISS).
