Monday, February 3, 2014

Searching for that mystery exercise?

I got in a great workout while I was out of town this past weekend.  I always enjoy checking out gyms in different areas as well.  The gym we went to was pretty well-equipped and had a really cool "feel" to it--well minus the guy that told me I probably shouldn't do deadlifts (no joke).

We knocked out our workout (which DID include deadlifts) and walked around to check out some of the other equipment.  You had the standard pin-select stuff, cardio, medicine balls, kettle bells and the like, and then we found them...

The mystery machines.  No, not the one from Scooby Do although I think that one does serve more of a purpose.  These machines left us with a mystery-- why the heck would anyone use that let alone build that?

They reminded me more of a ride that you would find at Disney. The entire machine moves with you as you perform the exercise.  The seated row made me feel like I was riding a horse, the shoulder press felt like you were trying to launch yourself into space, and the bicep curl felt like you were in a rocking chair.  What the????

Yeah, mystery machines for sure.

Why? Who knows.  Somehow, for some reason, the basic machine needed to be tweaked.

Why?? Well if it did something that the basic machine did not, it must somehow be better.  Why would you waste your time with the basic, old version when you could have the new and improved one?

Logical, right?

No, actually not at all.

Seems to me that all too often people are searching for that one different thing.  That esoteric ingredient, the magical exercise that will some how bring them miraculous results.

Well, I'm sorry to say (no, I'm actually happy to tell you) that it doesn't exist.

The basics are the basics for a reason.  You can't skip over those and head right to the most obscure thing and think it will be the ONE.

You can't do a 2 handed kettle bell snatch with your eyes closed standing on a Bosu while signing the national anthem before you learn how to do a squat. Well,  you can try but I promise it won't turn out well.

You can't eat McDonald's for breakfast, skip lunch, and eat KFC for dinner and take green coffee bean extract and expect anything to happen. Again, many people try and as we can see it doesn't turn out well.

The truth is simple, as it always seems to be.  You have to consistently nail the basics before you even think about doing anything else.

Basics in the gym and basics outside the gym. It doesn't get any more simple than that.

Learn the basics.  Nail the basics consistently.  Succeed.

Learn the basics



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