Train To Make Life Easier

I love rolling out of bed and sliding into my training clothes. I love the first flicker of light that illuminates my garage gym and the stillness of the early morning. I love the process of training, finding my weaknesses, and trying to improve as an athlete. 

I also understand that many of my clients do not see things the same way and that is OK! 

When working with a client, we strive to improve performance, but I also place a heavy focus on how training helps make life easier. By doing this, the value of training increases, and this helps moments of doubt or "giving up" to lose strength. 

Implement these three tips to make life easier and supercharge your performance. 

1. Improve your performance posture

Posture is such an important piece to your ability to perform. If a muscle group or joint is out of sync during a movement you could eventually experience pain, or worse, injury. Take this a step further. 

Late in a race, game, or match, when fatigue sets in, make it a goal to maintain your posture. When your posture breaks down late in a competition, you are making a tougher climb to the finish and could miss out on that new personal best. 

Maybe your mom yelling at you to sit up straight was a helpful tip after all. 

How do you train this? 

In training, do not rush your movements and move with intent. It is that simple. Even if you are short on time, aim to complete each movement to the best of your ability. I can promise you that your training time will be much more effective this way. 

In day-to-day life, take stock of where you cut corners with movement. For example, does your knee buckle each time you step down the stairs? Be aware of any side to side shifting that occurs as you go to sit down in a chair. When you bend down to pick up a package, do it with a strong hinge stance versus a rounded posture. When you tie your shoe, hinge at the hips. All of these little moments are a point where you can improve your performance and make life easier! 

2) Get Stronger

​When I say "strength training" you might think of a bodybuilder or a powerlifter. While these are forms of strength training, it is much more than just these disciplines. Strength is the key to life and performance in the athletic arena. Think of building strength as building body armor. Not only does it help with body composition maintenance, it shows its value in every movement you complete. 

The value of building strength. 

1) Strength aids in injury prevention by allowing you to properly stabilize your joints throughout movement. 
2) Strength is the foundation to movement of any type. 
3) Loss of strength is a high predictor of the inability to complete activities of daily living without support. 

Where should you start?

The easiest and most effective starting point is to know what weight you have utilized in the past for a specific movement. If you have to guess when selecting a weight, you are not maximizing your training. If it is your first time completing a movement, you will need to figure out your starting point. From there, track what weight you utilize to make sure progression (or at least no regression) is happening. 

If you have plateaued with your training, mine this step to get back on track. Do not underestimate the value of bodyweight or band training, especially if your current training location is not open. You can also use household items to load your body! 

3) Commit to the process

​At the end of the day, you have to take the plunge and commit to your health, well-being, and performance. Until you are willing to commit to the process, you will continue to spin your wheels and see minimal forward progress. 

The good news is that it does not take a crazy amount of time investment if you follow the first two principles. Trim the fat, master the basics, and make the most of the time you have. 

When I say "trim the fat" I mean cut out any gimmicks. The basic movement patterns work really well and will outlast and infomercial training device you are thinking about purchasing. When I say "the basics" I am talking about basic movement patterns. Things like a squat, hinge, push, pull, brace, and rotate are great movements to master and will power your performance for years to come. 

Finally, even if you are supremely short on time, make the most of the time you do have. I can assure you that by following these steps, your training will make life easier and help you see performance improvements.