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Discover The So-Called Physiological Reasons Why Some People Are Hard-Wired To Hate Exercise And Learn The Simple, Rarely-Acknowledged Solution To Overcome This Predicament
Note: that photo cracks me up every time.
I know a few people who just hate exercising. Period. And truth be told, I can’t blame them. Exercise can be both boring and exciting, hard and easy. And if it’s a whole new world for you, it can be difficult to make exercise right for you (so that it’s both enjoyable and rewarding). In fact, I’d even go as far to say that most people who start exercising for the first time do so in both a boring and hard manner, which one could argue, predisposes oneself to a higher likelihood of failure. That’s just the way it goes most of the time, and it should come as no surprise when we look at the rate of quitters in the exercise community. Don’t believe me? Just join a gym around New Years and you’ll see what I mean.
Now, I was reading an article in The Wall Street Journal (thanks to John Belkewitch of Day 1 Personal Training for the reference) about how certain people seem to be hard-wired to exercise, and others are not. It was a fascinating read that sheds much-needed insight into some of the inner-workings of our physically-starved culture, and even offers a simple solution for how to improve the situation we’ve been spiraling down into for decades.
So, what I’ve done is post most of the relevant sections of the article (ie practically the whole thing actually), and I’ve included my commentary beneath each one. This is also an exercise in transparency for me because what follows is basically an inside-look at my thought-processes while reading health and fitness articles in mainstream media sources. And yes, I do come a bit unhinged sometimes. So, prepare thyself.
But alas, I’m posting my thoughts for you here, complete with a direct explanation as to the solution for those who tend to hate exercise or avoid physical activity, in general (but that’s not you, right?). You’re gonna hate me when I’m done. Ok ok. Hate may be too harsh a term. You may be slightly unsettled and feel a distinct annoyance towards me after reading this. Please hold the redhead jokes. Continue reading Why Certain People Are Hard-Wired to Hate Exercise (and what to do about it)
Find Out The Top Two Best Companies To Buy Your Pro-Grade, Competition-Style Kettlebells From
The first kettlebells I ever used were some classic Russian kettlebells from Dragon Door about 8-9 years ago. Those were totally “the thing” for awhile there. But as I got more and more into kettlebell training, I started to hear about a new kind of kettlebell. Depending on who you asked, they were either called “pro-grade kettlebells” or “competition-style kettlebells.” And what made them unique was that they were made of steel, instead of iron, and also that their dimensions were universally the same regardless of weight. So, a 16 kg Pro-Grade Kettlebell would be the same exact size and shape (ie dimensions) as a 32 kg Pro-Grade kettlebell. Obviously, that’s a distinct advantage that pro-grade kettlebells have over traditional iron kettlebells.
Since then, I’ve used several different kinds of pro-grade kettlebells, which has led me to discover that there are some minor differences from manufacturer to manufacturer, which is why I wanted to post this review today.
You see, after trying all those different KB brands, I’ve narrowed my most recommended pro grade kettlebells down to two manufacturers. No matter who you are or what your goals are, I think that you can be best-served by the KB’s from these two companies. They’ve got ALL your bases covered if you want a pro-grade kettlebell, and you’ll find out why in this video review.
The Top 3 Strategies To Help Runners Strengthen Their Legs, Improve Their Performance, And Avoid Pain And Injury
It is exceptionally unnerving that it’s actually rare to find a dedicated runner who does not experience aches, pains, and injuries on a regular basis. I’m struck speechless at the fact that this activity, which is inherently natural for humans, can cause so many problems in the body. And make no bones about it. Running injury rates are practically stratospheric, and we have an epidemic of weak, injured runners on our hands. They don’t call it “runner’s knee” for nothin’, after all.
In fact, I’ve heard it said that running is one of the top 10 forms of physical recreation, and also one of the top 10 highest injury-producing forms of recreation. Now, I don’t know if that’s statistically accurate or not, but I do know that running is extremely popular and that a lot of runners are running injured. And I don’t know about you, but I think that’s a big – BIG – problem. If that wasn’t enough already, many runners have even accepted that running in pain or running injured is totally normal – that it just comes with the territory. And you know what? That kindof makes me think that we need a new paradigm shift for running. Those little aches and pains are the bane of runners around the world, but it doesn’t have to be this way.
Now, a couple weeks ago, a woman asked me if I had any solutions for strengthening the legs in order to help prevent running injuries. I had to tell her with a calm demeanor, “Why, yes. Yes, I do.” What I really wanted to do was squeeze her by the arms and gleefully exclaim, “Do I ever!” Continue reading An Unconventional Guide On Strength Training For Runners
Just a few minutes ago, I typed in “new year’s resolutions” into Google and clicked on the first result, which was titled, “Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions” (source here).
According to that article, the number one New Year’s resolution is to spend more time with family and friends. That’s followed up by a list of things revolving around improving health and fitness and quitting addictions, but also with things such as serving others and getting more out of life, in general. They’re all fantastic things to want to change. And who wouldn’t want to spend more time with those that matter most, and who wouldn’t want to be healthier, fitter, and enjoy a higher quality of life? My hand is raised, too!
Now, you’d think with so much sheer desire that many of these resolutions would be fulfilled, but we all know that isn’t exactly the case. And I’m going to argue that the massive failure in resolution-seekers is because we have a poor understand of how to change habits that is only made worse through the annual New Year’s Resolution binge that serves as a terrible example.
Every Day Is New Year’s Resolution Day
Not too long ago, I read something by fitness professional, Craig Ballantyne, who is the creator of the popular Turbulence Training Program. He said that “every Monday is New Year’s resolution day.” I like that, and I think there’s some truth to it, but only some.
As I write this, it is Monday afternoon on January 28th, 2013. That, my friends, is a fact. It is also a fact, that for most people, Monday is the beginning of a new week – not all that unlike how January 1st is the beginning of a new year. It’s a fresh start, a new opportunity to seize the day and actively pursue and achieve the goals you’ve established for your life. Yes, it’s true that it isn’t technically a New Year’s resolution, but “Monday resolutions” sounds corny. How about we call them “new life resolutions” because isn’t that what we want, after all, a higher quality of life?
But here’s the thing, even though Monday is like January 1st fifty-two times a year, the whole idea of New Year’s resolutions is a distraction – an illusion. While we’re at it, why don’t we imagine having New Month’s Resolutions, New Week’s Resolutions, and even New Day’s Resolutions? Who’s to say we can’t make a New Life Resolution any day we want? It’s certainly not subject to happening on just the first of the year or the first of the week! Continue reading Why Every Monday is Like New Year’s Day
According to that article, the number one New Year’s resolution is to spend more time with family and friends. That’s followed up by a list of things revolving around improving health and fitness and quitting addictions, but also with things such as serving others and getting more out of life, in general. They’re all fantastic things to want to change. And who wouldn’t want to spend more time with those that matter most, and who wouldn’t want to be healthier, fitter, and enjoy a higher quality of life? My hand is raised, too!
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