What I Believe
Many of you noticed in the past couple months that I did a quick re-design on the website and blog. One of the more prominent changes was to the header.
You may be wondering why I put these eight words so prominently on the website and blog. The reason: it's what I believe. What follows is a quick explanation of what I believe. Although I am not the definitive resource for these subjects, I could probably talk for hours about them, relating my personal experiences and those of people I've trained and trained with. Take it for what it's worth, and post a comment if you have an opinion.
I've been a lot of places and done a lot of things in my life...all of which have shaped me in some way. In regards to fitness, I consider myself among those who have wandered lost in the fitness desert until I found CrossFit, or until CrossFit found me. Regardless, CrossFit has been the biggest influence in my lifetime regarding fitness and health. I thank Greg Glassman for showing me the light. In his essay "What is Fitness", he talks about modes and pathways and capacity and lots of other things that define his view of fitness. He borrows the "10 aspects of fitness" from the guys at Dynamax, and those 10 aspects, along with the "theoretical hierarchy of development of an athlete" and the five day programming template are truly the most important lessons I've learned from CrossFit.
There are other programs and/or trainers that expand on 10 aspects of fitness and get more complex...I like to consolidate them and include some important factors that make a well-rounded program and thus, well-rounded healthy people. Again, CrossFit has been the impetus for my approach and I owe them the credit for getting me on the right track and away from "lift a little, run a little, eat alot"!
Fueling: The molecular foundation for life. Survival is obviously the primary goal, but sustenance is a better term when taking into account the intense activity required for building strength, stamina and coordination. If fueling is based on satisfaction (via preference or volume), the result is likely to be excessive caloric intake with associated ill effects and is obviously discouraged.
Mobility: Independence is based on the ability to move oneself. Maintaining range of motion in all joints is critical to long-term independence. Unhampered mobility where range of motion is limited only by genetics sets the stage for full body strengthening.
Strength: Foundation of all human activity. "Moving large loads, long distances quickly" (power output) starts with strength. Every physics equation relating to human movement must include strength. Without strength there can be no movement. Without movement there can be no work. Without work there can be no power.
Stamina: Human energy is the result of many systems. For simplicity, I lump endurance and stamina together. High intensity intervals (ie anaerobics) provides maximum benefit for minimum time in regards to metabolic conditioning. The reason most people avoid anaerobics: discomfort. (see Mindset and Sufferance)
Coordination: All neurological aspects can be lumped together here. Agility is simply coordinated power. Balance is simply coordinated strength. Accuracy is relative to the required task and can include many aspects of fitness.
Recovery: Rest, sleep, and stress must be managed for optimal benefit. Proper fueling provides energy for activity as well as the raw materials for rebuilding the tissues damaged during intense activity. Adequate recovery periods must be given the same priority as fueling and activity.
Mindset: The mental side. As important and foundational as fueling. When a person has an answer to "why?", "how?" is a creative obstacle, not a motivational one.
Sufferance: "Why?" and "how?" create an environment for results. Results are produced when we overcome the limitations of the mind and approach the limitations of the body. Results produced in an atmosphere of shared sufferance are more satisfying and unifying.
Greg Glassman has done a great job of bringing it all together in CrossFit. Our implementation of the CrossFit methodology is not entirely different from other CrossFit-style gyms or CrossFit affiliates, but we do have a unique character that requires a unique approach. The fundamentals mentioned above don't change, however. I believe the ONDEG program to be very effective at producing positive results in fitness and in health for everyone.
I've been a lot of places and done a lot of things in my life...all of which have shaped me in some way. In regards to fitness, I consider myself among those who have wandered lost in the fitness desert until I found CrossFit, or until CrossFit found me. Regardless, CrossFit has been the biggest influence in my lifetime regarding fitness and health. I thank Greg Glassman for showing me the light. In his essay "What is Fitness", he talks about modes and pathways and capacity and lots of other things that define his view of fitness. He borrows the "10 aspects of fitness" from the guys at Dynamax, and those 10 aspects, along with the "theoretical hierarchy of development of an athlete" and the five day programming template are truly the most important lessons I've learned from CrossFit.
There are other programs and/or trainers that expand on 10 aspects of fitness and get more complex...I like to consolidate them and include some important factors that make a well-rounded program and thus, well-rounded healthy people. Again, CrossFit has been the impetus for my approach and I owe them the credit for getting me on the right track and away from "lift a little, run a little, eat alot"!
Fueling: The molecular foundation for life. Survival is obviously the primary goal, but sustenance is a better term when taking into account the intense activity required for building strength, stamina and coordination. If fueling is based on satisfaction (via preference or volume), the result is likely to be excessive caloric intake with associated ill effects and is obviously discouraged.
Mobility: Independence is based on the ability to move oneself. Maintaining range of motion in all joints is critical to long-term independence. Unhampered mobility where range of motion is limited only by genetics sets the stage for full body strengthening.
Strength: Foundation of all human activity. "Moving large loads, long distances quickly" (power output) starts with strength. Every physics equation relating to human movement must include strength. Without strength there can be no movement. Without movement there can be no work. Without work there can be no power.
Stamina: Human energy is the result of many systems. For simplicity, I lump endurance and stamina together. High intensity intervals (ie anaerobics) provides maximum benefit for minimum time in regards to metabolic conditioning. The reason most people avoid anaerobics: discomfort. (see Mindset and Sufferance)
Coordination: All neurological aspects can be lumped together here. Agility is simply coordinated power. Balance is simply coordinated strength. Accuracy is relative to the required task and can include many aspects of fitness.
Recovery: Rest, sleep, and stress must be managed for optimal benefit. Proper fueling provides energy for activity as well as the raw materials for rebuilding the tissues damaged during intense activity. Adequate recovery periods must be given the same priority as fueling and activity.
Mindset: The mental side. As important and foundational as fueling. When a person has an answer to "why?", "how?" is a creative obstacle, not a motivational one.
Sufferance: "Why?" and "how?" create an environment for results. Results are produced when we overcome the limitations of the mind and approach the limitations of the body. Results produced in an atmosphere of shared sufferance are more satisfying and unifying.
Greg Glassman has done a great job of bringing it all together in CrossFit. Our implementation of the CrossFit methodology is not entirely different from other CrossFit-style gyms or CrossFit affiliates, but we do have a unique character that requires a unique approach. The fundamentals mentioned above don't change, however. I believe the ONDEG program to be very effective at producing positive results in fitness and in health for everyone.
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