We walk, we jog, we run, we sprint, we skip, we crawl, we climb, we tumble, we bound, we reach, we squat, we lunge, we push, we twist, we pull, we press…we MOVE!!!
And we do all this so naturally and without much thought in our youth. But then we age beyond our youth – and now, what came to us so naturally when we were young and resilient in our childhood years and even into our early twenties, is often anything but natural for us.
As Today’s Corporate Athletes (TCAs), with a touch of our youth behind us, and for many of us a busy career and family lives, most of us are no longer playing as carefree as we once did. However, throughout the rest of our lives (and for most of us — each day) we will be called upon to perform physical tasks.
These tasks are part of what we refer to as “The Sport of Everyday Life” and we all must participate.
It’s a sport that requires our bodies to move:
Our children or grandchildren may want us to run in the yard with them, or climb up into the play set with them.
Furniture may need to be lifted and placed.
Weeds need to be pulled and that backyard hillside needs to be mowed.
There’s snow piling up on the driveway.
We may enjoy participating in recreational sports – that occasional co-ed softball game or bike ride with the kids.
In even more severe situations, a life-threatening situation arises where we may need to escape to protect ourselves.
We have the need, and actually the responsibility, to perform basic exercises to help us navigate through The Sport of Everyday Life.
As TCAs, we may not be the explosive, supple, mobile individuals we were naturally in our youth. For some, that robust individual we built ourselves into in our late teens and early twenties is no longer staring back in the mirror. After an afternoon of activity, our mid-life bodies ache; we ice strained muscles and pamper swollen joints.
So, as we age, do we have to resign ourselves to a state of passiveness? Are we doomed to live a sedentary life that leads to stiff, tight, weak and injury prone bodies? Absolutely not for there is hope, but first...
The Misguided Path Many of Us Take
The “hit the gym” approach does very little to improve our ability to move functionally.
I’m overweight and not moving like I once was…what should I do? Many of us will try to counter the aging process and the associated loss of mobility, suppleness, strength, and power by joining a gym (and yes, many of us join a gym because we want to lose fat). Unfortunately, gyms (i.e., fitness centers, health clubs, spas, studios, and group training facilities) are, in many instances, preying on our vulnerability and desperation.
They sell the idea to the masses that once you’re a member: you’ll transform your appearance and you’ll achieve “fitness.” Sit on this machine and push, lay on that one and pull, use those two machines to curl, and of course hop on the hamster wheel (i.e., treadmill) and burn that fat away.
And while technically we may improve our fitness level slightly, depending on how one chooses to measure “fitness,” we will see very little improvement in our ability to move better functionally with this “hit the gym” approach. Essentially we’ll be stronger individuals while sitting at a machine, pressing, pushing and pulling; but we’ll experience very little carry over to real life (aka: The Sport of Everyday Life).
Still other popular paths taken by so many to counter the aging process include: picking up on an old jogging habit (let’s see how many 5Ks I can do in one year), purchasing the high paced DVD series promising makeovers seen on the infomercial, or joining the intense group training gyms that are touting high levels of “fitness” in a competitive, timed atmosphere.
As we’ll so often discuss, many times these tactics will result in an initial state of euphoria and accomplishment (I did it!) but in so many cases leads to long-term, nagging injuries.
So then what is the answer to turning back the clock a bit as we age through our 30's, 40's, 50's, 60's and beyond? Take...
The Path Much Less Traveled
Our BLOCK Training program was designed for this very reason. We realize we're not that resilient youth any longer, but that does not mean we cannot perform those tasks as we once did. We simply need to take a strategic approach to training, where safe and sustainable programming is adhered to on a consistent basis. Our comprehensive program will provide you with new found strength, power, functionality, and energy system development for you to participate in "The Sport of Everyday Life" with zest and confidence, and without the constant worry of injury or pain.
WEEK 1 QUIZ:
1) What comes naturally in our youth?
a) Skipping
b) Tumbling
c) Balancing a checking account
d) A & B
2) What does TCA stand for?
a) Teen Choice Awards
b) Totally Chiseled Abs
c) Today’s Corporate Athlete
d) None of the above
3) What is not an example of using The Sport of Everyday Life in our normal routines?
a) Lifting furniture
b) Shoveling snow
c) Bike riding with kids
d) Chilling on the couch watching Netflix
4) Of the following paths which is the Path Less Traveled?
a) BLOCK Training
b) Intense Group Training Gyms
c) Infomercial DVDs
d) 5ks
Once you've taken the quiz, click here to see how you did.