rbibbs
05-23-2004, 02:45 PM
Our forum tribe tends to be physically active, training regularly for fitness and performance. No need to "sell" fitness to a knuckledragger. :twisted: More often, we have to force ourselves into moderation or active recovery to keep on the positive side of the training/performance curve.
We all know folks who are less-than-optimally active, and we may have offered them encouragement to join in at their own level. We may have been met with excuses (other current threads here reference this, Connie's comes to mind) like "too busy, too tired, not athletic".
Maybe they're thinking that, to aspire to fitness, they have to commit to hours of gruelling exertion every day. Would this be an example of fear-reactivity, "imagining" how difficult or impossible fitness is, and avoiding it on that basis?
Our knuckledragger example might inadvertantly discourage some people from trying. My age peers find my level of activity a little daunting, but I try to assure them that they could experience similar results by spending 20 minutes every other day or 90 minutes once a week and only sweating 'moderately'.
This past school year, I've had the pleasure and privilege of coaching two female highschool students in fitness and kickboxing. They had as much right to the excuses (busy, tired, not athletic) as anyone could. Hardly anyone is "busier" than an active, honor-roll, employed highschool senior. They have made dramatic improvements in strength and articulation with which they are very pleased and proud. Very little "gruel" was involved in achieving this. Just 90 minutes a week of moderate, fun activity.
The equipment we have at our disposal is minimal... maybe 1/10 the cost of a comprehensive 'home gym'... a medicine-ball, 10# Clubbells, portable heavybag, exercise mat, and inexpensive handweights. We're not exhausted when we're done, we're not gasping for breath at any time, and we're not sore the next day. It's not that hard!
Maybe if folks knew how easy it was, they'd be more likely to try it. There's a log of our training right here (click). (http://www.circularstrengthmag.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=686&start=25) Scroll down toward the last few entries. As our program winds down (they are graduating and moving away), we're able to look back at how much we've accomplished. The progress has been great, and what's even more striking is how fun and easy it was.
If you know someone who might be 'fear-reacting' to how hard they "think" fitness is... it's not, it's really that easy.
We all know folks who are less-than-optimally active, and we may have offered them encouragement to join in at their own level. We may have been met with excuses (other current threads here reference this, Connie's comes to mind) like "too busy, too tired, not athletic".
Maybe they're thinking that, to aspire to fitness, they have to commit to hours of gruelling exertion every day. Would this be an example of fear-reactivity, "imagining" how difficult or impossible fitness is, and avoiding it on that basis?
Our knuckledragger example might inadvertantly discourage some people from trying. My age peers find my level of activity a little daunting, but I try to assure them that they could experience similar results by spending 20 minutes every other day or 90 minutes once a week and only sweating 'moderately'.
This past school year, I've had the pleasure and privilege of coaching two female highschool students in fitness and kickboxing. They had as much right to the excuses (busy, tired, not athletic) as anyone could. Hardly anyone is "busier" than an active, honor-roll, employed highschool senior. They have made dramatic improvements in strength and articulation with which they are very pleased and proud. Very little "gruel" was involved in achieving this. Just 90 minutes a week of moderate, fun activity.
The equipment we have at our disposal is minimal... maybe 1/10 the cost of a comprehensive 'home gym'... a medicine-ball, 10# Clubbells, portable heavybag, exercise mat, and inexpensive handweights. We're not exhausted when we're done, we're not gasping for breath at any time, and we're not sore the next day. It's not that hard!
Maybe if folks knew how easy it was, they'd be more likely to try it. There's a log of our training right here (click). (http://www.circularstrengthmag.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=686&start=25) Scroll down toward the last few entries. As our program winds down (they are graduating and moving away), we're able to look back at how much we've accomplished. The progress has been great, and what's even more striking is how fun and easy it was.
If you know someone who might be 'fear-reacting' to how hard they "think" fitness is... it's not, it's really that easy.