Time & effort will always be the trademarks of success in training.
“I view training as an equation.
Simpler Modality =
Increased Bandwidth for Effort.
The ‘new age’ coach will try to dazzle you with concepts sheltering you from putting forth real time and effort, but training is still a game where those who combine the most time and effort, win.”
-Ray Zingler on Twitter
I find it funny that we’ve gotten so advanced in Strength & Conditioning that we’ve forgotten about the about the part where you actually have to work hard.
We have so much research, data, access to different modalities, and equipment and with all the infomercials and sales reps littered on television & social media platforms, if you didn’t know any better you’d think you could outsource everything strength, health, and fitness related and not have to do any of the work.
Despite what pop culture and the new age coach would lead you to believe as they diligently work to sell you the idea of sheltering you from friction for personal gain, you still have to work hard. And you have to do it for a long time, too. Like forever.
Now don’t get me wrong, I think all of the science and data is awesome stuff and I love that we have different types of access depending on goals, schedules, etc. I am not implying that we shouldn’t use a modern approach to help us drive favorable outcomes as they relate to our health and fitness. I am not one of those “beast mode” “grind everyday” idiots by any stretch of the imagination. If you can get more out of less, by all means do it. That’s the game I am playing, too.
Where we have to be careful though, not only physically, but mentally, is we can’t forget that we have to work hard. We have to challenge ourselves. We have to be able to push past our perceived limits and barriers.
The best way I have found to do this without stretching myself too thin is by treating training like an equation.
If I know that effort & consistency are the trademarks of success in the training game, I must reverse engineer the equation.
If I want to apply the above (effort and consistency) to my repertoire so that I can win my training game, I know it’s going to be best to simplify the modality I am using because the more complex I get, the less bandwidth I have for the qualities that matter most.
Train smart, I implore you to do so.
But success in training still requires hellacious time and effort.
