Blogging is an adventure. I get ideas in the shower, in the car, and in the middle of the night. It’s been so random that I carry a notebook with me as to not let them get away. As of now, I have five other drafts in this word document – each needing another day [...]
Blogging is an adventure. I get ideas in the shower, in the car, and in the middle of the night. It’s been so random that I carry a notebook with me as to not let them get away. As of now, I have five other drafts in this word document – each needing another day of editing to be finalized.
Truthfully, some of them may never be published. When I wake up, I scour through this document and whichever article I feel most strongly about, I attack it. If none suit my fancy, I write a new one. But with my recent training issues, I had to get this in the open.
Basically, sometime between the age of 18 and 24, I got old. And it’s not that appearance based aging that makes you look cooler and wiser, it’s the performance based aging that makes you feel like you have grandchildren.
Lately, I’ve been stung by the Jason Ferruggia bug, which means I’ve been getting out and suffering through hill sprints. The hardest part about doing them is finding a hill that won’t get me maimed by moving vehicles or interrupted by old friends stopping to talk.
Luckily, there is a secluded hill at my Middle School that’s only one mile up the road. There is a parking lot that leads down to an old football stadium. It’s surrounded by overhanging trees, a creek, and enough wildlife to make me slightly on edge. I don’t think a black bear would attack, a snake would strike, or a skunk would spray me but I guess it wouldn’t surprise me. Regardless, the location is just what I need so I take the risk.
I’m always hit with nostalgia when I walk around the school to get to the hill. The main road is in the shape of a “U,” which means to get to the top of the hill you need to go a little out of your way unless you cut through the downhill, lumpy, and grassy shortcut.
Now, when I was younger there wasn’t any question – I was taking the shortcut. I had no fear about catching a lump, rolling my ankle, and capsizing down the hill. But my newly acquired 24 year old frame second guessed itself, and it disappointed me to do so.
Really, when did I get to feeling this old? It’s not like I went completely sedentary. I’ve always been active. But looking back at the past 6 years, it’s been 90% barbells. I can’t move like I used to because I haven’t put in the effort to retain it. Training like a powerlifter isn’t going to help me leap down hills. In fact, it’s done nothing but make me second guess my ability to do just that.
What happened to the days of going out and running around like a goof ball with no warm up and having fun? Everything has a directed goal these days. It’s like if you don’t squat, you’re a failure and somehow you’ll never be able to gain muscle. I had this entire rant going in my head, but then Zach Even-Esh stole the words out of my mouth when he published Strong, Slow, Weak. WTF!?!?!
It’s not about chastising barbells. It’s about realizing there is nothing natural about fixing yourself to one dimensional movement patterns. We’re not linear creatures, and at this point in my life, moving with fluidity and grace trumps all else.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6BBk3Nvj9k
Retaining (or gaining) athleticism isn’t about lifting weights either. Strength can help you in a lot of ways, but it can also distract you. When you forego sprinting, movement work, or having fun because you think it will take away from your squatting session, you’re on the wrong path. I makes me think back to one of Mark Rippetoe’s books, Strong Enough?
I’ve always thought you could never be strong enough, but I’m beginning to think you absolutely can be. And that occurs when you have enough strength to do whatever it is you want to do. It’s not an arbitrary blinded quest to lift heavy weight for no particular reason.
Besides, it only goes so far. As Zach mentions, you need to train in different movement planes – “training through only one plane of movement, negelcting all other movement planes, then you become weak anytime you step outside of that same ol’, same ol’ straight up and down movement. In essence, you’re weak unless you are doing the typical squat / deadlift motion.”
And the video he posted of Vic Verdier – I somehow think that this is how a human is supposed to function.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5fp6IVlIl4&feature=player_embedded
I’m not saying that I’m done lifting weights. I’m not saying I’ll never touch a barbell. I’ll keep doing both. But maybe they will be the sideshow instead of the main attraction. I don’t want to be the old guy with the host of injuries that isn’t able to enjoy life.
It’s time to spend some time jumping around and moving without a barbell. Maybe I’ll hit a playground like Nate Green. Maybe I’ll spend sixty minutes on locomotion like Ido Portal. Maybe I’ll pretend like I’m going to squat, only to fill the time with mobility work.
Whatever it is, it’s time to move away from the plane that I used to live in. It’s time to adopt a new mentality on what training really is. It’s time to rethink human capacity and function. It’s time for a new me.
Is it time for a new you?