The Foundation of Real Strength is Bodyweight Strength...
In all of our years as full-time personal trainers, we have found that the majority of people primarily want to be:
This is a philosophy that we wholeheartedly agree with and advocate. Fitness is simply a tool that you can use to enhance your life. It should not dominate your life. Fitness for life. Not life for fitness.
Bodyweight Strength as a Foundation for Functional Strength and Ideal Proportions
For us, the concept of bodyweight strength as a foundation for real strength development seems natural, innate, and obvious as the ideal primary goal for any strength or fitness training program. However, it is surprising how rare such an approach is in the fitness world. So much focus is placed on individual muscle groups and the superficial appearance of the body that often the concept of true, real life, applicable physical functionality is completely overlooked.
Its nice to have lean defined abs, strong looking muscular arms, sharply cut legs, and a low bodyfat percentage and there is absolutely nothing wrong with those things.
Much of the fitness world aims to achieve those "appearance" objectives without any concern whatsoever for the actual functional capability of the body. On the other extreme, there is a new trend in fitness towards "functional training", which often seems to forget that we live in the real world, not in padded cells. In the real world, our bodies have to be able to performed in less than ideal circumstances. We have to squat all the way down, we have to lean over, we have to jump, we have to catch our balance when we trip on a stair, etc etc. This is life. This is REAL life. So we must train for it with a REAListic approach that does not deny REALity.
First Things First...
With such an approach, one must ask, "where do I begin?"
Well the most natural place to start is with a goal to master control of your own body. Lifting weights is great. But you have to live in your body 24/7 every week of every year of your entire life. Out of the sheer practicality of the matter, you may as well be able to push up, sit-up, squat down, lunge, balance, and all of the rest of the basic body functions that are required of the body in any average real-life physical activity.
As a result, this is precisely where we begin with our clients. Master basic bodyweight strength and it is amazing what will follow from there. Weights will be used to assist in this pursuit, but the aim remains the same: master bodyweight strength so that all progress is practical and all future progress is measured and pursued without ever straying from alignment with that primary foundational goal.
Our philosophy is deeply rooted in the concept that form follows function. If real life functional fitness is truly developed, then the appearance of the body will follow suit and will look absolutely amazing. And this appearance will not be a deceptive facade - as is often the case with fitness programs focus only on appearance - but rather an actual reflection of the true fitness, strength, and health of the body it is visually representing.
This may sound a little too philosophical for some. But the point is: don't waste time trying to look like something. Put you effort into actually being the thing and your appearance will take care of itself because you're not faking it. You body will LOOK strong and fit because it IS strong and fit. For once in your life you can have your cake and eat it too. Focus on reality and the appearance will follow. Your excellent physical appearance will be an honest actual reflection of the excellent fitness that it represents.
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- healthy
- fit and
- functionally strong
This is a philosophy that we wholeheartedly agree with and advocate. Fitness is simply a tool that you can use to enhance your life. It should not dominate your life. Fitness for life. Not life for fitness.
Bodyweight Strength as a Foundation for Functional Strength and Ideal Proportions
For us, the concept of bodyweight strength as a foundation for real strength development seems natural, innate, and obvious as the ideal primary goal for any strength or fitness training program. However, it is surprising how rare such an approach is in the fitness world. So much focus is placed on individual muscle groups and the superficial appearance of the body that often the concept of true, real life, applicable physical functionality is completely overlooked.
Its nice to have lean defined abs, strong looking muscular arms, sharply cut legs, and a low bodyfat percentage and there is absolutely nothing wrong with those things.
Much of the fitness world aims to achieve those "appearance" objectives without any concern whatsoever for the actual functional capability of the body. On the other extreme, there is a new trend in fitness towards "functional training", which often seems to forget that we live in the real world, not in padded cells. In the real world, our bodies have to be able to performed in less than ideal circumstances. We have to squat all the way down, we have to lean over, we have to jump, we have to catch our balance when we trip on a stair, etc etc. This is life. This is REAL life. So we must train for it with a REAListic approach that does not deny REALity.
First Things First...
With such an approach, one must ask, "where do I begin?"
Well the most natural place to start is with a goal to master control of your own body. Lifting weights is great. But you have to live in your body 24/7 every week of every year of your entire life. Out of the sheer practicality of the matter, you may as well be able to push up, sit-up, squat down, lunge, balance, and all of the rest of the basic body functions that are required of the body in any average real-life physical activity.
As a result, this is precisely where we begin with our clients. Master basic bodyweight strength and it is amazing what will follow from there. Weights will be used to assist in this pursuit, but the aim remains the same: master bodyweight strength so that all progress is practical and all future progress is measured and pursued without ever straying from alignment with that primary foundational goal.
Our philosophy is deeply rooted in the concept that form follows function. If real life functional fitness is truly developed, then the appearance of the body will follow suit and will look absolutely amazing. And this appearance will not be a deceptive facade - as is often the case with fitness programs focus only on appearance - but rather an actual reflection of the true fitness, strength, and health of the body it is visually representing.
This may sound a little too philosophical for some. But the point is: don't waste time trying to look like something. Put you effort into actually being the thing and your appearance will take care of itself because you're not faking it. You body will LOOK strong and fit because it IS strong and fit. For once in your life you can have your cake and eat it too. Focus on reality and the appearance will follow. Your excellent physical appearance will be an honest actual reflection of the excellent fitness that it represents.
Read More...
Real Strength Resources: Bodyweight Strength - Why? | The Nature of Bodyweight Strength Exercises | Is Bodyweight Strength Useful in Real Life? | Bodyweight Strength Basics - Pushup, Sit-up, Chin-up | Be a Bodyweight Strength Proponent in Your Local Gym | Bodyweight Strength Expert Moves - Pistol, One-Arm Pushup, One-Arm Chin-up | Bodyweight Strength for Kids
Other Bodyweight Strength and Nutrition Links: Eating for Bodyweight Strength Mastery | Can Anyone Achieve Bodyweight Strength? | What if You're Overweight? | Bodyfat Percentage vs. Body Mass Index | High Carbohydrate vs. High Fat | Bodyweight Strength - Because Everybody Gets Old Someday | Bodyweight Strength Free Report | Bodyweight Strength for Women
Other Bodyweight Strength and Nutrition Links: Eating for Bodyweight Strength Mastery | Can Anyone Achieve Bodyweight Strength? | What if You're Overweight? | Bodyfat Percentage vs. Body Mass Index | High Carbohydrate vs. High Fat | Bodyweight Strength - Because Everybody Gets Old Someday | Bodyweight Strength Free Report | Bodyweight Strength for Women