My Philosophy and Approach to Fitness

Different, unusual, unique, weird. These are some of the words that might be used to describe my workout philosophy. I’ll do my best to describe the way I look at fitness and working out and my approach to it.

I do not think of my workouts as being a Boot Camp, though people often use that phrase. I think "Boot Camp" has somehow come  to be used for all outdoor workouts. I think of a Boot Camp as an intense, short-term (somewhere around 4-6) week program, with a beginning and and ending. Remember boot camps in the military are the induction training time for new recruits. I am not about short-term programs with quick results. I am all about permanent, life-long changes. I want people to discover or rediscover exercise, health and fitness and do it for the rest of their lives. I want your life to be better in every single way imagineable. I want you healthier, happier, fitter, out there being the best version of yourself, living your dreams and squeezing every last drop out of life. So I have no "start" dates, no "finish" dates, no "program" per se. I just want you to get hooked on working out and make it a part of your everyday life. If that's with me and my free online workouts, GREAT! If something else fits your style better, or if you just do my workouts just for awhile and then try something else, GREAT! Just workout.

In my workouts, I am all about variety and fun. I am a firm believer in body shock. I believe that repetition in working out is not the way to achieve real fitness. Variety is the thing that is best for the mind and the body. It keeps you interested and engaged and makes working out fun. It is good for your body because it keeps your body guessing and adjusting. Your body is a magnificent machine and it will adapt very quickly to activities. It works to find the most efficient way to work so if you do the same workout all the time, your body adapts and stays right there. Mixing things up the way I do, involving as many muscle groups as I can, gives a total body workout. And that’s what I’m after. That’s what brings the changes and the fitness level I’m looking for. I want to be in great shape, having a strong healthy body that can take me through all the adventures I want to experience in my life. I want it to move well, be strong, have endurance, flexibility and agility. Yep, I want it all. It doesn’t come easy though. It means getting out of your comfort zone. It means exerting yourself in ways that aren’t easy.

I have done a lot of things in my few years on this planet. I’ve worked in elementary schools, run programs for children and teens, coached soccer at the club level, played multiple sports, and enjoyed other activities and disciplines. I take all of these and meld elements of many of these into activities and exercises, challenges and games that work the body in as many different ways as possible. I use just about anything I can think of to make it fun, different and challenging. I look at the world around me as a big playground, in a sense. I look around and look for ways to play on things or use things for fun and fitness. Weird and wonderful all the way!

There is another idea that I really believe in as far as working out goes. High intensity activities done for a short duration, followed by short recovery periods are the way to go in my opinion. I have played sports for years and I’ve learned this by experience. When I really wanted to get my butt in shape quick and get truly game-fit, it wasn’t going to happen by just going for long runs. I would have chosen that method too – it’s easier to do. Running is valuable no doubt – I do a ton of it in fact, but it is not all I do. But when it was time to get real results, it was time to hit it hard and short, over and over. This is the type of workout that burns up the calories, increases lung capacity, and builds the body’s ability to recover faster, which raises your performance level and increases your overall health. It’s better for your joints than long distance running. I can do just about anything for 20, 30, or 60 seconds at a time, no matter how tough it may be. And each time I do it, I get stronger and fitter.

Here’s one more key part of my workout philosophy and approach to fitness. I believe we all do better when we work out with others. It’s true for me and I’m even a fitness fanatic. I workout on my own without a problem, but I do better with a “workout buddy.” I think we all do. For some of us, being part of a group makes us get up and get to the workout. For some of us, having a group or a buddy makes us more consistent at our fitness program. When we know someone is expecting us or waiting for us we will make more efforts to get there. Another great thing about having a workout buddy or group is the way it empowers us during the workout itself. Someone to challenge us, someone to compete with, someone to tease with, someone to encourage us – this is what a group provides. I push myself harder and further when someone else is there. Maybe that’s a pride thing – whatever it is, it works. Having someone to share the pain with makes it more manageable too.

This stuff really works. I am living proof. I am 44 years old and I am in the best shape of my life. I feel strong and able, like there’s nothing I can’t do. And once you get through these tough workouts, that feeling of strength and ability seeps into the rest of your life as well, making you confident, happier, and more energetic.