Do You Really Need Accountability?
What if the real reason we needed accountability wasn't because we're lazy, or unmotivated?
What if it was because we didn't care enough about the goal in the first place?
What are your thoughts on this? Share in the Art of True Strength Facebook group.
Three Keys to an Unstoppable Body (Beyond Rah-Rah Motivation)
If you've ever tried to motivate your way to getting in shape, or reaching your goals, you've probably found it's a losing battle.In this podcast I talk about why motivation doesn't work, and the three key ingredients you really need to build an unstoppable body.You have big things you want to do in the world. Make sure you have the energy, the strength and the confidence in your body you need to back it up.Book a call and let's get you at 100%
Beginner Natural Movement Routine You Can Do Anywhere
Why is ground movement so beneficial for your body?Well, it's quite literally the foundation (pun intended) of mobility and strength. The more easily you can move on the ground, and get up and down from the ground, the more likely you are to ward off injury and keep your joints strong and healthy.One study asked a group of 50-80 years old to get up and down from the ground without using their hands. How well they performed turned out to be a good indicator of how soon they would die.Moving on the ground is a great way to make sure you stay healthy as you age, but also to simply be more competent in your body.Body competence and physical literacy helps build self-esteem and confidence. There's no better feeling than knowing you can move with autonomy through life.Try this simple ground routine for 10-15 minutes every morning and for a week and see how your body feels.
The One Natural Movement You Should Master First
In the last post I talked about the importance of needing a bridge. Something to help you go from gym "captivity" and sedentary living to your natural, robust, body that's lying dormant in your DNA.But how do you get there?There are so many movements you could focus on after all...
- Walking
- Tumbling
- Crawling
- Trail running
- Climbing
- Dancing
- Combatives
- Parkour
- The list goes on and on...
But what if there was ONE movement, that if you mastered would help you with literally everything else? What if there was a movement that gave you the most bang-for-your-buck to help give you a starting place and cut through the overwhelm?That my friends, in my humble opinion, is the deep, flat-footed squat.Here's why this movement is so powerful:
Why the Squat is the Natural Movement "Gateway Drug"
The best way to get started with natural movement in my opinion, is with working on and mastering the squat. Now I'm not talking about busting out reps of "air squats" or "box squats" or whatever other versions you might have learned from the traditional fitness context.I'm talking about the flat-footed, ass-to-grass, deep squat. Both resting and moving in this position.Why is this such an important movement and why do I recommend it if you're wanting to get back into natural movement?
Why squatting is so damn powerful...
- It kills many birds with one stone. You will strengthen your knees, hips and ankles. You'll decompress your spine, increase blood flow to internal organs, strengthen your pelvic floor, and much more.
- The mobility you'll gain will carry over into many other movements, like climbing rocks, trees, gardening, grappling, wrestling, foraging, and just plain picking things up off the floor.
- You'll feel like a total boss when you can hold the bottom of the deep squat with comfort and ease.
Perhaps most important though, out of all the natural movement practices you could be doing like climbing, throwing, running, parkouring, grappling, dancing, etc. it gives you a simple, easy place to start.
So... what do you do if you totally suck at the deep squat? Just squat more?
But if you're anything like I was, this position feels anything but comfortable. Maybe you fall over, your shins burn, your ankles, calves, or back is screaming.Whatever your particular challenge is, I get it. I get it because I was there too.I struggled and beat my head against the wall with the squat. People told me to just "do it more" but that didn't help very much.If you're looking for a routine you can do anywhere, anytime to help with your mobility, check out my free routine.
How to Get Started with Natural Movement (From Gym Zombie to Uncaged Beast)
I was like Morgan Freeman's character in the Shawshank Redemption. Newly released from the "captivity" of the Globo Gym model of fitness, and completely bewildered of what to do with my freedom.Natural, uncaged movement appealed to me on a deeply primal level. It stirred something in my belly that I couldn't put my finger on. I just knew that moving in an uncaged way was what I was craving, perhaps yearning for my whole life.But there was one giant problem: I had no idea where to start.So, I'd go outside and do gym-like things outside. Squats, lunges, pushups, planks. Sets and reps. Counting, measuring, controlling. I was getting better, right?
Natural movement is more than just doing gym routines outside
Fast forward nine years and I've learned that natural movement is much more than just busting out sets of bodyweight exercises outside. It's bio-region specific. It's about accomplishing tasks. It's about moving in a community.Most of all, it's about reconnecting to and deepening your relationship with the wildness within and all around you.You know, playing, exploring, actually gasp touching things. And god forbid, taking off your shoes.But if you're struggling to make the transition from gym rat to an uncaged, primally awakened human, perhaps you need a bridge, a path to help you on your transition out of captivity that helps you adjust to this world of freedom-based movement.Afterall, let's be honest, shy of living in the woods (which most of won't do) with natural movement we're attempting to artificially recreate our original movement lifestyle, in a kind of artificial way.Yes, learning to forage, garden, hunt, explore, climb and roughhouse can and should be integrated into your life as much as possible. Learning to integrate movement and insource more work of living into your life is super important. But what do you do in the meantime? And how do you help rehab your body from years of sitting and misalignment?
What if there was ONE movement you could focus on to get started?
While I think a holistic, well-rounded variety of movements you're exposed to is ideal, it's helpful to have a starting point.I believe there is such a movement.If you're interested in hearing more... stay tuned for the next post.