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By
Charles Staley, B.Sc, MSS
Director, Staley Training Systems |
Last week I differentiated between
the "exerciser" mindset and the athletic paradigm. I equated
exercisers with an amateur approach, and athletes with a professional
attitude toward fitness. Most importantly, I demonstrated how the
fundamental distinction between these two divergent perspectives
is one of attitude: exercisers hate what they do, they do it begrudgingly,
and they wouldn't do it at all except for their certainty that they
have to do it.
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Athletes, on the other hand
love to train. In fact, they tend to overtrain, because their
work ethic has become so ingrained that they live and die
by a productivity-based ethos.
Becoming an athlete doesn't
require advanced pedigree, a nasty steroid habit, bulging
biceps, or even jaw-dropping talent. What it does require
is a commitment to a set of practices that define the athletic
lifestyle. People who consistently practice these habits can
call themselves athletes, while those who do not continue
to reside in the exerciser caste.
As you continue to read, take
a self-assessment to see how many of these five habits you
already practice, and which ones are missing from your dossier.
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1) Process Orientation:
The athlete pursues goals, but the
bulk of his day-to-day attention is focused on processes. A premise
is first developed which states "If I do this process, it should
lead me to this end." Once the premise is established, the
athlete trusts the premise (much like a pro golfer must trust his
stroke under competitive conditions).
The athlete shifts his sights away
from the long-term goal and devoted his entire energy toward the
day-to-day practices and habits that will give him the best chance
for success. These practices encompass everything from training
tactics, to nutritional and recuperative strategies.
2) Delayed Gratification:
The desire for instant results is
the hallmark of an exerciser. Athletes know that the big payoff
is worth the wait. One telltale sign of maturity can be found in
sound nutritional practices: many people can commit to an exercise
program, because there are immediate benefits- endorphin production,
muscle pumps, greater energy, etc. However, there are little to
no short-term benefits to be gained from a sound nutritional program
- the payoff takes time to accrue.
3) Systemization:
Athletes record, document, and analyze
their training, and often, their food intake. In other words, they
keep records. When you don't have systems, you need to reinvent
the wheel every time a unique situation presents itself. Athletes
tend to know their maximum capacities in various exercises, they
know how they react to various nutritional practices, and they're
also familiar with the psychological states that produce superior
performances. All of this knowledge is gleaned through the process
of record keeping. After all, the best way to predict future performance
is to study the past.
4) Professionalism:
The previous three practices are all
components of professionalism, but here, I'd like to discuss a "root"
habit that gives birth to all of them: distancing. This practice
is perhaps best personified in the old weightlifter's credo "There
is no joy in victory, no agony in defeat." Athletes maintain
a certain impassionate distance from their craft. They know that
if they identify too closely with their role, they'll be less likely
to put themselves on the line, in the competitive arena.
Instead, they simply put in the work,
do the right things, and resign themselves to whatever outcome might
occur. Athletes know that commitment to the effort means more than
the outcome produced by the effort. Exercisers on the other hand,
are typically unwilling to put in the time, and instead resort to
pills, powders, plastic surgery, and various other shortcuts that
inevitably lead to failure.
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5) Functionalism:
Exercisers are concerned exclusively
with "form:" an improved appearance. Athletes are
concerned exclusively with "function," which results
in better form than what exercisers typically achieve. Put
simply: form follows function. When you train like an athlete,
you'll look like an athlete
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I hope you'll notice the consistent
parallels between these 5 practices. They all stress means
over ends, practices over outcomes, long-term growth over
immediate gratification. All of which are expressions of maturity.
If you're currently living an
exerciser lifestyle, you're ahead of the curve, but why not
set your sights higher and join the athletic community? All
it takes is making a decision- taking action, right now. Not
sure how to start? Click the "comments"
link below and let me know how I can help!
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About The Author
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His colleagues call him an iconoclast,
a visionary, a rule-breaker. His clients call him “The
Secret Weapon” for his ability to see what other coaches
miss. Charles calls himself a “geek” who struggled
in Phys Ed throughout school. Whatever you call him, Charles’
methods are ahead of their time and quickly produce serious
results. His counter-intuitive approach and self-effacing
demeanor have lead to appearances on NBC’s The TODAY
Show and The CBS Early Show.
Currently, Charles competes
in Olympic-style weightlifting on the master’s circuit,
with a 3-year goal of qualifying for the 2009 Master’s
World Championships.
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