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By
Phil Stevens |
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With the new year here I can
literally here the hum from peoples brains thinking of all
the wonderful new and technically perfect habits they are
going to start. I can already feel the tremble of the feet
running into the fitness centers and around the perimeter
of the grocery store instead of the junk food aisle and drive
thru’s.
Bastard’s, for literally
day’s they will likely have my favorite foods on a shortage
until they give up as fast as they started.
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Why is it that year
after year so many people vow to start something outlandish and
never stick to it?
Of course you all know. Its because
they try and complicate the hell out of things instead of just taking
one step at a time and nailing the basics. Pick some battles not
all wars, get something you can win along the way learn to walk
before you fly, etc.
Well that and they are all spineless
and weak-willed individuals with no self-esteem living lives for
others approval and other dreams or quota’s but that’s
for another piece another time.
This year when you set goals, or people
are asking your advice, I say take a firm real look of your / their
actual reality and go from that point. Simply nail the basics -
we are all not doing something small and trivial. If you/they nail
the simple basics and do it with consistency you will make great
progress, you’ll win a few battles and make the wars that much
more manageable.
Train
Get active. Exercise, walk, lift,
play a sport, jog, throw, bike hike, something. Just do something
small that was more then you were doing yesterday. Don’t make
it complicated do something. It will all make a difference.
Yes, I have my preferences and would
rather see people train then exercise. Rather see them squat for
ten minutes then do an hour of step aerobics. Still, if walking
is more than yesterday and you’ll do it today, and the next
day, it will help and will lead to bigger things.
Eat
Don’t starve, stuff, feast, deprive,
gorge, or fast. Just eat. If more people would just eat, take away
the supposed power food has over them and just eat they would make
great progress to being a better them then they were even weeks
prior. Its not that complicated even if you live on fast food and
half way decent grocery food stuff.
You can have an at least halfway decent level of fitness and ability.
Just allow it and don’t get caught
in the crazy food spiral. If you fall off and gorge one meal or
even a few days. So what - it's not the end of the world - get back
on track and just eat better then yesterday. It will make a difference.
Rest / Stress
Get some and limit the other. Flat
out learn to take it a bit easy from time to time. Every night try
and get a good night sleep. It will pay off with you feeling better
and performing better the next day and you will far eclipse any
small progress you ground out when you were insistent on staying
up and getting it done now.
Sure this is life and there will be
time you have situations that call for such, but not as often as
people make it and most times they bring it on them selves by procrastinating.
Then lack of rest breeds stress, stress breeds less quality sleep.
It’s a vicious circle.
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Try and get a grasp
on it and really learn not to stress the small stuff the things
people let get to them are usually not that damn important
or pressing.
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That’s really
about it. If you take time to simplify and do those things
first, don't over complicate, get a firm grasp on those basics,
then by all means start to complicate things. You’ll
have a firm grasp and foundation though to build that greater
structure and what was complicated once will be just another
rung up the ladder of progress.
So this year I
say everyone advanced or beginner take a look back, simplify
a few things. Take a look at some smaller things that you
may be overlooking or avoiding and nail those first. They
will likely lead you to your larger goals at a much faster
rate.
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About The Author
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Coach Phil Stevens is an accomplished
strength athlete with considerable experience in both powerlifting
and strongman competition. Phil is the 2007 APA World Champion
in the 242-pound class (total). He currently holds the APF
275-pound class raw National bench, squat, deadlift, and total
records. Phil’s marquis lift was his 700-pound raw deadlift,
performed on February 14, 2009 in Phoenix, Arizona.
Phil has been ranked in the “Top 10” in the deadlift Nationally across all powerlifting federations, also serves as the Arizona State Chair for the North American Highlander Association, as well as the founder of Lift For Hope, an annual strength-competition
with proceeds donated to Charity (www.Lift4Hope.org).
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