026: Why I Never Miss a Workout
The Basics
I am convinced a consistent exercise program is the best medicine one could have. Working out on a regular basis keeps your body strong, grounded, and connected; it also strengthens your willpower and flushes out any toxins related to stress (cortisol, adrenaline). A strong and driven exercise session can feel rejuvenating on an primal level. Doing compound exercises, strong cardio, and heavy lifts puts me in the absolute zone. I focus on connecting and using all of the different muscles, tendons, and connections in my body when I'm working out. Through slow repetitions and a heavy focus on form, I try to feel each muscle in it's entirety during an exercise. This keeps me excited to workout. For example, I want to feel the lower, inside, and outer stretches of my chest alongside my shoulders, triceps, and deltoids during a chest press. Connecting the tendons and muscle fibers between muscles is vital to a well-rounded and generally strong body -- paired with lots of hydration this is a deadly combo. Working out benefits the mind and body.
Read this excellent article: Exercising to relax - Harvard Men's Health Watch
The Body
Most notably working out benefits the body, and just to be clear I don't workout for size and show. I appreciate the muscle mass built up from lifting, and I love a pump mid-exercise, but that's not what brings me to the gym. I don't think it's sustainable if someone works out to look strong. Nonetheless, I absolutely love the core strength lifting brings. The body is like a machine and it needs to be well-oiled to run. Compound exercises (ones that don't isolate a muscle) contribute so well to general strength. Core muscles and strength have to deal with how muscles work together, not just how big they are. A strong and stable body should be able to move in flexible and dynamic ways. I love waking up and feeling the muscles tense throughout my body -- it means I am doing well. When doing normal tasks throughout the day I also am more aware of what muscles my body is using. For example, while walking up a flight of stairs I can tell my quads, glutes, and calf muscles are working in different work loads to push me up to the next step. I am more aware of my body when I am exercising. Also, it just feels good to be stronger than you were last week. I feel more energized, alive, and bold. I don't feel gray, weak, or slow when I am working out. I can get out of bed a lot easier and am resilient to a lot more.
The Mind Working out strengthens the resilience of your mind, there's no doubt about it. Similar to meditation, exercising takes you into your body and out of regular thought patterns. Personally, the most important part of working out for me is that I show up. If I do that, I've already won. I personally know that if I show up 3 times a week to the gym I WILL workout with good intensity, there's no two ways around it. Building my willpower 1% after 1% each and every week eventually adds up. As easy as it is to make the decision to go and workout, it's just as easy to skip a day. The small addition of right decisions consistently over time lead to success. I got this concept from two similar books: The Compound Effect and The Slight Edge. One of the most underrated and important benefits of exercise is strengthening the pre-frontal cortex (resilience). Furthermore, your brain actually flushes out any build up of stress in your system when you exercise consistently. It is the physical cure to combating cortisol in your body. Strengthening the body also strengthens the mind.
My General Routine
Day 1: Legs, chest, and core
Day 2: Shoulders and triceps + racquetball
Day 3: Full back, biceps, and core
Thoughts? Comments? How can I help? Leave a comment below.
