Training Isn't a Hobby

If you can't tell, I like to workout.

However, people may see it as optional.

But this isn't like playing guitar, or setting up model trains, or collecting stamps. Those things, or any hobby, are productive and mentally engaging. But working on your body is different.

Everyone owns a body, which makes it one of the things we all have in common.

There have been moments when I just did absolutely zero working out. In those periods, I always felt terrible. Maybe it was because I'd been so used to working out that I felt off when I wasn't doing it.

But I think the most likely reason of all is that our bodies crave moment. When you address that craving, your body and your brain start to feel better. Physical and mental benefits coming together. I had been reaping the benefits of it for a while, then I was taking it away.

If you want to be consistent with your workouts, you need a valid reason to show up in the first place.

You have to make it a requirement of yourself.

Physical Maintenance

People tend to look at working out in extremes:

You either train to be a bodybuilder, powerlifter, weightlifter, intense athlete…

Or,

You do nothing.

Don't do that.

There needs to be a minimum standard that you set for yourself.

But why?

Well let's say you go to the doctor once per year. That's good because you should at least know what's going on. But what are you supposed to do the rest of the time? They might tell you to do something different if things are looking bad, so you should at least heed their advice. It's similar to needing to go to physical therapy for 6-8 weeks, then they give you "homework."

But what about when you're done?

The answer is that you should be learning and working on your body all the time…because you own one.

It's not like a car.

You could get away with having a mechanic handle any issues and you not ever learning the full details about how it runs. You could even live in a walk-able city and not even have one. There are people that never learn to drive at all long past when they could learn it.

But everyone owns a body, the vessel that carries you. It's the thing that determines the quality and quantity of your life. So much so that I think if someone wanted to know where to start reading and learning as an adult after their school years are over, they should sit around and think about what problems they have with their bodies and research from there.

The Human Maintenance Plan

You don't have to take things to the extremes and deadlift 1000lbs or run a marathon every weekend.

You you at least need to have some standards that you set for yourself.

No one can assign these to you. It depends on your personal goals, how much time you have, what kind of training you enjoy, etc. But there at least needs to be something.

I don't know the status of the Presidential Physical Fitness tests. I grew up with it. It was a bunch of stuff we had to do and they were usually tested during P.E. class. Back then it was things like running, the v-sit, etc. Either way, there are currently no standards for adults.

I'm not going to tell you exactly what to do, but we can at least set some standards.

Strength Training

Here we are again at strength training. Why? Your strength determines how you move through space. It covers anyone that wants to look better, have improved athleticism, have better balance and coordination as they age, or just want higher numbers on the barbell.

Let's make some up. Each of these are in the categories of Original Strength, Calisthenics or Barbell.

• Crawl for 10 minutes straight without stopping

• Hang from a bar for 30-60 seconds

• Touch your toes

• Squat for 5 minutes

• Do 20 pushups

• Do 1-10 pullups

• Squat your bodyweight for reps

• Whatever else you look up

There's tons of articles and videos on standards for each type of training. Find a minimum for yourself and set yourself to maintaining it for the rest of your life.

Move a Lot

You don't have to go and play on a playground every day (although if you have little kids or pets, you should). This can be as simple as hitting 10k steps per day or stretching while you watch TV every night. Walking is a common factor found in those with a good quality of life as they reach older years, so start doing it now.

Extra Stuff

Beyond the two above things, add in any extra curricular stuff you want to do.

• Jog

• Sprint

• Play a sport

• HIIT training

Boring Stuff

You can't get away from this stuff. Do all the boring little things that make a big difference for all the fun things you want to do.

• Read/Learn (about your body)

• Sleep

• Eat like an adult

• Stretch

If you're short on time for any of the above things, figure out what's important and important to you, and make time for it. Again, no one can tell you what that could be. Experiment.

Extend Your Lifetime Warranty

Think of training or working out as body maintenance.

The phrase often thrown around is "it should be like brushing your teeth."

Why do you want to brush your teeth?

Because you want to keep them.

Now it's not as if your body parts will fall off if you stop working out. But if you want to "keep" your body in a standard of your liking, you're going to have to put energy into it. It's the price of owning a body. Otherwise life will do its thing, you'll start to decay and then speed up the process by not doing anything about it. So go to bed on time, wake up early if you have to, set working out in your schedule as a non-negotiable part of your day and stick to it.

I know it's not as exciting as scrolling at the end of the night or watching a movie or playing video games to "unwind," but none of those things have a positive long term impact on your health. They actually have a negative impact if they involve sitting for more time and staying up late.

I can't stand the phrase or the idea that "everything falls apart after 30."

Is it as if some magical back pain fairy comes down upon you on the last night that you're 29 and curses you for the rest of your life?

Or is it because maybe…JUST maybe…you've been sedentary since your last P.E. class? Not sure about you, but the last time P.E. was a requirement in school for me was freshman year of high school. What would happen if everyone stopped working on their bodies at the age of 16? I don't want to know.

Let me leave you with some encouragement.

As of this writing, Dick Van Dyke, actor and comedian, just turned 100.

100!

And it's not a frail 100 either. He's still out and about as far as I know.

But you know what strikes me about how far he's made it and what I think a key to his longevity?

Drum roll…

He works out 3 time per week.

I'm sure it's not crazy intense, but it's something. Remember when I said that working out is good for your body and brain? Success leaves clues.

Don't be a victim of your own body because you're sitting around not doing anything about it.

So get up and do something about it.

Thanks for reading!

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