Today I want to address a common misconception and give you 3 simple tips for being great in fitness, health, and life. Ask most people what’s needed for great fitness and to “get fit”? “Going to the gym” will likely be at or near the top of the list. Yet, this is where most people go wrong, and why so many people continue to struggle.
It’s definitely not in the top 3, and I disagree with the entire notion that great fitness improvement requires a gym.
Sure, a gym can be a great tool. However, the large majority of people do not need a gym or a gym membership to reach and exceed their health and great fitness goals.
Your own body is the best piece of fitness equipment available! If you know how to use it. A gym is simply one tool in a massive toolbox of items related to health, fitness, and well-being.
Here are the top 3 tips for great fitness to consider before you ever step foot in a gym (or purchase a gym membership).
Tip 1 – Clearly define your “WHY”
If you’ve read any of my posts before, you likely know that MINDSET is the most important of the 4 Pillars of Personal Performance.
A critical stepping stone to creating a positive, performance-oriented mindset is to clearly understand your WHY. Your WHY is what makes you tick.
It’s what fires you up. What gets you excited. And keeps you motivated and inspired to do the work towards accomplishing your most important objectives.
It’s also the fuel that helps you roll over the inevitable barriers and speed bumps along your path. With regards to “going to the gym” and “getting in shape”, the first question to ask is WHY?
Why do you want to make this change? What is that you want to accomplish?
Is your WHY the REAL (and correct) reason
People commonly say, “Why would someone pay to ski through a freezing cold blizzard for 11km over two mountain passes to arrive at a rustic log cabin with no running water, no electricity, and outhouses that are 50m from the cabin?”
I know that my WHY is different than many other people. However, an adventure such as this fits perfectly with my passion and desire to: get outside, enjoy nature, challenge myself physically and mentally, become great in fitness, spend time with friends, meet new people, and learn new skills (this was my first time skiing on Alpine Touring gear).
Tip 2 – Put a sensible Plan in Place in order to be great at fitness
Now that you are clear on WHY you want to change, and WHAT you want to accomplish, the next step is to have a clear PLAN.
You’ve probably set (or at least heard of) SMART goals before, so the process shouldn’t be too foreign. As a recap, SMART is an acronym for goals that are SPECIFIC, MEASURABLE, ACTION-BASED/ATTAINABLE, REALISTIC, and TIME-BASED. For a more detailed analysis, read this post.
Unfortunately, when goals aren’t connected to a WHY, they aren’t as effective.
This is because there is minimal drive or emotional connection to them. Consequently, the chances of accomplishing them are much lower.
A proper plan for great fitness has these key components:
- A series of SMART goals
- A combination of Outcome goals (milestones to meet) and Process goals (actions to take)
- Goals that are powerfully connected to your WHY
- Strategies and tactics are written down (and implemented) to allow you to consistently accomplish your goals
For example, if you decide that you are going to exercise 4 days per week, you may set a monthly outcome goal to complete 16 formal exercise sessions each month. Each of these sessions will be at least 20 minutes in length and you will sweat moderately during each session.
One of these sessions each week will be outside with one or more friends. You will decide between hiking, biking, running, or some other type of sport/activity.
This brings me to my final point and step in this “great fitness” series. Without it, adventures like Skoki turn into a pain-riddled frustrating slog that further sidelines your fitness progress.
The 3rd step is where the rubber hits the road and you get active…the right way!
A key part of this step is to ensure that you are getting the most out of the time and energy you invest in your fitness program. It’s also an area where few people get the benefits they can (even those who exercise regularly).
Tip 3 – Learn to Move Properly to achieve great fitness
Movement and exercise are great when done correctly…and consistently. Yet, few people actually do them correctly or consistently.
These factors are at the root of most exercise injuries and frustrations. They can be easily solved by getting the help of an expert to ensure you build a solid foundation of technique
It’s important to be very skeptical of the advice and workout plans you find online or via social media.
Should you follow one of these programs, make sure the:
- The person providing the program is knowledgeable and experienced (they must have more than an attractive/fit physique)
- Program is right for you, and customizable to your needs
- The technique you use for every rep of every exercise is correct…even when you are fatigued
Getting expert coaching to learn to move is one of the best investments you can make in your future health and fitness.
Let’s face it, being injured sucks.
Poor technique is the leading cause of exercise injury
A close second would be people performing programs that they aren’t physically ready for…which often leads to poor technique due to fitness level or skill deficits needed to perform the program correctly.
In the example I’ve been using, to start off the gym-based training program, you hire an expert coach for a few sessions to
- Assess your movement patterns
- Identify any red flags for injury or dysfunction
- Create an effective program for your current needs
- Show you the correct form for the exercises in that program
- Provide you with effective tools and resources that will help you be successful between exercise sessions (nutrition, sleep, stress, recovery, lifestyle, etc.)
My “Why” for writing about this subject
I wrote about this topic because few people take the time to consider these three important tips that directly impact their long-term health, fitness, and performance in life.
Sadly, even though I’ve written them down and provided you with a proven framework for success, few people will take advantage of the information.
They will skim the info, hit delete or archive, and move on to some other distraction in their day.
That’s OK.
Those few (like you) who choose to use these tips will reap the rewards.
As with everything in life, success comes back to YOU.
What will you do to see the results you desire?
If you want some extra help to make sure these 3 principles are properly applied, my team and I are here to help.
If you are more of a person who likes to exercise alone, then I invite you to check out our Home Fitness Jumpstart Program.
Expert Personal Training and Lifestyle Coaching To Help You Thrive
Comments
I am trying to improve my fitness levels and your tips are so helpful! Thank you for sharing this with us.
Glad that we can help 🙂 Thanks for the feedback!
Great fitness tips in this post. Keeping fit and doing the right techniques are so important.
Exactly! Thanks for commenting!
This is well written, great advice. I think planning is where I fall short. 😂 I need to do this more.
Thank you! And thanks for the feedback!
Great fitness tips! I’m currently working to achieve my fitness goals.
Thanks for commenting!
My why for exercising is simple – to control my blood sugar. Knowing this, as you pointed out, changes the nature of my routine. Thanks for the tips.
Great example! Thanks for the feedback!
Having a goal marathon pace has helped me immensely with sticking to a training routine! It’s race day this weekend so let’s see if it has paid off.
Good luck Taylor! Thanks for the feedback!
It is so important to have realistic goals and expectations if you are going to succeed in fitness. These are great points to keep in mind.
Glad you like them Marysa! Thanks for commenting!
Making the specific parameters of the goal makes sense. It leads to action steps we can then take to meet those goals. If I just say I’ll work out a few times a week, that’s different than saying 4 times a week, 20 minutes each session, and sweating moderately. The latter is definitely the best way.
Good point Rosey! Thanks for commenting!
Some great tips here. Super helpful for when I forget…especially the why!
Glad you liked it! Thanks for the feedback!
I so agree with these! I have a personal training background and my biggest thing is trying to get people to think about their why and get very meaningful. Thank you for sharing these important points!
Exactly Christine. Thanks for commenting!
Thanks for the reminder, this is good reference point to come back to. Which tends to happen at the new year once I’ve fallen off the wagon. It tends to be my “cycle,” that i struggle to break, but that’s a different story
Yes, we all have that new years falldown. Thanks for the feedback!
I totally agree that when working out we have to move the correct way to avoid injury..
Thanks for commenting!
I always love reading about fitness
Glad you like the post!
Thank you for the resources, this is a lot of help
You are welcome!
These are great tips, I’m working on my fitness and these will be very helpful.
Good luck!
I’ve been working out for 5 years already and I have to say that i want to look bigger and more defined. The three things u pointed out do help especially in the long run
Yes, exactly. Thanks for the feedback and good luck!