Six Areas To Determine Your Exercise Modality
While in college we had a designated physical training period. This was used to either participate in our sport if we were a varsity athlete, participate in intramurals like ultimate frisbee, participate in some other club, or do our own thing. On the yard, there were a plethora of activities midshipmen could engage in. I myself did my own thing but was involved in taekwondo.
I knew folks involved in powerlifting and CrossFit who raved about it. There were many options for us but there are many options for those in society as well.
How do we determine what to pick? Is the juice worth the squeeze with this form of training I’m about to engage in? Stick around and find out.
I - Purpose
Everybody has that one thing they are after or pursuing. What they base their whole life around. Or maybe you have a primary with a secondary and tertiary. Why should our purpose determine how we work out?
Well, your purpose will determine how much extra time you have set aside to focus on improving your constitution. If your life is devoted to defense/fighting in an occupation like the military or police, then your workout regimen will look different from someone who wants to be a strongman.
My number one purpose is communion with God. Followed by this is to build a business and then start a family. Due to this, certain areas of fitness are not valuable to me. Large muscles for me are unnecessary as they cost time, money(food & supplements), and energy. Long-distance cardio, either running or cycling can take up too much time for my schedule and money in case of the latter.
I would like to own a piece of property one day with some animals so a kind of farmer's strength is something that I would likely devote time to. Lifting or carrying odd objects, digging, planting etc. My purpose in life helps me to narrow down what I want in my fitness regimen and what I don’t.
What is your purpose?
II - Time
If you’re lucky, blessed, or retired then you probably have ample amounts of time during the day. Whatever fitness path you choose is up to you. If you’re not in this category then this will begin the process of narrowing down what type of training you can do.
At one point in my life, I was working for a construction/home improvement company and the hours were long and difficult. I would leave around 5 every morning and wouldn’t get back till around 6 or 7 on most days. Traveling to a gym to get a workout during this time was out of the question. I resorted to my usual training of advanced calisthenics( as seen in Convict Conditioning combined with overcoming isometrics. Even this at some point was difficult to keep up due to the energy I was expending every day out in the sun.
Looking back I probably would have just stuck with overcoming isometrics and other forms of static contraction training as this would have allowed me the ability to improve my strength with very little recovery required. If you want a small primer on this check out my e-book. But this brings me to the next area of concern when making decisions is one’s energy level.
III - Energy
My outdoor construction job was tiring but maybe you have something else that is taking up a great deal of focus and energy. A new project at work or your kids are keeping you busy. Having energy left to pour into a 45-minute workout could be an impossible task on most days. But as long as you do something you are moving in the right direction. Walking, although simple, has a large number of benefits among them is an improved mood and burning fat.
Honestly, for most people, all they might need is a brisk 30 - 45 minute walk in the morning to clear their head and slim down.
If you have plenty of energy and time, and your purpose is to enter a bodybuilding contest then a nice gym would be a good spot for you.
IV - Outgoing Vs Wall Flower
Are you a people person or do you prefer to be a lone wolf? Even though I’m an introvert I don’t mind company and can talk for days with folks about some of my favorite subjects. But when I engage in a workout I want laser-like focus and to know that the equipment I need will be available. I could not always get that in a gym either in college at the boat school, or when I used the gym after my personal training sessions. Heck, all I need is some space, a pull-up bar, and a wall. I couldn’t imagine how difficult it’d be for me if I wasn’t a minimalist. Then you also have to contend with the various personalities in the gym. Those who take up five different machines or areas to do their, “Circuit” or those who play loud garbage rap music off their phone at the same time the gym music is going.
But there are good things to a crowded gym especially if it’s a good one. Like Camaraderie and Community. The gym can act as your family away from home. Folks that help/motivate you to reach that new fitness goal or listen to you while you list off the troubles you’re going through in life. Gyms can be great places or they can be horrible. But when you’ve learned how to train in a way that requires very little equipment, you are not reliant on such things. You gain freedom, not just in a personal sense but economic.
V - Money
Are you swimming in cash or do you save money by eating bologna sandwiches all day? Even if you are part of the latter there are still many things you can do towards building strength and muscle. But if you are not part of the latter but still wondering about how much money you want to spend on fitness just realize that you don’t need much depending on your goals/purpose in life. In addition to this and with the way the economy is going at least here in the west, we will need to start making tough decisions on what we spend our money on.
VI - Enjoyment
Lastly is what you enjoy. If you got the time and money to build your own 3D maneuver gear and want to go flying around taking down Titans left and right then I’m jealous.
The more you enjoy something the easier it will be to stick with. Mental toughness, willpower, and discipline are great to have but we only have so much energy each day. Instead of pouring your willpower into sticking with something you don’t enjoy, refocus it toward another area of your life. I might do something on the mental toughness/no rest days/asceticism for asceticism's sake that permeates some of our fitness culture in the future but for now, just know that some of that is overrated.
Wrap Up
Purpose
Time
Energy
Introvert vs Extrovert
Money
Enjoyment
Think about these yourself or get to know someone before you recommend a training modality to them. Know yourself and seek self-improvement.
Thank you for making it to the end and comments are below.
Until next time
