Doing vs. Performing: The Difference Between Exercising and Getting ResultsWritten by Troy M Anderson
Are you getting Optimum benefit from your Exercise time?Back when I was young and living on my parents’ farm, there always seemed to be plenty of tasks that were reserved for low man on totem pole. And you guessed it. That low man was me. Picking up and piling sticks seemed to be one of my dad’s favorite tasks for me, and quite frankly, it was one of my least desired jobs to do. Funny how that works. Anyway, every time my dad would tell me to go out and complete one of these undesirable tasks, I would respond with requisite whining, complaining, and carrying-on that usually comes from a young person who is having to do something he/she doesn’t want to do. Nonetheless, I would slump off and begin my task, usually in a half-assed manner. Then I would rush in and tell my dad I had completed my task. He would go out, check it, and 9 times out of 10, he would make me go back and redo, complete, or what-have-you some of aspect of my job. He would always tell me, “It is much easier to do it right first time." This is a lesson that did not sink in until some years later. Now, however, I fully embrace my father's philosophy, in part, because on a daily basis I see same issues/attitudes I had as a young person showing up in how people approach their exercise programs. It seems nowadays people are in such a damn rush to get nowhere. I can see it on their faces when they walk in door at my facility. They are either still at last place they were or they are already at next place they are going. They have already set themselves up for a very unproductive training session. What it really comes down to is that they are just there to “do” their exercise and are not really in touch with their personal reason(s) for being there. They just know that “everyone” says you should exercise because it will help you stay healthy, lose fat, etc. When you just “do” something, 9 times out 10 it will end up like my boyhood projects -- half-assed and in need of correction or finishing. This is when frustration sets in for many people. They just can’t seem to understand why they are not getting what they want from their exercise program. I could train two similar individuals who perform same exercise with exactly same form; however, they will not get same result because one of them is a “doer” and one of them is a “performer”. You may be asking yourself, "Troy, what is difference?” To put it simply, since your brain tells your muscles what to do, there is a connection between two. This is typically referred to as “mind-muscle connection”(the mind-muscle connection to put is simply is paying attention/focusing on muscles that you are using to perform a particular movement. Another way to look at it would be mentally focus on deliberately contracting/lengthening proper muscles throughout entire movement). Although there is little research on this phenomenon, it does exist and has been proven through vast amounts of anecdotal evidence from people who are extremely successful with their exercise programs. I feel there are two main differences between “doer” and “performer”. 1) “Doers” are not mentally available. They are either thinking about their previous engagement or they are already planning for their next engagement. Either way, they are not focused on task at hand and have eliminated possibility of having an optimal training session. "Performers" come prepared to get most out of their training session. They concentrate on their exercises and utilize mind-muscle connection to fullest extent possible. 2) "Doers" do not have clearly defined goals. If you do not know why you are doing something and do not completely commit to achieving it, then there is a very high likelihood that you will never attain it. "Performers" do have clearly defined goals which are important to them to achieve. Thus, they approach every training session with desire to make progress on reaching those goals. This is not to say that “doers” are completely wasting their time. They are accomplishing some physical work, which is what training is in its most basic form. Although "doers" may have a murky idea of what their goals are, because they lack mind-muscle connection, they often become frustrated with their progress and quit altogether prior to achieving their goals. “Performers”, on other hand, use mind-muscle connection to make steady progress toward their goals. In order to achieve their goals, they learn which exercises are most appropriate to achieve their goals and proper methods for performing those exercises. They strive to gain an understanding of how their bodies function, not only during their training sessions, but also during their nutrition and recovery periods as well. To put it bluntly, “performers” actually care about accomplishing their goals/objectives and put forth effort necessary to do so, while “doers” just are there putting in their time.
| | Learn How to Perform an Unusual New Abdominal ExerciseWritten by Rick DeToma
You have permission to publish this article electronically, without changes of any kind, free of charge, as long as bylines are included, and remain working hyperlinks. Please send a copy of URL where you have posted this article.Learn How to Perform an Unusual New Abdominal Exercise ©Rick DeToma I was stretching after my workout at a local gym other day and saw this person doing a new abdominal exercise. I just had to tell you about it. This exercise is a bit complex so I'll do my best to provide details so you'll understand what I was witnessing. Here's a humorous look at a new abdominal exercise: First select a stability ball that is too small for your height. Next, lay back on ball like you would to perform a traditional crunch except, instead of having your lower back supported by ball, slide your hips down so your butt is just a few inches off floor. This is starting position. Now clasp your hands behind your head and wrench your neck as far forward as you can. Be sure to hold your breath from this point out. Now in a rhythmic fashion, wrench your head towards your chest and try not to let your butt hit floor! Return to start position.
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