More fitness blagging

I phrased myself poorly in the last entry. "Going against the grain" is an overly indulgent phrase, one that invokes the image of the heroic figure standing up against waves of opposition. My current approach to fitness, KIRS (Keep It Reasonably Simple), has no real opponents; all it can come up against is that other people probably favor their own approaches (whether by merits of simplicity or merits of complexity). It is my job to develop an approach that fits my goals and that is sound enough that I do not abandon it at the slightest critique.

Fat loss is but part of my goal. I train with weights because the physique I desire requires them. Imagewise, I'm aiming for more of a Men's Health build than a Runner's Digest build. I don't want to be thin; I was thin for about twenty years of my life (until I experienced regular visits to the university's buffet-style cafeteria) and I want something else for my current and future self.

I am trying out different approaches (as mentioned in the previous entry: weight training, cardio, and judo strikes) and will see where they lead me and how I respond to them.

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While the idea of simplifying my workout has been with me for some time, it really struck me a couple of months ago when I met a former colleague on the way to town. He is a well-built fellow, muscled and well-proportioned. We talked about his interest to become a personal trainer and during our conversation I brought up the amount of fitness/exercise reading material I've collected over the years. He responded that he had none.

It's like some cartoon where the contrast invokes an ironic humor: Guy A, who is not well-built yet has (and has read) loads of fitness reading material, meets with Guy B, who is very well-built and yet has little if any fitness reading material.

This encounter hammered in the point: sculpting one's body is about physical effort over time, not voracious and minute study. I already knew this, but in some way I didn't "know" this; something had to click, and this release of "Oh f*ck, have I ever gone about this the wrong way..." brought that click.

That's the gist of what I have to say to over-thinkers who preempt themselves from exercise due to the vast amount of info they think need to consider: ignore most of it and just get on with some kind of physical activity. Ignore concerns about the "maximum weight" you can lift and of being in "the zone" heart rate. Learn the basics and enough to avoid injury and from there on take in only as much as you find use for.

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For lazibones, I recommend setting up a workout area that is close to or fully dedcated to fitness equipment in your apartment/house. Of course, you must adapt your approach to yourself; for example, if you're only interested in working out while at a gym/fitness center, then a home gym may not be worthwhile for you.

For me, it is important that I minimize the obstacles I face between my desire to work out and my ability to work out. Not all parts of the house are suited for setting up a bench and using weights and I'd rather not add mental stress and frustration to the pains of exercise. This can be difficult at times because I live with other people and must take them into concern when setting out to exercise. This is why I must take advantage of the current days/weeks/months when both of my parents are abroad and I gain that much more authority and freedom within the house.