#19: Weak Links

Reasons or

Results! 

Fitness Nutrition Training

Sovereign Michael Valentine

SPN, CFT, Eft, Yft, Cft, SSc, GFI, CMCht, CERT, Reiki Master

206.225.9647

email: sovereignmv@gmail.com

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Special Report #19

Part of the

“I see you to succeeding"

series

Weak Links:

I think the most common misconception and misunderstanding in fitness conditioning (among the general public) is the idea of strength. Often, people have procrastinated getting in shape for so long they get in a hurry to do fancy, sexy, [advanced] exercises their body simply isn't physically prepared for.

I have learned this the hard way myself through injury. And that's the point, when we do exercise which our body isn't ready for, injury is likely. Maybe not the first or second month, but by the third month, individual weakness in the body shows up in the form of pain and injury. 

The point being that there's a balance between burning fat, getting lean & strong and preventing injury and ultimately making the body injury resistant. With each kind of exercise there are "progressions". Meaning different levels of skill depending on your current level of skill and fitness level (you have to begin at the basic level and [progress] through the levels based on your development versus progressing more quickly based on eagerness or anxiety to do more.

If you try to do advanced variations (progressions) before the body is ready, the weakest link will likely get injured and progress will slow...if you're lucky. The biggest mistake (I think) the general population make is trying to do what they see others doing. e.g. "I see people running so I want to go run". 

What we often fail to realize is the idea that just because we "can" do it, doesn't mean we should. This ties into the "procrastinate-rush" cycle....procrastinating to begin, then doing so much that we get injured. 

The videos and things we see of people doing advanced exercises erroneously gives us the idea that that's where we should BEGIN!..not. 

Generally, the core muscles, have to be developed in order to build the body up, focusing on strengthening the weakest links first. Weak muscles tend to be short and tight. Simple hint: examples of shortened,  tight muscles are seen in poor posture, feet that point outward when you walk or jog, a head that is forward of the shoulders and tight calves. Shoulders that are pulled forward and rounded are other examples of an underdeveloped core (tiny postural muscles throughout the body).

In people who aren't in very good shape, the tiny muscles (postural muscles, rotator-cuff, hip rotators, etc.), tend to be shortened and weak and the bigger muscles (pecs, lats, quads, glutes, etc.), tend to be doing the work of the postural muscles leaving them tight and fatigued, (a.k.a. saggy-ass). 

A SOLUTION, depending how out of shape you are, is to begin with basic resistance training & gentle stretching followed by a session of fat burning cardio. By doing this, you'll get a good sense of what parts of your body are inflexible, tight and shortened (likely to injure) and what parts are inherently healthy.

Stress and inactivity tends to make the core tight and weak. When you focus on exercising the weakest links of your body each workout, you'll get stronger and stronger as time goes on, likely surpassing your expectations. But if you focus on exercising what is already strong, the weaker parts get weaker and the stronger parts kinds bully the weaker parts...leading to imbalance and inevitable injury.

For example, without building up the tiny core and postural muscles throughout the body (not abs alone) as well as the "hinge" of the hips versus bending at the waist, running will simply make the stronger muscles stronger. You'll not only reach a plateau in your performance, you'll likely end up with unnecessary injuries like shin splints, stress fractures and hip and hamstring and knee problems. Often, once the core / postural muscles are strengthened up, injuries that you may have been told you'll have to live with simply go away. Focus on the weakest muscles / groups and flexibility and you'll feel and perform a lot better...all exercise will seem easier and feel better. 

Do it now, do it consistently!

I see you succeeding!