When it comes to strength, fat loss and other fitness goals, you can make it fast or you can make it last.
I think both are important.
Making it fast involves short programs or sprints that get you firmly out of your comfort zone. Here are a few reasons why I think they are important:
- Visible results, improvements and progress satisfies our need for instant gratification. Seeing and feeling changes is a strong motivator.
- You can see the “finish line” in these types of programs, which makes it easier to stay focused.
- You don’t need to think. Just FOLLOW the plan as it’s written. Short-term programs provide us a “fresh start” aka “kick in the pants” we all could use from time to time to test our moral fiber and resilience.
- Life has short seasons when we can dedicate more time and energy to a fitness/health sprint. Why not take advantage of these times?
Making it last is forward progress. It’s raising the bar to new standards and creating new boundaries. Your ups and downs now fall within these new boundaries. Making it last is where most people have a hard time. Making it last is built around:
- Learning what works best for YOU (often from mistakes).
- Dedicating and investing time into your health and well-being.
- Small daily victories.
- Chipping away at bad habits.
- Focusing on happiness.
- Taking imperfect action.
- Feeling good mentally and physically.
- Enjoying the process.
- Taking personal responsibility for your fitness, health and wellness.
We want to avoid the cycle of sprint, slide, sprint, slide….
Finding a good balance between fitness sprints and steady forward progress is the way to go.
Keep moving,
Coach Dom
