THUR: Lower Left to Upper Right

Never have we lived in an era that requires more immediate gratification for our commitment, and the severity of our judgement is only going to intensify. We give a new Netflix show the first episode before deciding if we’re going to continue. We make personal judgement on someone within the first ten seconds of an interaction. Hell, how we’re even able to stay in business as a gym that doesn’t preach immediate gratification at the cost of sustainability is beyond me. It must be a testament to to each and every one of you having the sense and refusal to let that need for instant reward creep into your pysche.

Good for you.

I have no illusions that the need to produce fast results and fulfillment will start to bear down on fitness providers more heavily over the coming years, and we’ll be left to make one of two decisions. Stick to our guns, or trade them in. Because I am far too stubborn to ever do the latter, my money will be on education and perspective, and I think the only way to fight the addiction of gratification is to filter progress down to its most simple question with participants: Are you moving lower left to upper right?

Add five pounds to your 3R front squat? Lower left to upper right.

Perform two additional pull-ups over a one year period? Lower left to upper right.

Drop three pounds in your first month? Lower left to upper right.

Investing 101 is that you don’t pay attention to daily spikes, you focus on the long-term acquisition. It’s why every time a new member excitedly tells us they dropped a bunch of weight in thirty days, I am usually quickly to tell them first-time stimulus is always the most effective stimulus, and while the initial spike is great, not to get too used to that result.

Moving steadily but surely towards your investment goals is called dollar-cost averaging. You put the same in every month regardless of market performance, and year-over-year, over the long term, your investments will yield a return. Most advisers tell you that the cardinal sin is to check your investments daily. And I’m telling you, same with fitness. It leads to panic and flawed strategic shift out of an imbalanced perspective.

The minute you try and outsmart the basic concept of stress, adaptation, and recovery in the name of further acquisition you fuck it all up. Remain zoomed so closely in on your day to day, and it’s easy to lose sight of the steady climb your fitness has made. As we continue to embark with each of our aggressive 2018 goals, remember to zoom out frequently, and look down at your progress curve from above.

You’ll likely see that it’s moving towards that northeast corner.

-Dave

Thursday, 1.11.18

First, for Strength.
5 Back Squat @ 60-80%
5/s DB Sumo Rows
(x4)
Complete 1 set every 4 minutes for 16 minutes.
—
Then, for Muscle and Conditioning.
100 Push-Ups
100 DB Lunges
20’ Cap