The fitness industry has a big problem, which is also the problem of every single person who is not in the kind of shape they want to be in.
90% of people quit going to the gym within 90 days of starting, and the Quitting-Time curve is hyperbolic; more people quit closer to day one than day 90. This is a big problem. So why don't more people see it through and reach the fitness they want (need!)?
Contrary to what many fit people and gym owners want to think, the problem isn't laziness. Most people are not fundamentally lazy. In the 21st century, we live in a complex technological and industrial world, which could not function if most people were lazy. The problem is a lack of clarity about what needs to happen in the gym.
This is because they don't know how to define, measure, and track what's important. The mind needs to discern a purpose to exert effort, and the gym is a place to exert effort. If a person hasn't had an objective set out for them and a clear way to achieve it, they will not see a purpose, and the will cannot engage.
At StratFit, we clearly define what's important when a client first steps into our studio. And what is important? The Pillars of Your Fitness.
Your body is your temple. The base is a solid frame of muscle mass with strong bones, tendons, and ligaments with which you can execute effective movement.
From the base arise the four pillars of your fitness:
Stability
Strength
Endurance
Power
Stability refers to the ability to effectively balance your system on your feet and hold key positions necessary for high-level performance. Ballet dancers, gymnasts, figure skaters, surfers, and skiers must have excellent balance to perform. A marksman, archer, or sniper must hold a certain position effortlessly to hit a difficult target. Stability is the first component of effective performance.
Strength refers to your ability to produce Force. Literally every sport or adventurous activity requires the ability to produce Force effectively. All applications of Strength are productions of a percentage of your Absolute Strength, so improving Absolute Strength will almost always yield an improvement in performance across the board. The sport of Powerlifting (Squat, Bench Press, and Deadlift competition) represents the production and display of Absolute Strength and Maximum Force.
Endurance is the ability to continue performing work across an extended period of time. The Pillar refers to the Cardiovascular aspect of endurance, which is how efficiently the heart and lungs supply oxygen to your muscles while you perform at medium to high intensity. Marathon running is the sport in which maximum cardiovascular endurance is displayed.
Power is the rate at which you perform work (Work/Time). Effective production and utilization of Power largely determines the outcome in sports like boxing, wrestling, football, baseball, basketball, and more. A Powerful punch, tackle, jump, or throw is effective; one that is not powerful is ineffective. Speed-Strength and Strength-Speed are the physiological abilities of Power. Olympic Weightlifting (Snatch and Clean & Jerk competition) is the sport and activity of maximum human Power.
In any performance, you must display all the Pillars dynamically and interactively with each other. The product of integrating the abilities on top of the base of muscle mass and strong structural components is what we call fitness.
Now, we've defined what's important: Muscle Mass, Stability, Strength, Endurance, and Power. Measurement, tracking, and improvement in each of these is what must happen in the gym. This is the whole purpose of training.
Now that the purpose is clear, your will can engage, and you will be capable or far more than you've ever imagined if you start training.
In the coming posts, we'll show you how we measure, track, and progressively improve each Pillar holistically; this is TRAINING.
At the StratFit Training Studio, we aim to expand your base ever wider and drive your Pillars Higher and higher, progressively perfecting your temple of fitness, making it a place fit for you to live your best life and achieve YOUR PURPOSE. Let's Go.