Daniel is asking about balancing training, here's what he asked:
"I'm curious about how you mix in any Internal Martial Arts and stretching with the harder stuff. And how you balance exploration/ play with just getting the work done (since I'm a program hopper this is relevant to me). And self-regulation, since I tend to overcook myself. And how you structure review (i.e. if you haven't used a piece of equipment/ skill/ lift for a while, how do you maintain?).
Regards
Daniel"
First, thanks Daniel for the question, it's a good one.
There's a few elements here:
Hard vs soft
Focused training vs play & exploration
How to self regulate
Program hopping vs structure
Let's start with hard vs soft.
If you look at the Wild Geese logos, you will see the goose, obviously, but inside the wings and shaped by the curve of the neck is the yin-yang symbol.
An image that is traditionally in black and white, with a spot of the opposite colour in the thickest part of each half.
This is a representation of the fact that hard and soft are not an either/or question, but they are actually complementary and need each other.
I've never been a fan of binary thinking. Life and the human animal is far too nuanced for that.
So hard training, by which I assume we're meaning heavy lifting and higher intensity work. Will always need softer stuff to balance it.
Now specifically the question mentions stretching and internal martial arts. I don't view either of these as “soft” more like they can be practised with intensity or with ease.
Just as we can jog or we can sprint
We can lift light or we can strain under high loads.
So it's a question of finding your balance.
I strongly advocate for training to have a mobility based warm up and to finish with a couple of stretching drills, usually for the muscles we have prioritised in the workout.
I also promote lifting through the fullest available range unless circumstances dictate another approach may be better.
So training or gym time will be mostly hard.
The softer stuff I personally like to fit in through the day.
Maybe I'll sit on the floor in the evening to stretch in front of the telly.
Maybe I'll do a breathing drill while sitting quietly.
Chi Gung I like to use whenever I feel a bit tight or unfocused. I'll stand up and go through a Chi Gung drill or 2 for the length of a song, or longer as I see fit.
Soft is where recovery happens. Or maybe more accurately it's where we downregulate our arousal level, shift towards parasympathetic in order to better allow recovery to happen.
To this end we have passive and active strategies.
Things like Chi Gung, going for a walk, hot or cold therapies and so on are active.
Putting your feet up watching a movie with some good food, or catching some sleep are passive.
The majority of recovery happens with passive, but active strategies help may you stay balanced through the day.
Now what about play and how do we ensure that “program hopping” doesn't leave you with holes in your armour
In our training it is beneficial to stick to a program for a minimum of 6 weeks to ensure adaptation occurs.
So how do we do this if we're a “program hopper” and basically have training ADD
This is what Crossfit tried to answer and it's what my lunchtime sessions at WG-FIT are all about.
We can make progress with variety.
So long as we follow a few principles.
The basic gym movement patterns:
Push - Pull - Hinge - Squat - Other
And the bodies energy systems:
Aerobic, Anaerobic and that muddy, complicated space in between the two….
So keep track of what you do in the gym.
If you're doing heavy barbell deadlifts one day, then you have ticked Hinge (and to some degree “Pull”) and Anaerobic
Nice.
So maybe do some kettlebell snatch for Hinge and Aerobic, or Hinge and Alactic.
If you notice you have missed out on say horizontal pulling, then make sure to include them in the near future.
Same if all you're doing is bilateral, or holding the load in both limbs. Sometimes do single limb lifts.
So squat, but also split squat, lunge forward, backwards, sideways etc.
Some lifts suit Anaerobic loading very well, such as a split squat.
Others, like Lateral lunges, less so, so lighter with more reps or as part of a complex or circuit which will reduce load but challenges the heart and lungs.
To this end, if we’re looking at including a heavy squat pattern, I can supplement that with a circuit of various hinges or lunge variants moving in various planes and
And over a long enough timeline, say a month, you'll have hit each of the movement categories in ways that emphasise each energy system.
And then there’s play.
Play is essential, and best done with other people.
Now, I do play by myself, I’ll often be in the kitchen swinging Indian Clubs, shadow boxing or trying some movement skill.
I am also getting in trouble at home for winding up the dog, by chasing her around the house and wrestling.
My kids, well they’re too cool to play with their Dad, but at least I have the dog…
How else can we play?
Go to a class, join a sports club, and even play online. Yes, I know computer games aren’t physical endeavours, but there are still some social and cognitive benefits.
If you want the workout thinking done for you, the WG-FIT Workout of the Day is on TrainHeroic and available for you to follow. (link: https://marketplace.trainheroic.com/workout-plan/team/wg-fit-crew)
It's what I'm currently using and if you follow me on SocMed, you'll have seen some of the variety and how I adapt it to the place I train out of.
Program hopping isn't something I recommend
But have a “semi-structured” program with variety built in I absolutely recommend.
For general fitness.
Not if you’re training for something specific
That's a big question Daniel, I appreciate it, thank you.
As for you if you have a question or a comment, hit reply as I'd love to hear it.
--
Regards
Dave Hedges
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