Dave Hedges

Jun 8, 20221 min

Build the Software to Run the Hardware

Training for fitness and athleticism is a balancing act.

If you are a sports person, your athletic training is covered by the sport, or at least it should be. The gym work then is supplemental, it develops the attributes you need to be able to express that athleticism.

Non athletes then have a question to answer.

Should I be athletic, or should I just lift.

Can you do both?

If you structure the training right, yes you can do both.

Warm Up: Use mobility drills and jumping/ plyo drills

Lifting: lift fast, build the basics of push/pull/hinge/squat

Conditioning: Challenge different energy systems, vary the movements

Some of the most valuable conditioning drills I can think of for a non athlete to become athletic are:

Crawling patterns
 
Jumps
 
Sprints
 
Skipping (skipping rope and athletic type skips)
 

Building and maintaining some level of athleticism is critical in my mind for health and longevity.
 
Yes, be strong and build muscle, but athleticism is more about the "software" the "program" that runs the hardware.
 

Ensure your gym work has value outside of the gym.
 
Ensure your impressive numbers in the gym count in the outside world, that you can can run up the stairs, that you can get on and off the floor easily, that you can turn on a dime
 
And every now and again, go out of your way to test yourself.

This is the Wild Geese way
 

    210
    2