As a coach, one of the biggest lessons you learn is that folks tend to think they’re way more advanced than they really are.
On a scale of 1-10 in terms of development (with 10 being a Pro, and 1 being a rookie) most believe they’re in the 7-8 range, and just need a few cutting edge secrets to get to 9 or beyond.
I mean they’ve been working out for YEARS, how could they not be upper-tier, right?
But the sad fact is….most are WELL under 5. And NONE want to hear that!
So why does this happen?
It’s because they rush the really important but boring fundamentals to get to the cool, shiny & new “protocols.”
But if you don’t master these fundamentals — and make them CONSISTENT DAILY HABITS— all the high tech stuff in the world doesn’t make a lick of difference.
So what are the fundamentals?
- nutrition (calories, protein, veggies, fiber, essential fats, hydration)
- progressive resistance training
- 7+ hours of sleep a night
- daily movement
- stress management
- social outlets (not just social media)
- sunlight
- skinny teas (kidding)
What are NOT fundamentals?
- carb cycling
- fasting
- periodization
- intensity techniques
- most acronyms BFR, MRV, HRV, HIT, GST (Canadians will get that)
- making the process your life
You hit the “actual” fundamentals 28 days out of the month for two years and you can easily go from a 1 or 2 to a 6 or 7.
You can also go from “stuck at 5 or 6 for 20 years” to an 8 or more.
Whenever I’m in a rut (and yeah, it happens frequently) the FIRST THING I DO is make sure I’m nailing the actual fundamentals, and not the things just happen to look cool and shiny.
And I always — ALWAYS — find room for improvement.
I call it being Brilliant at the Basics.
It ain’t cutting edge. But it works.
– Bryan