Attacking a Pandemic of Weakness Through Strength Training

“No man has the right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training. It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable.”

― Socrates

We are in the middle of a pandemic, and no I’m not talking about THAT one. I’m talking about a pandemic of weakness - both physical and mental. Today, I wanted to address the former. 

Bull Moose Co. was founded to foster growth in one’s connection with nature, but along with that, one of our core values is to push people to be physically stronger versions of themselves. You can’t take care of the planet if you can’t take care of yourself.

A vast majority of millennials, along with every generation after, are getting weaker and weaker than the previous generation. In fact, in a study of Americans ages 20-34, occupational therapists found that men younger than 30 have significantly weaker hand grips than their counterparts in 1985 did. The same was true of women ages 20-24. Why does this matter? Well, grip strength is indicative of overall physical health. A reduction in strength is associated with an increased dependence on daily activities in old age, a higher risk of injury, and a mortality rate higher than their stronger peers. 

On top of getting weaker, we are getting fatter. Listen, I know I might catch some flack for using the word fat, but that’s part of the problem - We need to stop being so sensitive and just admit when we’ve gained unwanted weight. 

The first step to solving a problem is to admit you have one. I get it, sometimes people have severe medical issues that prevent them from losing weight - I had one myself! I had a tumor in my pituitary gland that wreaked havoc on my endocrine system causing me to ballon to 250 lbs. If I wasn’t so hell-bent on being fit, if I was passive and hopped on a body acceptance bandwagon, I would have continued to live with a tumor in my head and perhaps even with an early funeral. If you maintain a healthy weight, strength train, and eat well 80% of the time, you will not only live longer, but you will have more life in your later years.

Was I harsh up there? I hope so. I just wanted to get the point across that we need to be healthier people. Getting started is a lot easier than people think.

Learn The Basics

• Squat
• Deadlift
• Overhead press
• Bench press
• Row
• Pull-ups
• Dips
• Lunge
• Run/Sprint: DON’T run unless you know how. Sound silly? Well, running is a SKILL. Too many people who want to get in shape think the easiest way is to lace up the sneakers that have been buried in the closet and go on a 5-mile run. You can hurt yourself and you’re reinforcing bad running form and habits. Start with weight training. It’s a lot easier to stay in control of your movements.

That’s it. If someone ONLY did these exercises, they would look, feel, and perform better than 90% of people.

Our ancestors were athletic, fit, and hard to kill. You should be too.

Know Your Why

Most people that try and get in shape are doing it for a specific day on the calendar. Maybe it’s a wedding, maybe it’s a trip to Vegas, or maybe it’s a family or school reunion where you want to show off how fit you are to everyone. The problem with this mentality is that it has an end date and fitness should never have an end date.

The beauty is in the journey, not the destination. Lifting weights and fitness should be a lifelong pursuit.

Get A Coach

Most coaches suck. There I said it. I dabbled in personal training for a while and the one thing I would always tell clients is “I’m not going to teach you anything groundbreaking and my goal is for you to NOT need me after 6-12 weeks”. Sounds counter-intuitive right? Well, a good coach will show you what you need, like form on basic movements, programming to fit your lifestyle and goals, and basic nutrition so that you can listen to your body. Coaches are not gatekeepers of hidden knowledge - If they act like it, they aren’t good coaches.

Coaches also should NOT act like drill sergeants. If your coach tries to drown you in your own sweat every workout, they’re a shitty coach. Do you know what else makes you sweaty and tired? Jumping jacks for an hour.

I’m harping on this because I’ve seen too many coaches crash diet and pound muscles into submission on their clients for far too long. Clients are partially at fault because that is what they’ve been conditioned to want and since personal training is a service business, you give the client what they want or you’ll be out of business soon enough. It doesn’t have to be this way. As a client, TELL your trainer that you want to LEARN the basics so that you can go off on your own and as a trainer, be confident enough to hold firm and tell a client what is best for them long term.

Take it Easy

I get it, we are all busy people. So one of the biggest mistakes people make when starting out is going in guns blazing, committing themselves to more than they can stick with. Then, they miss a day, feel bad about it and fall off the wagon. 

Be realistic with yourself. If you can only work out 3 days a week or even twice a week, make the most of it! Focus on learning and perfecting the moves mentioned above and you will be in good shape.

General Advice

I don’t have kids, but I feel like I have a sense of what I would do when the time comes and that is getting them involved in sports as soon as possible. Sports teach teamwork and discipline, among a host of other things. Most importantly, it gets them moving and using their muscles. When the time is right, introduce them to weight lifting. When is that time? Depends on who you ask. I started working out in the gym when I was 13.

I don’t have kids, but it’s important to make it FUN! Fitness shouldn’t be a punishment. It helps if you get involved and can model behavior for them as well.

Get Started

You can’t properly take care of the planet or others if you can’t first take care of yourself. It is time to seize personal responsibility and take care of our minds and bodies. Consider this the sign you were waiting for. Do it for yourself, your family, and our country - Let’s get started.

“For the physical vigor of our citizens is one of America’s most precious resources. If we waste and neglect this resource, if we allow it to dwindle and grow soft then we will destroy much of our ability to meet the great and vital challenges which confront our people. We will be unable to realize our full potential as a nation.” - JFK

Shoot me an email at [email protected] if you have any questions - I’d be happy to help.

Resources I Love:

The Mindpump Podcast

Renaissance Periodization YouTube Channel for form videos

Max Lugavere, Mark Hyman, and Kelly Leveque for general health tips