"Variety is the spice of life"
Consistency Series: If you're just joining us, this is part 3 of a series on "How to Build Consistency" so you can build a strong, healthy, and athletic body––even if your over 40. For Context, read part 1, and 2 first, then come back here.
In this post, I'm going to briefly unpack training variables. While variety sounds great, and may work in some contexts.
In the language of strength, however...
... variety is a means and not an end in itself.
Random "workouts of the day" are crap and will do nothing but get you injured; and tired at best.
In your strength work, you want more constants than variables.
The Problem with too Many Training Variables
When you have too many variables, you're not going to know WHAT is actually working and yielding positive results.
For example.
Let's say you're following random workouts of the day ("WOD's").
You run through a series of difference exercises for a month––if you make it that long. And here's the interesting part... you're actually seeing good results.
Question.
Of all the variables in your training, how do you know which variable(s) are yielding your results?
The answer is.
You don't.
Which means your results have become UN-REPEATABLE by consequence, because...
... there are too many moving parts.
Here's what I recommend instead
Simplify your training.
Keep training constant, and continuous, by having more constants than variables. The fewer moving parts, the better.
Why?
Because... simplicity leads to repeatability, and repeatability is what leads to consistency on a micro and macro level.
Once you're seeing the results you want, tweak ONE variable.
Then, be sure to track the data so you can analyze the results and make appropriate adjustments––so you can continue to see progress on a week-to-week, month-to-month, and year-to-year basis.
Constant training is trackable
And what gets tracked, gets managed.
Give that a try and let us know how it turns out.
... and if you need help designing a customized health and fitness program tailored to your lifestyle that will help you be consistent on a macro and micro level...
👉 Shoot me a DM, in messenger, with the word "CONSISTENCY" and I'll share the details of how our coaching works.
I appreciate you reading.
hec "the kettlebell coach" g.
Btw... if you're a BJJ practitioner, the principles in this series apply to how you approach your Jiu-Jitsu too.
I'll create a separate piece for you on what I mean and how to do it, so you can train for the long haul.
[To be continued...]